For a few fleeting seconds, it seemed as if the Cincinnati Bengals were unstoppable again.
Quarterback Joe Burrow plus wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have always been a recipe for success for the Bengals. Since the trio came together in 2021, their health has been all the Bengals needed to compete. The Bengals opened Monday’s game with a 41-yard deep ball for a touchdown from Burrow to Chase, and everything felt back to normal for the Bengals.
But as it turns out, there is a new normal at Paycor Stadium.
“Frustrating,” said head coach Zac Taylor. “We didn’t see ourselves in this position, but here we are. We have to own it. We have to take responsibility in all areas.”
Bengals Wrap: Still winless after MNF loss to the Commanders
The Cincinnati Bengals remain winless after a 38-33 loss to the Commanders on Monday Night Football.
When you take away a core of championship quality, see players outgrow that roster and fail to replace them in the draft, you become vulnerable. When the Washington Commanders beat the Bengals 38-33 on Monday, Washington realized there was blood in the water.
The final blow was a 27-yard touchdown throw from quarterback Jayden Daniels to wide receiver Terry McLaurin to Bengals cornerback Dax Hill, giving Washington a two-point lead with 2:10 minutes left. The Bengals defense did not make a single important stop the entire game.
The Bengals scored a touchdown in the final minute, putting the game ahead by one point, but it was too little, too late.
“We have to win games like this,” Chase said. “I’ve never felt like this before. There’s a first time for everything.”
The 0-3 Bengals are not a recognizable version of the team that has been one of the top teams in the NFL since 2021.
In 2021, the Bengals surprisingly defeated the Baltimore Ravens in an away game, announcing the Bengals’ presence on the national stage.
Monday’s loss was an announcement of a different kind. An announcement of the opposite kind.
Last season, Burrow was willing to risk a serious calf injury, overrode owner Mike Brown’s wishes and played in Week 3 when the Bengals earned their first win. “There’s also the risk of not going on the field and being 0-3,” Burrow said that night.
Now he’s healthy, but Burrow’s appearances in 2023 show what Monday’s loss means.
The 2024 Bengals are a flawed team. The offense should be fine, but Burrow hasn’t reached his MVP potential. The running game has been inconsistent and self-inflicted mistakes continue to plague the Bengals.
The Bengals have arguably the worst run defense in the NFL and, aside from edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, they have no pass rush. The new veteran safeties have not gotten the defense in order and cornerbacks Cam Taylor-Britt and Hill both allowed crucial deep pass catches that changed the game.
“Too many missed tackles early on,” Bengals safety Geno Stone said. “Too many plays that were drawn out. Too many third and go (downs) for them. We just have to find a way to get off the field.”
The alarm bells are ringing regarding the prospects for this season and this tournament window.
The Bengals’ problems in defense start in the defensive line
The Bengals thought they had a plan to replace star run stopper DJ Reader. They expected more pass rush from defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and decided to rely on rookies to stop the run.
Kris Jenkins Jr. is injured and has not played. McKinnley Jackson has not played yet. Zach Carter and Jay Tufele are not NFL-ready players and have been injured on the ground by three consecutive opponents.
Lawrence Guy, a 34-year-old veteran who was released from the streets this week, was also not the solution.
Defensive end Joseph Ossai was the most problematic run stopper on Monday, allowing a touchdown when he was run over at the line of scrimmage and another when he followed the running back on a quarterback run.
“It always starts with stopping the run,” Stone said. “They had critical runs. Something we can’t have.”
Defensive end Sam Hubbard played his second subpar game of the season, missing tackles and failing to provide the pass rush juice the Bengals so desperately need.
Until the Bengals are back to full strength, they won’t be able to stop the run or produce much pass rush outside of Hendrickson. And even when they are back to full strength, it might not be much better than it is now.
This year, the Bengals defense has been shaky and falling apart, and the deep touchdown against Hill was the icing on the cake.
“You hope the rush gets there, but at the same time he made a good catch,” Hill said. “I fought it as best I could.”
Joe Burrows attack against Commanders is not enough
The Bengals made it into the red zone late in the second quarter. On second down, running back Zack Moss was completely free, but was unable to attack on what could have been an easy checkdown. Burrow had Chase free on third down and bounced his throw.
“No game is easy,” said Burrow. “We had our chances and didn’t take advantage of them. That was the common denominator of the first three weeks.”
For the second week in a row, a weak red zone offense cost the Bengals a win. Higgins’ return should have been the answer, especially against a weak Commanders defense. But while the Bengals moved the ball down the field, offensive pressure and self-inflicted mistakes forced the Bengals to settle for field goals.
There was a miscommunication between Burrow and wide receiver Andrei Iosivas, a crucial sack, a running game without any impact and a discouraging sequence in the second quarter.
The Bengals’ offense was good on Monday, with Burrow passing for over 300 yards, but the offense failed to make enough winning plays in the crucial moments.
The Bengals’ offense had to keep up with Washington’s on a day when Cincinnati didn’t get a single stop. The Bengals underperformed in the red zone.
“We stalled on some of our attacks in the first half, and that’s what mattered,” Burrow said.
Bengals chances for the title
There are qualities that competing teams have.
Competing teams have no problem putting the defense they want on the goal line – twice. Competing teams don’t allow 38 points.
Contending teams don’t get stopped in the red zone by a defense that doesn’t have the corners to stop the New York Giants’ passing attack, let alone a passing attack with players as good as Burrow, Chase and Higgins. Contending teams don’t give up six points on special teams like the Bengals did on Monday night.
The Bengals’ season is not over yet. Last year they were 1-3 and almost made the playoffs. Two of their next three games are against the Carolina Panthers and the New York Giants. But the Bengals have already lost to the New England Patriots and the Commanders this year.
Nothing is guaranteed for the 2024 Bengals.
They lost Reader and Jessie Bates III. Hubbard, Vonn Bell and the linebackers are not as good as they were in previous seasons.
Now the Bengals seem like a different kind of team than they did in the previous three years.
“You have to accept it (0-3) and move forward,” Stone said. “Don’t get hung up on last week. Focus on next week. Next week is Carolina. We have to prepare for the game. It’s an important game for us because it’s the next game and you don’t want to be 0-4.”
