Cincy Jungle - Bengals hosting Redskins at Wembley Stadium in 2016Who Deyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48495/cincyjungle_fave.png2016-11-04T15:45:38-04:00http://www.cincyjungle.com/rss/stream/95659692016-11-04T15:45:38-04:002016-11-04T15:45:38-04:00London experience: Fan highlights from Bengals’ first international game
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<p>As the Bengals played their first game ever in Europe, many fans across the continent took the chance to go see their beloved team in London. Here are some of the many experiences of those fans, myself included</p> <p id="Ptkdqq">Last Saturday night the clocks in Europe were turned back one hour. In a normal situation that would have meant one more hour of sleep, which is good. But last Saturday night wasn’t a normal situation. I was going to get on a plane to London to watch my Bengals live for the first time.</p>
<p id="jWzH20">I own a pub in Madrid, Spain, and we are usually pretty busy Fridays and Saturdays, as nightlife here is probably the best in the world. We open from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 a.m., although we rarely leave before 4:00.</p>
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<figcaption>That is water, by the way.</figcaption>
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<p id="0ZDZZN">That night, though, the clocks were turned back one hour. I am not complaining, after all more business is always good. But the clocks in the U.S.A. stayed put (that changes this coming weekend, which made the Bengals game in London start earlier, at least for us in Europe.</p>
<p id="OcSUyv">So I left the bar, went back home, took a shower and got on a bus to the airport. I landed in London at Gatwick Airport at 8:55 a.m. (9:55 a.m. in Spain) and headed to my hotel to leave my stuff and go to Wembley Stadium. I ended up getting there half an hour before kick off, but the fatigue from having gotten barely any sleep at all disappeared as I met the fellow Spanish Bengals fans who I was going to watch the game with.</p>
<p id="ZgJ2sk">We all made little sacrifices to get to see our beloved team play in London, not only us coming from Spain. There were fans from many countries around Europe and others that travelled with the Bengals from Cincinnati. My girlfriend, who is from Northern Virginia, also flew from the U.S. to see her Redskins.</p>
<p id="ky6bb7">These sacrifices might mean nothing to many, I know. A lot of people have greater struggles. We just had to make it to a different country to see an American team we root for, usually at a great distance.</p>
<p id="KwKHuy">The game wasn’t bad, though, the final score was bad. London games are often terrible but this one wasn’t.</p>
<p id="ox6vuV">I wasn’t able to take in the whole experience of the International Series, as I had to work on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but my friends told me how excited they were to hang out with Anthony Muñoz, the Bengals mascot, some of the coaches... and Cincy Jungle’s “Jungle John” at The Admiralty Pub, the designated Bengals pub in London for the weekend.</p>
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<p id="elg4nb">A win would have been nice, as the Bengals are trying to stay alive in the playoff race. But as with any other experience in life, the trip and the process matter much more than the result.</p>
<p id="dookas">Xavi, a Bengals fan who started rooting for the team because of a girl he met while living in Baltimore, couldn’t find a hotel until the early hours of Friday because the one that he booked left him (and his wife and friend) out on the street. The third party company he made the reservation with ended up taking care of them because the apartment owner said they just couldn’t comply with the booking.</p>
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<p id="kL5rTz">Gerar, who travelled from Valladolid (deep Spain, if you will), lied to his boss so he could get the days off to see the game. Dani got there on Friday from Asturias in northwest Spain. Antonio, who writes about the Bengals and the rest of the AFC North for AS - the second leading sports journal in Spain - <strong>convinced his wife to let him go to London </strong><strong>o</strong><strong>n their anniversary</strong>. Imagine her face when he told her his plans. Antonio had to get her something from Harrods, thanks to Xavi’s wife, Mónica, for the assist. He also had some nice words about the London experience in his newspaper. You can read it in Spanish <a href="http://masdeporte.as.com/masdeporte/2016/11/02/nfl/1478103939_413972.html">here</a>.</p>
<p id="Y8ixrG">Menez, who has been rooting for the Bengals for only one year after laughing at me for watching the NFL and not rugby, drafted Andy Dalton in the first round of our fantasy draft.</p>
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<figcaption>Me (left) and my friend Menez, only into his sixth month of Bengals fandom but already playing the part.</figcaption>
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<p id="nN1lmZ">After so many podcasts about the Bengals, Whatsapp chats during games, frustration over late night losses - including in the Wild Card - we finally got to see the team live, and together. Some of us didn’t even know each other in person, and <strong>I only knew Xavi and Vic because they travelled from Barcelona to Madrid </strong><strong>(a nearly six hour drive) </strong><strong>just to watch a Bengals - Steelers game </strong><strong>at </strong><strong>my bar</strong>. We lost that game and also lost Dalton, by the way. So even if a win would have been nice, the trip was worth it beyond the final score. Beer was warm, soft drinks were hot - and I was counting on a heavy dose of Coca Cola to stay functional after the fourth-quarter. Nevertheless, we got to see a big return from Alex Erickson - finally, A.J. Green’s dominate, Tyler Eifert’s clutchness, and lucky breaks that kept the Bengals alive in overtime... </p>
<p id="kMzx0G">Cincinnati fans get to cheer on the Bengals plenty of time, but for us here in Europe this was THE chance. No matter how decaffeinated the atmosphere was with so, so many Dolphins (¡¡¡) jerseys in the stands. Nearly 75% of the crowd were casual British fans that came down to watch an NFL game, as is case in the U.S. with friendly soccer games in the summer.</p>
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<figcaption>Where else in the world can you see this</figcaption>
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<p id="qXdzPB">But there were also a lot of Bengals fans with stories to tell about what it took for them to get to London and support their beloved team, just like the ones I wrote above.</p>
<p id="tGx0oR">Share your story of traveling to London in the comments section if you attended the game; I’d love to hear from you!</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/11/4/13523804/the-london-experience-fan-highlights-from-bengals-first-international-gamemuertedeatenas2016-10-30T15:27:36-04:002016-10-30T15:27:36-04:00Josh Norman blames official after terrible game versus A.J. Green
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<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>If Norman was as concerned with the guy in orange and black as he was with the ones in white and black, he probably would’ve had a better game.</p> <p id="VkQdxl">There’s no sugarcoating it (unless you’re <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF/status/792786283785490432">Pro Football Focus</a> and “forget” to mention the penalty yardage he surrendered): <span>Josh Norman</span> had a poor performance on Sunday against the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a>.</p>
<p id="DGqB81"><span>A.J. Green</span> — guarded by Norman for virtually the entire game, minus a couple of plays in which the cornerback took a break on the sideline — had a field day against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Redskins</a>’ $75 million-dollar corner, catching five passes for 76 yards in Norman’s coverage. He also drew five penalties against the corner — some of which weren’t even accepted because Green was able to make the catch despite pass interference or being poked in the face. Green finished Sunday with his fourth 100-yard game of the season, which saw nine catches and 121 yards. But despite the monster effort from the receiver, Cincinnati ended Sunday <a href="http://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/10/30/13470456/a-j-green-picks-on-josh-norman-in-bengals-27-27-tie-with-redskins-nfl-week-8-2016">with an overtime draw with Washington</a>.</p>
<p id="CfT7PI">On several occasions, the cornerback seemed rattled. There were a few memorable moments in which he was audibly complaining about calls on the field:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"HIS FOOT WAS OUT OF BOUNDS" -A very rattled Josh Norman <a href="https://t.co/3ylDdy0bGP">https://t.co/3ylDdy0bGP</a></p>— Connor Howe (@HoweNFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoweNFL/status/792805090759499776">October 30, 2016</a>
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<p id="7pYILC">Norman went off on officials in his postgame press conference, specifically calling out one specific official, Brad Freeman:</p>
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<p id="0UMXPv">"Who is official eighty-eight? I've gotta know," an ‘exasperated and flabbergasted’ Norman said at the podium, <a href="http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/washington-redskins/josh-norman-calls-out-referee-following-ot-tie-bengals">per CSN Mid Atlantic.</a> "You suck. I'm just being honest with you. I'm just being straight forward. He was terrible and I feel like he should be reprimanded.”</p>
<p id="3Lni1b">"I'm baffled by it, I really am,” Norman continued. “I just feel like they really need to sit down and look at that because the plays out there that was going on, I have never had seven flags on me in my entire life and I feel like he coulda had more than that. Every time he (<span>Andy Dalton</span>) threw the ball I feel like there was gonna be a flag."</p>
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<p id="Kj5DHj">Had Norman focused his energy on intercepting passes coming his way rather than on keeping track of which officials were performing up to his standards, perhaps he could’ve had a better game.</p>
<p id="cgEzzG">We kid with Norman, but he really is a talented player capable of taking over a game. Green’s performance on Sunday is a testament to the receiver’s ability to beat any corner in the NFL and command double-teams from every team he faces.</p>
<p id="EkIk0x">But despite another huge performance, the receiver remained humble. When asked by <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/17927415/new-england-patriots-te-rob-gronkowski-sets-franchise-record-most-touchdowns">ESPN’s Kat Terrell</a> on whether things got chippy between he and Norman, he smirked and had this to say:</p>
<blockquote><p id="31cqGS">"It was not getting chippy. I was fine. Whether he was talking to the refs, or whatever he was doing, I was out there playing my game."</p></blockquote>
<p id="1y2z8v">As <a href="http://thebiglead.com/2016/10/30/josh-norman-specifically-calls-out-the-field-judge-after-london-tie-he-needs-to-be-reprimanded/">The Big Lead</a> suggests, the NFL will probably look further into Sunday’s actions from Norman, but not for the reasons the cornerback would like. His comments — criticizing not just the officials as a unit but Brad Freeman as an individual — will likely cost the defensive back a sizeable portion of his game check.</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/10/30/13471958/josh-norman-blames-official-after-terrible-game-versus-a-j-green-nfl-week-8-2016Connor Howe2016-10-30T14:40:38-04:002016-10-30T14:40:38-04:00Bengals vs Redskins: What just happened?!?
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<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Well, let’s get started talking about this tie.</p> <p id="SoPM0O">If you told me yesterday the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a>’ offense would have 436 yards and four touchdowns, I would have assumed that would be enough to amount to a win. But, it was not as the defense was playing at far from the caliber we’re used to and <span>Andy Dalton</span> had probably his worst game of the year, throwing an interception and losing a fumble, in overtime.</p>
<p id="knRfyx"><strong>The Bengals’ defense is not what it used to be. </strong></p>
<p id="8Cwrkl">The Bengals’ defense made the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Redskins</a> look dominant on their opening drive with a 15 play, 80 yard effort that ended in a touchdown by rookie Rob Kelley. But, it wasn’t just a slow start. We saw an awful effort from the Bengals’ defense with so many players to share the blame.</p>
<p id="pre3Gf"><span><strong>Alex Erickson</strong></span><strong> finally has a respectable return</strong></p>
<p id="GfEjDV">How long have we waited for Alex Erickson to do something better than gain 15 yards on a kickoff return? Well, it finally happened in Week 8 in London! Erickson ran out a return for 65 yards to the Redskins’ 36 yard line on the Bengals’ opening drive, setting up the Bengals’ offense with great field positioning. Finally!</p>
<p id="CrrzCY">The Bengals capitalized with catches from <span>Tyler Kroft</span> and <span>Tyler Boyd</span> as well as runs from <span>Jeremy Hill</span> and <span>Giovani Bernard</span> before Bernard finished off the drive with an 8-yard touchdown to tie the game, 7-7.</p>
<p id="TsZ0vR"><span><strong>Karlos Dansby</strong></span><strong> did something good... so I’ll give him credit</strong></p>
<p id="LzGt2s">Karlos Dansby has been a major liability this year in coverage, an area in which he’s supposed to excel. With the Redskins in the redzone, Dansby tackled running back <span>Chris Thompson</span> to stop him short of the end zone on third down. The Redskins went on to kick a field goal to go up 10-7. Kudos to Dansby for making the tackle after earlier allowing <span>Vernon Davis</span> to complete a 44-yard catch during the same drive. Dansby had a few other nice plays sprinkled in throughout the game.</p>
<p id="wG6Ffy"><span><strong>Dre Kirkpatrick</strong></span><strong> seems to have one big, bad penalty per game</strong></p>
<p id="QEG1bs">Dre Kirkpatrick was flagged in the second quarter for a horsecollar on <span>Pierre Garcon</span>, that actually took place out of bounds, on a third down play. Garcon had the first down regardless, but there’s no excuse for Kirkpatrick to be playing that carelessly and costing his team yards.</p>
<p id="3BegHC"><span><strong>Mike Nugent</strong></span><strong> has no business kicking 50+ yard field goals</strong></p>
<p id="HLsRK4">Why do the Bengals trust Mike Nugent to kick field goals from 50+ yards? I have no idea. Nugent has yet to make one field goal this year that was longer than 49 yards. So why try it in London? I’m not quite sure. He then missed an extra point, too. That ONE POINT is all the Bengals needed to win the game and not end with a disastrous tie.</p>
<p id="ZYMMCM"><strong>Bengals lucky to escape first half with just a three point deficit</strong></p>
<p id="J0OHqU">The Bengals’ first half play was simply lackluster. The offense totaled 84 yards, 43 of which were passing and 39 rushing. They were also 1-for-4 on third down while the Redskins were 6-for-10. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">First half comparison: <a href="https://t.co/tlgYAX0Rt1">pic.twitter.com/tlgYAX0Rt1</a></p>— Josh Kirkendall (@Josh_Kirkendall) <a href="https://twitter.com/Josh_Kirkendall/status/792744148310847488">October 30, 2016</a>
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<p id="D1jYdl">Andy Dalton was 7/11 for 52 yards in the first half and was lucky to escape without an interception as <span>Josh Norman</span> nearly picked off a pass on which Dalton was targeting <span>A.J. Green</span>. If Green finishes two quarters with 10 yards, you know it was a rough 30 minutes of play. Luckily, the second half changed the dynamic of the Green-Norman matchup drastically.</p>
<p id="77Xibt">Norman is likely the best cornerback Green has faced this year, and it showed early on during the game, despite Norman getting flagged twice. Those flags would continue for Norman. In total, throughout the game Washington had 15 accepted penalties for 106 yards while the Bengals were called for 7 penalties costing them 85 yards. There were many other penalties that were not accepted, a bunch of which came due to Norman’s illegal use of his hands on the Green’s face(mask).</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">A.J. Green vs. Josh Norman: 1 completion on 3 targets for 10 yards, 1 pass defense. Norman has followed Green outside but not the slot.</p>— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF_NateJahnke/status/792745803026685952">October 30, 2016</a>
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<p id="G3NLte"><strong>Strong second half start</strong></p>
<p id="8xVnaH">The first two plays in the second half were first downs for the Bengals as A.J. Green picked up 10 yards and then Giovani Bernard ran for 12 with some great offensive line blocking. <span>Tyler Eifert</span> then picked up a first down while Norman was flagged for another illegal hands to the face penalty on Green, though the Bengals declined it as they already had a first down. Green had a huge 11 yard grab a few players later, showing incredible effort to get the first down. It seemed like the Bengals came out of the half much more energized and ready to go. The first drive of the second half ended with a Tyler Eifert touchdown, and it was a beautiful thing to witness Eifert getting his first touchdown of the 2016 season.</p>
<p id="H6e6Fj"><span><strong>Geno Atkins</strong></span><strong> gets his first sack since Week 4</strong></p>
<p id="SM0OpH">After lacking stats the last few weeks, Geno Atkins got a massive sack on the Redskins’ first drive of the second half. It caused a loss of 12 yards and led to a punt. Atkins finished the day with just 2 tackles beyond that sack.</p>
<p id="j4Byob"><span><strong>Domata Peko</strong></span><strong> is also good for a dumb penalty</strong></p>
<p id="w6XKGC">Why did Domata Peko think it was a good idea to pull the leg of a Redskins player, after the whistle, when a play was long over? We couldn’t tell you. But, it led to a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty that came two plays before Redskins tight end <span>Jordan Reed</span> scored a 23-yard touchdown to pull Washington within three points in the third quarter. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bengals?src=hash">#Bengals</a> seem to think roughness is necessary. It is not.</p>— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX19Jeremy/status/792754531264262144">October 30, 2016</a>
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<p id="jD5cFG"><strong>The announcers were beyond clueless regarding the Bengals’ roster</strong></p>
<p id="0ET6Zq">The Bengals’ Week 8 game in London got off to an odd start with the broadcasters first saying the Bengals had zero catches by a tight end coming into the game (wrong) and then referring to Jeremy Hill as Jeremy Bell. This was the Bengals’ first game of the year on FOX and that was pretty evident as the announcers had no clue who anyone was.</p>
<p id="n1wSZB">They got multiple things wrong throughout the overtime matchup, including the pronunciation of player names. <a href="http://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/8/9/12403378/bengals-2016-pronunciation-guide-how-to-say-each-player-s-name-like-a-pro">Didn’t they check out our pronunciation guide</a>?! And then, they called Dre Kirkpatrick, “Pacman Jones” during the play in which Kirkpatrick was in coverage on <span>DeSean Jackson</span> when he caught a pass and <span>George Iloka</span> pushed him out of bounds. Jackson left the game after the play to be checked out for a concussion (but was cleared to return).</p>
<p id="j77I4A"><strong>Dalton’s streak of 165 passes without an interception ends</strong></p>
<p id="norrhZ">Andy Dalton was asked by a reporter this week about his four game run without an interception. Well, that’s over as Dalton was targeting Tyler Eifert on a pass in which the tight end seemed to stop on the route and the ball went right into the hands of Redskins linebacker Will Compton. Dalton seemed off throughout much of the game, which isn’t rare for quarterbacks playing in London. He also had an overtime fumble, which was also caused by Compton as his head hit the football while in Dalton’s grasp.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">He did threaten me. But man....that one was....bad. <a href="https://t.co/ENJl6Q5sJV">https://t.co/ENJl6Q5sJV</a></p>— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX19Jeremy/status/792758597679624192">October 30, 2016</a>
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<p id="aCQJ4d"><strong>A.J. Green owned Josh Norman</strong></p>
<p id="R6SJM0">Shortly after A.J. Green caught a 40-yard pass while Norman was called for pass interference, the Bengals scored on a Jeremy Hill touchdown to take back the lead. They even played the fight song!</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"Touchdown Bengals, get some points up on the board...." <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX19">@FOX19</a> <a href="https://t.co/LPFw3YVQy8">pic.twitter.com/LPFw3YVQy8</a></p>— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX19Jeremy/status/792762834530820096">October 30, 2016</a>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr">TD <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyHill33">@JeremyHill33</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhoDeyintheUK?src=hash">#WhoDeyintheUK</a> <a href="https://t.co/inYuCPAv6B">pic.twitter.com/inYuCPAv6B</a></p>— Jeremy Conley (@jeremyconley) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremyconley/status/792763188882255876">October 30, 2016</a>
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<p id="Nxre0Z">But back to Green, check out this catch.</p>
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<p id="ftPpSN">Green owned his matchup with Josh Norman in the second quarter, which was highlighted by Norman getting penalties called on him left and right, though, it hardly impacted Green. On this play, Norman was flagged for pass interference. But, that doesn’t stop Green from making a highlight reel play. Green finished the game with 9 catches on 18 targets for 121 yards. Eifert also added 9 catches for 102 yards, his biggest receiving game since Week 1 of 2015.</p>
<p id="Pq9Pym"><strong>Bengals give London its first ever overtime NFL game</strong></p>
<p id="Beffak">There are so many people and aspects of the game to put blame on for this matchup needing to go to overtime, but, the guy who left four points on the field, really comes to mind. If everything else worked out the same way in regulation, Nugent’s missed extra point and a field goal would have given the Bengals the win. Even just the extra point would have been enough. Cincinnati seriously needs to reevaluate their commitment to Nugent during the bye week. They can’t afford to pay a kicker who misses PATs.</p>
<p id="BHXdyz">The Bengals’ defense also needs to put in some serious work on tackling, and not allowing tight ends to kill them. <span>Jordan Reed</span> finished the day with 99 yards and a touchdown, as the latest tight end to dismantle the defense. And, maybe the defense can also get a lesson in not committing the dumbest penalties ever, at the most inopportune times. </p>
<p id="dzZCEC">Yes, Dalton fumbled away an opportunity in overtime, but the large portion of the blame for this tie should be put on the defense and special teams, not the offense.</p>
<p id="8RRaFO"><strong>The worst part of this...</strong></p>
<p id="jaqkwM">We need to talk about a tie for TWO WEEKS as the Bengals head into their bye. Are you ready for that? I’m not.</p>
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https://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/10/30/13470516/bengals-vs-redskins-what-just-happened-in-london-nfl-week-8-2016Rebecca Toback2016-10-30T13:51:29-04:002016-10-30T13:51:29-04:004 winners and 3 losers from Cincinnati vs Washington
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<img alt="NFL: International Series-Washington Redskins at Cincinnati Bengals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/MJR8-bmGJrM9qUQhgrcBHcc7q3g=/341x0:4955x3076/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51598721/usa-today-9642479.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A look at who boosted their stock and who hurt their’s during Cincinnati’s clash with Washington in London.</p> <p id="F4kX5S">This game should be stricken from the NFL record books, but alas, it happened, and Cincinnati tied Washington, 27-27 in London, the first American football tie London has ever seen.</p>
<p id="5xZSAT">It was probably one of the worst NFL games overall this season, and unfortunately, the Bengals were part of it. Here’s a look at out winners and losers, of which we struggled to find the former of. </p>
<h4 id="70da8P">WINNERS</h4>
<p id="e1OVqz"><span><strong>Tyler Eifert</strong></span></p>
<p id="sKvXcs">The long-awaited return of Tyler Eifert came in Week 7, but the real return came in London. After Eifert played in just 15 snaps and caught one pass for nine yards last week, Eifert was expected to get a lot more work vs Washington, so much so that the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> actually made <span>C.J. Uzomah</span> inactive. </p>
<p id="v26YXi">Eifert responded by playing the majority of the game and and caught his first touchdown of the season. At this point, if Eifert had just played 30+ snaps and caught a few passes, his stock would have increased.</p>
<p id="KHCFgU">But Eifert reminded everyone in this game that he dramatically changes the Bengals offense, enough that it’s now becoming a unit that opposing defenses will fear going forward. </p>
<p id="gbqDqp"><strong>The </strong><strong>g</strong><strong>round </strong><strong>g</strong><strong>ame</strong></p>
<p id="dEEXi2">The Bengals offense showed a lot of promise vs Washington, especially when it came on the ground. After running for 271 yards and two scores last week vs Cleveland, Cincinnati gashed Washington for 152 yards and three scores on 36 carries. </p>
<p id="Omudbn"><span>Jeremy Hill</span> finished with 76 yards and one score on 20 carries. <span>Giovani Bernard</span> added 52 yards and one score on 11 carries to go with one catch for 14 yards. It’s clear the Bengals’ ground game is back after it was dormant for much of the first six games. </p>
<h4 id="R7KqQB">LOSERS</h4>
<p id="ever4h"><span><strong>C.J. Uzomah</strong></span></p>
<p id="REOMxC">As mentioned above, the Bengals were so confident in what Eifert would give them that they made Uzomah inactive. I was one of Uzomah’s biggest critics last year, but the jump he’s made in Year 2 has quietly been one of the best any Bengal has made. </p>
<p id="xo1ZBk">While Uzomah doesn’t offer much as a pass-catcher, his blocking on the edge has helped spring a lot of big runs this season. He’s developing into the kind of blocking tight end the Bengals envisioned of him, and he’s more than rewarded them for spending a fifth-round pick on him in 2015. </p>
<p id="yB3VFN">That’s why it was surprising to see Uzomah inactive for this game. Then again, how much value does a blocking tight end have in today’s NFL? Uzomah got a sobering reminder in this game. </p>
<p id="fSWdPU"><span><strong>Mike Nugent</strong></span></p>
<p id="9JPmGI">This was another game to forget for Mike Nugent, and it’s now getting to the point where each game could be his last in stripes. Against Washington, Nugent missed a 51-yard field goal and an extra point. He came dangerously close to missing another PAT as he clearly is losing confidence in himself, which makes you wonder how much faith the Bengals have in him. </p>
<p id="kzP19c">With the bye week here, expect the Bengals to, at the very least, work out some free agent kickers and see if they might part ways with Nugent. </p>
<p id="rWqBj9"><strong>The </strong><strong>d</strong><strong>efense</strong></p>
<p id="OdH6xw">The Bengals’ defense has no excuse to be as bad as they’ve been over the first eight games, nor do they have any excuse for the performance they had vs Washington. It was mostly against the pass as the mighty <span>Kirk Cousins</span> looked like <span>Peyton Manning</span> in his prime, against a secondary that continues to make far too many mistakes. </p>
<p id="XFa1Rw">Adding to it was a host of horrible penalties, most of which being by the secondary. <span>Dre Kirkpatrick</span> and <span>Darqueze Dennard</span> both continue to look like first-round misses, and it’s really hurting this unit, which is struggling enough as it is. </p>
<p id="PRGN4W">Even with the struggles, time and time again, the Bengals’ defense had chances to put this game away, but continuously failed to do so. This unit has failed, and it’s a big reason why this team is 3-4-1. </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/10/30/13471050/4-winners-and-3-losers-bengals-washington-london-nfl-week-8-2016Jason Marcum2016-10-30T13:35:25-04:002016-10-30T13:35:25-04:00Green picks on Norman in Bengals’ 27-27 tie with Redskins
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<img alt="Washington Redskins v Cincinnati Bengals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0wJftCMuk9w6ZOKTZs_eQGCkb6k=/61x0:2778x1811/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51598615/619223804.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Tyler Eifert caught his first touchdown pass of the season in the Bengals’ first ever trip to London.</p> <p id="254Pkz">It was a back-and-forth game — the most exciting game at Wembley Stadium this season — but the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> fell just short of a victory in a tie with the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Redskins</a> in overtime. Cincinnati is now 3-4-1 on the season, and while the circumstances aren’t ideal, they could certainly be worse. The Bengals hold claim to two ties in the last three seasons.</p>
<p id="43r6Zg">One key battle which defined Sunday’s game — and kept Cincinnati in the mix throughout — was a matchup between the Bengals’ top receiver and the Redskins’ top corner. And to put it nicely, Josh Norman was no match for A.J. Green. The Redskins’ corner gave his best effort, traveling with the receiver all along the field, but the receiver had his way with Washington’s $75 million-dollar man, catching 9 passes for 121 yards, along with several penalties on the corner. And if not for a few errant throws by Andy Dalton, the receiver could’ve looked even better in the box score.</p>
<p id="6YEmtA"><span>Kirk Cousins</span> and the Redskins orchestrated a 15 play, 80-yard drive to open the game, converting three of three third down opportunities en route to a quick 7-0 lead. Cousins stood tall in the pocket, despite several effective blitzes by Paul Guenther’s defense — he was hit twice on the first drive alone.</p>
<p id="gqCGKD">But the Bengals came to play, as well. Cincinnati finally got what it needed in a huge kickoff return by <span>Alex Erickson</span> as the return man’s 65 yards on the play were more than half of his previous season yardage from his first seven kickoff returns. A couple of nice plays later — <span>Tyler Boyd</span> converted a crucial third down and <span>Jeremy Hill</span> made a couple of nice runs — <span>Giovani Bernard</span> punched in an eight-yard touchdown run to even the score.</p>
<p id="r7GnBR">In typical London fashion, the teams combined for three points for the remainder of the first half. <span>Dustin Hopkins</span> converted a field goal before both he and <span>Mike Nugent</span> missed field goals toward the end of the half, as Washington entered the locker room with a 10-7 lead. Among the Bengals’ best plays throughout the half were a <span>Dre Kirkpatrick</span> run stop on fourth down and a <span>George Iloka</span> interception, but Cincinnati was outplayed in the first half. Credit the red zone defense for preventing additional points from a Washington offense which easily moved the ball down the field throughout the first half. At halftime, Cousins was 20-for-27 with 189 yards and an interception, while Dalton was just 7-for-11 with 52 yards. Cincinnati was outgained in total yardage, 226 to 82. The Redskins were 6-for-10 on third down, while the Bengals were just 1-for-4.</p>
<p id="ZtHRvX"><span>Marvin Lewis</span>’ halftime adjustments, however, quickly changed the momentum of the game, as Bengals players on both sides of the ball elevated their respective levels of play immediately.</p>
<p id="yp5lRs">The 2015-esque Bengals offense which we saw last week showed up again in the second half. Dalton marched his team 75 yards down the field on just 11 plays, connecting with <span>Tyler Eifert</span> on a 15-yard seam route to score a touchdown and take the lead. A missed Nugent extra point gave the Bengals a 13-10 lead.</p>
<p id="KnDTye">And the Bengals’ dominance continued, as the defense forced a punt — thanks in large part to a huge <span>Geno Atkins</span> sack, his first since Week 4. The offense then marched right back down the field to take a 10-point lead. Dalton faked a handoff inside to Hill, who leapt over the pile on the goal line while Dalton jogged into the end zone for an easy score to cap the Bengals’ 10 play, 60-yard touchdown drive.</p>
<p id="h9OAaa">Momentum later shifted, as <span>DeSean Jackson</span> (38-yard catch), <span>Jordan Reed</span> (23-yard touchdown catch) and <span>Jamison Crowder</span> (33-yard touchdown catch) began to make some plays on offense. A Dalton interception killed a long Bengals drive, giving the Redskins momentum they needed to take a four-point lead with the two scores.</p>
<p id="tJd3Xk">Again, the Bengals relentlessly battled back. On offense, Green fried Norman and caught a 40-yard bomb despite pass interference, and Hill cashed in on a one-yard touchdown run to put the Bengals back in the lead, 27-24. And the defense forced a very quick three-and-out to return the ball to the hands of the Bengals’ offense.</p>
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<p id="nut3r2">But alas, the Bengals gave momentum back to the Redskins, as the offense eventually punted and the defense surrendered a 40-yard field goal to Hopkins. Cincinnati’s offense got the ball back on their own 25-yard line with 1:07 remaining and a chance to break the 27-27 tie which, unfortunately, did not happen.</p>
<p id="EjnlB4">An ugly overtime period, highlighted by a Dalton fumble and missed field goal from Hopkins, ended in a tie — the perfect finish for a game which was just as hideous (at times) as it was beautiful. Heading into the bye, the Bengals are now 3-4-1 and still in the mix in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-playoff-picture">AFC playoff picture</a>.</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/10/30/13470456/a-j-green-picks-on-josh-norman-in-bengals-27-27-tie-with-redskins-nfl-week-8-2016Connor Howe2016-10-30T08:18:25-04:002016-10-30T08:18:25-04:00Fans lead Who Dey chant outside Wembley Stadium<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/iparkysport/status/792699142443237376">Fans lead Who Dey chant outside Wembley&nbsp;Stadium</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p></p></div>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/10/30/13470248/fans-lead-who-dey-chant-outside-wembley-stadiumRebecca Toback2016-10-29T17:59:31-04:002016-10-29T17:59:31-04:00German Bengals fans are loud and proud<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/jeremyconley/status/792467737750622208">German Bengals fans are loud and&nbsp;proud</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Bengals fans from all around the world are represented in London!</p></p></div>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/10/29/13467874/german-bengals-fans-are-loud-and-proudRebecca Toback2016-10-29T15:00:02-04:002016-10-29T15:00:02-04:00Bengals Mailbag: Wembley’s turf and continuing linebacker questions
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<img alt="NFL: Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Xcf3bKk_wRDqW-4WFhz1jFLHh_I=/1x0:3348x2231/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51590967/usa-today-9627643.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Bengals play an unprecedented game on their 2016 schedule as they travel to London this week, and while they sit at 3-4, fan questions remain about the future of the club. </p> <p id="tkmPVq">Between starting the season with two straight road games, an early <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2016/10/6/13167818/thursday-night-football-live-stream">Thursday Night Football</a> matchup in Week 4 and heading to England in Week 8, it’s been a very difficult stretch to the 2016 schedule for the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a>. While it’s very exciting for fans abroad to get a look at two solid NFL teams between Cincinnati and Washington, the Who Dey faithful know a risky matchup awaits. </p>
<p id="asHZez">We received a couple of interesting questions from our readers this week, revolving around the game specifically being played at London’s Wembley Stadium, as well as an overarching query about the state of one of the team’s position groups. In a pivotal week for both the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Redskins</a> and Bengals, fans realize the stakes are high this week. </p>
<p id="nx2qGw">Want you questions answered? Send us your questions via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cincyjungle">our Facebook page</a>, or on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/CincyJungle">@CincyJungle</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/CJAnthonyCUI">@CJAnthonyCUI</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/BengalsOBI">@BengalsOBI</a> to be answered on this weekly mailbag feature. We also answer fan questions on <a href="http://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/10/27/13440260/the-orange-and-black-insider-bengals-podcast-episode-no-14-football-across-the-pond">The Orange and Black Insider</a>!</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/BengalsOBI">@BengalsOBI</a> why didn't the Bengals draft any athletic linebacker when Zimmer was in town? His time in MIN shows he values them a lot.</p>— The Lewis-Harriers (@losbengalscom) <a href="https://twitter.com/losbengalscom/status/788813579487248384">October 19, 2016</a>
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<p id="BpUAaR">We actually answered this one on a previous episode of the OBI podcast, but after a couple of weeks and with the Bengals entering a stretch of the schedule where they can make 2016 AFC postseason ground, it’s a question that’s looming larger. <span>Vontaze Burfict</span> has four games under his belt after serving his suspension at the beginning of the year, while <span>Karlos Dansby</span>, <span>Vincent Rey</span> and <span>Rey Maualuga</span> have also been taking the lion’s share of snaps in the position group. </p>
<p id="36E0WG">The Bengals tried a few athletic players at linebacker of late, but some seemed to be round pegs being forced into square holes. <span>Emmanuel Lamur</span> had range and speed, but ended up being a niche player who needed to be relieved in certain packages. Maualuga has become the same kind of limited player in the now-pass-happy NFL, while the <span>Taylor Mays</span> “hy-backer” experiment hasn’t worked over the course five different Bengals seasons (2011-2014, 2016).</p>
<p id="tHS4hO">What’s ironic about the Bengals’ poor history of developing linebackers under <span>Marvin Lewis</span>’ watch is the fact that he built his reputation on developing excellent defensive players—mostly in the middle of the <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a>’ defense from 1996-2001. Outside linebackers Peter Boulware, Jamie Sharper and Ed Hartwell, along with future Hall of Fame man in the middle <span>Ray Lewis</span>, were all resume points in Lewis’ history that helped propel him to a 14-year head coaching stint with the Bengals. </p>
<p id="FiTShQ">However, in his time with Cincinnati, Lewis really only has Burfict as a true feather in his cap, even though with his history of fines/suspensions and the criticisms to be had there. Whether you look at the ranging failures of <span>Odell Thurman</span>, <span>Nate Webster</span>, <span>Ahmad Brooks</span> (who had later success with San Francisco), <span>Caleb Miller</span>, <span>Roddrick Muckelroy</span>, or <span>Sean Porter</span>, the list of failed developments at linebacker in Cincinnati is staggering. </p>
<p id="6uIj8x">And when you look at what Mike Zimmer has built in Minnesota, it’s borderline masterful. Aside from currently relying on the veteran presence of <span>Chad Greenway</span>, he brought together two athletic linebackers and UCLA college teammates in <span>Anthony Barr</span> and Eric Kendricks. Ironically, Zimmer has used Lamur in a reserve role, but their current No. 1 ranking in total defense, including 4th against the pass and 3rd against the run, directly correlates to linebacker reliability. </p>
<p id="pCBHl4">For the most part, I’ve liked how the Bengals’ Draft classes have played out over the past handful of years. However, look at the first round picks since 2012: <span>Dre Kirkpatrick</span>, <span>Kevin Zeitler</span>, <span>Tyler Eifert</span>, <span>Darqueze Dennard</span>, <span>Cedric Ogbuehi</span> and William Jackson III. While Kirkpatrick, Zeitler and Eifert currently have big roles, the latter three have been disappointments—mostly because of injury and/or spotty play when called upon.</p>
<p id="McnlCo">I like the decisions to move on cornerbacks early in Lewis’ Drafts, but with limitations at linebacker continuing to rear its ugly head, one can’t help but envision a guy like Barr or Kendricks in stripes to solidify all three levels of the defense. Then again, that might mean draft maneuvering, especially moving up, which just isn’t this team’s M.O. </p>
<p id="MMC6kS"><em><strong>*****</strong></em></p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/CJAnthonyCUI">@CJAnthonyCUI</a> will the grass surface make much of a difference to game state, more suited to run maybe? Who is best placed to adapt?</p>— JungleStripes (@tiger_hype) <a href="https://twitter.com/tiger_hype/status/792145321421713408">October 28, 2016</a>
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<p id="um4HY6">Those of us on the west coast remember the mid-2000s when Pete Carroll had his heyday with the USC Trojans. For those who remember “The Bush Push” when <span>Matt Leinart</span> was assisted by <span>Reggie Bush</span> on a last-minute touchdown run against Notre Dame during their 2005 National Championship quest, one might also remember some of the tactics then-Irish head coach Charlie Weis used leading up to that game. Because of the Trojans’ team speed, Weis intentionally had the South Bend groundskeepers allow the grass to grow out that week in an attempt to slow down USC’s firepower. </p>
<p id="3tjDyG">An intentional alteration of the field at Wembley Stadium isn’t taking place this week—but a turf usually reserved for soccer and tennis might not be the same as the artificial surface they are used to at Paul Brown Stadium, or other natural surfaces in the U.S. Cincinnati undoubtedly wants to use the speed and footwork of guys like <span>A.J. Green</span> and <span>Giovani Bernard</span>, so it will be interesting to see the state of the field this week. And, kudos to you, @tiger_hype, for bringing to light a facet that most others aren’t thinking of this week. </p>
<p id="3OxhOT">I’m going to be honest—because I live on the west coast, I don’t get to watch many of the NFL games hosted by London on live television. I’ve not heard the state of Wembley as an issue blamed by losing fanbases and both teams are likely doing at least walkthroughs on the London surface, but that doesn’t mean complaints don’t exist. As we know, nothing compares to the feeling of a home turf. </p>
<p id="QPgf9d">Whether or not we are picking at nits in the category of field maintenance, in both my <a href="http://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/10/28/13450370/5-keys-to-a-bengals-victory-over-the-redskins-in-week-8">five keys to this week’s victory</a> and game preview this week, I noted the emphasis of the Bengals running the football against the Redskins. Whether it’s because of travel fatigue or building off of last week’s 248-yard, two touchdown rushing effort between Bernard and <span>Jeremy Hill</span>, if Cincinnati can impose its will in this area, a Week 8 victory will surely be theirs. And that’s in spite of the condition of the field a continent away from home. </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/10/29/13463644/bengals-mailbag-wembley-turf-continuing-linebacker-questionsAnthony Cosenza