The Bengals found a different kind of test this week: not on the practice field, but in a haunted house.
With Cincinnati sitting at 4-2 heading into a Week 8 matchup against the Titans, several players decided to get together off the field for a bonding outing that turned into a full-on fright show. Video from the haunted house showed Bengals players walking through the attraction and reacting to the scares, with some tense, fear-filled moments making the rounds on social media.
That came as the team was also dealing with an important injury situation. Ja’Marr Chase missed practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury, putting his status in question for Sunday’s game. Chase has been an emotional leader for Cincinnati, something he recently showed in a speech, but the Bengals may need to move forward without him if he can’t suit up.
If that happens, Joe Burrow will need help from a wider cast. Tee Higgins, the team’s leading receiver, would be front and center, along with Mike Gesicki at tight end, Chase Brown out of the backfield and other contributors.
The ground game may need the biggest lift. Brown and Samaje Perine have led the Bengals in rushing this season, but the production has been uneven. Brown is averaging 3.5 yards per carry, while Perine is at 4.1 yards per carry, though he doesn’t bring the same value as a pass-game weapon.
Cincinnati’s opponent looks far less imposing on paper. Tennessee is 1-6, mired in the AFC South basement, and coming in with a roster that has struggled under coach Robert Saleh. So while the haunted house produced real scares for the Bengals, Sunday’s matchup is the kind few are expecting to frighten them - even if they have to navigate it without Chase.
In Other News...
Bengals Trade Deadline Debate Just Got Much Bigger Than Running Back
The trade deadline conversation around the Bengals has started to widen beyond the obvious running back chatter, even with marquee names like Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley floating around the market. Cincinnatis interest in upgrading the backfield is understandable given Chase Browns uneven production, but the bigger question is whether a splashy move at that spot fits the way this front office usually operates.
For a team that has tended to lean draft-heavy in building its roster, the more practical fix may be elsewhere on the roster. The Bengals could use help in several spots, and the argument is growing that reinforcements on defense or up front might do more for the stretch run than chasing a high-profile runner. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Trade Buzz Is Zeroing In On A Much More Realistic RB Move
The Bengals search for backfield help has started to sound a lot more practical as the NFL trade deadline approaches, and the name drawing the most attention is a veteran runner who could give Cincinnati immediate stability. The idea is less about chasing a splashy headline and more about finding a proven piece who can slide into the rotation with Chase Brown and help balance an offense that could use another reliable option on the ground.
What makes this possibility appealing is the combination of production and price. Compared with the bigger-name backs who tend to dominate deadline chatter, this is the kind of move that fits a team looking for help without overcommitting long term, especially with an expiring deal in play. Nothing is confirmed yet, but the buzz is clearly pointing toward a more realistic type of upgrade if Cincinnati decides to act. [Read more 🡒]
Jessie Bates Just Reopened A Painful Bengals What-If
Jessie Bates departure from Cincinnati in 2023 still lingers as one of those roster decisions that never really goes away. The Bengals chose not to offer him a multi-year contract, instead using their salary cap space elsewhere, and Bates has handled the business side of it with the same calm he showed on the field. Even so, his exit left a hole at safety that Cincinnati has spent the last couple of seasons trying to patch.
Bryan Cook was brought in to help stabilize that spot, but the larger issue remains the same: the Bengals have not found a clean replacement for what Bates brought. And while the move made sense in the moment from a cap-management standpoint, it has only sharpened the sense that this was one of those franchise crossroads that can be revisited for years. [Read more 🡒]