The second half of the Bengals’ 2019 season began just as well as the first half ended. Their 49-13 trouncing bestowed to them by the Ravens last Sunday sealed a fourth-consecutive losing season along with the first season sweep the Ravens have had against them since 2011.
Before the Bengals worry about the Steelers sweeping them again this season in two weeks, they have to contend with the Oakland Raiders one last time before the Raiders move to Las Vegas. Having survived the Antonio Brown saga over the offseason, the Raiders find themselves at 5-4 in Jon Gruden’s second season as supreme ruler of the franchise. His biggest accomplishment has been reviving Derek Carr, who’s who’s played like a top-10 quarterback in his sixth season and is the reason for Oakland’s resurgence.
Carr hasn’t been carrying the fifth-ranked offense per Football Outsiders’ DVOA all by himself. He’s got the Rookie of the Year front runner in Josh Jacobs behind him at running back. Jacobs and a dominant offensive line are the latest challenge for a Bengals’ defense that seems to get more whimsically bad by the week.
The defense and quarterback Ryan Finley need to start showing something if Zac Taylor wants to add a win to his résume as a head coach. Only once before have the Bengals started 0-10: 1993 in Dave Shula’s second season as head coach.
Will Finley and Taylor get their first wins together in the franchise’s last game in Oakland? Follow this stream for all the latest updates and news between the Bengals and Raiders.