The Cincinnati Bengals now comfortably sit on bye, though that hasn’t stopped the headlines from flowing.
After all, the fallout from the win over the Seattle Seahawks before the break continues to surface, including injury updates to key names and coaches talking about where the team needs to improve.
Oh, and there’s this little thing called the NFL trade deadline coming up, too.
As such, while the Bengals might technically be on a break, it just so happens to be one of the busier times of year for news and buzz, too.
Here’s a look at the must-know Bengals news, notes and quotes for October 17.
6 areas Bengals should target at NFL trade deadline
We want to see the Bengals go after these positions at the NFL trade deadline because they’re weaknesses that, if improved, could be the difference between a Super Bowl and disappointing exit.
Analyst wants Bengals to target TE at trade deadline
An analyst raises an interesting target for the Bengals at the NFL trade deadline. While the fit might be a bit iffy, the idea of targeting a tight end is a very good one.
Snap count takeaways
We take a deeper look at the snap counts from the win over the Seahawks, including some surprises for names like Tee Higgins.
Tee Higgins injury update
Speaking of Tee Higgins, the wide receiver himself detailed where he’s at with the rib injury, which lets us get an idea of what it might mean for his recovery during the bye.
D-line's huge showing
Sam Hubbard and Co. put on a dominant performance against the Seahawks, to the point he and the line accomplished a rather rare feat.
Trey Hendrickson deserves more credit
Speaking of the defensive line, Trey Hendrickson is off to the hottest start of his career, which puts him up alongside names like Nick Bosa and T.J. Watt — the numbers are certainly worth a look.
Brian Callahan calls out his own offense
The offensive coordinator didn’t hold back in his weekly interview, saying that all of the weapons not named Ja’Marr Chase need to step up. He also talked about how going from under center more could lead to more success in the running game.
Zac Taylor on his defense -- Sports Illustrated
Zac Taylor sat down with Albert Breer and while most of the conversation centered on the offense, this note about the defense really sticks out: “You know what the attitude really is? It’s not, Oh man, the offense isn’t scoring. It’s, We want this on our shoulders. That’s what you feel from those guys. They want that pressure. They want that opportunity. They want to be able to rise up to the challenge. There’s no finger-pointing when something isn’t going our way for one unit. It’s the other unit gladly being able to pick up the slack and put the game on its shoulders.”
The DL speaks -- Bengals.com
Here’s Sam Hubbard on how his line knew it could make the big play against the Seahawks: “We’ve been playing together a long time. The defensive line goes out to dinner once a week. We’ve formed that relationship with each other off the field. In moments like that you trust each other because of the relationship you’ve built with each other.”
Expert is buying the Bengals -- CBS Sports
Here’s Will Brinson’s take on where the Bengals stand right now at this precarious bye week: “There is nothing easy about the Cincy schedule coming out of the break: They head to San Francisco in Week 8, get the Bills at home after that and then the Texans, Ravens, Steelers and Jaguars are on deck after that. Every single one of those teams is a playoff contender. But the Bengals with a healthy Burrow can run as hot as any team in the league and with a morbid sense of dread now replaced with renewed optimism, Bengals fans should go into every single game the rest of the season believing they can win.”
