Bengals News (9/15): Earned an apology

Taylor Made Takes: Zac Taylor talks about the Bengals aggressiveness on both sides of the ball
I agree with you. You do that the first year and maybe early in the second year, it's not as detailed. We've spent a lot of time talking about that concept family in a lot of different ways and we're being more detailed with it and our guys executed.

Game Preview: Cincinnati Bengals at Chicago Bears, Regular Season Week 2, Sunday, September 19, 2021
The victory came courtesy of the right leg of rookie K Evan McPherson, who booted a game-winning 33-yard FG as time expired in OT. McPherson's kick came after Minnesota had made a game-tying 53-yard FG as time expired in regulation. The contest went down as the first in NFL history in which there was a game-tying score with zero seconds remaining in regulation and a game-winning score with zero seconds remaining in overtime.

Ja'Marr Chase Nominated For The Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week
Cincinnati's first-round pick in April's draft caught a 50-yard TD from QB Joe Burrow just before halftime in the team's season-opener vs. Minnesota, and in doing so he became the third-youngest Bengal ever to score a TD.

NFL picks, predictions for Week 2: 49ers run over Eagles; Bengals, Colts, Giants keep upsets coming
Two of those games are in the NFC. The San Francisco 49ers travel to Philadelphia in what could be one of the more-entertaining games of the day. The 49ers are a road favorite worth watching. New Orleans travels to Carolina for a matchup between NFC rivals. Will Jameis Winston build on an impressive Week 1 performance?

So the Bengals were better than we thought
The Cincinnati Bengals accomplished something they hadn’t done since the 2018 season on Sunday. The Bengals won their season opener, beating the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 in overtime, making this their first win in a season opener at home since 2007. Carson Palmer was the Bengals starting quarterback for that 27-20 defeat over the Baltimore Ravens. Another thing Cincy accomplished in Week 1 is making yours truly eat his less than flattering words about the franchise. (Ed note: We apologize for Criss. He’s new)

Why Burrow's expectations for himself, Bengals creating successs
Against no defenders on the practice field, Burrow waited for tight end C.J. Uzomah to leak away from the line of scrimmage before throwing the ball to him. Uzomah wasn’t ready for the pass and Burrow sailed it over his intended target.

Cincinnati Bengals Ranked Lower Than Expected in Week 2 Power Rankings
"Joe Burrow is, in a football sense, nothing short of heroic, coming back after his catastrophic knee injury behind an equally patchwork offensive line and dealing Minnesota an upset loss in the season opener," Conor Orr wrote. "Burrow was clobbered again, sacked another five times and hit seven but Zac Taylor may be able to scrape something by offensively if the running game continues to hum. The long touchdown to Ja’Marr Chase not only dispelled the ridiculous notion that the draft’s best receiver forgot how to catch, but showed what the 2020 No. 1 pick could do from a clean pocket."

Around the league

Multiple Saints assistants, WR Michael Thomas test positive for COVID-19
Pelissero reports that six assistant coaches, a team nutritionist and wide receiver Michael Thomas, who is currently on the physically unable to perform list, tested positive for the virus. The seven staff members who tested positive are vaccinated, Pelissero added. Coach Sean Payton noted during training camp that the entire staff was vaccinated.

Offensive Player Rankings, Week 2: Why offensive woes could linger for Packers, Titans
It's tough to completely buy or sell an NFL team based on its product in Week 1. There are still 17 weeks to go in the regular season, after all. But after watching the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans -- both playoff teams from last season -- lay an egg on opening weekend, I had to take a closer look.

The First Read, Week 2: What Browns can learn from loss to Chiefs; plus, stock up/down, more
If you want to be a true player in the NFL and hear your name discussed when it's time to debate the real contenders, then you have to find ways to not blow opportunities likes the one Cleveland had in Week 1. Yes, the Chiefs produced another breathtaking victory keyed by an assortment of awe-inspiring plays. The Browns did their part as well, by showing they still have a few things to learn about winning.

Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy, CB Ronald Darby placed on IR
Darby injured his hamstring late in the Broncos' season-opening win over the New York Giants. While Darby didn't miss a snap in the game, Jeudy's ankle injury looked like a much bigger scare. But Jeudy's injury is not season-ending, and Darby is expected back shortly after the three-week absence required by short-term injured reserve status, per the Denver Post's Ryan O'Halloran.