/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51315101/usa-today-9599185.0.jpg)
Here at Cincy Jungle, we take approaches ranging from breaking Bengals news, to the analytical side of how the team is performing. While we can be critical at times, we still like to maintain an overall sense of optimism. However, every once in awhile, the team puts forth such a poor effort, that some players end up getting called out for embarrassing performances.
Such was the case in Dallas this weekend as the Cowboys trounced the Bengals 28-14. All three phases of the game provided gaffes by the Bengals, but we want to ask you who had the most egregious mistakes, in your eyes. Cast your vote and sound off on your choice for the Bengals' Goat of the Week in the loss against the Cowboys.
Offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi: It's been a rough start of 2016 for last year's first round pick. In his first year as a full-time starter, Ogbuehi has been part of an offensive line unit that has massively disappointed through the first five weeks. Ogbuehi allowed five pressures on Andy Dalton, forcing the Bengals' quarterback to move out of the pocket and making him unable to throw the ball at the top of his drops.
#Bengals Film: Dalton almost never released the ball at the top of his drop. #Cowboys sound coverages were complicating Bengals pass designs
— Andy Benoit (@Andy_Benoit) October 11, 2016
Offensive guard Kevin Zeitler: It has not been a good year for a guy entering free agency next offseason. Zeitler's struggles continued in a big way in Dallas, be it with the ground game or against the pass. He had a critical holding penalty to kill a Bengals drive early in the second quarter after they were on the move and has had two straight negative grades from Pro Football Focus, if their metrics are your thing.
Offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth: Is age beginning to finally catch up to the team's great left tackle? It hasn't been a great start for him in 2016, either and Sunday afternoon was a disaster. Like Zeitler, Whitworth was called for a critical holding penalty that stopped another drive in the third quarter, while also being credited with giving up two of the Cowboys' four sacks of Dalton.
Running back Jeremy Hill: It's hard to truly get on Hill too much because of his re-injuring of his shoulder on Sunday, but his 3.0 yards per carry average (four carries, 12 yards) is once again helping to make the offense one-dimensional. If he's healthy, I still contend he's a back who gets better as the game wears on with more carries.
Defensive tackle Geno Atkins: Would you be surprised that Atkins was blanked out on a couple major stat columns this week? With zero sacks and zero tackles, it's not hard to see why rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott had banner days. Atkins is obviously an amazing player, but he's off to a slower start this year, compared to last (2.5 sacks through five weeks this year, 4.0 in 2015).
Linebacker Rey Maualuga: The veteran guy in the middle looked absolutely lost on Sunday. Missed tackles and the allowance of three catches in three targets that came his way gave him a very poor PFF grade along with many other defenders. By their metrics, it was one of the worst games in about four years by Maualuga and he was the worst rated linebacker in the NFL this week.