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One of the biggest keys to a successful 2015 season for the Bengals is Marvin Jones.
The fourth-year receiver has missed 21 games in his first three years due to injury, including all of last year with foot and ankle injuries. He did play in all 16 games in 2013 while catching 10 touchdowns on 51 catches (712 yards) and helping Cincinnati rank sixth in points per game (26.9) and eighth in passing offense. Andy Dalton also threw a career-high 33 touchdowns en route to his best season as an NFL QB.
However, the passing game struggled without Jones in 2014 as they finished 21st in passing offense and 15th in ppg (22.6). The return of Jones was discussed all offseason as a major factor in how good the offense would be, and so far so good.
It really began last week after Jones hauled in a 45-yard touchdown to help give the Bengals a 24-19 win over the Chargers. He would build off that with another big performance against the Ravens while helping the Bengals escape with a 28-24 win.
In this games, Jones caught five passes for 94 yards and a score, including a 32-yard grab during Cincinnati's game-winning drive. Without him, the Bengals may have lost each of the past two games, which shows how important Jones is to them. That's evident in the fact that Cincinnati is now 9-1 in games Jones catches a touchdown in.
A.J. Green knows how important it is to have a supporting cast around him, even after his 10-catch, 227-yard performance. "I’m not the only one out here making plays," Green said after the win. "We have players like Jeremy [Hill], Marvin [Jones] and Mohamed [Sanu]. Plus, we have two of the best tackles in the NFL."
Even though there will be weeks the offense does well without him putting up big numbers, Jones is an invaluable asset to this team and will be critical to them not only earning a playoff spot, but finally making a deep postseason run, if the opportunity arises.