Bengals Bytes (11/3): Tragic

How Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict prepares for NFL Sunday
Vontaze Burfict—student of the game? Doting dad and husband? We embedded with the Bengals linebacker for an in-season Wednesday as he prepped for the Colts.

Matchup of the Game: Tez-Fournette in old school recess
There may be no more clear-cut assignment in Marvin Lewis’ 15 seasons than what awaits Sunday (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Channel 12) in Jacksonville against the suddenly relevant 4-3 Jaguars. When the Jaguars win, they get a foothold with the NFL’s top-ranked rushing team and have bolted to a combined 69-6 half-time lead in their four victories before unleashing an NFL-record setting pass rush in the second half. Even when Fournette didn’t play two weeks ago with an ankle injury, the Jags still went on the road to crush the Colts behind the likes of T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory. In the games they’ve lost, they were down 54-27 at the half.

TDBH: Brumfield injury overshadows biggest road comeback
Bengals quarterback Jeff Blake swash buckles through Marvin Lewis’ Ravens defense for three third-down conversions to set up Doug Pelfrey’s tying field goal with 1:49 left and then runs and passes the Bengals 56 yards in 1:22 to set up Pelfrey’s winner at the gun for a 24-21 victory today that erases a 21-3 half-time deficit and still stands as the Bengals’ biggest road come-back ever. But the Memorial Stadium locker room is subdued. With 1:07 left in the third quarter right guard Scott Brumfield collides with tight end Tony McGee on running back Garrison Hearst’s six-yard run and doesn’t get up.

Top 50 Moments: Bengals Beat Undefeated Chiefs
Chad Johnson guarantees it. Peter Warrick seals it. Marvin Lewis praises it, and in an emotional locker room he chokes back tears awarding a game ball to Bengals president Mike Brown after a 24-19 victory over the 9-0 Chiefs validates his rebuilding project. As the sun slides behind Paul Brown Stadium on Nov. 16, 2003, the 5-5 Bengals are in first place at the latest point in the season since their 1990 playoff run and a delirious PBS record crowd of 64,923 has screamed so loud that Jon Kitna pronounces, "The Jungle is back."

Bengals Legends to be Honored at Browns and Steelers Games
In honor of the Bengals’ 50th season, Bengals Legends will be recognized during halftime ceremonies at every regular season home game. The following Bengals Legends are scheduled to be recognized during the Browns game on Sunday, Nov. 26 (1 p.m.) and the Steelers game on Monday, Dec. 4 (8:30 p.m.). Additionally, the Bengals plan to honor Super Bowl XVI head coach Forrest Gregg and Super Bowl XXIII head coach Sam Wyche at the Browns game. More details will be released closer to the game.

Fantasy Forecast: Week 9
There were several deals made at the trade deadline, but only two have lasting effects that you need to know about with fantasy line-ups. Let’s go through both of those deals, as well as talk about the Ezekiel Elliot suspension, and what you need to know about their impact on the rest of the fantasy season.

Bengals face biggest challenge yet vs. Jags' pass rush on record pace
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and the Jaguars' pass rush are on pace to set sack records this season. The Jaguars, with 33 sacks through seven games, have the potential to break the single-season record for 72 sacks, set by the Bears in 1984. Dalton, who has been sacked 22 times in seven games this season, is on pace for 50, which would top his personal high of 46 in 2012.

Browns, Bengals AJ McCarron Trade Documents Sent to NFL Reportedly Didn't Match
More details have emerged in the aftermath of the AJ McCarron trade that wasn't between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. On Thursday, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com cited "more than a half a dozen league sources with inside knowledge of how it all went down" and noted the documents each team had didn't match.

AFC North Bytes

Breshad Perriman goes from first-rounder to most inefficient target
The Baltimore Ravens had to envision that Breshad Perriman would be their No. 1 wide receiver by now after selecting him with the No. 26 overall pick in 2015. Three seasons later, Perriman is far from being the go-to target for Joe Flacco. In fact, he's the exact opposite.

Ownership went “nuclear” on Browns front office on Wednesday
Per a league source, ownership (specifically Dee Haslam) went “nuclear” on the front office in the aftermath of the failed effort to consummate a trade for Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron. The reaction comes even as the Browns spent much of Wednesday trying to persuade multiple media members that the Browns didn’t screw up the trade that was indeed screwed up. The Browns contend that they signed the appropriate paperwork to reflect their agreement to the deal, that they sent it to the Bengals for signature and submission to the league office, that the Bengals sent documentation signed only by the team, and that by the time the error was detected it was too late to rectify it.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is hiding in plain sight
After the loss, the Steelers, wet with sweat and rain, stream into the tunnel of Heinz Field. Their faces register disgust, distress or disillusionment -- or all three -- as they file into the locker room following a 30-9 dismantling by Jacksonville. Le'Veon Bell locks his eyes on the floor, Martavis Bryant shakes his head, David DeCastro winces. Only one player enters with his helmet still on. You can't see his eyes. You can't read him at all.

Random Bytes

Richie Incognito Says Thursday Night Football Is 'Unfair and Bulls--t'
Count Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Richie Incognito among those opposed to playing regular-season games on Thursday nights. After the Bills were throttled 34-21 by the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, Incognito told reporters he thinks the scheduling practice is "bulls--t."

At 4-5, New York Jets Have More to Play for Than Just Top Draft Pick
The New York Jets continue to teach the rest of the league a lesson: Any discussion regarding tanking prior to the start of a campaign is silly. Todd Bowles' squad improved to 4-5 on Thursday after an impressive 34-21 victory over the rival Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. With four wins and seven games remaining, the Jets already played their way out of the No. 1 overall pick considering 14 teams have three or fewer wins entering Week 9.

Deshaun Watson Suffered Torn ACL During Texans Practice; Will Undergo Surgery
Houston Texans rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a torn ACL in a non-contact drill in practice, as first reported by the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Thursday. John McClain of the Houston Chronicle confirmed the report and added Watson will undergo surgery. ESPN's Adam Schefter described how Watson suffered the injury