DJ Turner’s box score may look ordinary, but the Bengals are getting exactly what they want from their top corner.
That showed up again in Cincinnati’s 31-24 win over the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, a result that sends the Bengals into their bye week with a chance to reset before a crucial AFC North matchup against the Baltimore Ravens next week. The defense held firm once more, and Jordan Battle stole the spotlight with two interceptions on Malik Willis. Still, the broader story on the back end has been a strong Bengals secondary, with DJ Turner and Dax Hill handling the corner spots and Bryan Cook alongside Battle at safety.
Turner’s numbers this season, though, don’t jump off the page.
Dax Hill and Tacario Davis have already passed him in tackles and turnovers, and Turner is tied with Hill in passes defended, which isn’t where many would have expected him to be at this point. He hasn’t forced a turnover yet.
He has only nine solo tackles, a total that leaves him tied for 150th in the NFL. He’s also tied for 11th in passes defended.
On the surface, that reads like a quiet season.
But the quiet is the point.
As Cincinnati’s No. 1 corner, Turner usually lives on the perimeter and gets assigned to the opposing team’s top wideout. And the recent production from those receivers tells the real story. Over the last three games, Dolphins WR1 Malik Washington has gone for 43 yards, the Jaguars’ top outside option, Jakobi Meyers, finished with 33 yards, and DK Metcalf was held to 31 yards even in a game where Aaron Rodgers threw for almost 300 yards.
Opposing quarterbacks, in other words, are staying away from Turner’s side.
Zac Taylor made that plain in his most recent press conference. He said:
"He does a great job. The statistics aren’t there because he isn’t being targeted. He made a great play on the ball in the end zone."
"I do think he’s covering really well and other teams recognise that."
That kind of season matters for Turner, especially after a strong year became so important to his future in Cincinnati. A down year could have pushed the Bengals toward letting him test free agency.
Instead, Turner is performing in a way the numbers don’t fully capture, and that puts the next move squarely on the Bengals. Whether it comes through a new contract or the franchise tag, keeping him should be a priority.
In Other News...
Dexter Lawrence Is Already Creating A Bengals Problem Opponents Hate
Dexter Lawrence has wasted no time turning himself into one of the biggest weekly headaches the Bengals have to manage. Through four games, opposing lines have leaned on double teams to try to slow him down, but Lawrence keeps showing up around the ball and disrupting plays anyway, giving Cincinnati a rare interior force who changes the way offenses have to protect.
He already has three sacks and five tackles for loss, a pace that points toward a career-best season if he keeps this going. The next step for the Bengals is figuring out how to turn all that attention into even more pressure elsewhere, and the bye week should give the coaching staff a chance to build new ways to maximize what Lawrence is creating in the middle. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Bye Week Put Zac Taylor's Offense Under Pressure
Through five games, Cincinnatis passing game has been productive enough to keep the offense on schedule, but it has not looked as sharp as the continuity on paper suggested. The Bengals brought back all 11 starters, and still the attack sits 12th in total yards per game while searching for a little more punch when the field tightens in scoring range.
The bye week gives Zac Taylor and his staff a chance to look hard at the details that have held the unit back, especially the red-zone inefficiency and the way the offense has leaned away from under-center looks. There is also a running back decision hovering over the conversation, with the author making the case for a different starter, and the next stretch will say plenty about whether Cincinnati can turn those concerns into fixes before the season gets away from it. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrow Just Showed Why Bengals Fans Should Feel Better
After a rough stretch, Joe Burrow and the Bengals got the kind of response game that can settle a fan base down for at least a week. Cincinnati beat Miami 31-24 in Week 5, and Burrow kept the offense moving by completing 23 of 32 passes for 190 yards while working the ball to nine different receivers. The run game did its part, too, with 117 rushing yards helping give the offense a more complete look than it had shown earlier.
The bigger takeaway for Cincinnati was the way the passing attack started to feel less dependent on any one target. JaMarr Chase was back after his concussion, and his return added another layer to an offense that needed it. The Bengals still have plenty to clean up, but a balanced day and a win over a playoff-caliber opponent gave them something they had been missing: a little confidence that this can look like a real attack again. [Read more 🡒]