Bengals Keys: Minimize Minshew
Credit: Cara Owsley via Imagn Images
Who Dey Nation is dejected after the Philadelphia Eagles came into Paycor Stadium and walloped the Cincinnati Bengals last week. However, Zac Taylor has a major bounce-back opportunity against the Las Vegas Raiders, who are the losers of four straight games. A win would increase the fighting chance that the Bengals have in the playoff race, but a loss would put the Bengals three games under .500 for the first time since 2020.
What are our keys for the Bengals to pull off a win against the Raiders?
Don’t Let Gardner Minshew Get Fired Up
Gardner Minshew is, admittedly, a fun quarterback to watch when he’s on his game. His personality and style of play can elevate an entire team during games in which he catches fire.
Gardner Minshew leaves the field high-fiving Eagles fans and screams out
“Come on!!”
20–25
242 yards
2 TDs
133.7 QB rating pic.twitter.com/1O8hLrm55C— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) December 5, 2021
However, for all the Uncle Rico-esque moments that Minshew has produced, he’s been a wildly inconsistent player.
Death, taxes and Gardner Minshew is gonna turn the ball over.
— Carl Cockerham (@Ctwice32) October 27, 2024
Minshew has been benched multiple times this season and leads the NFL in turnovers among QBs with 11. The only games in which he didn’t commit a single turnover were in Week 4 against Cleveland, where he threw for just 130 yards, and in Week 6 against Pittsburgh, where he didn’t play a single snap. Not only are the Raiders tied for the worst turnover margin in the NFL (minus-13), but three of those turnovers were returned for a touchdown.
100-YARD PICK SIX FOR PAT SURTAIN II 💯
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/8nnNccBMBI
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 6, 2024
Getting the worst of Minshew involves multiple things. The defensive line has to rebound after putting up a goose egg in the stats column against the Eagles. The defense, as a whole, has to force turnovers. The offense has to keep the momentum of the game in Cincinnati’s favor and force Minshew to air it out as much as possible.
Shut Down the Few Elite Raiders
The Raiders are not a hugely strong team by any stretch of the imagination, but they do have a handful of players who are fully capable of producing to a high degree. On offense, the most notable of these is rookie (and one-time Bengals fan draft darling) Brock Bowers.
Can't stop Brock!
Through 8 weeks Brock Bowers not only leads the league in receptions, but is also the only TE in NFL history with 50+ receptions in his first 8 starts. pic.twitter.com/3dhnfLtzlT
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 29, 2024
Bowers came into the draft as a generational prospect at tight end; thus far, he has lived up to every bit of hype he had coming into the NFL. Among a stacked rookie class, he is second to Brian Thomas in terms of receiving yards. In addition, he leads the entire NFL in receptions.
“(He) turns into a running back when he’s got the ball in his hands,” head coach Zac Taylor said. “Not only does he have tremendous quickness and ability to separate, but once he secures the ball, he’s really difficult to bring down.”
Limiting Bowers and the quietly consistent (except for that one time) Jakobi Meyers will help keep Minshew at bay.
On the defensive side of the ball, the offensive line will have to deal with the tattooed equivalent of Trey Hendrickson.
Whatever is in your mind for trade compensation for Maxx Crosby – it’s probably not enough.
He is a 90%+ snap count, double digit sacker, disruptive tornado, top tier premium player in the prime of his career.
Raiders will get a king’s ransom for him if they choose to move him. pic.twitter.com/vJhAQsgxfY
— Ken – Packers Cap (@KenIngalls) October 18, 2024
The Bengals are all too familiar with Crosby, who sacked Ryan Finley four times and forced a fumble in their 2019 matchup. With a much improved offensive line since the Disastrous Season That Was, containing the three-time Pro Bowler will definitely be much more of a possibility.
Be Explosive On Both Sides Of the Ball
The Bengals are 0-4 at home and currently dealing with a disappointed and angry fan base whose team has fallen deeply below expectations.
Can’t remember the last time I turned a Bengals game off before it ended (I just did) even when they were 2-14. Sick of this team. Wasted talent. Bad play callin. Defense sucks. Missed FGs every week. Tough division. FOH man. #RULETHEJUNGLE pic.twitter.com/pnn0pElUe6
— RayDaddy (@i_AM_RAYDADDY) October 27, 2024
The best way to get fans back on your side is to not only pull out a victory, but to do so in exciting fashion.
As we mentioned before, the Raiders have the worst turnover margin in the NFL at minus-13, much of which is due to the inconsistent play of Minshew. In his defense, the offensive line isn’t doing him any favors, as they have allowed the fourth-most sacks out of any unit in the NFL (25).
Despite a bright spot or two, the Raiders' offensive line continues to be near the bottom of the league as far as @PFF is concerned. https://t.co/VgzFWU48l3
— RaiderRamble.com™ (@TheRaiderRamble) October 2, 2024
Bringing heavy pressure on Minshew, which the Raiders’ offensive line is more than capable of allowing to happen, will force sacks and enable the turnover-prone side of the journeyman QB to come out.
Offensively, the Bengals will be limited in the passing game, as Tee Higgins is trending towards missing a second straight week. However, Joe Burrow has an opportunity to thrive against a beatable Raiders secondary (who “boast,” by far, the worst PFF coverage grade in the NFL at 36.4), and Ja’Marr Chase can bounce back from a game in which he averaged a paltry six yards per catch. The Bengals can also get the game script in their favor and make huge plays in the run game by exploiting the absence of marquee free agent Christian Wilkins. Chase Brown is quick and agile enough to make big plays all over a Raiders run defense that has given up eight 20-plus yard rushes, two 40-plus yard rushes, and ten rushing touchdowns. They have the tools to blow out Las Vegas, they just need to execute.
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