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The Cincinnati Bengals again didn’t play many starters in Week 2 of the preseason, this time an exhibition against the New York Giants that resulted in a 25-22 loss.
But key developments for fringe roster players and a few notable developments in battles for starting jobs made the game noteworthy.
Here’s a look at some brief thoughts, recaps and numbers to know.
Quick Hits
— Cordell Volson, rookie or not, sure looks the part. He was surprisingly steady over the first three or four drives of the night while Jackson Carman was out due to COVID/elbow injury. There’s enough there to suggest he’s perhaps locked down the left guard job.
— Chris Evans is the kick returner, point blank, period. He’s dynamite in the role and took another back 70-plus yards Sunday night.
— First-rounder Dax Hill is also coming on a little faster than anticipated. He just looks like a natural, even recording a diving interception.
— D’Ante Smith had a chance to establish himself in a backup role along the offensive line but instead had two early flags as a starter. That’s a big no-no as penalties were something coaches called out in the week before the game.
— Volson played the whole game, which could be due to the lack of depth after Lamont Gaillard suffered an injury.
— Defensive end Kareem Khalid suffered an injury that knocked him from the game.
— Hakeem Adeniji had a solid showing, making his claim for a backup spot on the offensive line.
Key Stat
7 catches for 91 yards: The stat line for Kwamie Lassiter II, a wideout trying to make the final roster in what would be a major upset.
Game Balls
LB Clay Johnston: The unsung hero of a few key plays last year, Johnston had 20 tackles on Sunday night.
S Dax Hill: Another start, another good showing for the first-round rookie, including that interception on a big workload.
Top Takeaway
Routine: Nothing unexpected here besides the quick rise of Volson, and maybe Hill. The Bengals aren’t likely to play many starters in the third preseason game either, instead targeting the controlled joint practice scrimmages with the Los Angeles Rams as the “game reps” before the regular season.
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