The Cincinnati Bengals now reside in panic territory after a Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Buy Bengals TicketsHistorically speaking, teams that start 0-2 don’t do very well when it comes to eventually making the playoffs that same season. On paper, the Bengals have now lost to a pair of inferior opponents.
And the Bengals have a brutally slow start, poor execution and some odd coaching decisions to blame for losing to a Cowboys team that didn’t have star quarterback Dak Prescott under center.
Coming out of the loss, these are the notable winners and losers from game, which includes a look at multiple stars and even glances at the coaching staff, too.
Star(s): Sam Hubbard and DJ Reader
Need a big play or energy on defense? Hubbard and Reader are the guys. While the defense had a terrible start to this game, things eventually evened out and a big part of that was Reader stuffing running lanes and redirecting plays or Hubbard providing that intensity and endless motor in pursuit — often together. Hubbard’s work is more noticeable, but don’t let Reader’s big plays go overlooked or forgotten, either.
Stud: QB Joe Burrow
Look, Burrow was far from perfect again. His pocket presence wasn’t great at times and he straight-up missed throws. But he also gutted out another tough showing in which for a while, his runs were the only things that kept the offense alive. He also heated up late while overcoming the bad situation.
Dud: RT La'el Collins
Collins very much looks like a player who missed most of the summer and only worked on the side. He was stiff on the field Sunday and appeared to miss at least one assignment that got Burrow clobbered. There’s plenty of reason to have faith he’ll turn it around as he gets more reps, but he was a big part of the loss.
Stud: WR Tee Higgins
Higgins went from hardly getting any looks in the offense in the first half to being a downright hero in the second half. He reeled in a lot of the big targets sent his way, finishing with six catches for 71 yards and a score. Not bad for a guy who was a question mark all week while working through concussion protocol.
Dud: Zac Taylor
There aren’t a lot of many pretty ways to put this one. Taylor got out-coached on Sunday. Some of it is understandable — he’s trying to play-call around a line that was having trouble blocking and a quarterback who doesn’t look like his usual self just yet. But the situational awareness, management and tendencies just aren’t great right now. There’s no reason an offense with Burrow, Chase, Mixon, Higgins and Boyd should be losing to Mitchell Trubisky and Cooper Rush. There’s no reason for a throw short of the first-down marker with the game on the line. And there aren’t many good reasons for the slow starts. This being a conversation so far into Taylor’s tenure is reason for concern, no matter how strong the opponent was in areas where they Bengals struggle right now.
