The Cincinnati Bengals made it interesting on Sunday to start the new season.
On the way to the 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Bengals gave fans a little bit of everything: An apparent blowout. Delivering on hype. Blowing a lead. Shocking Joe Burrow mistakes. Painful deja vu. Relief.
Now 1-0, the Bengals looking dominant, then persevering in the face of mistakes, has created some must-know things and maybe a little concern, too.
Bengals beat Bucs: Facts and questions
Defense looks legit
It wasn’t all perfect. And they won’t force four turnovers every game. But the cornerstone new arrivals made the plays:
- Dexter Lawrence
- Boye Mafe
- Bryan Cook
Is Bryan Cook Jessie Bates? Maybe not. Is Boye Mafe better than Trey Hendrickson? We’ll see. But the blueprint has now translated to the field and the results are very much there.
Even better,
the idea that the new arrivals could help linebackers Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter turn the corner sure seems like it’s coming true, too.
Joe Burrow’s under-center looks
The under-center stuff has been a thorn in the side for years. It didn’t look all that great during the preseason, either.
But it was just fine during Week 1.
Sure, there was a Burrow misfire after an under-center playaction at one point. But they also ran for 78 yards from the formation. Growing pains, no doubt, but the early signs point to them being able to mix it in well.
Evan McPherson and icing games
After the game, Bengals coach Zac Taylor called Evan McPherson the best in the NFL. That’s a debate for another day, but him going 4-of-4 with the longest from 58 yards away was impressive.
And on the topic of icing games, compared to the last few years, Burrow taking a knee in victory formation was a testament to the overall growth the club has made.
Where’s Ja’Marr Chase?
Here’s one minor concern: Ja’Marr Chase had just four targets on the day, catching two for 12 yards.
Big deal? Probably not. These things are going to happen at times and Week 1 is always weird. But we’d be remiss not to point out that Chase had been taking it easy since the injury scare during camp. The Bucs threw doubles his way, of course, but it’s something to watch.
Joe Burrow’s mistakes?
Fine day at the office for Joe Burrow. He went 25-of-35 for 254 yards with one score and pick. That pick was a major problem, though, on an ill-advised gamble that threw away a chunk of the lead on a pick-six. Drive before that, he took a bad sack.
Week 1 hiccups, right? The Bengals have to hope. Burrow quietly had a penchant for brutally timed turnovers last year while trying to play hero ball. Odds are that history won’t be repeating itself often. And lucky for them, there’s a solid defense in place now to actually carry its portion of the weight.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: 3 must-knows and 2 questions from Bengals’ win over Bucs
