Tag: NFL Week 10

Fans rip Bengals for trap-game stumble vs. Texans

Best reactions after Texans vs. Bengals in Week 10.

Cincinnati Bengals fans and NFL media dubbed Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans as a trap encounter and that wound up true.

There, the Bengals lost, 30-27.

With a date against the Baltimore Ravens on primetime set for next Thursday night, the Bengals looked like the team that won four in a row for just a single drive early before falling apart.

Joe Burrow’s offense and a usually reliable defense often looked perplexed at best about the feistiness of the visiting Texans.

Here’s a look at the top reactions by fans and media after the game with so little time before the short turnaround to a must-win game against the Ravens.

Instant analysis after Bengals flop in loss to Texans

Instant analysis after Texans vs. Bengals in Week 10.

The Cincinnati Bengals faced an obvious trap game against the Houston Texans in Week 10 and lost, 30-27.

With a showdown against the Baltimore Ravens looming next Thursday, the Bengals hosted the Texans and looked sluggish in all phases after a strong opening drive.

That let an upstart Texans team led by C.J. Stroud take a halftime lead at Paycor Stadium as Joe Burrow and the Bengals looked for answers.

But answer they did, nearly pulling off the comeback win in front of a nearly half-empty stadium.

Here’s a look at some quick thoughts, stats and takeaways to know before the Bengals turn around on a short week and have to deal with a critical AFC North matchup.

Mics picked up Trevor Lawrence unsuccessfully arguing his case to a ref against a delay of game penalty

This ref didn’t care about Trevor Lawrence’s argument at all.

In a challenging game for his Jacksonville Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence knew that he’d have to find an edge anywhere possible. This was especially the case with the San Francisco 49ers boasting both Nick Bosa and Chase Young off the defensive edge.

With Jacksonville already facing a 10-0 deficit in the second quarter, Lawrence was called for an unfortunate delay-of-game penalty on a second and long. Naturally, the quarterback took great exception to this and tried pleading his case to the announcing referee. Before the official revealed the call, it seemed his microphone captured Lawrence’s less-than-pleased reaction to the penalty.

Absolute gold in every way:

Lawrence can at least take solace that he tried his best. There was no chance the referee would reverse the delay of game call, but that doesn’t mean you should just give up.

WATCH: Texans QB C.J. Stroud rushes for TD against the Bengals

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud rushed for a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10.

C.J. Stroud is more likely to score with his arm. The No. 2 overall pick showcased that aspect of his game in Week 9 with five touchdown passes in the Houston Texans’ 39-37 comeback against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

However, never discount the fact the former Ohio State product may be inclined to score on the ground.

Facing a first-and-goal from the 8-yard line with 12:54 to go in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals, Stroud wasn’t afraid to use his legs to give the Texans more insurance points.

For Stroud, he entered the game with 20 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown.

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Lions inactive players vs. Chargers: DPJ and Brodric Martin will not play

Donovan Peoples-Jones and Brodric Martin are among the Lions who will not play against the Chargers.

Lions fans hoping to catch new wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones in a Detroit uniform will have to wait a little longer. Peoples-Jones is one of the inactive players for the Lions in the Week 10 matchup in Los Angeles against the Chargers.

“DPJ” was acquired via trade from the Cleveland Browns at the trade deadline, but he’s dealing with a rib injury that will keep him on the sideline for at least another week.

He’s joined on the inactive list by guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai and DL Levi Onwuzurike as players who appeared on the final injury report as questionable or worse.

There are three healthy scratches, all rookies. Third-round DT Brodric Martin is back to inactive after getting his first action in the Week 8 win over the Raiders. Undrafted rookies Steven Gilmore and Trevor Nowaske are also inactive.

 

 

 

 

Watch: Joe Burrow escapes, hits Ja’Marr Chase for 64-yard TD

Joe Burrow goes off-script to Ja’Marr Chase to spur the Bengals comeback.

Down 20-10 in the third quarter to the visiting Houston Texans, the Cincinnati Bengals needed a big play to get back in the game and avoid the trap-game upset.

Joe Burrow provided.

Escaping the pocket, Burrow rolled out and threw off one foot on the run, hitting Ja’Marr Chase on a drag route that he ended up taking 64 yards for a touchdown.

Impressive by all parties, but especially Chase, considering he entered the game as questionable due to a back injury and was only playing because he passed a test during pregame warmups that morning.

The play broke the Bengals offense out of a slumber since the game’s opening-drive touchdown:

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WATCH: Mike Evans brute-forces his way into the end zone for six

Evans had a bad drop early in the game against the Titans, but he made up for it with this tough play to extend Tampa’s lead.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans had a bad drop in the end zone in the second quarter that should have gone for six, so he made sure to correct that mistake in the third quarter.

Evans caught a pass from Baker Mayfield when the Bucs were just outside the red zone, and he took the ball from the five-yard line and carried a Titans defender all the way across the plane for a touchdown. The score put Tampa Bay up 17-3 after the extra point, further extending the lead toward the end of the third quarter. The play was Mayfield’s second passing touchdown of the day.

Check out the effort from Evans below:

WATCH: Texans RB Devin Singletary rushes for TD against the Bengals

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary rushed for his first touchdown of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10.

Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s scheme is based on a strong run game. Through the first eight games of the season, the Houston Texans were having trouble getting the ground game going.

Throw in starting running back Dameon Pierce missing his second game with an ankle injury, and Week 10’s showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals looked like another game where Houston would struggle in the running game.

However, the Texans signed former Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary in free agency to provide veteran support. Singletary got the run game going and scored his first rushing touchdown of the season with 7:12 to go in the third quarter. Singletary’s 6-yard touchdown run pushed Houston ahead 20-7.

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Fox had cartoon astronaut Josh Dobbs rocket through NFL cities in a delightfully weird graphic

Josh Dobbs to the moon? Literally???

Josh Dobbs has been one of the NFL’s better stories in 2023.

For many, it’s impossible to root against a career journeyman who won his first game with the Minnesota Vikings after less than five days with the team. If you’ve paid attention to Dobbs’ recent ascent, you’ll also note how often it’s referenced that he’s literally an astronaut who has worked for NASA in the past.

As Dobbs’ Vikings took on the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Fox made light of his impressive background and how he’s hopped all over the NFL landscape lately. How? The network unveiled a perfectly weird graphic featuring Dobbs as a cartoon astronaut who rode a rocket to all the teams and places he’s been in since December 2022.

I simply can’t get enough of this, and I’m so happy someone gave it the green light:

This is what television graphics during pro football games should resemble.

You want that perfect mix of bizarre and silly while paying homage to an awesome story like Dobbs. This hit all the right chords for someone who traded his astronaut helmet in for a football helmet.

Halftime report: Saints down 24-3 in most embarrassing first half of Dennis Allen’s tenure

Halftime report: Saints down 24-3 in most embarrassing first half of Dennis Allen’s tenure

Yikes. The New Orleans Saints went into halftime down 24-3 against the Minnesota Vikings in the most embarrassing first half of Dennis Allen’s tenure. They’re 2-8 in games when trailing by 10 or more points with Allen as head coach, and if things don’t turn around rapidly in the second half they’ll be even worse.

Allen can’t point to health as a problem. 21 of the 22 players from the Week 1 two-deep roster were available. Michael Thomas exited the game early with a knee injury but young stars Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed combined for 3 targets, 2 receptions, and 3 yards in the first half. Derek Carr did a bad job responding to pressure and looking for his weapons.

But the defense bears the brunt of responsibility here. The Vikings offense is missing its best quarterback (Kirk Cousins) and wide receiver (Justin Jefferson) with multiple starters playing through injuries like tight end T.J. Hockenson and left tackle Christian Darrisaw. Joshua Dobbs was acquired in a trade last week and carved the Saints up to the tune of 220 passing yards and 40 rushing yards in the first half alone.

And penalties have been a major problem. After drawing just one foul for a loss of 5 yards a week ago, the Saints went into halftime with four penalties for 25 yards with two other infractions declined. And almost every penalty wiped out a big play — a Paulson Adebo interception, an Alvin Kamara first-down run, and a Cameron Jordan sack. The Saints couldn’t get out of their own way.

This first half encompasses the criticisms that have dogged Allen’s team for two years. They’re sloppy and penalty-prone and can’t function consistently enough on offense to keep up with even a league-average outfit. Everything is difficult. There is such a heavy responsibility on the defense to carry every game that the margin for error is so thin and every mistake matters. The Saints must get out of their own way before they can even worry about competing.

The good news is that the Saints will receive the opening kickoff in the second half. Let’s see if Derek Carr and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael can do something with that opportunity.

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