After a bad defeat at the hands of the Eagles, the Bengals had the chance to bounce back against a Raiders team that is very much beatable. Things were close early on, with some shaky moments on the defensive side. But as the 1st half went on, the Bengals began to draw off. While a 4th quarter pick 6 did make things somewhat interesting, they were never in serious doubt of winning this game.
The Good:
DE, Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson, as he often has, led the charge for the Bengals on Sunday. 4 sacks is just crazy. He got to the QB often, and was a disruptive force, preventing them from generating any kind of momentum.
TE, Mike Gesicki
With Higgins out, Gesicki really stepped up. He led the Bengals in receiving yards with 100, and added 2 long TD’s. The veteran has shown multiple times over the course of the season that he is someone who should have a sizable role, regardless of who else is in the lineup.
QB, Joe Burrow
Burrow quieted down in the 2nd half, but still had a big day in the passing game. He threw for 251 yards and 5 TD’s. Burrow also added 11 yards on the ground.
RB, Chase Brown
Brown had a huge day on the ground. With Zack Moss out, he made the most of his opportunity, being the only RB on the team to get a carry. Brown picked up 120 yards on 27 carries, and looked dynamic in the process. He also added 37 yards and a TD through the air.
DT, Kris Jenkins
The rookie is coming along a little slower that most probably would have hoped. However, he has shown some positive flashes at various points throughout the season. On Sunday, he was able to get home for a sack.
OT, Amarius Mims
Mims had a tough assignment, blocking someone like Maxx Crosby. But the rookie held up nicely, allowing very little to get by him, and no sacks.
CB, Mike Hilton
Hilton has been a rock these past few weeks. He allowed minimal yards on the catches he allowed, and made a handful of key tackles and stops. In some rough times, he has continued to step up as a leader on defence.
The Bad:
WR, Jermaine Burton
I don’t usually include players who did not actually play, but this is a unique circumstance. Burton was supposed to have a bigger role, but a missed walkthrough on Saturday led to him being a healthy scratch. Reports of immaturity on his end have lingered from the time training camp began. He needs to start being serious. The flashes have been tremendous, but if he can’t be trusted, he won’t see the field. It’s simple.
DT, Sheldon Rankins
Rankins was a big money free agent addition, but has been invisible thus far. Hendrison has been carrying the load when it comes to rushing the passer. Rankins needs to pick up the pace. He has shown it in the past, but if that version of him does not show up soon, he may be a cut candidate in the offseason.
WR, Ja’Marr Chase
It wasn’t necessarily a bad game in a vacuum, but by his standards it was. He made 7 catches for 43 yards, but also had a bad drop.
Thumbnail Image Via: Eli Marshall