The microphones definitely work this week.
The Cincinnati Bengals looked like a lost football team in Week 1.
Struggles on both sides of the ball led to a 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots, which feels worse than it actually was, given that the Bengals were heavy favorites coming off Joe Burrow’s first full training camp as a professional.
Despite the loss, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase remains confident in the team moving forward. Ahead of the matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, Chase said the Bengals are “the team to beat” in the AFC.
Ja’Marr Chase: We’re the team to beat in the AFC. We need to act like it, and we need to play like it.
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) September 12, 2024
After failing to score more than 10 points to start the season, the offense needs to kick things in to high gear for the Bengals to be a real threat to Kansas City or anyone in the AFC, for that matter.
Lou Anarumo’s defense didn’t give up a ton of points at 16, but missed tackles and poor run defense led to the New England Patriots controlling the flow of the game from start to finish. Similar issues against a Patrick Mahomes-led team could result in far more scoring on the Bengal defense than any of us want to see.
We know the Bengals are a Super Bowl contender at their ceiling. Chase still believes they can be that team, and there’s no better time to prove that than in Arrowhead Stadium against the defending world champions in the late afternoon window.
