The Bengals Were Finally Lucky Instead Of Good
Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
The Cincinnati Bengals broke their three-game losing streak and came away with a victory against the Dallas Cowboys by a final score of 27-20. In doing so, the Bengals have (for now) staved off their first losing season since Joe Burrow’s rookie year, and kept their playoff chances hanging on by a thread with a 5-8 record.
What are we to make of this game, the most exciting “Simpsons”-related matchup since Marge lined up against the monorail? Let’s find out.
The Bengals Were Finally Lucky Instead of Good
Of course, every NFL team strives to be good. That hasn’t been the Bengals in 2024, as they’ve shown they’re, at best, half a good football team. But lost in their defensive woes is the fact that they’re also not a very lucky team. You don’t go 1-7 in one-score games by having the breaks go your way. But finally, the wind started blowing at their backs.
Though it almost didn’t happen. For about seven seconds in the fourth quarter, following Nick Vigil blocking a Ryan Rehkow punt, any hope of Lady Luck smiling on Cincinnati vanished. Then preseason hero Maema Njongmeta became the first Bengal of the season to be in the exact right place at the exact right time.
A wild last few minutes 😳 pic.twitter.com/Fl6NR5KMM3
— NFL (@NFL) December 10, 2024
Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than good. This is especially true for a defense that has been terrible all season long.
Amani Oruwariye mishandled the blocked punt and Njongmeta immediately fielded the now-live ball. Had Oruwariye not touched the ball, the Cowboys would have likely wound up in Brandon Aubrey’s field goal range (which, based on what I’ve seen, is anywhere within two miles of the stadium) for a go-ahead score to send the Bengals packing with their fourth straight defeat. Instead, Njongmeta’s nose for the football — a trait that was evident all preseason — gave the Bengals a much-needed break and allowed them to retain possession.
That stroke of fate gave the Bengals another golden opportunity to take a victory away from the Cowboys, and this time, they didn’t miss. Three plays after the blocked punt, Joe Burrow sent a pass Ja’Marr Chase’s way and the stud receiver took it 40 yards to the house, giving Cincinnati the lead for good.
It might have been nice to get that kind of break against Kansas City or Baltimore or Pittsburgh or, you know, when it mattered. Still, when you’re as starved for something positive as the Bengals are, you take those Ws and don’t ask too many questions. As a result, Burrow finally got to lift the team to a win in front of a national audience in 2024, and that’s worth celebrating.
Chase Brown Proved He’s In the Wrong Role
Against a terrible Cowboys rushing defense, Chase Brown had an opportunity to feast on a team that struggled mightily all season. Instead, Brown put up a pedestrian performance on the ground, notching just 58 rushing yards on 14 carries.
But as a pass catcher? Oh, baby, inject it into my veins.
HOW DID LISA SIMPSON AND CHASE BROWN STAY IN BOUNDS? 😱
WHAT A PLAY ‼️
Simpsons Funday Football on Disney+ and ESPN+ | https://t.co/j7rQOkSXtZ pic.twitter.com/qfy7xUoiYz
— ESPN (@espn) December 10, 2024
The Illinois product showed three different broadcasting teams that he was exactly the shifty, agile pass-catcher that sprung onto the scene a season ago against Indianapolis, logging six catches for 65 yards and a touchdown.
Now, 123 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown is a solid night, but the areas where he had success and the ones where he came up short suggest Brown is best-suited for a change-of-pace role, rather than being a true No. 1 back. By no means does this mean that Brown is a one-dimensional threat, but having him as a No. 2, change-of-pace RB allows him to play to his strengths. He can catch passes and focus on short, explosive bursts to make big plays without having to pace himself over a full game.
The great bell cow running backs like Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry are rare in today’s league, and Brown just isn’t in that class. Remember, he was only forced into shouldering the load after Zack Moss flopped, then got injured. The Bengals must address their mediocre run game in the offseason, whether it’s through adding run blockers or getting an early-down back. If they can do that, then Brown will get to stay fresh deeper into games and shine in a role that’s perfectly tailored to his skills.
Ja’Marr’s Price Tag Is Through the Roof
Of all the bad decisions that led the Bengals to a 5-8 record, it’s clear that the biggest mistake the Bengals made in 2024 was not extending Chase before the season. We saw an explosion of wide receivers like CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson continually setting the market, extension after extension, and the price for Chase was never coming down. Instead of biting the bullet and paying their man, they let him have a career year that’ll send his salary into the stratosphere.
Chase’s night was as much a demonstration of his leverage as it was (another) stellar performance. You can see the chip on his shoulder from not getting paid yet at this point. He retook the NFL’s receiver triple crown after posting 14 receptions for 177 yards and two touchdowns. His line is now an absurd 93-1,319-15 (the touchdowns being a career-high) in 13 games. Chase’s third 170-yard game of the season puts him in a league of six players to accomplish the feat this century. Only Antonio Brown has more such games in a single campaign (four in 2015).
The final of his 14 catches on Monday night was the final nail for both the Cowboys and Stephen A. Smith’s vocal cords tomorrow morning.
.@joeyb to @Real10jayy__ AGAIN!#ProBowlVote + #JoeBurrow#ProBowlVote + #JaMarrChase
Watch on ESPN/Disney+ pic.twitter.com/uoxTKtUCsZ
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 10, 2024
Chase’s price tag was only ever going up, and as he continues putting up astounding numbers on the field he’s only helping himself put up astounding numbers on paper. He has averaged two touchdowns per game in the last four weeks, which is nauseating to hear if you’re Mike Brown’s wallet. The Bengals could shut him down tomorrow and this would still be the best season of his career. The only thing crazier than him being 681 yards away from becoming the NFL’s first-ever 2,000-yard receiver is the fact that hitting that milestone doesn’t feel unattainable.
Regardless of what happens, Chase has already more than proven his worth to the Bengals. The financial football-to-the-groin only gets worse from here, and the Bengals have no reason to wait any longer to pay the man what he deserves.
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