Category: Latest News

Should the Bengals shut down A.J. Green?

Should the Bengals end this weekly saga?

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Is it time for A.J. Green to go on the shelf?

This isn’t what anyone really wants, obviously. Green wants to play for a multitude of reasons. His teammates want him to play. The coaching staff off to the worst start in franchise history wants him on the field.

And yet, Green still hasn’t participated in a Wednesday practice all season. Speaking to the media this week, Zac Taylor noted Green might need a full week of full-go practices — and then some — before getting back on the field:

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Whether the Bengals win a game in the next week or two might decide if Green ever gets on the field. If they eliminate the chance of 0-16, everyone might feel better about officially shutting him down.

On a personal level, Green probably wants to show NFL teams he can still go before he heads to free agency this offseason. He’s said his next contract isn’t about the money but he’s also human — each game he misses potentially shaves millions from a new deal in what could be his last NFL contract.

The other side to that is sheer risk of getting on the field at all. We’re talking about Green still working his way back from an injury he suffered on the first day of training camp.

No easy answer exists so we’ll throw it to the fans — should the Bengals shut Green down?

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NFL hot seat rankings don’t paint Zac Taylor in a great light

How hot is Zac Taylor’s seat?

Now that Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals have solidified the worst start in franchise history, it was fair game to consider if the coaching staff would be one-and-done.

And that’s far from the only example of such a sentiment making the rounds.

Over at CBS Sports, Patrik Walker raises a really good point while ranking Taylor’s seat as the second hottest behind only Pat Shurmur of the New York Giants:

It’s uncertain what Taylor’s goal is with the reinsertion of Dalton, other than not going 0-16, but Dalton might find himself returning still without the services of A.J. Green to help him in what will likely be his final few games in Cincinnati. Meanwhile, the veteran QB can no longer be used as the scapegoat, because Taylor couldn’t coach Finley to a single win, and gave up on the former fourth-round pick in less than a month’s time.

And there’s a good point to consider — it isn’t all on Dalton anymore.

Taylor went to his rookie quarterback he traded up to get in the fourth round and things were just as bad. Now he’s going back to Dalton in an effort to salvage things.

Maybe it works. But if it doesn’t, the well of excuses continues to dry. Injuries smack around every team and there isn’t another one-win team in the NFL, let alone another winless team. Even the newest of coaching staffs and most injured rosters have found ways to win.

If the Bengals can’t grab the first win of the year in the next week or two, it might be hard to keep Taylor out of the No. 1 slot when it comes to hot seats. The Bengals operate differently than everyone else, yes, but one has to wonder if there is a breaking point and where it might be.

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Former Bengals kicker Jake Elliott earns massive extension with Eagles

Jake Elliott just got a massive deal with the Eagles.

Remember Jake Elliott?

The current Philadelphia Eagles kicker was a point of frustration for Cincinnati Bengals fans a few years back. The team drafted him in the first round, attempted to stash him on the practice squad and the Eagles swooped and swiped.

Now Elliott’s is the NFL’s highest-paid kicker.

Eliott’s fresh five-year extension with the Eagles makes him the highest average salary at the position and highest total dollars at $21 million. This on the heels of hitting 26 of 31 attempts over his last two seasons before a 14 of 14 mark this year. He’s hit longs of 61, 56 and 53.

Which isn’t to say Randy Bullock has been a bad presence for the Bengals. He’s hit 18 of 20, 19 of 23 and 15 of 18 over the same span. The problem is spotty accuracy from deep (three of eight from 50-plus since 2017), which can influence offensive decisions.

Either way, it is interesting to see how it has all worked out so far. Elliott after the big deal:

Colts QB Jacoby Brissett could be in for rough game vs. Titans

Brissett has particularly struggled since Week 9 while dealing with a knee injury, and he’ll be up against a tough defense.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett has been efficient since taking the reins in the wake of Andrew Luck’s retirement, but he could be in for a difficult game this week against the Tennessee Titans.

Brissett has particularly struggled since Week 9 while dealing with a knee injury, and he’ll be up against a tough defense.

Ahead of the Week 13 matchup, Tennessee has given up the ninth and eighth fewest points per game and third-down conversions, respectively. Between this and Brissett’s recent setbacks, the Colts could have some trouble on offense.

Indianapolis narrowly won the last clash between the two teams, 19-17 in Nissan Stadium.

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Brissett completed 17-of-28 passes for 146 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

So far this season, the quarterback has completed 184-of-285 pass attempts for 1,926 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions.

In the Colts’ latest 20-17 loss to the Houston Texans, Brissett failed to throw for a score, completing 16-of-25 passes for 129 yards.

It will be interesting to see how well the Colts perform overall against a much-improved Titans team with a new quarterback at the helm, but it will be particularly curious to see if Brissett can overcome his struggles and get the offense into a rhythm.

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The Titans and Colts are set to kick off at noon CT on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Injury report: Titans CB LeShaun Sims ruled OUT vs. Colts

Here’s a look at the complete injury report for both teams.

The Tennessee Titans took the practice field on Friday ahead of this week’s matchup against the division rival Indianapolis Colts.

But the team was without one of its usual players, which it will also be without on Sunday.

Cornerback LeShaun Sims (ankle) did not practice and has been ruled OUT. Tight end Delanie Walker (ankle) also remains on Injured Reserve.

Linebacker Reggie Gilbert (knee), safety Dane Cruikshank (ankle), running back Derrick Henry (hamstring), cornerback Adoree Jackson (calf), defensive lineman DaQuan Jones (ribs), defensive back Joshua Kalu (ankle), wide receiver Tajae Sharpe (hamstring) and offensive lineman Kevin Pamphile (knee) were all full participants.

Here’s a look at the complete injury report for both teams.

The Titans and Colts are set to kick off at noon CT on Sunday in Nissan Stadium.

Darius Phillips is back to boost Bengals return game

Darius Phillips is back and could suit up for the Bengals this weekend.

Darius Phillips is back.

The Cincinnati Bengals activated Phillips a few weeks ago and we wrote at the time he could boost what seems to be an elite return game.

After getting his legs back under him in practice, Phillips will suit up this weekend when the Bengals take on the New York Jets.

According to ESPN’s Ben Baby, Bengals coaches noted Phillips will come off the bench and could see some usage on punt returns.

As we noted when the team designated Phillips to return in the first place, his dangerous skill set boosts a punt-return game already complemented well by the elite emergence of Brandon Wilson on kick returns.

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Former Bengals draft pick Josh Shaw suspended for betting on NFL games

A former Bengals player was suspended Friday.

Former Cincinnati Bengals draft pick Josh Shaw has been suspended from the NFL through the 2020 season for betting on games.

Shaw, a fourth-round pick by the Bengals in 2015 and current member of the Arizona Cardinals, received the indefinite ban through at least 2020 by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The NFL issued a statement:

“The continued success of the NFL depends directly on each of us doing everything necessary to safeguard the integrity of the game and the reputations of all who participate in the league. At the core of this responsibility is the longstanding principle that betting on NFL games, or on any element of a game, puts at risk the integrity of the game, damages public confidence in the NFL, and is forbidden under all circumstances,” Goodell said. “If you work in the NFL in any capacity, you may not bet on NFL football.”

Shaw, 27, joined the Cardinals this past offseason to reunite with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. He had spent three seasons in Cincinnati after coming off the board 120th in 2015 before bouncing around with multiple teams in 2018.

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A.J. Green among four Bengals out vs. Jets

Here’s the final injury report for Jets vs. Bengals.

As expected, A.J. Green will miss another game for the Cincinnati Bengals, this time the team’s Week 13 encounter with a recently strong New York Jets team.

Green missed Wednesday’s practice, which all but eliminated him for the game. Zac Taylor hinted then that Green needs multiple full-gos before getting in a game.

It turns out Green didn’t get anything at all this week, which could mean next week is unlikely too.

Elsewhere on the injury front, second-round rookie Drew Sample didn’t practice Friday and will miss more time. Fellow tight end Cethan Carter is still dealing with a concussion and missed practice.

The Bengals ended up listing linebacker Nick Vigil as questionable after he had a boot on his foot earlier in the week. But it sounds like he’ll be able to suit up.

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Small handful of experts picked Bengals to upset Jets

Here’s who experts see winning Jets-Bengals.

In a rather surprising turn of events, a small percentage of experts have decided to side with the Cincinnati Bengals over the New York Jets when the teams meet in Week 13.

A week ago every expert went against the Bengals before their eventual loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Not this time. At NFL Pick Watch, 13 percent of experts went with the Bengals over the Jets.

The Bengals turning back to Andy Dalton under center might have something to do with the slight shift. He was 0-8 and in the middle of his worst year as a pro before he got benched, but things managed to get worse with rookie Ryan Finley under center.

It helps the Bengals have shown some signs of life in recent weeks via a defense that keeps hanging in there and a running game that has started to come alive.

Even so, the Jets are on a roll. They’ve won three consecutive games while scoring 30-plus points in each. The defense is the best in the league against the run and star safety Jamal Adams happens to remind Dalton of Troy Polamalu.

While it isn’t a terrible time to consider the underdog Bengals, it isn’t hard to see why most experts still prefer the opposition.

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Titans CB Tye Smith has shown improvement as he prepares for larger role

The Tennessee Titans have overcome many obstacles throughout the 2019 season, but one of those that continues to loom over is the injury bug.

The Tennessee Titans have overcome many obstacles throughout the 2019 season, but one of those that continues to loom over is the injury bug.

Tennessee’s secondary has been hit hard with injuries to cornerbacks Malcolm Butler and LeShaun Sims.

Butler has been placed on Injured Reserve, and LeShaun Sims, who came in as his replacement, has missed two consecutive days of practice with an ankle injury.

With this, Tye Smith is the next man up. Head coach Mike Vrabel is confident the cornerback is up to the task, and has seen him progressively get better this season.

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“He’s got good length. I think that he’s been a good special teams player for us. There’s been some versatility,” Vrabel said. “I think the thing I would like to say about Tye (Smith) is, I feel like he’s improved as one of those players on the show team that’s gone out there and worked against A.J. (Brown), Humph (Adam Humphries, Corey (Davis), Tajaé (Sharpe), Kalif (Raymond) and all of them, and really improved. That’s what excites me is that a player that’s gotten better without a lot of game-rep opportunities throughout the course of the season to be ready for this opportunity.”

Smith has played in four games for the Titans this season, and has two combined tackles.

The Titans and Colts are set to kick off at noon CT on Sunday in Lucas Oil Stadium.