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An ugly offensive first half gave way to a few clustered fireworks during the Cincinnati Bengals’ 15-10 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Both teams couldn’t get much going in the first half but the game opened up a bit in the second. Joe Burrow and Tyler Boyd put up some key offensive plays that made all the difference as the game continued while the defense, for most part, played quality football.
Here’s a look at some instant analysis from the contest.
Quick Hits
— With a three-point lead early, Bengals sent extra pressure for an easy sack. Getting ahead and forcing the Denver offense out of its comfort zone was going to be critical.
— Like last week, will early mistakes hurt the Bengals over the long run? Huge first-quarter connection from Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase negated by a holding penalty.
— While the Broncos have a solid defense, the first half was another example of the Zac Taylor-led Bengals just failing to get any positive early momentum on offense. The defense shouldn’t have to carry an offense with this many weapons directed by a coach labeled as an offensive guru.
— Bengals went to halftime with the 6-3 lead thanks to Evan McPherson’s record-breaking kick.
— Both teams combined for 11 first downs on 13 offensive drives. So, a fun first half from Denver.
— Trae Waynes, finally back on the field after another stay on IR, got wildly outplayed on the game’s first touchdown — that gave the Broncos a 10-9 lead. He’d later struggle to bring down a ball-carrier in a key moment.
— Waynes bailed out, in a sense, by the Bengals getting a long touchdown from Burrow to Tyler Boyd just two plays later.
— Funniest rollercoaster play of the year? Khalid Kareem forces a fumble by yanking the ball away from a Broncos player, rolls, gets up and takes off and fumbles while being tackled. After a lengthy review, Kareem was ruled down by contact after yanking the ball away, so the Bengals got possession.
— Bengals got aggressive offensively late, which was the exact opposite of what the team did in overtime last week. This, while playing with a lead, too.
— That is, until a 3rd-and-8 that would’ve won the game if converted. Instead, they called a run with Samaje Perine and had to punt. It worked this time, but strange to see an offensive-minded coach defer to a backup running back instead of a No. 1 pick like Burrow.
Key Stat
4-of-13: Cincinnati’s third-down conversation rate. The offense, especially in the first half, just couldn’t get it done often enough when it mattered. Luckily despite that setback, some big chunk plays were able to compensate — but it’s something the coaching staff absolutely has to circle in red ink during this hopeful playoff stretch.
Game Balls
DE Trey Hendrickson: The defense’s MVP was at it again. He had at least one sack, extending his NFL-best streak of games with a consecutive sack to 10. He had a forced fumble (that got overturned, but still). He wreaked havoc most of the day.
WR Tyler Boyd: One of the NFL’s best slot wideouts came up big when it mattered most, scoring that 56-yard touchdown and overall catching five passes for 96 yards.
Top Takeaway
Ugly: Ugly wins can be good wins. In a perfect world, the offense goes out and blows a worse team away. But it was a chippy opponent, away from home and at a 4 p.m. ET kickoff time. Plus, the Bengals had some notable injuries going into this one. Be happy to escape with the win and still be alive in the playoff race.
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