Arkansas Bengal

Game over.

current mock draft at SI: https://www.si.com/fannation/bleav/nfl/joe-deleones-2024-nfl-mock-draft-1-0

I’m shocked that the punt wasn’t blocked…

Hey Zac!!! Now seems like a good time to try one of your trick plays

Team looks flat. No idea why— they know if they lose this there will be no playoffs

Both lines are getting abused

I think that ball was tipped. But he still should’ve thrown it away sooner.

You gotta be fucking kidding me

Great place to get a pick 6

Fuck the stealers

Bengals (8-6) at Stealers (7-7) Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET | NBC | Spread: CIN -3 (38.5) Storyline to watch: The Stealers and Bengals have trended in opposite directions since the Stealers won the first meeting a month ago, with the Bengals going 3-0 since and the Stealers in an 0-3 spiral. Earlier this week, Pittsburgh wide receiver Diontae Johnson said the team that wins the line of scrimmage will win the game. Considering the Bengals have averaged 115.7 rushing yards per game since putting up only 25 against the Stealers, while the Stealers have averaged 95 per game since recording 153 vs. the Bengals, the ground game figures to dictate the outcome of this rematch. -- Brooke Pryor Bold prediction: Bengals WR Tee Higgins will have at least 150 receiving yards. Cincinnati is without WR Ja'Marr Chase, and the Stealers are down safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee injury) and Damontae Kazee (suspension). That is a recipe for Higgins to have a big day and build upon his performance against the Vikings that featured one of the top catches of the season. -- Ben Baby Stat to know: Stealers QBs have nearly as many interceptions (nine) as passing touchdowns (10). Pittsburgh ranks 26th in completion percentage (62%) and Total QBR (37). Matchup X factor: Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. He'll be facing slightly below-average tackle Dan Moore Jr. and can wreck Stealers quarterback Mason Rudolph's day in a hurry. Hendrickson has a 22% pass rush win rate at edge, which ranks 12th at the position. -- Walder What's at stake: The Stealers basically need to win to keep playoff hopes alive. They'd have a 9% chance to make the AFC field with a win, but those odds drop below 1% if they lose their fourth straight. The Bengals, meanwhile, can make a playoff statement on Saturday -- a win bumps them up to 56%, while a loss knocks them all the way down to 13%. Read more. Injuries: Bengals | Stealers What to know for fantasy: The Bengals cannot cover tight ends. This season, Cincinnati's defense has given up the second-most fantasy points to the position. The Stealers' Pat Freiermuth has averaged 8.4 targets, 6.0 receptions and 67.2 receiving yards versus the Bengals in his career. See Week 16 rankings. -- Moody Betting nugget: The Stealers are 0-3 against the spread (ATS) in their past three games. They are also 0-3 ATS in their past three games as an underdog. Read more. Moody's pick: Bengals 21, Stealers 17 Walder's pick: Bengals 20, Stealers 17 FPI prediction: CIN, 58.3% (by an average of 2.8 points) https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39162990/nfl-week-16-picks-schedule-fantasy-football-odds-injuries-stats-2023#cinpit

By Michael David Smith Published December 23, 2023 06:16 AM When Bengals franchise quarterback Joe Burrow was lost for the season with a wrist injury, it appeared that it was over for Cincinnati: The Bengals were 5-5, and surely they’d be worse than that for the remainder of the season with the little-known backup Jake Browning at quarterback, right? Wrong. Browning has been excellent since taking over as the Bengals’ starting quarterback, and they’re now 8-6 and currently at No. 6 in the AFC playoff picture. Beat the Stealers today, and the Bengals will be in excellent position to be a wild card team in the AFC. Shockingly, Browning’s stats are even better than Burrow’s this season: Browning is averaging 8.7 yards per pass this season. Burrow averaged 6.3 yards per pass this year before his season-ending injury. Browning has a 73.6 percent completion rate. Burrow had a 66.8 percent completion rate. Browning has thrown touchdowns on 4.9 percent of his passes. Burrow threw touchdowns on 4.1 percent of his passes. Browning has a 107.1 passer rating. Burrow had a 91.0 passer rating. The Bengals are 3-1 and have scored 25.0 points per game in the games Browning started. The Bengals were 5-5 and scored 20.7 points per game in the games Burrow started. There’s no question that Burrow is the Bengals’ starting quarterback in 2024. But Browning is keeping their 2023 season alive. And making a case that he ought to be a starting quarterback, somewhere. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/jake-brownings-stellar-play-has-bengals-in-the-thick-of-the-playoff-race

We’re not complaining because we still won the game…

Kenny Pickett ruled out, Mason Rudolph to start for Stealers vs. Bengals By Michael David Smith Published December 21, 2023 12:49 PM Mason Rudolph will be the Stealers’ starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against the Bengals. Stealers head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed today that Kenny Pickett has been ruled out with an ankle injury. Rudolph will start and Mitchell Trubisky will back him up. This will be the third straight game Pickett has missed since suffering a high ankle sprain. The Stealers are 0-2 without Pickett and will have to hope that Rudolph can do what Trubisky has not and help them win with a backup quarterback. The 7-7 Stealers and 8-6 Bengals are both in AFC playoff contention, but the Bengals have looked good with backup quarterback Jake Browning filling in for starter Joe Burrow. The Stealers haven’t won a game with Rudolph as their starting quarterback since 2019, but they need him to play well on Saturday. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/cincinnati-bengals

Kelsey Conway, Cincinnati Enquirer Thu, Dec 21, 2023, 9:56 AM CST·4 min read The Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) head to Pittsburgh on Saturday for a must-win matchup against the Stealers (7-7). For the Bengals to remain in the playoff race, they must beat the Stealers. If the Bengals were to lose to the Stealers, they would have only an 11 percent chance of making the playoffs. Bengals players and coaches know the importance of winning this game and the Week 12 loss to the Stealers left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. Head coach Zac Taylor said the team needs to play much better this time around against Pittsburgh. In the first meeting, Jake Browning was getting his first start as quarterback of the Bengals. Since then, he’s gone on a three-game winning streak. Making his first NFL start, Jake Browning took his lumps in the loss to the Stealers, but has since directed the Bengals to a three-game winning streak. “The momentum does not matter in these games we’ve played so many times our scheme versus their scheme, episode 20 of those teams going at it,” Browning said. “Throw the records out the window a little bit.” Here’s what the Bengals must do to beat the Stealers: Don’t turn the ball over, Jake Browning One of the main reasons the Stealers beat the Bengals at Paycor Stadium at the end of November was the red zone turnover Browning had. He threw an interception and cost the Bengals points. Since that moment, Browning has been so much better at taking care of the ball. This needs to continue on Saturday. Pittsburgh is a team that’s struggling to score (15.9 points per game) on offense, especially now as they are expected to start third-string quarterback Mason Rudolph. The Bengals can’t afford to give the Stealers more opportunities to touch the ball. The Stealers have struggled to score all season, averaging only 15.9 points per game, and now are expected to start third stringer Mason Rudolph at quarterback. All-Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt is one of, if not the best, defensive player at making plays on the ball. He leads the NFL in sacks and has forced three fumbles with seven pass deflections. How the Bengals protect Browning from Watt will be critical. Pittsburgh tight end Pat Freiermuth needs to be held to under 100 receiving yards In the first meeting between the teams, it was Pat Freiermuth, the Stealers’ big-bodied tight end who hurt Cincinnati’s defense the most. Freiermuth had nine catches for 120 yards. The second-most productive receiver for the Stealers had 58 yards. For the Bengals to win on the road against the Stealers, they need to do a better job in coverage against Freiermuth. Tight end Pat Freiermuth had a big game in the Stealers' 16-10 victory over the Bengals in November. He had nine catches for 120 yards on 11 targets. “He's athletic, he's got great catch radius because he's a big guy, so obviously didn't do a good enough job on him the first game, so we've got to pay extra attention to him,” defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said. “But really good athlete and he's a quarterback's friend because he's closest to him so he can get the ball out quick and get him the ball, and so we'll be aware of where he's at.” Make Pittsburgh earn it on the ground The Stealers are going to try and run the ball on the Bengals. Everyone knows it, so now it’s up to Cincinnati to prove they can stop it. In the Week 12 loss, the Stealers rushed for 153 yards. For the Bengals to win, they need to keep Pittsburgh under 100 rushing yards. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren offer a challenging 1-2 punch to stop and this will be Cincinnati’s biggest test. Running back Najee Harris had 15 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown in the teams' first meeting. Jaylen Warren added 49 yards on 13 carries. The Bengals lost their best run defender for the season in defensive tackle DJ Reader who tore his quad in last week's win over the Vikings. He will be hard to replace but the guys behind him will have to step up. This means Zach Carter, Jay Tufele and BJ Hill will be called upon to make plays in stopping the run. “There's nobody going to replace DJ,” Anarumo said. “That's just who DJ is. We have full faith in the guys behind them that they can step up and do a good job.” https://sports.yahoo.com/bengals-beat-Stealers-remain-playoff-155608973.html

Charlie Goldsmith Cincinnati Enquirer When Cincinnati Bengals left guard Cordell Volson looked like a weak spot on the offensive line during the first half of the season, head coach Zac Taylor often provided a reminder of who Volson was matching up against. He blocked two perennial All-Pro defensive tackles in Aaron Donald and Jeffery Simmons. He faced a Cleveland Browns team that has the best defensive line in football and a Baltimore Ravens front that leads the NFL in sacks. He struggled against standout defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who the Bengals recruited during free agency in 2022, and a Seattle Seahawks front that was playing as well as anyone at the time. Entering the Bengals’ bye week, Volson’s second season in the NFL looked like it would be a step back. Instead, Volson used those tough matchups to fuel a turnaround during the second half of the season. Over the last two months, Volson has been as consistent as anyone on the Bengals’ offensive line. “The sky is the limit for what he can become as a player,” Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. said. “What you’re seeing is a product of everything he has put in. It’s about how consistent he has been with his work even when things may not have been great on Sundays. That’s the type of player he is. He’s a big-time player.” With an improved offensive line in 2023, the Bengals are using game plans that rely more on their pass blockers. That was especially the case during the first month of the season when a limited Joe Burrow couldn’t line up under center or run on play-action passes. During that stretch, Volson gave up some sacks and some big hits. “You’re constantly learning,” Volson said. “I’m realizing you can’t just rely on some natural ability. You have to be really locked in on all the technical aspects and use those to your advantage. That just takes time. Now we’re playing really good football. The five of us up front are executing really well together. That’s the biggest thing.” As Volson reflected on his slow start to the season, the coaching staff recognized that his technique needed to be better. Volson’s size has always given him an advantage, and the coaches have been impressed with his physicality since he got drafted by the team in 2022. But early in the year, Volson’s technique wasn’t consistent. His footwork wasn’t what it needed to be on a snap-to-snap basis, which was a big problem for a Bengals offense that didn’t have much of a margin for error at the time. “There has been so much less of that over the last several weeks,” Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said. “He has really played effective football for us in pass protection and in the run game. To see his ascension after an early up-and-down has been really, really helpful for our offense in general. And for him personally, it’s been good to see him make that next jump and play at that next level.” Volson’s run of success has come against another standout group of defensive tackles. He won his matchups against Ed Oliver and Cam Heyward, played well in a rematch against the Ravens and handled a blitz-heavy Minnesota Vikings front that had been rushing the passer as well as any team in the NFL. Volson’s development has implications that go well beyond this season. Right tackle Jonah Williams will be a free agent at the end of this season, and center Ted Karras’ contract expires at the end of the 2024 season. The Bengals won’t be able to spend as aggressively in free agency across the offensive line in the future because of Burrow’s extension, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s projected extension and Brown’s four-year deal. The Bengals have been waiting for a young offensive lineman to break through as a piece of the long-term core. In Volson, the Bengals have a big, physical and tough guard who can also run 17 mph. “I compare him to Steve Hutchinson,” Brown said, referencing the Hall of Fame left guard who played between 2001 and 2012. He has the bigger body type and a tackle-like body with the ability to win with leverage. That’s a very rare combination. It’s very hard for me to do that. He does a great job winning with leverage. He’s very strong, and he wins a lot of reps with his feet as well. When you’ve got height, length, strength and size, you’re a hard guy to beat.” https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2023/12/20/bengals-left-guard-cordell-volson-is-making-the-leap/71987090007/

CINCINNATI BENGALS Table - Injury report Player Position Injury Tue Wed Thu Game Status Ja'Marr Chase WR Shoulder DNP DNP Unspecified Chase Brown RB Chest LP FP Unspecified Alex Cappa G Knee/Ankle LP FP Unspecified Cameron Sample DE Knee/Ankle LP FP Unspecified Joe Bachie LB Oblique FP FP Unspecified Jake Browning QB Right Forearm FP FP Unspecified Jackson Carman G Illness FP FP Unspecified PITTSBURGH Stealers Table - Injury report Player Position Injury Tue Wed Thu Game Status Kenny Pickett QB Ankle LP LP (-) Trenton Thompson DB Neck DNP DNP (-) Najee Harris RB Knee DNP FP (-) Elijah Riley DB Ankle LP FP (-) Minkah Fitzpatrick FS Knee DNP DNP (-) Isaac Seumalo G Shoulder DNP LP (-) Broderick Jones OT Ankle LP FP (-) Pat Freiermuth TE Knee LP FP (-) Cameron Heyward DT Concussion LP FP (-) https://www.bengals.com/team/injury-report/

Brian Callahan on playing without Ja’Marr Chase: Guys have to keep stepping up By Myles Simmons Published December 20, 2023 11:39 AM While Bengals head coach Zac Taylor did not yet rule Ja’Marr Chase out for Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh, the receiver is reportedly set to miss time with a separated shoulder. Cincinnati has been plagued by injuries for much of the season, most notably with quarterback Joe Burrow out for the season with a wrist injury. But offensive coordinator Brian Callahan still anticipates that the unit will be effective, in part because the club has dealt with so many injuries. “Don’t have much choice if he’s out and we’ve had played plenty of games without Ja’Marr,” Callahan said, via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We played plenty of games without Tee [Higgins], we’ve got plenty of other guys that have to fill in and that’s just the nature of the whole league right now. “I think you look around, there’s a lot of teams that are dealing with the same stuff and guys got to keep stepping up and raising their level of play and keep trying to find ways to win.” Nevertheless, Chase is hard to replace. He’s caught a career-high 93 passes this season for 1,156 yards with seven touchdowns. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/cincinnati-bengals

Kenny Pickett remains limited in Wednesday practice By Myles Simmons Published December 20, 2023 04:00 PM Stealers quarterback Kenny Pickett remained limited on Wednesday’s practice report as he returns from an ankle injury. But there are some potential positive signs of progress. Head coach Mike Tomlin said “tomorrow’s a big day” for Pickett after he made it through the week’s first two sessions. “We had a good day today,” Tomlin said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “We’ll see how his body responds to the work today and make plans for tomorrow accordingly.” Tomlin said earlier in the week that the Stealers would keep the “door ajar” for Pickett to play, though the team plans to start Mason Rudolph at quarterback against Cincinnati. Defensive tackle Cam Heyward (concussion), tight end Pat Freiermuth (knee), offensive tackle Broderick Jones (ankle), and safety Elijah Riley (ankle) were all upgraded from limited pro full participants on Wednesday. Riley is still in his 21-day practice window while returning from injured reserve. Running back Najee Harris (knee) and guard Isaac Seumalo (shoulder) both returned to practice, Harris as a full participant and Seumalo as a limited participant. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee) and safety Trenton Thompson (neck) did not practice. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/kenny-pickett-remains-limited-in-wednesday-practice

Game Predictions: Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Stealers Saturday, Dec 23rd 2023 4:30 pm Eastern Acrisure Stadium Bengals 24 - Stealers 17 SUMMARY The Stealers won 16-10 at the Bengals in Week 12. This game is the late afternoon matchup on Saturday. The 7-7 Stealers have lost their last three games and now are at the bottom of the AFC North while talking less about playoffs and more about how to get an actual win. The 8-6 Bengals won their last three games and remain a contender for a wild card while starting to wonder if past successes were as contingent on a healthy Joe Burrow as they used to think. These two teams have gone in opposite directions since Week 12 when the Stealers last won and the Bengals last lost. It should be close. But those three losses for the Stealers included facing being at home against the Cardinals and Patriots. The Bengals beat the Colts 34-14 in Week 14. The Stealers were just beaten by the same Colts 30-13 last week. Team Notes: Ja'Marr Chase just separated his shoulder and that places a dent in the passing effort. But Jake Browning is turning into that depth chart gem who keeps the Bengals on their winning track and playing rather Burrow-esque. The Bengals catch no breaks from the schedule makers, facing road games against the Stealers and Chiefs, then hosting the Browns. A loss here undoes a lot of good that's happened in the last three weeks, and Browning will need to maintain his production while facing a more challenging ending to his schedule. Quarterbacks: Jake Browning debuted in Week 12 when he passed for 227 yards and one score with an interception. He's scored at least twice in his last three games and broken 300-yards versus the Jaguars and Vikings. Now, four weeks later, this matchup will offer a good measurement of how much Browning has developed in a month, though playing without Ja'Marr Chase would be a new disadvantage. Running Backs: Joe Mixon only gained 16 yards on eight rushes versus the Stealers and gained 44 yards on two catches. He was the only running back with a touch. But that was in the first game without Joe Burrow and Mixon scored in each game since that meeting. He totaled around 120 yards in Weeks 13 and 14, and while the Vikes held him to only 47 yards on ten carries last week, he scored his ninth touchdown this year. Wide Receivers: Ja'Marr Chase (4-81) was the only receiver with more than 25 yards in the last meeting with the Stealers. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd have to step up to replace Chase if he remains out. Higgins posted two scores on his four catches for 61 yards last week but was out in the first meeting. Boyd hasn't scored since Week 8 and typically ends up with around 30 to 40 yards weekly. That should increase if Chase is out. Tight Ends: Tanner Hudson has quietly become a reliable source for the Bengals and Jake Browning relied on his for four or five receptions weekly. He's only scored once this year, but it was with Browning two weeks ago. If Ja'Marr Chase remains out, Hudson should see at least a minor uptick. He caught four passes for 18 yards in the first meeting. Match to Defense: This is the second meeting and the first one was just a month ago. And it was the debut of Jake Browning who has gotten up to speed quickly since Week 12. The Steeler's defense had been solid this year but, like the offense, has declined in recent weeks. They should be a lock to keep the passing yardage under 300, but they just allowed Garnder Minshew and Bailey Zappe to throw for three scores each. The run defense has also declined, giving up monster games to James Conner and Ezekiel Elliott in recent weeks and then 170 rushing yards to the Colts who lost Zack Moss after only four runs. The Bengals struggled in Week 12 because Joe Burrow had just been lost and Browning had his first NLF start. A month later, the Bengals offense is doing well and can win without Chase. Team Notes: The Stealers intend to start Mason Rudolph this week if Kenny Pickett remains out. The last three games - all losses - have been while Pickett was injured. The points have rarely been much this year, and the last two weeks were even worse, averaging only 13 points per game. The Stealers looked like they might challenge for the division but are now about to fall from the wild card race. After this matchup, the season ends at the Seahawks and Ravens. Quarterbacks: Kenny Pickett passed for 278 yards and no scores in Week 12. Since he left, Mitchell Trubisky managed one passing score weekly but never topped 200 passing yards in games where the Stealers always trailed. Mason Rudolph steps in this week, assuming Kenny Pickett's ankle keeps him out. HC Mike Tomlin said that he had confidence in the veteran Rudolph, but apparently not so much as to wait three games before replacing Trubisky. Running Backs: Najee Harris (15-99, TD) and Jaylen Warren (13-49) shared the backfield to great effect over the Bengals. That same level of success has not repeated for the last three weeks. Neither back has scored or totaled over 70 yards. Harris has seen the biggest drop, rushing for only 33 yards on 12 runes last week without a target thrown to him. Warren has only been marginally better. Wide Receivers: George Pickens (3-58) and Diontae Johnson (4-50) were only moderately successful in the last meeting with the Bengals. The only one that has benefitted from playing with Trubisky is Diontae Johnson who scored in all three matchups. Pickens hasn't scored since Week 8 and hasn't been worth much more than 50 yards weekly. A switch to Rudolph at quarterback might help Pickens, but it was just as likely hurt Johnson who has been Trubisky's safety blanket. Tight Ends: Pat Freiermuth logged nine catches for 120 yards in Week 12. In the three game since, he totaled nine catches for 69 yards. Freiermuth's monster Week 12 was quite unlike any other week, though the Bengals have been weak against the position. Match to Defense: This matchup went off just a month ago and the difference is that the Bengals have gotten far better while the Stealers have been in a nosedive and are changing quarterbacks trying to find an answer. The Bengal's defense is just average in most weeks and allows moderate to high passing yards with one or two scores to most opponents. Downshifting yet again from Trubisky to Rudolph isn't likely to see a noticeable turnaround. Najee Harris has declined significantly since Week 12 and Warren isn't much better. Pat Freiermuth is still an option against the weakness of the Bengals, though after the last meeting, it would be expected that Cincinnati would pay more attention to the tight end this time. Diontae Johnson and George Pickens are moderate options, and Johnson likely sees his scoring streak end with the benching of Trubisky. https://tools.thehuddle.com/in-season/predictions/analysis/15740311/81815

Chris Roling Tue, Dec 19, 2023, 6:37 PM CST·1 min read Don’t look now, but the Cincinnati Bengals have a mini-breakout going on at the tight end position as the season nears its conclusion. Tanner Hudson has been a revelation for the team this season after fighting his way onto the 53-man roster and eventually eating up snaps that were previously reserved for names like Irv Smith. And according to Pro Football Focus, Hudson has been on a tear lately, registering the best grade amongst all tight ends since Week 13 (88.6). While Hudson only has 33 catches for 298 yards and one score on the season over nine games, the overall grade speaks to his ability in other important areas, such as blocking. A veteran at the age of 29 years old, it feels like Hudson has found his role as the borderline No. 1 tight end in the offense and will be somebody the team looks to bring back next summer in free agency. https://sports.yahoo.com/tanner-hudson-continues-steady-breakout-003717669.html

Charlie Goldsmith, Cincinnati Enquirer Tue, Dec 19, 2023, 3:37 PM CST·5 min read As Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell went through the pre-snap chess match before the two biggest plays of the game, Anarumo turned a lesson from the Super Bowl into a win for the Bengals. In overtime on Saturday, the Vikings faced third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 from the Bengals’ 42-yard line. A first down would have set up a game-winning field goal. The Bengals got consecutive stops against quarterback sneaks with a strong push up the middle from defensive tackles Zach Carter and BJ Hill, and Anarumo called a play that put the responsibility of stopping the sneak squarely on their shoulders. Without injured defensive tackle DJ Reader – a run-stuffer so physical that he deters teams from even trying to sneak the ball – the Bengals forced a turnover on downs. “We got a good knock back, and that was it,” Hill said. “It stinks having (Reader) out, but we have a lot of guys in our room who are really good at football. It was a different rotation, but guys came in and made plays.” Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens got stuffed by the Bengals' defensive line on two game-changing plays. The chess match between Anarumo and O’Connell started in the first quarter on a third-and-1 for the Vikings inside of the red zone. The Vikings lined up with an extra tight end who could help push the quarterback sneak, and the Bengals countered by subbing nose tackle Josh Tupou into the game as the fifth defensive lineman. The Vikings ran a successful play-action pass on that play, but O’Connell took note of the Bengals’ personnel. He knew that if he subbed out a receiver for a tight end, then the Vikings would face a five-man defensive line in those short-yardage situations and therefore have a worse shot to complete the sneak up the middle. So during that critical third- and fourth-down sequence, the Vikings lined up in 11 personnel. The Bengals countered by keeping four defensive linemen in the game. But because of the personnel grouping they had on the field, 5-foot-8 receiver Brandon Powell was the player tasked with pushing the quarterback forward. He failed both times. On paper, with three receivers on the field, it would have made more sense to hand the ball off to Powell on a jet sweep. But Anarumo had that covered and prioritized taking that look away. O’Connell was the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator when they faced the Bengals in the Super Bowl. He game-planned wide receiver Cooper Kupp’s jet sweep on foruth-and-1 late in the fourth quarter. Facing the same coach two years later, Anarumo took that option away with the way he stacked the defensive line. Anarumo had two linebackers setting each edge to take away the threat of the jet sweep and kept five defensive backs on the field to match the Vikings’ personnel. Anarumo’s personnel grouping encouraged the Vikings to try to sneak the ball up the middle. Carter, who was physically lined up in Reader’s place, and Hill were ready for it. “You’ve got to be the first one off the ball and knock the center back,” Carter said. “I was right over the center. My job was to get as much push as I could and disrupt the play.” The Bengals are counting on the development of defensive tackle Zach Carter going forward. The two quarterback sneaks were decided up the middle between Carter, Hill, Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens and the Vikings’ interior offensive line. The Bengals won that matchup in the trenches when it mattered most, even though they appeared to be outmatched up the middle. Late in the fourth quarter, the Vikings overpowered the Bengals’ defensive tackles at the line of scrimmage on a 30-yard run to set up a go-ahead touchdown. The Bengals’ run defense has historically dropped off significantly without Reader, and Carter has struggled as a run stopper all year. At halftime, Anarumo had a message to the defense about stepping up without one of the defense’s best players. He told the team, “Win for 98.” Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle BJ Hill steps into an even bigger role and will play more snaps following DJ Reader's injury. “DJ sets the standard of how we’re supposed to play football,” Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou said. “We all hurt for him. We all want to be there for him. We’ve just got to play the game and hope we live up to his standard.” Going forward, Anarumo said that the Bengals won’t be able to replace Reader. Hill will take on a greater role and is in the middle of a career year, and the Bengals will need another player to step up alongside him. Tupou is Reader’s backup but hasn’t made much of a statistical impact in limited snaps this year. Carter has received more of an opportunity, but offenses have identified him as an advantageous matchup in the run game and targeted him on runs up the middle. Defensive tackles Jay Tufele and Domenique Davis could also be in the mix for the first time this year. Without Reader, Anarumo and defensive line coach Marion Hobby plan to mix-and-match and develop a rotation based upon down and distance, game situation and the style of offense the Bengals are facing. As the Bengals move forward without a core member of the defense, the defensive tackle group will have to adjust on the fly. The stops on the quarterback sneaks against the Vikings give the Bengals a starting point to build on up the middle. “It’s man-on-man,” Tupou said. “You see who’s tougher. On those plays, Zach and BJ were.” https://sports.yahoo.com/bengals-quarterback-sneak-stops-show-213746001.html

Ben Baby, ESPN Staff WriterDec 19, 2023, 06:41 PM ET CINCINNATI -- Bengals quarterback Jake Browning said his one regret following the team's recent win over the Minnesota Vikings was how it turned into a "revenge game" for him following his postgame comments. After the 27-24 victory, Browning looked into one of the team's cameras and yelled, 'They shouldn't have f---ing cut me,' a reference to the Vikings waiving him in 2021 after two years on their practice squad. His reaction went viral, and Browning, who had downplayed any revenge factor leading up to his fourth career start, discussed his departure from the Vikings at length afterward -- saying he was waived in 2021 without being informed of the decision. "I guess my biggest regret was that game turned into my revenge game, when in reality there were so many things that went into getting that win," Browning said Tuesday. "Making sure it's acknowledged it wasn't just my revenge game; it was a great team win." Browning was 29-of-42 for 324 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, and made some key throws down the stretch to help the Bengals (8-6) beat his former club. He made it a point Tuesday to highlight plays by his teammates -- as well as some of his own errors -- that impacted the game. Browning pointed out defensive stops on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 in overtime to keep the Vikings from potentially getting into field goal position. He singled out receiver Tee Higgins' acrobatic 21-yard touchdown catch to force overtime. Browning also lamented his fourth-quarter interception that led to a Vikings field goal. The reasoning for Tuesday's exposition, he said, was his belief that quarterbacks get too much credit and blame for outcomes. "It's not that I don't think I'm playing well," Browning said. "I just want to make sure that it's highlighted that a lot goes into it and that the team aspect of it doesn't get lost just because I fully lost my mind and broke a helmet and all that." Browning said he wanted to move past the Vikings game, acknowledging that the NFL can provide humbling moments at any given time. His teammates, however, knew how much Browning wanted to get that win against Minnesota, whether he said it or not. "From a guy with experience like that, I know where he's coming from and how much that win meant to him," said cornerback Mike Hilton, who signed with the Bengals in 2021 after spending his first four seasons with the Pittsburgh Stealers. "We wanted to get him that one." Hilton smiled and said his first game against his old team was a bit personal. Now, however, it's all about competing against an AFC North rival. The Bengals next face the Stealers (7-7) on Saturday. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39150114/bengals-jake-browning-focuses-team-win-revenge-game