Bengals preseason Week 2 awards in 13-17 loss vs Washington

The Cincinnati Bengals lost an up-and-down contest versus the Washington Football team this past weekend. There were some nice takeaways, especially for an otherwise meaningless exhibition game, but areas of concern still linger.

Cast your vote for the weekly Bengals award winners in their 13-17 loss to Washington on Friday!

Most Valuable Player

Evan McPherson:

In a game where points came at a premium, getting six of the team’s 13 total points from a rookie kicker was huge. McPherson nailing a 50-yarder (more on that in a second) continues to show that he very well could be an excellent long-term special teams solution for the club.

Chris Evans:

His highlight of the night was a nice 17-yard scamper off to the left. Somewhat surprisingly, Evans didn’t add anything through the air, but his 35 methodical rushing yards was good for second-best on the night.

Sam Hubbard:

In limited time, Hubbard made his presence known on the field. He and the rest of the defensive line have really stepped up their play this summer, with No. 94 notching a sack.

Jacques Patrick:

This kid just keeps grinding. After being robbed of a preseason last year where he could have made his mark, Patrick is doing his thing this summer. He had a 7.0 yards per carry average on six carries (42 rushing yards) and added another five-yard reception.

Unsung Hero of the Week

Jalen Davis:

There were some ups and downs with the backups on Friday night, but Davis had a couple of nice plays. Two of his four tackles were for loss, as the entire Bengals defense allowed just 17 points to Washington on their home field.

Kevin Huber:

It’s not always the greatest of news when your punter makes one of these lists, but so it goes in a low-scoring affair. Huber had a 45.8 yards per his five punts, with two landing inside the Washington 20-yard line. His biggest boot was a 54-yarder.

Auden Tate:

We’ll talk more about the big catch below, but with Ja’Marr Chase having trouble securing the football of late, Tate is making the most of his limited opportunities. He snagged both of his passing targets for 23 yards—just one shy of the team lead for the night.

Darius Hodge:

With his immense play in the first two preseason games and the unfortunate injury news to Joseph Ossai, Hodge has a real shot at making this team and contributing. He had a quarterback hit to cause a fluttered pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick that could have been picked and had another pressure on Tyler Heinicke causing him to fumble (Washington recovered).

Jonah Williams:

I suppose you could lump a number of offensive linemen in here for possible awards, but we’ll go with the team’s starting left tackle for some work he did against Chase Young. Williams is quietly one of the most important players on this year’s team, in terms of development and health. He’s put in the work this offseason and it shows.

D.J. Reader:

This guy is the new key to much of the Bengals’ 2021 defensive success. We’ll have more below, but Reader had two tackles, including one to force a fourth-down stop and was harassing the Washington offense often in his limited snaps. We’re really looking forward to having him back on the Cincinnati line this year.

Bengals Play of the Game

Evan McPherson’s 50-yard field goal:

As mentioned above, Cincinnati’s rookie kicker continues to shine. He was 2-of-2 on field goals for the night, including this boomer from long distance.

Chris Evans’ 17-yard run:

Another nice night for another Bengals day three draft pick. Brian Callahan wanted Evans to read things a little clearer this week over his debut against Tampa Bay and Evans responded with one of the best offensive plays from the night.

Washington’s first quarter turnover on downs:

As mentioned above, Reader quietly put together his second great game in a row. Quite the feat after returning from a big injury last year, but he is proving his worth when healthy, for sure. Here, he teamed with Logan Wilson to stop the exciting Antonio Gibson, getting the ball back at a critical time for the offense.

Auden Tate’s circus catch:

“The Human Highlight Reel” continues for its third consecutive season. Tate is grinding for more opportunities and with plays like the one below, it’s going to be hard to keep him on the sidelines. It took unbelievable concentration from No. 19 to reel this one in, which has become a staple in his receiving repertoire.