The Bengals got out of Sunday with a 43-36 overtime win over the Tennessee Titans, but the kind of game they played was the kind that keeps showing up when Cincinnati gets off to a slow start. In the NFL, that usually means you’re in for a fight the rest of the way.
That’s part of why the running back conversation around this team keeps circling back to Chase Brown. There’s been plenty of talk about a possible trade for Jonathan Taylor, but the case against that move is pretty clear: Taylor would cost premium draft capital, and the Bengals are still built to be pass-first. If you’re going to live in that world, the backfield has to give you more than just carries.
Brown did plenty of that against Tennessee. He caught eight passes for 46 yards and nearly added a touchdown through the air, only to have it wiped out by a holding penalty on Dylan Fairchild. That kind of usage matters for Cincinnati because Brown is becoming the sort of outlet the offense can lean on as a real extension of the run game.
The biggest jump, though, has come in pass protection. Brown has made himself into one of the league’s better blockers this season, posting a 78.2 pass-blocking grade and showing it repeatedly by picking up blitzes.
For an offense that wants to keep throwing, that kind of work is gold. It’s why Brown and Perine matter so much for Joe Burrow and the rest of the unit.
His rushing line on Sunday was solid rather than flashy: 12 carries for 55 yards, good for 4.6 yards per attempt. Even without a huge stat line, he looked more efficient, more elusive, and quicker to the hole. Over the last two weeks, this has been Brown’s best running stretch of the season.
If Brown is going to hold down the RB1 role the rest of the way, this is exactly the kind of trend the Bengals need to see continue. He’s been a slow starter before, too. Last season, he didn’t post a rushing game over 50 yards until Week 7, and he still ended up with more than 1,000 rushing yards.
For Cincinnati, the formula for a playoff push still needs more balance on the ground. If Chase Brown is starting to heat up, that would go a long way toward giving them exactly that.
In Other News...
Dexter Lawrence Is Carrying A Bengals Defense Fans Still Can't Trust
Dexter Lawrence was all over the field in the Bengals overtime win against the Titans, the kind of disruptive night that can tilt a game even when the rest of the defense still feels shaky. He finished with 5 run stops, 2 pressures, a sack, a fumble recovery and 7 total tackles, and he kept drawing double teams while still finding ways to affect the pocket and the run game.
For Cincinnati, the encouraging part is obvious: one of its most important defensive pieces is playing at a high level and showing up in the biggest moments. The frustrating part is just as clear, because the Bengals still have enough issues around him that one standout performance does not erase the larger trust problem on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Face Trade Deadline Pressure To Fix Two Key Weaknesses
With the trade deadline approaching, the Bengals are being pushed to look hard at two spots that have drawn attention all season: running back and outside linebacker. Cincinnati has reportedly been weighing roster upgrades, and the conversation has already turned to names that could help balance out the offense and give the defense a little more juice off the edge.
One league observer has pointed to Tampa Bay running back Kenneth Gainwell and Washington edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson as possible fits, which at least shows the kind of profile Cincinnati may be chasing. Gainwell landed with the Buccaneers on a new deal after leaving Pittsburgh, while Chaisson has flashed pass-rushing ability on a short-term contract in Washington, leaving the Bengals with a familiar deadline question: whether the right move is available now, and how aggressive they want to be in fixing both problems. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Trade Deadline Buzz Centers On A Backfield Upgrade Price
The Bengals have been linked to a familiar kind of trade-deadline conversation: whether to add more punch to the backfield before the stretch run. Among the names floating around, New York Jets running back Breece Hall stands out as the sort of player who could change the tone of Cincinnatis offense if the price is right, especially with other possible targets such as Jonathan Taylor and Tony Pollard also in the mix.
Halls appeal is easy to understand for a team looking at the market with urgency. He has dealt with limited action this season, but his recent production has shown the kind of versatility that makes a running back attractive in todays NFL, and his contract situation only adds another layer to the calculus. For the Bengals, the question is less about whether a talent like that would fit and more about what it would take to pry him loose before the deadline. [Read more 🡒]