Bengals’ Takeaways: Burton And Njongmeta Continue To Shine

By Alex Schubert on August 23, 2024

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The Bengals took the loss last night to the Indianapolis Colts by a final score of 27-14. Cincinnati very nearly came back after a Jermaine Burton touchdown in the fourth quarter, but a 40-yard rushing touchdown by running back Demetric Felton ultimately did them in.

While the Bengals ended the preseason with a winless record, there were still plenty of encouraging signs throughout the game last night.

The Bengals Can Hold Dual-Threat QBs in Check

Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ fourth-overall draft pick from a season ago, threw two touchdowns in the first quarter of last night’s game. His first touchdown of the first quarter was to rookie Adonai Mitchell on a drive in which most of the Colts’ starters squared off against the Bengals’ backups. His second touchdown of the first quarter was to the wrong team.

Jordan Battle said GIMME THAT pic.twitter.com/jgr1NMe9wz

— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) August 23, 2024

Jordan Battle got in front of a Richardson pass and had such a clear path to the end zone he likely would’ve scored if he had caught the pass on a unicycle.

Richardson is still considered a raw prospect, as he has elite physical traits but still needs to develop in terms of the more advanced aspects of playing QB. After that pick-six, his performance style came under intense scrutiny, and rightfully so.

3 concerning things I saw with AR 5 vs the Bengals #3 defense.

There’s 50+ yards of offense missed on these 3 plays and the Colts aren’t good enough to overcome these types of routine issues.

1. He has to be willing to throw the first thru, then can’t miss the check down behind… pic.twitter.com/phtvYgRLrY

— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) August 23, 2024

Of course, he’s a sophomore quarterback that needs more development, but the fact that the defense (the backup defense, no less!) was able to mostly hold its own against a quarterback with the dual-threat potential Richardson offers is an encouraging sign. It was a big test for a team that faces Lamar Jackson (the best of the best of dual-threat QBs) twice a year. Showing well against Richardson through a joint practice and a preseason game against Richardson provides optimism as the Bengals head into the regular season.

Njongmeta Still Has Work To Do

Maema Njongmeta has unquestionably been the star of the Bengals’ defense this preseason. However, the undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin is far from a finished product. While he has a nose for tackling the ball carrier, there are nuances of playing defense at the professional level that he is still picking up on.

“Up here, I need to make sure I’m playing team defense,” Njongmeta said.

Bengals preseason tackle leader:

vs Tampa: Maema Njongmeta (10)
@ Chicago: Maema Njongmeta (8)
vs Indy: Maema Njongmeta (11 – tied for team high)

Given the notable impact on special teams, I think the undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin makes the team. Lights out preseason.

— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) August 23, 2024

Njongmeta plays defense with one goal in mind: tackle the ball carrier. While he’s been a flashy player who plays superb run defense, he has been inconsistent as a pass defender. Pass defense was a struggle for the Bengals’ defense last year, particularly with defending tight ends. Even with Njongmeta’s up-and-down play in coverage, he’s a student of the game who is tirelessly working to perfect every detail of his game, which will aid him in his development.

“When I was coming here, I was like, ‘This is my last shot. I really need to get ahead on the details and be on top of that,’” Njongmeta said. “So becoming detail-oriented is something I’ve tried not just to change, but really take pride in.”

Njongmeta’s path to making the 53-man roster, in addition to getting regular playing time, is by being a contributor on special teams.

Speaking of unfinished products…

Jermaine Burton Shows Potential, Needs Guidance

Jermaine Burton was known as a big-play receiver coming out of college, and he’s lived up to that notion thus far in the NFL.

Unreal preseason for #JermaineBurton

🔸8 catches
🔸156 yards
🔸2 TDs
🔸89% catch/drop rate

Had the highest passer rating when targeted amongst all rookie WR’s.

Steal of the #NFLDraft for the #Bengals pic.twitter.com/P8fXFJjGOl

— Cole Sullivan (@Colesu11y) August 23, 2024

Burton’s strong play in the preseason showed that he has a major opportunity to earn significant playing time in the regular season. The third-round pick out of Alabama can use his ability as a home run threat to unlock a new level of this offense when he’s called upon.

With Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins commanding the majority of the attention, Burton will have ample opportunity to be the big-play machine that he was at Alabama. However, to hang with the big boys, Burton is more than aware that he must act like one of the big boys.

“I could’ve been better on how I’ve been handling my business in my preseason,” Burton said to Bengals’ play-by-play broadcaster Dan Hoard after the game. “I could lock in more on my details, and the things that I did wrong. It’s all about how you handle it. It’s all about what it means to you, and I need to do a better job of showing how much this means to me.”

During the broadcast last night, Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit off-handedly discussed Burton’s maturity issues from his college days. One of Michaels’ remarks has caught the attention of Bengals fans.

Is Bengals rookie receiver Jermaine Burton sleeping in meetings?

Here’s the exchange between Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dBlEsEV4sI

— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) August 23, 2024

Burton seems aware of his need to develop from a maturity standpoint. That self-awareness, combined with the team culture that Zac Taylor has developed in Cincinnati, should aid him in his maturation both as a player and as a teammate.

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