At the bye, the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense is still carrying the kind of punch that can change a season in a hurry. Joe Burrow has been excellent again, the wide receiver room looks every bit like the league’s best, and even the tight end group is giving this unit more layers than it had in recent years. The one spot that stands out as a real concern is running back, where the production simply hasn’t matched expectations.
Burrow remains the engine. Through six weeks, he has thrown for over 1300 yards and 11 touchdowns against just three interceptions, and in the two losses the Bengals have taken, he was not the problem.
He’s completing more than 70% of his passes, the highest mark among quarterbacks who have played every game this season, and ESPN has him seventh in QB rating. He’s also ahead of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Caleb Williams and Matthew Stafford in passer rating.
That makes the quarterback grade an easy A.
The backfield, though, brings a very different story. Chase Brown has managed 246 rushing yards and one touchdown while averaging 3.5 yards per carry, and the numbers have not been close to what the Bengals expected from him.
The offensive line can’t take all the blame here either, since the Bengals have one of the better run-blocking lines in the NFL this season. Samaje Perine has actually looked like the better option so far, and after Week 5 against the Dolphins - when Perine averaged almost two more yards per carry than Brown and added a receiving touchdown - the questions around the starter are only getting louder.
That group gets a C-.
No position group on the roster has done more to keep the offense dangerous than wide receiver. Even with injuries touching Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase and Andrei Iosivas, this is still the room that sets the standard.
Chase has four touchdown catches in five games, and Higgins has more than 400 receiving yards already, which puts him in the top 10 in yards per game. Both are elite, both would be WR1s on most teams, and together they make this an A+ unit.
Tight end has also given Cincinnati real value. Mike Gesicki has been operating like a bonus receiver and has scored four touchdowns through five games, matching Chase in the end zone.
Drew Sample adds real value as a blocking tight end, while Erick All Jr. can contribute in multiple ways. Gesicki is the headline here because of what he gives the Bengals near the goal line, but the depth behind him matters too.
That group earns a B+.
Up front, the tackles have been uneven but productive enough to land in solid territory. Amarius Mims has been one of the best tackles in the NFL this season, and his pass protection has held up against Will Anderson, T.J.
Watt and Josh Hines-Allen. On the other side, Orlando Brown Jr. has been far less impressive, allowing 12 pressures, three sacks and five quarterback hits.
He hasn’t sunk the unit, but he hasn’t been close to Mims either. The tackles get a B+.
The interior line, at least, looks like a real step forward. PFF has Cincinnati’s interior offensive line ranked 13th in the NFL, a welcome change from the issues this group has had in recent seasons.
Ted Karras has been the least effective of the starters, though he’s still a steady veteran presence. Dylan Fairchild has continued to improve in his second year and looks strong in pass protection with decent run blocking as well, while Dalton Risner has been excellent, especially in the run game.
Risner owns an 81.7 overall PFF grade, seventh among 76 qualifying guards, and he has been both a good pass blocker and a superb run blocker. That makes the interior an above-average group and earns it a B.
In Other News...
Bengals Have A Special Teams Problem Beyond Their Star Kicker
Evan McPherson has given the Bengals a rare sense of stability on special teams this season, but the unit around him has been anything but steady. While the kicker has been handling his part, Cincinnati has dealt with roughing-the-kicker penalties, muffed punts and other costly breakdowns that have put added stress on a roster already trying to make every possession count.
The problems have extended beyond the return game, too. Punter Ryan Rehkows average yards per punt sits near the bottom of the NFL, and coverage miscues have repeatedly turned routine hidden-yardage situations into trouble. For a team that has needed cleaner execution in close games, special teams has become one more area where mistakes have carried real consequences. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrows Mom Opens Up About The Bengals Stars Rise
A new Bengals-focused podcast series is leaning into the family side of football, with The Enquirer set to roll out Beyond Sunday as a special-edition look at five mothers of Cincinnati players. The project opens with Robin Burrow, who discusses her familys football experiences and the path that helped shape Joe Burrow into the franchises quarterback.
Published weekly on Cincinnati.com from Oct. 21 through Nov. 18, the series is built around the perspective of the women who have watched the Bengals rise from close range. Robin Burrows episode is expected to touch on the milestones that marked Joes climb, along with the recruiting and big-stage moments that defined his journey, giving fans a more personal view of one of the most followed players in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Make Last-Minute Roster Moves Before Crucial Ravens Trip
With injuries stacking up and a trip to Baltimore looming, the Bengals continued to shuffle the bottom of their roster in search of some short-term help. Cincinnati signed safety Russ Yeast to the active roster, brought tight end Josh Kattus and linebacker Emany Johnson onto the practice squad, and moved on from safety Isaiah Nwokobia on the practice squad as the team tries to keep enough depth in place for a crucial week.
The timing fits the reality of this point in the season, when every practice-squad move can matter a little more than usual. Cincinnati has been working through personnel issues while getting ready for a Ravens matchup that carries real weight, and the roster activity suggests the staff is still sorting out how best to patch together the backup layers behind the main lineup. [Read more 🡒]