The Courier-Journal (Louisville)
Who is to blame for Bengals’ 1-3 start?
NASHVILLE – Just when it felt like the Cincinnati Bengals were getting on the right track after securing their first win of the season on Monday night, they faceplanted in the Music City.
Nothing – even head coach Zac Taylor – admittedly was good enough. The Titans beat the Bengals 27-3 on Sunday and it was the worst loss this team has suffered in the last two years.
The Bengals have a multitude of issues on both sides of the ball right now and there’s no easy fix. Quarterback Joe Burrow is not himself with this calf injury and this offense hasn’t proved it can function at a high level with whatever percentage Burrow is playing at.
On defense, the Bengals can’t stop the run. And that’s a problem in the AFC North when you play teams built on their ability to run the ball.
Right now, there’s no identity to the Bengals on offense or defense. It’s easier to fix problems when you can hang your hat on something you know will work. That’s what makes this 1-3 start so puzzling. There are not enough things consistently working on offense and a defense that returned all but two starters shouldn’t be having the tackling issues they are.
Taylor and his staff will have their hands full trying to get this team playing better and it needs to happen in a hurry. Or else a Bengals season that started with Super Bowl expectations will quickly find that goal out of reach.
It’s also worth noting the toughest stretch of the Bengals’ schedule is awaiting them. After the bye week, Cincinnati still has to play San Francisco (3-0), Buffalo (3-1) and Baltimore (3-1). All three of those teams are averaging 24 or more points per game.
There’s a lot to unpack specifically from the Week 4 loss in Tennessee so let’s get to it.
The Cincinnati Bengals look lost on offense
An offense that consists of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, an upgraded offensive line and Burrow ranks dead last in points per game. Cincinnati is averaging 12.3 points per game through four weeks.
That stat is even perplexing to Burrow. When asked what’s the most surprising part of this start from the Bengals on offense, he didn’t hold back.
“We just haven’t scored any points,” Burrow said. “We haven’t got anything going. We have a lot to get fixed.”
Tennessee scored three touchdowns in one quarter against the Bengals. Cincinnati has three touchdowns on the year.
Burrow’s lingering calf injury has played a significant role in the Bengals’ lack of production on offense, but it shouldn’t be this bad. The real head scratcher coming out of this particular loss is that Tennessee had one of the worst pass defenses (No.30) in the NFL coming into the game and the Bengals scored three points.
The Bengals are built to play with a lead and when they don’t have one, they are limited in what they can do. When a team is down two and three scores early like the Bengals have been, it takes away Cincinnati’s ability to be balanced in the run and pass game.
The Bengals should be able to rely on running back Joe Mixon more but they can’t because they are trailing in too many games. Mixon rushed for 67 yards on only 14 attempts against the Titans.
Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said as much this week when he said blaming the offensive struggles solely on Burrow’s health is a cop-out.
So much of Cincinnati’s success over the last two years was built on Burrow’s “magic” and without it, the Bengals look lost on offense. Following the loss, Chase said the Bengals are looking for a “spark” on offense. Taylor admitted his quarterback remains limited.
“He’s doing everything he can,” Taylor said. “He’s playing through it, but there’s still limitations he’s got certainly and that’s probably very difficult for him.”
So, the question is, where is the improved offense going to come from if Burrow is limited in what he can do?
Another cause for concern with the Bengals’ current state on offense is that when asked if Burrow believes the offense is close to taking off, he couldn’t say with full confidence it is.
“Depends on the day. Today we weren’t close. We weren’t close to winning the game. We have been in the past. Like I said, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Not necessarily what you want to hear from your franchise quarterback heading into Week 5 of the NFL season.
‘We have to be better’: Bengals getting exposed in run defense
Cincinnati’s defense got bulldozed by the Titans’ rushing attack on Sunday. The Bengals gave up 173 rushing yards in the 27-3 loss.
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s group ranks No. 31 in run defense allowing 157 yards per game.
Here’s a look at the game-by-game breakdown of how many rushing yards the Bengals have allowed:
Week 1: 206 yards
Week 2: 178 yards
Week 3: 71 yards
Week 4: 173 yards
Yes, the Bengals have faced some of the NFL’s best running backs so far but that shouldn’t excuse this level of performance. The Bengals missed far too many tackles against the Titans.
“It’s just about execution man,” DJ Reader said of the Bengals’ defensive efforts. “It’s going to be easier said than done every time. For guys locked in and guys honed in on what they’ve got to do executing their job, it’s simple. They get paid, too. We’re not saying that they’re not going to convert third downs. It shouldn’t be as lopsided, and we should get off the field more.”
Tennessee was 8-of-13 on third downs (61.5 %) and owned the time of possession battle with 34:45 minutes with the ball.
The most telling drive of the game for the Bengals’ defense came in the third quarter when they allowed the Titans a 15-play, 10-minute drive.
Cincinnati’s defense is going to have to keep them in games more so than ever this year with Burrow’s calf limitations. Right now, it’s not up to anyone’s standards.
“We have to be better, no question,” defensive lineman Sam Hubbard said. “We’ve faced some good rushing attacks but that’s no excuse.”