The Cincinnati Bengals are 1-0, and it feels bad, but it should actually feel really good.
The team did what wasn’t possible last year, which is to win with defense.
So what did we learn from their Week 1 victory over the Cleveland Browns?
Play calling is always going to be an issue
The run game was almost nonexistent after the first drive.
And Joe Burrow and the receivers struggled to connect for big plays downfield against the Browns’ secondary.
There was then no real adjustment that Zac Taylor made that could fix that.
In fact, the offense got progressively worse, gaining only seven yards in the second half.
This offense will be dependent upon Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins connecting with Burrow downfield until Taylor hands over play-calling duties to Dan Pitcher.
The offensive line still isn’t good
Blame Burrow for holding onto the ball as much as you want, but he’s still getting swamped by defenders who shoot through the middle in no time at all.
Yes, Dalton Risner played admirably, and Dylan Fairchild will only get better as his rookie season progresses.
But Burrow was sacked three straight times in the fourth quarter. That is disgusting and unacceptable.
The defensive line is a strength of the team
Trey Hendrickson was ridiculously good despite not playing since January. Shemar Stewart was very active and got pressure consistently. TJ Slaton did an excellent job of filling in gaps, especially on runs. And BJ Hill got excellent penetration.
Even if the secondary doesn’t take a big step forward, this defense should be able to hold its own (at least against subpar offenses like that of the Browns) on account of a beefed-up defensive line.
Demetrius Knight Jr. is the real deal
Anyone who watched the rookie linebacker could see that his football IQ and instincts translate to the professional level.
Knight was all over the field making plays on the way to the most tackles in a Bengals debut since Keith Rivers in 2008. But perhaps even more importantly, the other Bengals players are feeding off his infectious energy.
And that is why you don’t read too much into poor preseason performances, especially by rookies.
Remember when we laughed about the Bengals justifying the defense’s atrocious performances in the preseason by saying they didn’t want to show anything?
Well, as it turns out, that is precisely what Golden did.
He told Jay Morrison that his decision to “not show anything we showed [against the Browns” was difficult but helped them in the victory. Absolutely brilliant. And well worth it.
Preview of Week 2
Up next, the Bengals face the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are coming off a Week 1 win of their own.
We previewed that game with Jaguars insider James Johnson.
You can also listen on iTunes or by using the player below.
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