After an unsettling 0-2 start, and then a win in week 3, the Bengals came away with their second straight victory on Thursday Night, as they even out their record. There were some questionable moments on both sides of the ball, but a second straight week of progress is very much an encouraging sign.
The Good:
– S, Vonn Bell
Bell was one of the biggest standouts on the Bengals defence last Thursday. As usual, his presence was felt down low, but he also made a big difference in defending Miami’s passing attack. He was able to cut in front of Tyreek Hill to intercept an underthrown ball from Tua. Later in the game, he secured his second interception after there seemed to be some miscommunication between Bridgewater and Gesicki. The second pick put the Bengals in a great position to secure their win, as it came at a time when the game was still close, and Miami was driving.
– DE, Sam Hubbard
With DJ Reader out, the Bengals needed others to step up against the run. Defending the run has always been a strong suit of his, but Hubbard especially stood out in this regard on Thursday. His strength and ability to shed blocks were on display, and he was able to snuff out what otherwise might have been some solid pickups for the Dolphins.
– WR, Tee Higgins
As defences continue to key in on Chase, Higgins has continued to capitalise. He had a number of solid pickups, before going for a 59 yard TD. Due to more attention being on Chase, Higgins found himself matched up in single coverage against Howard, and he was able to blow right by him down the sideline. Higgins totaled 7 receptions on the day, for 124 yards and the TD.
– TE, Hayden Hurst
The stat sheet doesn’t jump off the page by any means, but Hurst has proven to be quite a solid addition for the Bengals. He takes advantage when called upon, and on a couple of occasions, he was able to plough forward for extra yards to pick up important 1st downs. Late in the game, he added the sealing TD off a play action pass.
– CB, Eli Apple
The Eli Apple-Tyreek Hill matchup was a highly anticipated one, considering the two players’ dislike for each other. While they weren’t matched up a whole lot, Apple had his way against Hill when they were, allowing only 1 catch for 7 yards. He also broke up the final Miami pass attempt of the game, which was intended for Hill. In his other matchups, Apple also did well. On the day, he allowed only 2 catches for 26 yards.
– DE, Jeffrey Gunter
Although only a 7th round pick, there are many out there that are quite high on Gunter. He has played extremely sparingly up to this point, so anything he can do to stand out is a big positive for him. On Thursday, that came in the form of a blocked field goal. The Dolphins had just picked up 16 yards on 3rd & 17 to squeak into field goal range. Getting points on that drive could have been a momentum booster for the Dolphins. Instead, the drive came up empty.
– Trick Play
The play calling was not perfect by any means. However, I have long been calling for more creativity. Credit where it is due, the Tyler Boyd pass to Chase was a great one. The timing was also good, as it was their first drive since Miami had taken the lead, and they were facing 3rd & 11. It was a crucial point in the game, and the drive resulted in the Bengals reclaiming their lead, which they did not give up again.
The Bad:
– Run Blocking
Generally speaking, it was a pretty positive day for the OL in terms of pass blocking. However, run blocking continues to be a big issue. Perhaps the silver lining is that Miami has been pretty stingy against the run all year. But at the same time, the Bengals have struggled in this area all year. It is something that will need to see significant improvement as the year progresses.
– RB, Joe Mixon
While a lot of the issues in the run game fall on the shoulders of the OL, Mixon hasn’t looked great either. He seems to have a bit of an ankle issue, and his burst has noticeably been more limited than we have become accustomed to. As well, his vision doesn’t seem to be the same, and a lot of indecisiveness is evident. Despite the high volume workload, Mixon failed to produce much on Thursday, beyond his TD. On 24 carries, he picked up only 61 yards, with a measly long of 7. As well, he wasn’t much of a factor in the passing game, tallying only 13 yards on 4 catches.
Modified Homescreen Image Via: All-Pro Reels (CC)