Category: Cincinnati Bengals

Jayden Daniels has breakout game on Monday Night Football vs Bengals

Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick, thrived on the national stage in the Washington win

In what has been a bit of a shaky start for this crop of 2024 rookie quarterbacks, we have all been waiting with much anticipation for one of them to show off the potential we saw from them in college. On Monday night Jayden Daniels put on an absolute show in a huge win over the Cincinnati Bengals and announced his arrival into the league in a big way.

 

Daniels was unstoppable in a game in which he needed 38 points to take hom the win. On the night Daniels completed 21 of 23 passes, for 254 yards, and a pair of touchdowns. Daniels also showed off his running ability once again, accumulating 39 yards on 12 carries and another trip to the endzone in what was easily his best game of the season.

Poised, explosive, and ridiculous, Daniels showed off every bit of his Heisman flashes in this games, nailing deep ball after deep ball with a lightning quick release and some incredible accuracy. There was no defense for the kinds of throws Daniels was making, and the way he was making them. Awkward arm angle throws, deep bombs with pressure in his face, he did it all for the Commanders and showed why they took him with the second overall pick.

 

This is clearly just the start for Daniels, who is now a legitimate threat on any given week to take advantage of an NFL defense. Defensive coordinators are going to be scratching their heads for the rest of the season trying to figure out how to stop the league’s newest phenom.

Bengals learning quickly the pre-draft flags on rookie Jermaine Burton were legit

Burton fell in the draft due to concerns about his work ethic, and the knocks are showing already in Cincinnati

Jermaine Burton showed a lot of dynamic talent as a wide receiver at both Georgia and Alabama, enough that he was featured on many a top-50 overall prospects list for the 2024 NFL Draft. Yet Burton fell into the middle of the third round in part due to some pre-draft questions about his professionalism and work ethic.

The Cincinnati Bengals are learning the hard way that those pre-draft knocks sure seem legit. A report from Paul Dehner of The Athletic indicates that Burton has been a major disappointment thus far.

“Cincinnati did run into issues getting Burton on board and up to professional standards quickly,” Dehner writes. And then it gets worse for Burton, who many expected to play extensively as a rookie in Cincinnati.

“The Bengals won’t put him out there — or even make him active on gameday — until they feel comfortable he’s preparing in meetings, will be in the right spots and can be trusted by the quarterback.”

Additionally, there is the perception that Burton “has not been in the vicinity of where he needs to be as a professional.”

He’s got time to recover, but it sure seems like a badly missed opportunity by Burton.

Bengals lose first-rounder Amarius Mims for ‘several weeks’ with injury

Mims had durability questions as a prospect and now the first-rounder from Georgia could miss the start of the season

One of the biggest knocks on Amarius Mims as a prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft was his questionable durability. Mims started just eight games at Georgia at offensive tackle and had concerns over his size, but his athletic potential and flashes of great power and upside convinced the Cincinnati Bengals to take the risk and select Mims in the first round.

Unfortunately for the Bengals and Mims, the big man is hurt again. Mims will miss “several weeks” with a pectoral injury, according to numerous reports including Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Mims had some injury questions coming into the draft process. At Georgia, he missed more than half of the 2023 season after undergoing Tightrope surgery to fix a high ankle sprain. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Mims pulled a hamstring while running the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine too, ending his workout season.

It’s not a season-ending injury, thankfully. However, for a player with such a limited breadth of experience, missing at least a month of reps in practice will do Mims no favors as a rookie.

Bengals rookie wideout pushing for serious playing time with a great start to camp

Bengals rookie wideout Jermaine Burton is pushing for serious playing time with a great start to camp

The Cincinnati Bengals were hopeful when they drafted Alabama speedster Jermaine Burton in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft that they were getting someone who could contribute as a rookie. Through the first few days of Bengals training camp, Burton is looking like someone who can be more than just a contributor.

Burton is off to a flying start, making difficult catches and consistently getting open all over the field.

All-Pro Ja’Marr Chase and steady vet Tee Higgins are the only truly established spots on the Bengals depth chart at wideout. Burton has a big chance to seize the next spot in the pecking order, though he’s in a tight camp competition with 2023 sixth-rounder Andre Iosivas for balls and reps, with Iosivas playing more in the slot.

Burton continues to make impressive catches all over the field. Snags like this are a great way to endear himself to QB Joe Burrow.

“Once he gets the offense down pat, guys are going to realize he’s a problem,” Higgins said of Burton after a recent practice.

Burton might not have a starting role with the standouts ahead of him, but he’s showing he can be ready to contribute a lot more than is typically expected of a third-round pick.

Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton could be this year’s Puka Nacua

Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton could be this year’s Puka Nacua as a breakout rookie star

With the Cincinnati Bengals losing franchise staple Tyler Boyd this offseason, the team knew they needed to add some more depth to the receiver position in the draft. Passing over receivers in the first two rounds, the Bengals eventually landed on a receiver who may end up being one of the steals in the draft in former Alabama playmaker Jermaine Burton.

Last season at Alabama, Burton was a certified big play threat, averaging over twenty yards a catch and establishing himself as the primary deep threat of the Crimson Tide offense. Burton’s explosiveness, play strength, and ball skills cannot be understated as they translate extremely well to the next level.

With quarterback Joe Burrow returning fully healthy and teams focusing on shutting down the dynamic duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Burton could find himself taking advantage of teams looking away from him. His tape in college showed him consistently bursting past defenders and catching balls over them, and if not for some reported “character issues,” he could have gone much higher in the draft.

Under Zac Taylor this offense is going to be able to spread it out and take advantage of their multiple stud receivers and their new dynamic tight end in Mike Gesicki. The opportunities are going to be there for Burton to shock everyone and find himself as one of the most productive rookie receivers in the league and maybe even cross the 1,000 yard mark.

Rookie stat projections: Cincinnati Bengals

Projecting the rookie contributions from the 2023 NFL draft class of the Cincinnati Bengals

With the NFL draft over and rookie camps underway, it is a good time to evaluate the draft picks and see what kind of impacts the projected contributors will make.

Let’s take a look at the Bengals draft picks and project some stats for the early role players:

Cincinnati Bengals vs Kansas City Chiefs NFL Playoffs AFC Championship Prediction Game Preview

Cincinnati Bengals vs Kansas City Chiefs NFL Playoffs AFC Championship game preview and breakdown for the game on Sunday, January 29

Cincinnati Bengals vs Kansas City Chiefs NFL Playoffs AFC Championship prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch, Sunday, January 29

Cincinnati Bengals vs Kansas City Chiefs NFL Playoffs AFC Championship Prediction Game Preview

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Cincinnati Bengals vs Kansas City Chiefs How To Watch

Date: Sunday, January 29
Game Time: 6:30 ET
Venue: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
How To Watch: CBS
Record: Cincinnati Bengals (12-4), Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)
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NFL Expert Picks Playoffs AFC/NFC Championship
Mock Draft: First Round 1-31
NFL Draft Underclassmen Position Rankings
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Why Cincinnati Bengals Will Win the AFC Championship

Really, how hurt is Patrick Mahomes?

He’s Patrick Mahomes and this is the AFC Championship, so he’s going to play, but there’s a difference between gutting it out on a high ankle sprain and being able to adequately move.

You know that football clichĂŠ – are you injured or hurt? Mahomes is injured.

Of course he can still throw, and the offense should be able to tweak and adapt around what he’ll be able to do, but when it comes to his magical improvisational ability that makes him so special, that’s going to be limited.

That, and even if he’s at 100%, Cincinnati is a problem.

The Bengals won the regular season meeting in Week 13 – without Joe Mixon – because it controlled the clock. Joe Burrow was brilliant on third downs, the ground game was good enough with Samaje Perine, and the defense came up with the one big takeaway it had to have in the 27-24 victory.

But that was when Mahomes was at full-go.

Kansas City’s offense is obviously great, but it doesn’t have Ja’Marr Chase and the Bengal receivers. Travis Kelce is amazing, and the running game works, but 15 is the brilliant conductor who orchestrates it all. Chad Henne can step in, but …

Again, Cincinnati is a tough out no matter what.

The defense dialed it up a few notches in the stunningly dominant win over Buffalo. Nothing is rattling Burrow, the offensive line that’s so banged up blasted away for the running game, and yeah, there was one massive chip on this team’s shoulder.

However …

– Why Kansas City Chiefs Will Win
– Bengals vs Chiefs Prediction, What’s Going to Happen

NEXT: Why Kansas City Chiefs Will Win the AFC Championship

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Joe Burrow sets playoff record for QBs picked No. 1 overall

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is already making NFL history with his playoff success

When the Cincinnati Bengals took Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, they hoped they were getting just a little of what he showed during his all-time great season at LSU in 2019.

They probably couldn’t have imagined just how successful “Joe Cool” would be at this point in his NFL career.

After his incredible performance in Sunday’s 27-10 playoff win over the Buffalo Bills, where he casually put up two touchdowns and over 240 yards, Burrow now has five career playoff wins through his first three seasons, which is the most by any quarterback drafted with the No. 1 overall pick over that same stretch of their career.

It’s fair to say the career trajectory for Burrow is sky-high, especially given how his rookie season played out, with him missing multiple games with a serious knee injury that required season-ending surgery. That means in his two full seasons as the Bengals’ signal-caller, Burrow has won five playoff games, and has been to the AFC Championship Game twice.

This feat has only been matched by a select few quarterbacks in NFL history, including former divisional rival, Ben Roethlisberger.

Should he win this Sunday against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs (again), and make it back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, Burrow would set yet another record with more playoff wins than Cincinnati legends Boomer Esiason and Ken Anderson combined.

It’s fair to say the Bengals made the right decision during the 2020 draft, and will likely remain competitive for as long as Burrow is taking the snaps.

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Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills NFL Playoffs Divisional Round Prediction Game Preview

Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills NFL Playoffs AFC Divisional Round game preview and breakdown for the game on Sunday, January 22

Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills NFL Playoffs Divisional Round prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch, Sunday, January 22

Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills NFL Playoffs Divisional Round Prediction Game Preview

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Cincinnati Bengals vs Buffalo Bills How To Watch

Date: Sunday, January 22
Game Time: 3:00 ET
Venue: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
How To Watch: CBS
Record: Cincinnati Bengals (12-4), Buffalo Bills (13-3)
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NFL Expert Picks Playoffs Divisional Round
Mock Draft: First 23 Picks, Draft Order
NFL Draft Underclassmen Position Rankings
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Why Cincinnati Bengals Will Win the AFC Divisional Round

The Bills didn’t exactly lose their swagger, but something is missing.

Last year’s team ripped through New England in the Wild Card round with ease. Last year’s team knew down to its core that it was one coin flip away from probably winning the Super Bowl.

The earlier version of this year’s team ended the Rams’ season in Week 1. It had the stuff to walk into Arrowhead and come away with a win. It lost, but even when it did it put up well over 400 yards, or it blew it on its own with turnovers.

Oh sure, the Bills are on an eight-game winning streak, but Miami was the only playoff team of the bunch. In fact, Kansas City, Baltimore, and Miami twice. That accounts for all of the wins among the 14 against playoff teams.

And all four of those wins were fights, including last week against the Dolphin third string quarterback.

Okay, fine, so Cincinnati needed the Fumble in the Jungle – and a gift of a non-call on what appeared to be a clip – and an inch or so on a final desperation pass to survive Baltimore, but now it’s in a position it seems to relish – the underdog.

This is likely going to be a firefight. All it might take is the slightest mistake to tip the scales, and Buffalo appears happy to provide it.

What’s the problem with that lost Bills mojo? Turnovers.

Easy wins have become a whole lot harder with lots and lots and lots of giveaways, turning it over multiple times in nine games and only going mistake-free three times.

On the flip side, the Bengals have been relatively careful with the ball. They were a disaster in the opener with five giveaways in the loss to Pittsburgh, but they only gave it away 14 times since and had only two more multi-giveaway games.

However …

– Why Buffalo Bills Will Win
– Bengals at Bills Prediction, What’s Going to Happen

NEXT: Why Buffalo Bills Will Win the AFC Divisional Round

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NFL Playoffs Divisional Round Predictions: 5 Best Picks Against The Spread

5 best NFL Playoffs predictions and picks against the spread and point totals for the Divisional Round games.

5 best predictions for the Divisional Round round of the NFL Playoffs. What appear to be the best bets and picks?

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The Wild Card round is the buffet of various carbs and fillers. The Divisional Round has the prime rib and crab legs.

This is it. This is everything to the hardcore NFL types. The Super Bowl … your mom watches the Super Bowl. Championship Sunday is big, but this is the weekend we get the best bulk games. Four of them that all take on a life of their own.

I’ll try to find the five best picks against the spread – and point totals – out of them.

As I mentioned for the Wild Card round, with so few games to choose from, the reasonable goal is to bat .600, and I got that last week going 3-2 thanks to the obvious call of Dallas over Tampa Bay and Jacksonville’s easy-peasy walk in the park win – and the over – against the Chargers (yeeeeeeeeeeeeesh).

I overestimated Buffalo, underestimated San Francisco, and I might just do it again – at least with the latter – starting with …

Click on each game for the game preview

5. NFL Playoffs: Dallas at San Francisco

LINE San Francisco -4
ATS PICK Dallas

Warning, I’m going to underestimate the guy yet again – it hasn’t been working well for me.

No, the definition of insanity is NOT doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same result. However, picking against Brock Purdy hasn’t exactly shown sound judgement so far.

The guy has been absolutely magnificent.

If it was, say, Kenny Pickett, or Sam Howell, or even Trey Lance, he’d be hailed as the next big NFL thing. But because he’s Brock Purdy, and because he’s a third-string option, and because he was Mr. Irrelevant – that whole tag and bit annoys me for some reason; does that mean Travon Walker was Mr. Relevant? – it’s hard to fully buy in.

Every NFL quarterback has a clunker at some point, but seriously? 67%, 13 touchdown passes, four picks, unbeaten as a starter in these big games?

This is more about Dallas.

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Going along with the name recognition thing, if this wasn’t Dallas, and if it wasn’t carrying all this baggage and all of these expectation, it might be favored.

The one giant worry I have is time. San Francisco played on Saturday morning, Dallas played on Monday night, and Dallas had to travel. The 49ers are getting close to two days of extra time off. That’s a problem, but I’m going with talent.

Dallas has the combination of offensive firepower and defensive playmaking that the 49ers – and Purdy – haven’t had to deal with yet. I’d like to be getting a little more than four, but I’ll take it.

And I’ll probably pick against Purdy in the NFL Championship, too.

Speaking of digging the underdog on the road …

CFN Experts Picks: Cowboys at 49ers

NEXT: NFL Pick Against the Spread No. 4: Cincinnati at Buffalo

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