Top Takeaways: Bengals Everywhere Step-Up

By Alex Schubert on November 6, 2023

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On the national stage, the Bengals pulled off a critical 24-18 win against the Buffalo Bills. The game was a must win, as the Bengals needed to keep pace with the rest of the AFC North, who all won their games this week. While they are still in last place in the division, they sit at 5-3 and are currently the seven seed in the AFC playoff picture.

Here are our top takeaways from the game.

The Bengals can compete with anybody in the league

After a tumultuous start to the season, entirely too many people had written the Bengals off in the 2023 season. However, after four straight wins, including two recent powerhouses in Buffalo and San Francisco, the Bengals have shown they can compete with any team in the league.

The narrative coming off the bye was that the Bengals, who had struggled up to that point, had the toughest schedule in the NFL. They responded to that by making Josh Allen look like an extremely average quarterback for the majority of the game. They allowed zero receiving yards to Gabe Davis. As the Bills were driving down the field, Nick Scott forced and recovered a crucial fumble to Dalton Kincaid in the red zone that prevented Buffalo from making it a one score game.

Nick Scott forces and recovers the fumble 😮

📺: #BUFvsCIN on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/T6GLEfxpQv pic.twitter.com/lPW3xTt7Lt

— NFL (@NFL) November 6, 2023

While the Bengals did allow a TD and two point conversion to Stefon Diggs, it was too little, too late.

The Bengals’ next test comes in the form of the Houston Texans, who just saw rookie QB CJ Stroud set the record for the most passing yards in a single game with 470. In this game, three Houston pass catchers (Noah Brown, Dalton Schultz, Tank Dell) topped 114 yards receiving on the day.

Cam Taylor-Britt Is Him.

Another week, another absolute gem from 2nd year CB Cam Taylor-Britt.

🐅2.8 passer rating when targeted
🐅1 Interception
🐅88.6 PFF Defensive Grade
🐅89.8 Coverage Grade
🐅3 targets, 1 catch allowed for 0 yards

At this rate, not crazy to think CTB could be an All-Pro in 2023. pic.twitter.com/quTYZFua9H

— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) November 6, 2023

In 2022, the Bengals traded up a mere three spots in the second round to nab defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt. When you sacrifice draft capital just to ensure a player doesn’t get selected in the next three picks. It means you are unwilling to risk losing a player.

Thus far, all CTB has done is prove that the Bengals made an excellent decision on that night in the draft.

While covering Gabe Davis in the second quarter, the Nebraska product made a critical leaping interception to put the Bengals in field goal range.

While the Bengals were unable to convert that drive into points, CTB has undeniably shown his value over the season so far. He has three interceptions in the last four games, one of which was taken to the house.

Taylor-Britt was not the only Bengals defensive back to have himself a game last night.

Great coverage by Chidobe Awuzie on first down. The Bills wanted the deep ball. Awuzie was all over it.

— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) November 6, 2023

Having that kind of pass coverage against one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL certainly made it much easier for the Bengals to pull off the big W.

The need for tight end isn’t as drastic as originally thought

Cincinnati came out of the trade deadline with an empty shopping cart, which disappointed many fans who thought the team was desperately in need of a tight end. That need may have disappeared on Sunday night.

I was told the Bengals don’t use the tight end.

Someone lied to me.

— Mo Egger (@MoEgger) November 6, 2023

The Bengals tight end room had a feast on Sunday night, coming away with 10 receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns. One TD was to Irv Smith in the first quarter, and the other was a checkdown to Drew Sample that he took 22 yards to the house.

If they can stay healthy and maintain production, there is zero doubt that they can take some of the load off the wide receiver corps and make plays of their own. Zac Taylor especially took notice, and he was quick to comment how proud he was of the tight end room.

Zac Taylor fired up about the Bengals tight ends following SNF:

"Can't say enough about that room." pic.twitter.com/lUROLRlOLc

— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) November 6, 2023

The wide receiver room does not solely rely on Ja’Marr Chase

Along with Cam Taylor-Britt, Ja’Marr Chase is also Him. Joe Burrow knows it. The entire NFL world knows it. Anyone who plays fantasy football knows it.

Going into this game, Chase has been easily the best receiver on the team this year, and has garnered the majority of the statistical production for receivers. However, Ja’Marr had a meager stat line, with only 41 receiving yards on the night; 32 of which came on a deep pass from Burrow in the fourth quarter.

However, after the game, Ja’Marr noted that he may have come down with a back injury. According to Ian Rapoport, Zac Taylor commented that the injury is day-to-day, but added that Chase is definitely sore.

#Bengals Ja'Marr Chase making it sound like his back injury will be something worth monitoring. Concerned tone, to be certain, from him.

"I’m just going to support my teammates, man. Let those guys do what they got to do. Only thing I can do is get healthy for the team."

— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) November 6, 2023

Luckily, Tee Higgins stepped up and started a bounce back campaign after a rocky start to his 2023 campaign with 8 receptions and 110 yards on the night. In addition, the Bengals will be getting another weapon back on offense sooner rather than later.

Charlie Jones jogs over to the rehab field with helmet in hand. The Bengals aren’t activating him this week, but we could see him back next week pic.twitter.com/blYRRPn0Q6

— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) November 2, 2023

Jones, who has one of the NFL’s three punt return TDs this year, will provide a speedy option should Chase miss any time.

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