Tag: Cincinnati Bengals

Ladd McConkey’s dominant rookie campaign continues: ‘He’s a baller’

Ladd McConkey has been one of the league’s top rookie wide receivers.

The Chargers and Bengals were tied at 27 apiece and 45 seconds left in the game, and Los Angeles needed someone to step up on offense, which had stalled throughout the second half.

Rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey rose to the occasion.

McConkey reeled in two passes for 55 yards that set up J.K. Dobbins’ go-ahead touchdown run.

“When we needed an answer, Ladd made some big catches and we moved the ball,” quarterback Justin Herbert said.

The first reception went for 28 yards. McConkey was covered by Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton, and the former Georgia product climbed the ladder and made a great catch near the right sideline.

Two plays later, McConkey ran an excellent corner route to make himself open near the left sideline, and Herbert delivered a strike for a gain of 27 yards. Dobbins then sealed the deal.

McConkey finished the game with six catches for 123 yards, which is a career-high and the most by a Chargers rookie since Keenan Allen.

The connection between McConkey and Herbert has continued to strengthen week after week, and the numbers speak for themselves.

McConkey is up to a team-high 43 receptions and 615 yards, both of which are second-most among all rookie wide receivers.

“He’s a dude,” running back J.K. Dobbins said. “He’s a baller. He’s a playmaker.”

People were writing off the Chargers’ wide receiver room because of the lack of top-end talent, but McConkey has provided the much-needed boost and has grown into a role that he can be counted on in crunch time.

Trey Hendrickson details run-in with Zac Taylor on Bengals sideline

What happened with Trey Hendrickson and Bengals head coach Zac Taylor?

As the Cincinnati Bengals went down hard at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers, Germaine Pratt wasn’t the only player involved in a sideline outburst.

At one point during the loss, star defensive end Trey Hendrickson ran off the field and exchanged words with Zac Taylor, even swatting away the head coach’s arm.

After the game, Hendrickson opened up about it.

“You play with an edge,” Hendrickson said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “Everybody should. I love Zac. He’s a great head coach. He’s done a lot for me as a person. I love him. He plays with the same intensity and fire as me.”

The altercation happened near a roughing-the-passer flag on Hendrickson that even the NBC broadcast agreed shouldn’t have been called.

Meaning, it was probably nothing more than typical adrenaline-filled sideline stuff that happens in the pros all the time.

But at the same time, it’s clear tensions are high in Cincinnati for obvious reasons.

Yet, Ja’Marr Chase bringing up Taylor’s name after the game speaks volumes about where things are at right now, too.

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Ja’Marr Chase comment on Zac Taylor says it all about 2024 Bengals

Ja’Marr Chase didn’t hold back after the Bengals lost to the Chargers.

Speaking after yet another heartbreaking loss as his Cincinnati Bengals fell to 4-7, Ja’Marr Chase brought up the name of head coach Zac Taylor.

And that sort of says it all, right?

Chase did this when asked after the loss to the Los Angeles Chargers about finishing games.

“How do I do it?” Chase said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “I don’t know. Ask Zac. Ask the coaches. Don’t ask me. It’s not my job. I play football on the field. I don’t call plays for us. So I can’t really do nothing.”

On one hand, this is what Chase tends to do when he’s frustrated after a loss, generally deferring to the head coach on broader matters.

But on the other, it’s those broader matters that are failing the Bengals. The roster construction over the last two years has been abysmal and it’s showing up on the field.

And at this point, nobody is safe from criticism…or accountability — which explained Germaine Pratt’s sideline meltdown during the game.

If the Bengals keep losing, Chase might be on to something here. There will obviously be roster turnover, but it’s safe to reason that an overhaul of the coaching staff might be on the way, too.

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Joe Burrow responds to Zac Taylor’s comments about fixing Bengals

An interesting exchange featuring Zac Taylor and Joe Burrow after the loss to the Chargers.

The Cincinnati Bengals need a fix.

Whether that fix can come over the team’s bye week or is something much bigger for the offseason remains to be seen. Either way, the team fell to 4-7 with Sunday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, and the comments in the aftermath are certainly interesting.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, for example, said that “significant changes” aren’t necessary as they would represent the team panicking. He added that “something special can still be here” as the playoffs aren’t out of reach just yet.

When asked about these comments at his own presser and whether Taylor is right, Burrow merely said “hope so.”

It was about as dejected as anyone will ever see Burrow, who admitted this is by far the toughest season of his career at any level.

In some respects, Taylor is right — the Bengals remain in close games against great teams, yet stumble into new ways to lose each time. Sunday night was two missed kicks, a dropped interception that would have gone back for a touchdown and other mistakes.

At this rate, though, the playoffs are a near-impossibility, and Bengals fans calling for Taylor’s job won’t exactly go away. The Bengals are talented enough to stay in games, but it’s clear something is just missing this year.

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Everything to know from Chargers’ win over Bengals

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ thrilling win over the Bengals.

What. A. Game.

The Chargers outlasted the Bengals on Sunday night, improving to 7-3.

Here’s our recap of the Week 11 win.

It was over when…

J.K. Dobbins rushed for a 29-yard touchdown with 18 seconds remaining.

Notable number

According to ESPN’s Benjamin Solak, Justin Herbert now has 15 game-winning drives in his career. Only Patrick Mahomes and Kirk Cousins have more since 2020 when Herbert entered the league.

3 stars of the game

  1. QB Justin Herbert: Herbert was lights out in the first half. While he wasn’t nearly as sharp in the second half, Herbert made two big throws on the final drive to guide the team to victory.
  2. WR Ladd McConkey: McConkey finished with 123 yards on six catches, including two big receptions on the final possession to put the Chargers in Bengals territory.
  3. RB J.K. Dobbins: Dobbins had 11 carries for 56 yards and two rushing touchdowns, including the game-winner.

Quick hits

  • Herbert delivered dime after dime in the first half, completing 10 of 14 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. But that same level of play didn’t carry over into the second half.
  • The Chargers could not move the ball and went three and out on half of their offensive possessions, all while the Bengals crept back to tie the game off of 21 unanswered points, led by Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins.
  • The Bengals had two opportunities in the fourth quarter to take the lead, but Evan McPherson missed his go-ahead field goal attempts from 48 and 51 yards.
  • In previous years, Los Angeles would have blown that type of game (it gave me flashbacks to the playoff loss to the Jaguars). But the defense made a big stop at the end, Herbert rallied the offense with two big throws to McConkey, and Dobbins delivered the knockout punch.
  • Herbert finished the game 17-of-36 passing for 297 yards, two touchdowns, and five carries for 65 yards. While he didn’t benefit from some dropped passes, there were a few instances of him missing receivers in the second half. Herbert also lost a fumble early in the fourth quarter.
  • For the first time this season, the Chargers’ defense gave up more than 20 points. They allowed the Bengals to convert on all three of their fourth-down attempts. Cincinnati totaled 452 yards.

What’s next?

The Chargers host the Ravens next Monday night, Nov. 25, at 5:15 pm PT.

Bengals fans wanted Zac Taylor’s staff fired after loss to Chargers

Bengals fans are fed up after Week 11.

The Cincinnati Bengals fought back to avoid an ugly blowout loss, but falling in a 27-6 hole and losing 34-27 to the Los Angeles Chargers had fans furious.

Now 4-7 and with the season seemingly lost, Bengals fans are perhaps ready to try something new.

Here’s how Bengals fans reacted after the Week 11 loss.

 

 

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Instant analysis as Bengals lose another heartbreaker, fall to 4-7

Instant analysis after Bengals vs. Chargers in Week 11.

The Cincinnati Bengals went through an emotional roller coaster on Sunday night. They were down 27-6, rallied to tie the game at 27, only to give it right back to the Los Angeles Chargers with 18 seconds left. In the end, the Bengals leave SoFi Stadium on the wrong end of a 34-27 decision to fall to 4-7, putting their playoff hopes on life support. Here are some notes and numbers from yet another gut-punching loss.

 

Quick thoughts

  • After forcing a Chargers punt on their opening drive, the Bengals marched down the field…until they stalled out inside the five following an illegal shift penalty and then intentional grounding. They went from 1st and goal from the three to 3rd and goal from the 18. The Bengals had to settle for a field goal.
  • Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was dealing early but the Bengals eventually settled in and swarmed Herbert.
  • The Bengals finally got into the end zone midway through the third quarter when Joe Burrow hit Ja’Marr Chase, who was one-on-one with Chargers rookie cornerback Cam Hart. It was a fourth-down play. A miss would have meant a third red zone trip without a touchdown.
  • Momentum definitely started to shift there. It became more evident when the Bengals finally connected on a deep shot on a 4th and short, something they’ve tried plenty of this season but couldn’t hit. They had one go in their favor for a change when Burrow hit Higgins on a 42-yard touchdown on 4th and 2 to pull back within 27-20.
  • The defense that showed up in the second half, where has it been all year? Early in the fourth quarter, between Mike Hilton and Logan Wilson, the two helped cause a fumble from Herbert that was recovered by Geno Stone. That fumble eventually led to a Chase touchdown that tied the game at 27.
  • All that momentum drained when Evan McPherson missed a field goal and Herbert found his rhythm just in the nick of time.

 

Key stat

Between the end of the first half and the start of the second half, the Bengals had three straight three-and-outs. Couple that with the Bengals going 5-of-17 on third down and the Bengals will watch film this week thinking they left way too much on the table.

 

Game balls

QB Joe Burrow: Joey Cool never wavered, even when down 27-6. He orchestrated three touchdown drives to tie the game at 27. Burrow finished 28-of-50 for 356 yards and three touchdowns.

WR Tee Higgins: After briefly leaving the game in the first quarter, Higgins helped turn the momentum back in Cincinnati’s favor with a 42-yard touchdown on a 4th and 2. Higgins finished with nine catches for 148 yards and a touchdown.

 

Top takeaway

For most of the second half, the Bengals looked like a team that knew their season was pretty much hanging in the balance. They scored 21 straight to get to a 27-27 tie. Then that final drive happened — on top of the McPherson miss. At 4-7, it’s a very uphill battle to reach the postseason. The Steelers lead the AFC North at 8-2 and two of the wild cards have seven wins. The saving grace is that the Bengals do play the Broncos, the current holders of the final playoff spot at 6-5, in Week 17. But the Bengals need to turn things around well before that game for it to even have any sort of meaning.

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Bengals injury updates immediately after Week 11 vs. Chargers

Bengals injury updates after the team’s Week 11 game.

The Cincinnati Bengals had a few key injuries going into Sunday night’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers and suffered a few more during the game itself.

Exiting the 34-27 loss for the Bengals, here’s a look at the most notable injury updates so far.

 

BJ Hill

Hill had been playing through a rib injury over the last few weeks and needed help off the field in the fourth quarter. He did eventually return.

 

DJ Turner

Turner went down hard after defending a deep pass in the second half and needed the help of trainers to leave the field. He went right to the locker room and was ruled out with a clavicle injury.

 

Orlando Brown Jr.

Brown had a 50-50 chance of playing, and the team held him out, starting Cody Ford in his place.

 

Sheldon Rankins

Rankings wasn’t on the injury report until Sunday when the team added him as questionable due to illness. That kept him out of the game completely by kickoff.

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Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase connect to complete comeback vs. Chargers

The Bengals tied the game in the fourth quarter.

The Cincinnati Bengals stormed back out of a 27-6 hole to tie Sunday night’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers at 27-27 when Joe Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase for a 17-yard score.

It was an MVP-worthy drive from Burrow after his defense forced a turnover, as he escaped multiple drive-ending sacks and kept moving the chains.

Same deal on the touchdown, as Burrow got away, directed Chase on where to go and took a massive hit to deliver the touchdown ball.

If nothing else, it was a tone-setter for a team that looked like it had given up in the first half with the season on the line.

 

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Germaine Pratt had sideline meltdown as Chargers stomped Bengals’ defense

Things got bad on the Bengals sideline on SNF.

The Cincinnati Bengals defense got rolled by the Los Angeles Chargers in the first half on Sunday night, going down 21-6 early.

After what appeared to be several blown coverages, Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt erupted on the sidelines while the defense searched for answers.

The NBC broadcast shared the footage while explaining that Pratt was yelling things like “‘I’m tired of this, let’s go,” while coordinator Lou Anarumo and big names like Trey Hendrickson tried to defuse the situation.

The broadcast noted that Pratt leveled some of his outburst at cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, telling him to “wake up.” Rookie Josh Newton replaced CTB on a subsequent series in the starting lineup.

Based on how the Chargers kept moving the ball, Pratt’s outburst didn’t do much. But it’s good to see some fight from what has been one of the league’s worst defenses.

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