Bengals’ Are Fighting Trends In Week 1
Credit: Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK
TGIF, and by that I mean, THANK GOD IT’S FOOTBALL!!! The NFL kicks off this Sunday for everyone who’s not either in Brazil, on Taylor Swift’s boyfriend’s team, or a despised Baltimore Raven. But none of those are you. You’re reading this because you bleed Orange and Black. You run on chili and Mountain Dew during the week and whatever beer puts a Bengals logo on their cans on Sundays.
It’s setting up to be an intriguing season. It seems like half of the Bengals roster requested a trade since last winter, and yet Cincinnati held onto them. There’s actual hope on the O-line, and Joe Burrow just had a complete preseason with zero hiccups. Arguably, this is the most healthy he’s ever been coming into a season. His hair is blonde and the uniforms are all orange! CUE THE MUSIC! [Welcome to the Jungle opening riff plays]
It’s Week 1, bring on the New England Patriots.
As I look down the Patriots roster and depth chart, I feel like that Jack Nicholson meme where he’s just nodding his head, “Yes.” The Bengals are 7.5-point favorites, and we can pencil in an easy W for the good guys. Or so it would seem. There are two major things going against the Bengals this week which have been a problem in recent years.
Let’s talk about the first problem: They’re facing a backup-level quarterback. That sounds like the best kind of “problem” to have, to the point I almost feel crazy thinking this is a red flag. The Patriots announced their starting quarterback will be Jacoby Brissett, who is essentially a career backup, with the rookie Drake Maye keeping his helmet close in case things go sideways for JB.
You’d think that either scenario would be a field day for Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard. Or hell, any player on the defense. But then you look at the downsides to this, and say to yourself, “Oh, no.”
Recent history has shown us that the Bengals are not great against backups and rookies. Since 2020 AB (After Burrow), the Bengals are 9-6 against rookies and backups in the regular season. One of those games was actually against Brissett in 2022, where he had 278 passing yards and a TD in that brutal Monday night Halloween game. Ugh, I still am recovering from that one.
Over those 15 games, the Bengals have allowed 3,479 passing yards and 19 touchdowns, making this mediocre group of quarterbacks look like 2023 Geno Smith (3,624 yards, 20 TDs). They have an uncanny ability to make some scrub look like an All-Pro for one magical day. Mike White will be the modern-day Al Bundy at every Thanksgiving for the rest of his life. “I had 405 passing yards and 3 touchdowns and beat the Bengals in their Super Bowl year!” So needless to say, I’m a little worried about this game, regardless of whether the Patriots lean on their career backup or rookie.
Maybe you’re thinking that’s all in the past. That I should knock off the loser mindset. This is WEEK ONE! We are fired up! Burrow is back, the boys are gonna get after it. No need to worry. Ok, fine, let me break down another stat for you: In opening weeks since Burrow’s arrival, the Bengals are 1-3. And that one win required an overtime.
In 2020, the Bengals lost to the Los Angeles Chargers, and that was the last time the Bengals held a Week 1 opponent to under 20 points. In that game, the defense still allowed 362 total yards and 19 first downs. Then came 2021, where the Bengals secured the victory against the Vikings. Still, Burrow needed 261 yards and 2 TDs and Joe Mixon to rack up 127 yards and a TD on the ground just to win by a field goal in OT. The defense struck again, giving up 403 yards and 24 first downs.
Now on to 2022, when the Bengals opened against the Pittsburgh Steelers. They lost, despite the offense going off for 432 total yards and 32 first downs to the Steelers’ 267 yards and 13 first downs. MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. Then last year saw the Bengals drop the ball against the Mistake By the Lake, surrendering 350 total yards and 21 first downs in a 24-3 loss. But hey, the defense snagged an interception, so at least they have something to build on.
So, I’ll say this: I like the Bengals’ chances this Sunday. They have what it takes to handle the Pats and get off to the hot start that has eluded them in recent years. But their track record against middling quarterbacks and recent Opening Week defensive debacles loom over the weekend, so forgive me for being a touch nervous as kickoff approaches.
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