The Cincinnati Bengals remained the worst Week 1 team in the NFL despite a strong summer for Joe Burrow, losing 16-10 in the opener to the New England Patriots.
Here are some quick takeaways from the humbling, concerning loss.
DJ Reader is missed
As expected, right? It didn’t help that two rookies they drafted to help in the rotation are now on the shelf with injuries. But the entire unit struggled against the run, whether it was key missed tackles, bad angles or something else. It starts up front, as guys like Sheldon Rankins need to make a bigger impact.
But can’t just blame defense
The problems are complex, especially when one considers how the game plan was probably ruined by Tee Higgins’ injury and the limited reps for Ja’Marr Chase all summer. But at some point, all of the massive money poured into the quarterback and offensive line deserves some blame, too. The offense simply must be able to carry the defense at times, especially against teams as bad as the Patriots.
Zack Moss takes over
There was some fair idea that Chase Brown would split the backfield with new arrival Zack Moss. And that might prove true over the course of the season. But on Sunday, Moss was a key factor in the team’s first scoring drive, capping it off with a touchdown. He finished with nine carries for 44 yards and the score, while Brown carried it three times for 11 yards. They both had multiple targets in the passing game.
Inexcusable
All excuses aside, a team can’t just go out and look that sloppy and unprepared against an opponent heading for a top-10 pick. It’s an indictment on the coaching staff and players alike and clearly, something will need to change with the approach over the summer. That was, once again, an opener that looked like a preseason game and now that same team must find a way to win in Kansas City next week.
