Bengals fans, we’re back. Take a read of my week 1 preview here and week 1 review here. I promise you, today there is much less excitement. I’m still angry here on Monday morning.
Winners
I guess let’s start with the good?
1.) Most of the defense. Trey Hendrickson had his first sack and later strip sacked Fields. He did miss that game saving tackle, but otherwise played very well.
2.) Logan Wilson – I mean he could have recovered that fumble on the third down strip sack of Fields but he did come back and intercept him later. Overall, Wilson played very well.
3.) DJ Reader – Reader looked like a beast and had a sack early in the game.
4.) Tyler Boyd and Ja’Marr Chase – although Chase had one dropped that looked like an easy catch, he did have a TD on another deep ball. Tyler Boyd looked so solid and was there every time the Bengals needed him.
Losers
Wow, um, everyone else?
1.) Zac Taylor. Playcalling SUCKED. What the hell was going on out there? 7-26-1 or something stupid in 3 years. Another week like this and it’s time to cut him loose. We’ve tried. I thought we made strides last week but where the hell did it go this week? Horrible game.
2.) The offensive line. Guys, do we really want to protect Burrow? 9 sacks through 2 games has us on pace to allow 76.5 sacks this year. That would beat David Carr’s record by .5 – that’s something to really strive for. PROTECT THIS MAN, DAMNIT.
3.) Eli freaking Apple. Trae Waynes, get your shit together and get that hammy healed. Eli Apple is so bad. There was a ridiculous play where he just grabbed the receiver and threw him while the ball was in the air? No common sense. There has to be someone out there.
4.) Tee Higgins – the fumble, man. Come on. He had 6 for 60 and a touch, but it just hurt to fumble that ball away.
5.) I didn’t want to ever see him on this list. I almost created a new category to prevent him from being on this list. But Joe Burrow. 3 straight interceptions on 3 passes. Two of them looked very bad. One he threw directly to a defender. The next was just ugly on a comeback route and the third I can’t even describe as I was so pissed off. You know what I hope? I hope this pissed Joe Burrow off. I hope he comes out next week against the Steelers and just absolutely destroys them. That’s not an easy task. But it’s time to decide if the Bengals are going to be any good this year or if they’re going to be the Bengals.
Week 3 @ Pittsburgh. Must win.