The Bengals came out of Week 3 with a loss in Pittsburgh and a familiar headache on defense, but the next month of the schedule looks a lot friendlier on paper. That’s the setup as Cincinnati heads into a four-game run before its Week 9 trip to Madrid to face the Atlanta Falcons.
At 2-1 and tied in the AFC North, the Bengals now turn to a stretch that could reset the mood fast. Joe Burrow and the offense have every reason to keep rolling. The bigger question is whether the defense can do enough against a string of opponents that includes a loaded Jacksonville attack, a shaky Miami team, a Ravens offense with a dangerous run game, and a Tennessee roster that looks overmatched.
Week 4 brings the Jacksonville Jaguars to Cincinnati, and that one feels like the first real test of the bounce-back theory. Trevor Lawrence has a deep group of targets to work with in Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr. and, when he’s on offense, Travis Hunter.
The Bengals’ secondary is already dealing with Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger banged up, and the run defense also has to answer for what it showed against Jaylen Warren. Bhayshul Tuten could be a problem if Cincinnati’s tackling stays loose.
The Bengals should score plenty, but the concern is whether they can hold up against Jacksonville’s skill talent and Liam Coen’s play-calling.
Week 5 at Miami looks much more manageable. The Dolphins have not recorded a sack in three games, and with De'Von Achane out for the season, their most dangerous playmaker is gone. That leaves Burrow with time to work and the chance to feed Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and the rest of Cincinnati’s receiving options against a team in the middle of a brutal rebuild.
After the bye, Week 7 at Baltimore is the one that could swing the whole stretch. The Bengals would head in with two straight losses to decent opponents in this scenario, but the extra week of preparation helps against the Ravens’ new-look schemes under head coach Jesse Minter. Baltimore’s defense was lit up by the Cowboys in Week 3, and Cincinnati has the firepower to cause similar trouble.
The biggest issue is still the Ravens’ ground game. Even so, Dexter Lawrence matched up against shaky center Jovaughn Gwyn and a suspect interior line gives Cincinnati a path to disrupting the usual Lamar Jackson-Derrick Henry advantage.
Gwyn carries a 19.2 pass-blocking grade from PFF, and Lawrence should have a chance to make that a miserable afternoon. That could be enough for the Bengals to steal a road win.
Then comes Week 8 against the Titans at Paycor Stadium, and that one sets up as the easiest call of the bunch. Tennessee is described as a bad team with a poor roster and Cam Ward at quarterback, and the matchup doesn’t offer much reason for concern. Robert Saleh’s decision to take the Titans job also stands out as a questionable one, and this is projected to be another rough Sunday for his team.
Put together, that would send Cincinnati to Madrid at 5-2, avoid an 0-2 start in the division, and put the Bengals in position for what should be a strong international trip.
In Other News...
Bengals Legend Blames One Reckless Decision For Steelers Loss
The Bengals loss to the Steelers has been picked apart from plenty of angles, but T.J. Houshmandzadeh zeroed in on one third-quarter sequence he changed the feel of the game. Speaking on the Speakeasy podcast, the former Cincinnati receiver blamed the decision to try to block a punt, a gamble that instead produced a roughing the kicker penalty and handed Pittsburgh a fresh break in a tight spot.
Houshmandzadeh called the call reckless, arguing that the odds of successfully blocking a punt in the NFL are so slim that the risk rarely justifies the reward. That backdrop matters because blocked punts remain one of the leagues rarest plays, with only 59 since 2020, which only sharpens the scrutiny on a decision that left the Bengals paying for a mistake rather than cashing in on one. [Read more 🡒]
Dalton Risner Saw One Bengals Positive Even In That Final Chaos
The Bengals had one last chance to steal the game from Pittsburgh, and it ended in the kind of scramble that leaves an offensive lineman replaying every second. Joe Burrow was sacked and fumbled on Cincinnatis final offensive snap, with the Steelers coming away with the recovery to close out the game in chaos.
Even in that finish, Dalton Risner found a silver lining for Cincinnati. The right guard pointed to tight end Erick All for the way he kept fighting for the loose ball after the official recovery, a small detail in a messy ending that at least showed the Bengals were still playing hard to the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Secondary Injuries Just Opened A Real Opportunity At Nickel
The Bengals secondary came out of Week 3 in a rough spot, and the ripple effects go beyond the safety room. Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger are both banged up, Jalen Davis has landed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, and Cincinnati has already added two safeties as it tries to keep the back end stable. That leaves a real opening at nickel, where the next man up is suddenly more than a camp body.
Bralyn Lux is the name worth watching, especially after earning a place on the practice squad as an undrafted free agent. The Bengals like his coverage ability and the way he tackles, two traits that matter even more when the middle of the defense is being stretched thin. Whether he gets the call now or later, the door is open for Lux to turn an injury crunch into a genuine role. [Read more 🡒]