Dare to dream? Let alone dream big?
The Cincinnati Bengals are off to a 2-0 start, and dare we say, they look like a special team in the making.
They followed their Super Bowl script quite well in a 20-6 win on the road against the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon.
Offense: Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Bam!
Defense: Dexter Lawrence imposed his will, clogging up the middle, frustrating the Texans and keeping their running game in check. Bam!
Special teams: Evan McPherson was money, drilling field goals from over half a football field out. Bam!
Coffin nails.
Oh, and the Bengals didn't allow an opponent to score a touchdown for the first time in nearly four years. That wasn't necessarily a part of Cincinnati's Super Bowl blueprint this
season, but that's where the special-team-in-the-making comes in. As radio man Dan Hoard enthusiastically fired off seconds after the Bengals closed out the victory over a projected playoff team: "The Cincinnati Bengals' defense is for real!"
Go for it, Bengals fans. Get jacked. Dream. Big. If you’re holding onto the past and holding out for the bad news – i.e. thinking it’ll all go to hell if you-know-who gets hurt – don’t do that to yourself. That bandwagon is humming along. Hop on and enjoy the ride.
This is the best the Bengals have looked through the first two weeks of the season during the Zac Taylor era. More important, it looks like the Bengals no longer have to rely solely on Burrow’s right arm in order to win.
Lawrence is bearing his share of the load so far, showing why the Bengals went all out to trade for him in the offseason. His name isn't showing up much in the stats, but he's drawing double teams and closing running lanes. It's allowing others to pressure the quarterback. The Texans traded for former Mount Healthy star David Montgomery in the offseason because they wanted to effectively run the ball.
But Montgomery only ran for 10 yards. And Lawrence used Montgomery to make a statement of his presence on this newly revamped and rejuvenated Bengals' defense. In cat-quick fashion, Lawrence, all 6-foot-5 and 350 pounds of him, fired off the ball and stuffed Montgomery for a 1-yard loss on a fourth-and-inches play in the second quarter.
That's the play this Bengals have been missing. That jolt of energy from the defense, and someone other than Burrow, Chase and Higgins. The Bengals fed off Lawrence's play, as Burrow proceeded to drive them 81 yards and connect with Chase on a 32-yard touchdown.
Burrow hasn't been pleased with his play through two games. He threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns against the Texans. He called his performance "incredibly average." That's OK now. Because the Bengals finally have a defense to pick up Burrow when he's "incredibly average" or has a rare bad day.
And Burrow's "average" is, well, typically well above average. He followed the Super Bowl blueprint and looked for Chase and Higgins all game. They combined for 12 catches and 170 yards. Chase had two TDs after only tallying two catches in the season-opening win vs. Tampa Bay. Burrow didn't throw an interception.
That's certainly more than good enough when the defense and field-goal kicker are performing the way they are. Money Mac is fully back to the kicker he was during the run to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season. He nailed field goals from 51 and 57 yards. He's now 6-for-6 on field goals this season.
The Bengals are 2-0 for the second consecutive season. Last season's 2-0 was tainted by Burrow's devastating toe injury in Week 2 against Jacksonville.
But this 2-0 feels special. It's a humbling league, one that celebrates parity. But the Bengals haven't looked this good since that two-year run to the Super Bowl and back to the AFC Championship game in 2021 and 2022.
Now's a good time to get on board.
Contact columnist Jason Williams at jwilliams@enquirer.com
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals show Burrow doesn't have to do it all | Williams
