Cincy Jungle - Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Football Team in NFL Preseason Week 2: Everything to knowWho Deyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48495/cincyjungle_fave.png2021-08-27T13:20:00-04:00http://www.cincyjungle.com/rss/stream/223929992021-08-27T13:20:00-04:002021-08-27T13:20:00-04:00Bengals Mailbag: Orange and Black Insider/Locked On Bengals Crossover Edition
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v Washington Football Team" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/07d5czCzEvhvXVHmkGAA4sxb83E=/0x0:2981x1987/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69784627/1335780110.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Cincy Jungle’s Anthony Cosenza and John Sheeran are pleased to be joined by James Rapien and Jake Liscow of the Locked On Bengals podcast and Sports Illustrated’s All Bengals for a very special Listener Questions Live. Submit your questions to be answered on air at 3 p.m. ET!</p> <p id="VEkXEj">As we get set for the final preseason clash for the Bengals, we’re bringing you a special episode of Listener Questions Live on The Orange and Black Insider and Cincy Jungle. John and I are pleased to be joined by Jake Liscow and James Rapien of the Locked on Bengals podcast and Sports Illustrated’s All Bengals site as we answered your questions and engaged in a roundtable chat!</p>
<p id="FNCCrf">Some of the topics covered this week:</p>
<ul>
<li id="iHXIup">Is there a position group we’d label as “subpar” or even “terrible” on this team right now?</li>
<li id="BWPKM9">How much do we believe in the idea that Michael Jordan has turned a corner this year, based on his great PFF scores in limited snaps?</li>
<li id="PJB6b1">What has been an annoyance in covering training camp this year, even though access has been opened back up to the media and fans on a limited basis?</li>
<li id="WsfOwM">How does one create a culture shift in an NFL organization? Can Joe Burrow do it by himself? Do we believe that Zac Taylor has done another major shift as he took the baton from Marvin Lewis?</li>
<li id="HxHv6e">What do we think the Bengals’ 2021 record will be?</li>
<li id="ROItiX">And much more!</li>
</ul>
<p id="JupDL8">You can always submit your questions to us in a number of ways:</p>
<ul>
<li id="dJ9QNY">In one of four live comment threads: in the above-embedded YouTube video’s chat, the comment section below in this post, on Cincy Jungle’s Facebook page or via the Cincy Jungle and Orange and Black Insider Twitter accounts.</li>
<li id="qfwOuW">Call/Text (949) 542-6241.</li>
<li id="7RQngB">Email theobinsider@gmail.com</li>
</ul>
<p id="7KjBsk">Our thanks to Jake and James, as well as to all of the live listeners! Go check out their great material on All Bengals, and get their podcast on YouTube and/or your favorite audio streaming platform. </p>
<p id="XJFj5P">We apologize if we didn’t get to your question(s), but keep sending them our way to be answered on air! Thanks for listening!</p>
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<p id="5GmdlE"><small><em><strong>If you’re unable to join us live here at Cincy Jungle or YouTube for every episode, all of our podcast content is available here on CJ, the </strong></em></small><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/cincy-jungle"><small><em><strong>Stitcher</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>, </strong></em></small><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3MKKe96uoIPUwhZSOBrQGK?si=1vVaxUnEQbGMqIHscHXqLA"><small><em><strong>Spotify</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>, </strong></em></small><a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1267-cincy-jungle-for-cincinna-30692036/"><small><em><strong>iHeart Radio</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> and </strong></em></small><a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Ihc3wd4tjdvrfywjyxwhaaz4e5e"><small><em><strong>Google Play Music</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> apps, our Orange and Black Insider </strong></em></small><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVaXlewzr5_f-iEhxa6ij_g"><small><em><strong>YouTube channel</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>, as well as through </strong></em></small><a href="https://cms.megaphone.fm/organizations/a0ad16ac-dec1-11e8-bc53-273addf660d7/podcasts/89e0f342-e6ca-11e8-892c-d701e79386c9"><small><em><strong>Megaphone</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> and, as always, </strong></em></small><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-orange-and-black-insider/id1142320492&xcust=___sb__p_22384434__t_w__r_cincyjungle.com/search__" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><small><em><strong>on iTunes</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>! Thanks for listening and go subscribe to our channels to be notified when we’re going live and when new episodes are available!</strong></em></small></p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/27/22641963/live-bengals-q-and-a-submit-your-questions-to-be-answered-on-airAnthony Cosenza2021-08-25T19:46:00-04:002021-08-25T19:46:00-04:00The Orange and Black Insider Bengals podcast: Final Audition
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v Washington Football Team" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/O_YM0uwLbSBSEblfrVr88DrS0YE=/0x0:3777x2518/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69776625/1335780151.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Bengals’ final preseason game is on deck after the team lost to Washington last Friday. John and Anthony break down preseason Week 2, address concerns with certain players and look ahead to the clash against Miami. </p> <p id="cpNueT">The regular season is right around the corner, but a couple of big dates remain on the preseason calendar. Week 3 to conclude the preseason is up this weekend and final roster cuts are from there. Let’s also not forget potential waiver wire claims to set the team up for Week 1 of the regular season. </p>
<p id="jnKcYr">What were some of the takeaways from the loss to Washington? In our “Believe It or Not...?” segment, we asked if it’s time to worry about some players and if others have inspired belief. We also looked ahead to the finale against the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a> and the first in-game snaps from Joe Burrow in 2021.</p>
<p id="zXLvYl">On this week’s show:</p>
<ul>
<li id="WXI0da">It’s early, but the Bengals’ kicking situation seems more stable than it has been for a while. And, that’s saying something with a rookie being leaned upon in the important special teams role. </li>
<li id="unTb3G">The running back position appears to be very deep and two young players may be primed for big roles in 2021. </li>
<li id="aJJdzC">How close are we to pushing the panic button with Ja’Marr Chase?</li>
<li id="wfQLHm">It’s a big weekend coming up for “the Trent’s”—Irwin and Taylor. </li>
<li id="z0zsUR">Joe Burrow is set to take his first in-game snaps of 2021 this weekend. What should we expect from the plays he’ll be in for and is it a good idea for him to play?</li>
<li id="G6DXLq">Devon Still provides us with the “Soundbite of the Week”. The Bengals are easy targets for the national media, but some great goodwill gestures seem to be easily forgotten. Not the case, thanks to the Still family. </li>
</ul>
<p id="Z8lrWj">Our thanks for those who joined us live on Wednesday night. If you weren’t able to catch the live show, you can get it afterward on your favorite platform. Thanks for listening!</p>
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<p id="IQyHiS"><small><em><strong>If you’re unable to join us live here at Cincy Jungle or YouTube for every episode, all of our podcast content is available here on CJ, the </strong></em></small><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/cincy-jungle"><small><em><strong>Stitcher</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>, </strong></em></small><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3MKKe96uoIPUwhZSOBrQGK?si=1vVaxUnEQbGMqIHscHXqLA"><small><em><strong>Spotify</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>, </strong></em></small><a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1267-cincy-jungle-for-cincinna-30692036/"><small><em><strong>iHeart Radio</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> and </strong></em></small><a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Ihc3wd4tjdvrfywjyxwhaaz4e5e"><small><em><strong>Google Play Music</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> apps, our Orange and Black Insider </strong></em></small><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVaXlewzr5_f-iEhxa6ij_g"><small><em><strong>YouTube channel</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>, as well as through </strong></em></small><a href="https://cms.megaphone.fm/organizations/a0ad16ac-dec1-11e8-bc53-273addf660d7/podcasts/89e0f342-e6ca-11e8-892c-d701e79386c9"><small><em><strong>Megaphone</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> and, as always, </strong></em></small><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-orange-and-black-insider/id1142320492&xcust=___sb__p_22394867__t_w__r_cincyjungle.com/search__" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><small><em><strong>on iTunes</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>! Thanks for listening and go subscribe to our channels to be notified when we’re going live and when new episodes are available!</strong></em></small></p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/25/22641909/the-orange-and-black-insider-bengals-podcast-final-auditionAnthony Cosenza2021-08-25T09:00:00-04:002021-08-25T09:00:00-04:00Film Room: New pieces up front
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<img alt="NFL: AUG 16 Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/R-KxCthvBOBvTs7V-sqiDc-I_hk=/0x0:2448x1632/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69773091/1234723053.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Bengals’ offensive line gets help from an expected place, and the defensive line gets a surprise </p> <p id="gPzcra">The injury to Joe Burrow that ended his rookie campaign made it blatantly obvious that the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> needed to make changes on their offensive line, but the defensive line was also in need of an overhaul. </p>
<p id="UwTdJp">Let’s take a look at one of the new additions on each side of the line who could make a big difference in 2021.</p>
<p id="MC4qD5">Starting on offense, the team needed to do something about the right tackle position, and the addition of Riley Reiff made a lot of sense. Reiff is a former 1st Round pick of the <a href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a> who, at 32, still has a lot of good football left in him as he has demonstrated this preseason. </p>
<div id="jXj03U">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Riley Reiff <a href="https://t.co/ykaJ9GgwdF">pic.twitter.com/ykaJ9GgwdF</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1429525014592860168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="smgo6f">In this clip, Reiff is matched up against another 1st Round pick, Montez Sweat. Sweat, who had 9 sacks last season, is an excellent pass-rusher with great speed off the edge. When you think about blocking a guy like that, the last word you would be likely to think of is “patience” and yet, that is exactly what comes to mind watching Reiff. </p>
<p id="ZICGkm">Reiff gives an inside hand, looking to help out the guard, then gets his eyes outside as he starts his kick step. He’s in no rush and has no problem staying between Sweat and the quarterback (Maybe it should be Burrow and Reiff doing adds for Old Spice). </p>
<p id="mTwXvS">This is an excellent block against a top pass-rusher and is a good indicator that Reiff will be able to hold his own against T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett in the AFC North. </p>
<div id="Fml2ZO">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="und" dir="ltr">RT <a href="https://t.co/Rlmqt2MqIY">pic.twitter.com/Rlmqt2MqIY</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1429530800165462018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="3HzFRK">This is another example of Reiff defeating speed on the edge. He is smooth with his footwork and uses his hands to effectively keep the defender at a distance, and prevent him from successfully executing a pass-rush move.</p>
<p id="IksMmd">Reiff has still got it. This was an excellent signing by the Bengals. </p>
<p id="y9WIz3">A lot of attention has been paid to the fact that the Bengals added Frank Pollack as their offensive line coach and run game coordinator this offseason, but the addition of Marion Hobby to coach the defensive line has not gotten nearly enough attention. </p>
<p id="uBiMyz">This unit has made some major changes o the field in the last year as well. Long-time Bengals Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap could both end up playing together in Seattle. Carl Lawson went east to reopen the New York Sack Exchange, but unfortunately an injury has led to a bear market for the Jets in 2021. </p>
<p id="sQXM3l">To fill these holes, the Bengals looked north, where they brought in Larry Ogunjobi from the <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Cleveland Browns</a> and south bringing in Trey Hendrickson from the <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/">New Orleans Saints</a>, his crosstown neighbor from Tulane Cam Sample, and Joseph Ossai from the University of Texas. </p>
<p id="HT8mY4">The pass-rush looked much improved this preseason, but the NFL being what it is, the injury bug bit the Bengals. Ossai was vastly exceeding expectations and looked like he would be a major contributor to the Bengals defense as a rookie; now it sounds like his season is over.</p>
<p id="5gpzqP">But alas, there is hope in the form of UDFA pass-rusher, Darius Hodge. Hodge’s skill set does not match Ossai’s, but he has shown some burst off the edge, and a creative defensive coordinator like Lou Anarumo could find a way to make him a contributor in Year 1. </p>
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<p lang="in" dir="ltr">Darius Hodge <a href="https://t.co/Q4zeBl2XEw">pic.twitter.com/Q4zeBl2XEw</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1429535072793866245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="QX8tPt">Five seconds into this clip, Hodge makes a subtle jab step to the inside. The idea here is to get the tackle to stop his feet and open up the edge, but the tackle doesn’t bite.</p>
<p id="XUCKDE">Fortunately, Hodge’s pass-rush move does work. As fast as he is coming off the edge, his hands are even faster. He swats away the blocker’s hands and rips underneath, forcing the quarterback to scramble. </p>
<p id="edDkqP">This is an excellent play.</p>
<div id="B3BY4l">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Darius Hodge with another good rep. Dips under the LT's punch and then runs the hoop to get a hand on Heinicke. <a href="https://t.co/8rQ5oySaTh">pic.twitter.com/8rQ5oySaTh</a></p>— Mike (Sans) (@bengals_sans) <a href="https://twitter.com/bengals_sans/status/1429877851248005122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2021</a>
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<p id="0UNQMP">In this clip, Hodge doesn’t use his hands. Which is fine. He gets off the ball fast, gets to the tackle’s hip, and dips and rips underneath him. </p>
<p id="t2t1nS">I love the beginning of this rep, but he needs to finish better. He gets by the blocker, but he is too far up field and rounds off his path to the QB. He needs to keep coming with the rip and bend a tighter path around the blocker. This will put him on a more direct route to the quarterback, getting him there faster. This may just be a matter of technique and execution, or he may need to improve his hip flexibility.</p>
<p id="FK2cd5">Hodge has a really nice skill set, he just needs to put it all together. It will take time for him to reach his full potential, the trick for Hobby and Anarumo is to figure out how to effectively use him now, while building him up for the future. </p>
<p id="xPUdD7">It all starts up front for the Bengals, as both the offensive and defensive lines need to step up in a big way in 2021. Reiff be a huge part of that on offense, and Hodge could play a key role defensively. </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/25/22639139/bengals-film-room-new-pieces-up-frontMatthew Minich2021-08-24T12:00:00-04:002021-08-24T12:00:00-04:00Bengals rookie stock report: Jackson Carman still pushing for opportunity
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<img alt="NFL: AUG 20 Preseason - Bengals at Washington Football Team" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wapUar5qtb__qgDKiSSaFM-WqxM=/0x97:3513x2439/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69768983/1234795710.0.jpg" />
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<p>Carman showed progress in his second preseason game.</p> <p id="ee8zdz">The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a>’ roster is down to 80 players, but rookies still only make up less than 20% of the team. Nevertheless, it’s the rookies who are dominating the headlines for this franchise right now. It’s a shame most of the headlines are for unfortunate reasons.</p>
<p id="su1dts">News broke Sunday morning that <strong>Joseph Ossai</strong> had also <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/22/22636644/joseph-ossai-injury-bengals-news-rumors-noah-spence-nfl-free-agency-2021">suffered a torn meniscus</a> against the <a href="https://www.bucsnation.com/">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a> a few plays before injuring his wrist. It was a sobering announcement that followed an inadequate loss to the <a href="https://www.hogshaven.com/">Washington Football Team</a>. We don’t yet know is Ossai will miss the entire season, but the defense will surely miss him for however long he’s sidelined.</p>
<p id="7tMz5M">There’s also this first-round pick who’s underwhelmed recently, but more on that later. Let’s see whose stock has risen first. </p>
<h2 id="DYMIoM">Stock Rising</h2>
<p id="qz0QEn">NFL life in 2020 was the harshest to new college free agents, as very few of them made regular season rosters last year. The preseason is the biggest blessing for those players, and the return of preseason football has given <strong>Darius Hodge</strong> a platform to prove himself. </p>
<p id="pv9ecj">After capturing our curiosity against Tampa Bay in Week 1, Hodge grabbed our attention against Washington in Week 2 with a couple pressures and a hit on quarterback Taylor Heinicke. His stock would be rising by itself just from the Ossai news. The Bengals just need able bodies on the edge, but Hodge is playing well enough to make the team with or without Ossai healthy.</p>
<p id="hmFHQQ">There’s no question whether or not <strong>Jackson Carman </strong>will make the team; second-round picks essentially need to break the law in order to not make it out of their first offseason. Carman had been falling down the depth chart since training camp began. He then had a so-so performance against the Buccaneers, which didn’t help or hurt his standing at the right guard battle. Against Washington, Carman’s run blocking was commendable and his pass blocking looked improved as well. It wasn’t a perfect 28-snap outing, but progress is progress.</p>
<p id="GRLRN6">Carman is still behind Xavier Su’a-Filo at right guard, but with neither Su’a-Filo nor Jordan grabbing hold of the starting job just yet, Carman at least has a chance of leveraging his most recent performance in a last-ditch effort to beat out both veterans. He’s still putting in the extra work after nearly every practice, so it seems like he’s getting the message his coaches sent him.</p>
<p id="GyDQuI">It’s going to be weird seeing <strong>Evan McPherson</strong> miss for the first time, because for how powerful his right leg is, it’s showing to be just as accurate. McPherson drilled both his field goal tries against Washington, including his first kick from 50+ yards. Special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons should give McPherson the day off on Sunday so Austin Seibert can boost his chances of latching on somewhere else; this kicker “battle” is very much over. </p>
<p id="qbmCxg">Through two weeks, it’s clear <strong>Chris Evans</strong> is going to be a fun player. But his quickness with the ball in his hands is only why he’ll be a factor in the regular season. Evans continued to shine in pass protection on Friday, and in an offense that should prioritize keeping its quarterback hit fewer times than last year, he’s definitely shown his worth in that regard. </p>
<h2 id="8uLUin">Stock Stagnating</h2>
<p id="yT0kH0"><strong>Ja’Marr Chase </strong>is why I delayed this article a little bit. Because if this was written right after Friday’s game, he’d undoubtedly be in the next category. </p>
<p id="Idyro4">Chase had a bad game; you can’t sugarcoat three drops on three targets. The game was not necessarily an outlier, either. He had also been dealing with drops during camp, even with Joe Burrow throwing him passes. Two days later during the team’s first practice back home, Chase drops two more passes and the internet goes bonkers with it. </p>
<p id="qEQdFa">Then the next practice happens and Chase remembers how to catch a football. Who would’ve thought!</p>
<p id="tFq2Sh">One practice may not mean much as a game, but it’s not like Chase was going to be benched before the regular season. His importance in the offense remains large enough to let him grow through his mistakes.</p>
<p id="pGB6FC"><strong>Tyler Shelvin</strong> led the team’s defensive tackles in snaps with 33, just like <strong>Trey Hill</strong> led all interior offensive linemen with 45. Shelvin is all but confirmed to make the team, unlike Hill, but he’s clearly still finding his footing out there. Hill impressed with his run blocking on Friday and looks like a prime practice squad player. He needed Billy Price to falter these last two weeks and the veteran is playing just well enough to hold onto his roster spot.</p>
<p id="U7kYTf">The practice squad is all that<strong> Gunnar Vogel</strong> can hope for at this point. While he didn’t look completely lost like he did in Week 1, he’s still Gunnar Vogel. </p>
<h2 id="txiUAl">Stock Falling</h2>
<p id="L8EQsY">On top of Ossai’s injury, <strong>Cameron Sample</strong> is now dealing with what’s been called a minor shoulder injury. Missed time for a fourth-round rookie is never good, as <strong>D’Ante Smith</strong> could agree, but hopefully it is what we think it is and he’ll be back in time for Week 1.</p>
<p id="0kn7gk"><strong>Pooka Williams Jr. </strong>may still be with the team at that time, but only on the practice squad. Williams got one snap in his NFL debut on an end-around run that went for eight yards. He then got injured in Sunday’s practice. </p>
<h2 id="6pBQ6s">Did not play</h2>
<ul>
<li id="C3PpQl">
<strong>Antonio Phillips</strong> (injury)</li>
<li id="kyATKd">
<strong>D’Ante Smith</strong> (injury)</li>
<li id="1c443d">
<strong>Drue Chrisman</strong> (injury)</li>
<li id="NS0J2k">
<strong>Joseph Ossai</strong> (injury)</li>
<li id="2HI45u">
<strong>Wyatt Hubert</strong> (injury)</li>
</ul>
<p id="BhosYN"></p>
<p id="I1q1bV"></p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/24/22636468/bengals-rookie-stock-report-jackson-carman-still-pushing-for-opportunityJohn Sheeran2021-08-24T07:00:00-04:002021-08-24T07:00:00-04:00Bengals preseason Week 2 awards in 13-17 loss vs Washington
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v Washington Football Team" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GDqwCgbNyi7bhjBrblIraRiUrI4=/0x0:2981x1987/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69767594/1335780173.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Cast your vote and sound off on your winners for the weekly Bengals’ awards in their preseason Week 2 loss to Washington!</p> <p id="T0cg1W">The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> lost an up-and-down contest versus the <a href="https://www.hogshaven.com/">Washington Football team</a> this past weekend. There were some nice takeaways, especially for an otherwise meaningless exhibition game, but areas of concern still linger. </p>
<p id="zt2PAF">Cast your vote for the weekly Bengals award winners in their 13-17 loss to Washington on Friday!</p>
<h2 id="ZSWtz2"><strong>Most Valuable Player</strong></h2>
<p id="h7bCS3"><em><strong>Evan McPherson:</strong></em> </p>
<p id="rXLTmo">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. </p>
<p id="FdXLQs"><em><strong>Chris Evans:</strong></em> </p>
<p id="KkZ3GY">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. </p>
<p id="AIQ43l"><em><strong>Sam Hubbard: </strong></em></p>
<p id="mgzf7Z">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. </p>
<p id="07AmvP"><em><strong> Jacques Patrick:</strong></em></p>
<p id="n88XlJ">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. </p>
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<h2 id="PJLvjR"><strong>Unsung Hero of the Week</strong></h2>
<p id="Hapvpl"><em><strong>Jalen Davis:</strong></em> </p>
<p id="EG31N4">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. </p>
<p id="6nk1Y7"><em><strong>Kevin Huber:</strong></em></p>
<p id="xJUdso">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. </p>
<p id="5D7fsY"><em><strong>Auden Tate:</strong></em></p>
<p id="3Zs0NC">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. </p>
<p id="qGgiW8"><em><strong>Darius Hodge: </strong></em></p>
<p id="EhlSF9">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). </p>
<p id="s1Xw2c"><em><strong>Jonah Williams:</strong></em></p>
<p id="xv1UjS">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. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Full Slab!!! <a href="https://t.co/FvdbzYWucb">pic.twitter.com/FvdbzYWucb</a></p>— Duke Manyweather (@BigDuke50) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigDuke50/status/1429094304555933697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2021</a>
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<p id="rnUhzX"><em><strong>D.J. Reader:</strong></em></p>
<p id="5ed2mr">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. </p>
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<h2 id="ZUUsiK"><strong>Bengals Play of the Game</strong></h2>
<p id="jvb93j"><em><strong>Evan McPherson’s 50-yard field goal: </strong></em></p>
<p id="Ydp7HE">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. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Evan McPherson just NAILED a 50 yarder.<br><br>I think we finally found our kicker. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bengals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bengals</a> <a href="https://t.co/n8887Lyhd9">pic.twitter.com/n8887Lyhd9</a></p>— Cincinnati (@CincyProblems) <a href="https://twitter.com/CincyProblems/status/1428911885466882053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2021</a>
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<p id="3nuJ6C"><em><strong>Chris Evans’ 17-yard run:</strong></em> </p>
<p id="bSL9pE">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. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chris Evans hello good evening <a href="https://t.co/Tdq846yQ2r">pic.twitter.com/Tdq846yQ2r</a></p>— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenjaminSolak/status/1429622725941792769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2021</a>
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<p id="z6ixqf"><em><strong>Washington’s first quarter turnover on downs: </strong></em></p>
<p id="D8lA2O">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. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Turnover on downs forced by the Bengals. Highlighted the most by DJ Reader's ability to lock out the C at the line of scrimmage and get a hand on the RB. Wish I could see the end zone view for this one. <a href="https://t.co/nDMOsDTSOG">pic.twitter.com/nDMOsDTSOG</a></p>— Mike (Sans) (@bengals_sans) <a href="https://twitter.com/bengals_sans/status/1429802857218314246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2021</a>
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<p id="T1jqAz"><em><strong>Auden Tate’s circus catch:</strong></em></p>
<p id="Rl3vs1">“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. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">My goodness Auden Tate <a href="https://t.co/ACu8eOBOXg">pic.twitter.com/ACu8eOBOXg</a></p>— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF_Fantasy/status/1428899738015997954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2021</a>
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https://www.cincyjungle.com/awards/2021/8/24/22638196/bengals-preseason-week-2-awards-in-13-17-loss-vs-washingtonAnthony Cosenza2021-08-23T06:00:00-04:002021-08-23T06:00:00-04:005 things we learned from Bengals’ preseason loss to Washington
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<p>The defense impressed against Washington, with one rookie standing out.</p> <p id="MUgI79">The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> played their second preseason game on Friday, a 17-13 loss to the <a href="https://www.hogshaven.com/">Washington Football Team</a>. </p>
<p id="Q0lrQF">The offense looked sluggish, but there’s no reason to panic about that just yet. Joe Burrow has yet to play, so Brandon Allen is going out there while taking the majority of his snaps in practice with the twos. He’s not on the same page with most of the first offense, but that’s no cause to be worried.</p>
<p id="UNC9z3">The Bengals have one more preseason game before they finalize the roster. So here’s what we learned from the second preseason game against Washington.</p>
<h3 id="zZhtwS">Ja’Marr Chase needs to work on his hands</h3>
<p id="2npw9R">He just needs to practice with his hands more, and that’s all we’ll say about that.</p>
<h3 id="YYV2eH">Darius Hodge shines again</h3>
<p id="TsC19d">Darius Hodge improved on his solid case from last week, and Taylor gave him the chance to play with the first team. That resulted in Hodge getting in the backfield and deflecting a pass, which brought up a fourth down.</p>
<p id="EXGBYJ">The Bengals clearly wanted a look at Hodge, since he played with nearly every defensive line combination.</p>
<p id="IsRJJ9">With the recent news on Joseph Ossai, the door is open for Hodge. He best fits Ossai’s mold of outside linebacker turned pass rusher. Hodge best fits the role the Bengals wanted for Ossai. The fact that he played with the ones shows that the Bengals thought highly of him before. </p>
<p id="sB0xpU">Now with Ossai likely out for the season, Hodge has a real opportunity in front of him. </p>
<h3 id="Kk9l4U">The offensive line picture is clarifying</h3>
<p id="TCNKlW">The offensive line was murky before the preseason started. Frankly, the coaching staff didn’t have any idea how they wanted it to look.</p>
<p id="t3SDxT">But two games into the preseason, it’s starting to become more clear. </p>
<p id="CxCV8T">The Bengals’ staff will probably throw out one more iteration of a starting line before the regular season begins, but the personnel for the 53-man roster is rounding out.</p>
<p id="iDiwsg">Overall, the offensive line did well against Washington. After the first drive, the Bengals’ line was solid in pass protection, giving up zero sacks and zero quarterback knee injuries.</p>
<p id="jGAnDn">Jackson Carman and Michael Jordan are looking better than what many expected. They even played a series against the Washington first-round-filled defensive line. </p>
<p id="72oEFI">Carman is starting to develop into the player the Bengals saw when they drafted, and Jordan has definitely turned the corner.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Highest-Graded Bengals on offense: <br><br>1. Jacques Patrick - 88.6<br>2. Michael Jordan - 81.3 <br>3. JACKSON CARMAN!! - 75.0 <br><br>Once again, zero sacks were allowed in an entire game of NFL Football by the Cincinnati Bengals.</p>— Andrew Russell (@PFF_AndrewR) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF_AndrewR/status/1429070795788140548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2021</a>
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<p id="BCiTS3">The backup tackles didn’t look impressive, though, so even though he didn’t play against Washington, D’Ante Smith has a chance to secure a backup tackle spot.</p>
<p id="wPxXvB">Jonah Williams, Riley Reiff, D’Ante Smith, and Fred Johnson will probably be the tackles on the Week 1 roster. Between Xavier Su’a-Filo, Quinton Spain, Trey Hopkins, Billy Price, Jordan, and Carman, one will be cut next weekend.</p>
<p id="hLozno">The starting combination is still up in the air, but the options they will have to work with Week 1 are becoming more apparent.</p>
<h3 id="1sR6ut">Trenton Irwin is getting a good look</h3>
<p id="V95ouU">It seemed like the Bengals wanted to give Trenton Irwin a chance to win a roster spot on Friday. What he did with that opportunity is another matter altogether, but at least we know he got an opportunity.</p>
<p id="waheXy">Irwin had six targets, double what Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, Thaddeus Moss, and Mike Thomas had, who were all tied for second on the team. Irwin only hauled in two catches though. One of them ended in a fumble, which was negated by a penalty, but still not the ideal scenario.</p>
<p id="f0Qx2T">There were a few passes that were poorly delivered by Brandon Allen, which may end up helping Irwin’s case. But if he gets as many opportunities next week against Miami, then he’ll hope to do much better.</p>
<p id="1I5MIi">He had an impressive game against the <a href="https://www.bucsnation.com/">Buccaneers</a>. If he can repeat that performance, then he’ll be able to make a solid case for the roster.</p>
<h3 id="yDZtzO">The defense was impressive overall</h3>
<p id="AQBjKM">The Bengals did a good job of bending but not breaking against Washington.</p>
<p id="2L8ZuY">In a regular season game (especially with Joe Burrow under center), if the Bengals’ defense only gives up 17 points, the Bengals are in a good spot to win. Three field goals and a touchdown is not a bad result at all.</p>
<p id="0KAqy1">The Bengals pass rush looks invigorated thanks to Larry Ogunjobi, Trey Hendrickson, and even Hodge. Logan Wilson looks great in the middle of the field. In the secondary, Chidobe Awuzie had a great pass breakup against Terry McLaurin.</p>
<p id="50Hrsu">As far as depth goes, this result was even more impressive considering the Football Team left their ones after the Bengals subbed on their second defense, and left their twos in a against the Bengals’ threes.</p>
<p id="eu6Gkl">The Bengals’ defense hasn’t recovered from losing Mike Zimmer, but this might be the best the defense has looked since then. At the very least, the hundreds of millions of dollars of investment are starting to see returns.</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/23/22636670/5-things-we-learned-bengals-vs-washington-football-team-nfl-preseasonNick Manchester2021-08-22T14:18:39-04:002021-08-22T14:18:39-04:00Zac Taylor discusses status of Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample
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<p>Ossai is reportedly set to miss the 2021 season, but Taylor isn’t ready to make that call. </p> <p id="92oSbI">The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> got some terrible news Sunday morning, <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/22/22636644/joseph-ossai-injury-bengals-news-rumors-noah-spence-nfl-free-agency-2021">as promising rookie pass-rusher Joseph Ossai is set to miss the upcoming season due to a torn meniscus</a>. </p>
<p id="qsMPwb">Not long after that report came out, head coach Zac Taylor met with the media and gave an update on Ossai. While Taylor acknowledged Ossai has a knee injury, he wouldn’t confirm it’s of the season-ending variety. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bengals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bengals</a> coach Zac Taylor confirms Joseph Ossai did injure his knee and not just his wrist but he’s still waiting on more information and won’t confirm reports he tore his meniscus and is out for the year.</p>— Laurel Pfahler (@LaurelPfahler) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaurelPfahler/status/1429486546160324612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="6h7PEk">Taylor added that fellow rookie defensive end Cameron Sample is <a href="https://twitter.com/GeoffHobsonCin/status/1429486556084060171">day-to-day with his shoulder injury</a> suffered in Friday’s preseason loss to the <a href="https://www.hogshaven.com/">Washington Football Team</a>. </p>
<p id="K3KqJP">If healthy, Sample figures to have a big role in the defensive line rotation now that Ossai is out. Sample has been spending time on the edge and as an interior rusher on passing downs. He was one of the Bengals’ top players in Washington. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Highest-graded rookie defenders in Friday night’s games:<br><br> Jamin Davis, Washington - 75.5<br> Marco Wilson, Cardinals - 74.4<br> Cam Sample, Bengals - 70.8 <a href="https://t.co/KTyBbyJzMm">pic.twitter.com/KTyBbyJzMm</a></p>— PFF (@PFF) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1429080936826773516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2021</a>
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<p id="siBjRw"><a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/22/22636662/bengals-roster-2021-nfl-free-agents-noah-spence-cuts-saints-bucs">The Bengals have also signed free agent defensive end Noah Spence</a> to give the team more depth on the edge heading into the preseason finale. Spence hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since the 2019 season, so my guess is he’ll be nothing more than depth and gets cut during final roster cuts. </p>
<p id="juV8UN">One other note: Taylor said that he still doesn’t know if Joe Burrow will play in next Sunday’s preseason finale vs. the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a>, but he’s still expected to start Week 1 of the regular season vs. the <a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a>.</p>
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https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/22/22636768/zac-taylor-joseph-ossai-news-cam-sample-cameron-bengals-draft-2021-nfl-cutsJason Marcum2021-08-22T07:00:00-04:002021-08-22T07:00:00-04:00Bengals’ o-line continues to protect well vs. Washington
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<figcaption>Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Another solid performance for the Bengals’ much-maligned unit.</p> <p id="1btZcn">33 times did the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> drop back to pass Friday night against the <a href="https://www.hogshaven.com/">Washington Football Team</a>, and just like last week in Tampa Bay, the offensive line put up a goose egg in the sacks allowed column.</p>
<p id="fIv5i2">Whether it was the starting five or the five that replaced them in the second quarter, Frank Pollack’s unit held strong when Brandon Allen and even Kyle Shurmur dropped back behind them.</p>
<p id="ZPF5y6">Washington let their starting defensive line, one that features four first-round picks, in the game for one-and-a-half quarters to begin the game. They eventually were facing off against Cincinnati’s second-team protection unit for a couple of drives.</p>
<p id="aOKR2u">The Bengals held their starting four to zero pressures, per Pro Football Focus.</p>
<p id="GMwH48">It was arguably the biggest matchup of the game; the same pass-rushing bunch that ended Joe Burrow’s rookie season prematurely against an offensive line that has yet to declare starters at each guard spot. If one side was going to be the dominant one, you’d have thought the side with more talent and continuity was going to end up dominating. Not this time.</p>
<p id="xojMWM">Continuity has not been a theme for the Bengals’ o-line. They changed up the guard rotation and had Xavier Su’a-Filo starting at right guard with Michael Jordan coming off the bench at left guard this week, the opposite of their plan against Tampa Bay. </p>
<p id="qbmVsM">The move back to left guard seemed to fit Jordan as he posted the team’s highest pass-blocking grade per PFF (83.9). Su’a-Filo ended right behind him (79.1) as neither player allowed a single pressure. Even Billy Price ended up with a clean performance in pass protection (76.4). </p>
<p id="gOqGid">To say it was a perfect performance for the o-line room is not at all accurate. Run blocking was a struggle against Washington’s starters. It was a primary reason why the offense stalled for the first half. Talent disparity was definitely on display in this regard.</p>
<p id="Y2IFGK">Yet as the game went on, even that improved dramatically. Jackson Carman and Fred Johnson formed an imposing duo at right guard and right tackle after the first period. Carman himself looked noticeably better in his second preseason performance.</p>
<p id="sBvd5x">Perfection is not normally found in the preseason, and this was no exception, but the Bengals’ o-line more than held their own against a unit that is accustomed to doing what they please. And all of this was without rookie standout D’Ante Smith, who was the team’s best pass-blocker in the preseason opener. </p>
<p id="bUDH5q">Pollack and the Bengals are throwing a lot at the group. To say they’re handling it well under the lights is an understatement. </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/22/22635360/nfl-preseason-week-2-bengals-o-line-continues-to-protect-well-vs-washingtonJohn Sheeran