Cincinnati fumble, stumble and bumble their way to a record defeat.
The Cincinnati Bengals left US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis with their first loss of the season. But it was not just an L. It was a 48-10 annihilation.
However you look at it, the numbers are grim.
They started this latest run of Jake Browning-led games with a franchise-worst 38-point deficit.
They fumbled the ball an unfathomable FIVE times, losing possession on three of them, and donated a further two interceptions.
And they conceded 31 points on those turnovers.
It was unprofessional, unacceptable and, for the most part, unwatchable.
The perfect game
Credit where it is due: Vikings defensive co-ordinator Brian Flores had the upper hand all game. That said, he did not have much to beat.
Their defensive front constantly shut down the Bengals’ run game. Chase Brown posted a shocking three yards from 10 carries. Surely you can get more than 0.3 yards by just falling forward?
In contrast, Jordan Mason’s 116 yards, complete with two scores, came at 7.3 yards a pop.
Then there was the Minnesota secondary and in particular, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers. He played out of his skin, scoring two defensive touchdowns and earning a 99.9 grade from PFF, their highest-ever score.
That came as a result of two forced fumbles, an interception off a Harrison Smith tipped ball that he converted into an 87-yard Pick-Six and a fumble recovery, also returned to the house for 66 yards.
Rodgers’ feats are not only unmatched in NFL history; they would have been sufficient to beat the Bengals on their own.
Two minutes of madness
At the two-minute warning before half-time, Cincy trailed 17-3. They had reached the Vikings 36-yard line and were looking to add three, if not seven.
They were also due to get the ball after the break so maybe they had weathered the worst of the storm. How little we knew!
Just four offensive snaps later, the contest was over. Those plays? Fumble. 9-yard gain. Fumble. Fumble.
Those drops were costly, with the team trailing 34-3 as they ran into the locker room.
- Fumble #1: Noah Fant collected a pass but Rodgers punched the ball out, scooped it up and ran it back half the field for the score.
- Fumble #2: On the second play of their next drive, Ja’Marr Chase fumbled a 15-yard pass and Jeff Okuda recovered. Three plays later, Mason ran in from 5 yards.
- Fumble #3: Samaje Perine fumbled the very next snap and Jonathan Allen retrieved the ball. Seventeen seconds later, Will Reichard was banging home a 62-yard field goal, setting another franchise high in the process.
The battle of the back-ups
The big debate about which stand-in quarterback would come out on top was not a discussion point for long.
Jake Browning (19-of-27 for 140 yards) threw for one touchdown but also two interceptions, and took three sacks. By the end, third-string quarterback Brett Rypien came on – and his only contribution was to get sacked too.
While Sunday’s loss was not all on Browning, it offers little hope that he can keep the ship afloat till Burrow – hopefully – returns.
Meanwhile, Carson Wentz only made 14 completions from his 20 attempts, but two of them went for touchdowns and crucially, none went to the opposition. Game, set and match to Wentz.
Head Coach headscratchers
I am no coaching guru but I am pretty sure literally throwing the ball away three times in four snaps is not a good thing.
And while you cannot defend the Bengals’ players, the play-calling from Zac Taylor has to be called into question too.
First downs were predictable runs up the middle by Chase Brown that got blown up nearly every time for no gain. And half of Browning’s passes seemed to go behind the line of scrimmage. As expected, the O-line did not help matters.
It was timid and repetitious. It seemed like they were trying not to lose rather than playing to win. And look how that turned out.
With difference makers like Ja’Marr Chase – five catches for 50 yards – and Tee Higgins – one for 15 – at your disposal, you have to let Browning at least attempt to stretch the field. Taylor’s offense tried nothing, and got nothing in return.
So now what?
Coming into the game, Cincinnati’s 2-0 record was papering over some pretty hefty cracks. They were a missed field goal and a dropped catch away from starting 0-2.
Sure, the Bengals still lead the AFC North at 2-1 but getting the doors blown off like this does not bode well. Denver, Detroit and Green Bay lie in wait, no doubt licking their lips in anticipation.
Maybe the tsunami of fumbles and turnovers was just bad luck. A career game from Rodgers only made matters worse.
But nevertheless, in practice this week, it might be wise to focus on not dropping the ball and not throwing it to the other team. Basic run blocking and pass protection would be useful too, as would a more adventurous game plan.
You might say it is lucky the Bengals have an extra day to prepare for the already-fancied Broncos on Monday night. But I suspect even that is not going to be enough time to right quite so many wrongs.
