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Bengals News (9/14): Overpowering interior

The Bengals defensive line did something they just couldn’t do in 2020, put pressure on the quarterback from the interior.

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Bengals Notebook: Former N.C. State roommates Germaine Pratt, B.J. Hill team up again in Week 1
Linebacker Germaine Pratt, playing in the first game of his third Bengals season, showed the world why he quietly emerged as one of their more solid defenders during training camp when he made the play that rescued the Bengals' 27-24 overtime victory over the Vikings.

Carson Palmer Praises Joe Burrow Following Cincinnati Bengals win over Minnesota Vikings
"He looked great. He was really smart with the ball. He didn't put himself or his team in any bad situations," Palmer said during an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. "At the end of the game when he had to make the big throws, the big plays, he was able to make them. There's a lot to talk about this Bengals team and the offensive line. If the offensive line continues to protect Joe and he doesn't have to beat you with his feet, he can throw the ball and distribute it to all the playmakers he has—that's when this Bengals team is at their best."

Cincinnati Bengals Open as Underdogs Against Andy Dalton and the Chicago Bears
"We certainly have our work cut out for us. It's a really good team," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said on Monday. "That game was 20-14 in the middle of the third quarter (on Sunday at the L.A. Rams). It's a team that playing over the years it's a really good defense, they've got a lot of playmakers on offense, they've got a good coaching staff. Our guys have to be dialed in and ready to go."

NFL Week 2 picks: Chiefs steamroll Ravens on Sunday night, Bengals shock Bears in Chicago to move to 2-0
There's nothing better than the first weekend of NFL football and that's exactly what 85% of the country got on Sunday. I say 85% because I'm not exactly sure what the NFC North did over the weekend qualifies as football, so everyone in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois are now going to have to wait another week to witness an actual NFL game.

Joe Burrow says he called key 4th down play in Bengals' OT victory
Joe Burrow's return from last season's hideous ACL injury couldn't have gone better. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback led his team to a dramatic overtime victory against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, and on Monday he revealed that he's the one who called the key play in OT that helped set up the Bengals' winning field goal.

Here's how Vikings line was targeted and overpowered by the Bengals
A year later, it was more of the same in Sunday's season-opening loss in Cincinnati. Third-year center Garrett Bradbury was bullied into the backfield by Bengals nose tackles D.J. Reader and Josh Tupou — listed at 347 and 345 pounds, respectively — and guards Ezra Cleveland and Oli Udoh struggled to keep their hands on defensive tackles Larry Ogunjobi and B.J. Hill; that duo combined for four tackles for losses and three sacks.

Bengals injury update: Latest on Joe Burrow, Trae Waynes
The bigger news item was his commentary on Joe Burrow, as Taylor said he’s “so far so good”, plus the following, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic: “I don’t anticipate any issues with him.”

Bengals Final Thoughts: 30 notes, quotes, stats and grades from win vs. Vikings
“It doesn’t get much better than this,” Bengals safety Jessie Bates said Monday afternoon. “I’m sure some guys were probably in there hungover a little bit. But that’s part of it.”

Jessie Bates III of Cincinnati Bengals hoping big extension comes, ready to play hard without it
The fourth-year safety had a team-high nine tackles in Cincy's season-opening win over the Minnesota Vikings at Paul Brown Stadium. Bates' biggest tackle came in overtime, when he made the initial hit on Vikings running back Dalvin Cook that eventually led to a forced fumble and ultimately a Cincinnati victory.

Around the league

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson on fumbles in loss to Raiders: 'That ticked me off'
Jackson still had moments of electricity, taking off and making something out of nothing, en route to 235 yards passing with a touchdown and 86 rushing yards on 12 carries. Still, at times -- like trying to switch hands with the pigskin in mid-air while being hit -- he seemed to try to do too much, as though all the Ravens' running back injuries have him believing it's on his legs to make plays.

How the Deshaun Watson situation is playing out at Houston Texans practices
The expectation throughout the facility at NRG Stadium -- from the top levels on down -- is Deshaun Watson will never take another snap for the Texans. The fifth-year pro is still demanding a trade dating back to January, and is facing 22 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct and sexual assault. There are ongoing investigations by the FBI, Houston Police and NFL. Watson has denied any wrongdoing.

Jon Gruden: 'I felt like I died and woke up, and died again' in Raiders' wild win over Ravens
A stuffed QB sneak begat a false start and then an interception in the end zone. The sequence, which would soon include a Baltimore Ravens fumble, was so chaotic that Derek Carr finding a wide open Zay Jones for the game-winning touchdown almost seemed anticlimactic. The throw wasn't the original plan for that down. Of course it wasn't. Not in this game. The Raiders had lined up for a field goal but changed course after drawing a delay of game penalty.

Giants RB Saquon Barkley won't use knee injury as 'crutch' for performance
"I don't want the theme to be, 'Oh, the run game's not going 'cause Saquon's knee. He's still getting right back from the knee,'" Barkley said, per the New York Daily News. "That's not the mindset I'm gonna have. I'm not gonna use that as a crutch. The gig is up. I'm back on the field."