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The Bengals fell to the Seahawks in a 20-21 loss in Seattle.
A loss isn’t how you want to start your head coaching career, but it wasn’t a complete loss for rookie head coach Zac Taylor. The Bengals offense was able to move the ball almost at will, the defense really limited the Seahawks opportunities to score, the game ended on a questionable call and one player who laid dormant for two years finally broke out.
Lets take a look at the social media reactions to Cincinnati’s loss to the Seahawks:
The thing on everyone’s mind is the way the game ended. Cincinnati got the ball with very little time left in the fourth quarter, and Andy Dalton was chased down getting his arm hit as he threw. The refs called it a fumble, but you be the judge.
They called this a fumble, and confirmed it via review.
— Josh Kirkendall (@Josh_Kirkendall) September 8, 2019
It's a bad call. pic.twitter.com/E0nPLYUOoX
Not that it would have changed the outcome, but the review official got that wrong
— Nick Manchester (@NickManchester9) September 8, 2019
I have no idea how that was a fumble.
— Mo Egger (@MoEgger1530) September 8, 2019
I have no idea how that's confirmed as a fumble. That looks as clear as any incomplete pass I've ever seen. Plus Dalton got hit in the head. Probably doesn't matter, but not a nice way to finish.
— Jake (@Jake_NFL) September 8, 2019
NFL Reviews are in regular season form.
— Lindsay Patterson (@LndsPatterson) September 8, 2019
Of course the Bengals and their fans can’t put too much blame on that missed call. They had all the opportunities to have a stranglehold on this game, but they just couldn’t finish.
Biggest plays: Bullock, ball slipping out of Dalton's hand, and Erickson's fumble. Turnovers are the easiest way to play better and lose.
— Jake (@Jake_NFL) September 8, 2019
CIN decided to punt to SEA from the CIN 44 on 4th & 7 with 3:30 remaining in the 4th while losing 20 to 21.
— Surrender Index 90 (@surrender_idx90) September 8, 2019
With a Surrender Index of 11.76, this punt ranks at the 95th percentile of cowardly punts of the 2019 season, and the 94th percentile of all punts since 2009.
For those saying I was being negative. Punting at that point was silly. You're telling your defense that they cannot allow ONE first down or the game is basically over. Or you can convert one play on offense to keep the ball. You choose.
— JG (@JoeGoodberry) September 8, 2019
We really, really should've won that game. Played well for most of it - those couple of mistakes really cost us.
— Bengals UK (@WhoDey_UK) September 8, 2019
Still, the overwhelming feeling walking away from this game should be optimism. After all, the Bengals were huge underdogs going into the game.
Bengals had a few key mistakes today that doomed them. But the flashes of progress -- being aggressive, going back to guys like John Ross, Dalton's career passing numbers -- are impossible to ignore. These guys have big upside.
— Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) September 8, 2019
Bengals fall, but I don’t think anyone had them playing this close in the opener. Encouraging road performance for Zac Taylor and club. They get back home next Sunday.
— Lindsay Patterson (@LndsPatterson) September 8, 2019
And the Bengals defense won’t be anything like 2018.
— Lindsay Patterson (@LndsPatterson) September 8, 2019
Bengals fall to the Seahawks 21-20 in week 1:
— Elise Jesse (@Elise_JesseWLWT) September 8, 2019
-Zac Taylor is extremely talented
-DLine played insane
-Is Mixon okay?
Final: Seattle beats Cincinnati 21-20. Bengals end up outgaining the Seahawks 429-233 but don't have a win to show for it.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) September 8, 2019
nothing that can't be fixed
— john sheeran (@John__Sheeran) September 8, 2019
except for a bad kicker
On that #Bengals drive, Andy Dalton set a new career high in passing yards with 397.
— Marisa Contipelli (@BengalsMarisa) September 8, 2019
There is 7 minutes left in the 4th quarter.
Bengals supplied a lot of hope today (for the short and long term) but couldn't pull off the upset.
— Rebecca Toback (@Rebecca_Toback) September 8, 2019
Andy Dalton has surpassed his career-high in passing yards. Who would have thought that would have happened on the road in Seattle. Zac Taylor is going to be good... #Bengals
— Tommy Jaggi (@TommyJaggi) September 8, 2019
#Bengals offensive stats vs Seahawks:
— Marisa Contipelli (@BengalsMarisa) September 8, 2019
429 total yards
22 first downs
Andy Dalton: 35/51, 418 passing yards, 2 TDs
John Ross: 7 rec, 158 yards, 2 TDs
8 different Bengals caught a pass.
All of this was done without star receiver A.J. Green.
Last season, when the #Bengals won the opener (and started 4-1), it felt about as inauthentic as the impossible whopper.
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) September 8, 2019
Very winnable game for the #Bengals today ends with a L, but a much better feeling about the next 15.
Of course this brings us to the most exciting part of Sunday’s game, John Ross having a HUGE homecoming game that had everyone talking.
The Zac Taylor playbook is fun. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/z69BcdWQH4
— Brandon Saho (@BrandonSaho) September 8, 2019
The "drop" and then the touchdown. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/4Hxt0iKMDl
— Josh Kirkendall (@Josh_Kirkendall) September 8, 2019
Longest catch of John Ross’s NFL career on 55-yard TD on a very nice Homecoming play
— Geoff Hobson (@GeoffHobsonCin) September 8, 2019
#Bengals fire back, John Ross goes in for six. pic.twitter.com/VV6xqxG6Dv
— Sam Greene (@SGdoesit) September 8, 2019
Good for John Ross. And really, good for me.
— Mo Egger (@MoEgger1530) September 8, 2019
This is one of the biggest performance variances I can remember a #Bengals player having.
— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) September 8, 2019
So much good and so much bad from Ross today.#Bengals
John Ross makes amends for the drop and turns a jump ball into a 55-yard TD. What a play.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) September 8, 2019
Teammates yelling "just be you" to John Ross after his second TD. Zac Taylor nearly ripped Ross' hand off he hi-fived him so hard. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/T6TcNHpIhn
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) September 8, 2019
I am NOT sorry WOOOOOOO https://t.co/jfr8jydbvV
— President of John Ross fanclub (@PatrickJudis) September 8, 2019
Bengals fans (the ones that don't follow @JoeGoodberry ) frantically deleting all of their John Ross tweets
— Patrick Claybon (@PatrickClaybon) September 8, 2019
It is just great to see so many players start out with career days in Taylor’s first game in charge. We may not be able to celebrate a win, but it looks like the Bengals found the right coach.