The Bengals’ bye week awards roll on, and this one belongs to the players who kept things moving when the lineup started to crack.
Through five games, Cincinnati has leaned on a handful of contributors who didn’t need the spotlight to make a difference. That includes the ones who stepped in after Colbie Young went down on the first play in Pittsburgh, the ones who filled the void when Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both exited the Jacksonville game, and the ones who helped stabilize a safety room that got thin.
Samaje Perine is right there in the mix. The running back has logged 27 carries for 110 yards, a 4.1 per-carry average that leads the backs, and he has added seven receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown.
He was also the team’s rushing leader in Miami with 68 yards and caught a touchdown out of the backfield. After that game, Joe Burrow called him “Mr.
Reliable” and said he “doesn’t get enough credit.”
Dohnte Meyers has been another steady hand. With injuries piling up in the receiver room, he has stepped in for 13 catches and 141 yards. He also delivered a big spark in Miami by opening the game with an 81-yard kickoff return that helped set up the first touchdown 52 seconds into the contest.
Evan McPherson has continued to do his job in the background, too. The kicker was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month and got a game ball after the Miami win. Kickers tend to draw attention when things go wrong, and “Money Mac” hasn’t left much room for that.
Jonathan Allen rounds out the list. The defensive end has posted eight tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble while settling in as a quietly important piece up front. He’s tied for the team lead in sacks with three and ranks third on the team with 16 pressures.
In Other News...
Bengals Get A Timely Break Before A Crucial AFC North Stretch
The Bengals get a little breathing room in the middle of a demanding early schedule, with a Week 6 bye giving the roster a chance to reset before the AFC North race tightens up. It is the kind of pause every team values, but especially one that knows how quickly the division can turn into a week-to-week grind.
Cincinnati comes out of the break with a trip to Baltimore on Oct. 25, a game that will immediately put the spotlight back on the Bengals in one of the NFLs toughest neighborhoods. With the rest of the regular-season slate already mapped out through Week 18, the bye simply adds another layer of importance to how they handle the stretch that follows. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Already Have The Fix For Zac Taylors Offense
Through five weeks, the Bengals offense has looked like a unit searching for answers in two key places: the run game and the ability to create cleaner separation on the outside. Zac Taylors group has had enough talent to stay dangerous in stretches, but the way personnel has been deployed has left room for a different look, especially with the offense trying to become less predictable and more balanced.
One potential path forward is already on the roster, and it starts with players whose skill sets fit the problems Cincinnati is trying to solve. Dohnte Meyers brings a versatility that could help in the receiving mix, while the tight end group may offer the kind of formation variety this offense has lacked. If the Bengals are going to get more out of their newer under-center looks and force defenses to account for more than the same familiar alignments, the next move could come from a couple of names who have not yet been used to their full advantage. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals 2023 Draft Class Is Headed For A Tough Roster Call
The Bengals are staring at an early look at a familiar roster dilemma, with several members of their 2023 draft class moving toward free agency after the season. Jordan Battle, Chase Brown, Andrei Iosivas, Myles Murphy and DJ Turner II all give the front office something to weigh, because this is the stage of the cycle when good homegrown players start getting expensive and the team has to decide where to keep investing.
Turner stands out as the one the Bengals appear most motivated to protect, while the rest of the group could end up in the category of productive but replaceable if the price climbs too high. Cincinnati has never shied away from letting useful players walk when it believes it can redirect resources elsewhere, and this class could become the next test of how far that approach can stretch before the turnover starts to alter the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]