Joe Burrow And The Bengals Have Spoiled The Falcons' Perfect Spread Record And Put The Rest Of The NFL On Notice
Prior to Sunday's game, Joe Burrow said the upcoming three-game stretch would come to define — or at least set the tone for — the entire Cincinnati Bengals' season. And lo and behold, Burrow and the Bengals actually fucking played like that was the case, and with that type of urgency, against the fraudulent Atlanta Falcons.
Yeah, I said it — and I'll go even further. The Falcons blow. They were 6-0 against the spread entering Sunday's game in Cincinnati. This team is straight ass. They've either tacked on points in garbage time or gotten insanely lucky in covering all those spreads.
Most of this Bengals season, I've sat back kind of dumbfounded and in a stupor over how slow they've started games, how MID their play-calling has been offensively, and just kinda wondered what the hell is going on in general. Growing pains were real...even though this is the same system. And the new-look offensive line took a minute to jell.
But oh man, was the wait and frustration worth it. I'm not going to go as far as to say, "OH HERE WE GO, THE BENGALS HAVE ARRIVED!" What I am comfortable saying is, this is what I envisioned the offense looking like when I wrote this bold blog prior to the 2022 campaign kicking off:
Even counting today's game, the Bengals are still the only team in the NFL not to surrender a second-half touchdown. That's pretty damn good. For a feisty Falcons group that leans heavily on their rushing attack and has a dangerously mobile QB in Marcus Mariota, you couldn't help but be impressed with Cincy's ability to defend the run. Without key defensive anchors like DJ Reader and Logan Wilson, the Bengals still held their own, limiting Atlanta fewer than four yards per carry.
Other than a piss-poor sequence to end the first half wherein Eli Apple got TORCHED for a long TD — he was promptly, rightfully benched thereafter — and a long punt return led to a last second Falcons field goal, this was as complete of a game as the Bengals have played all year. What a sight for sore eyes to say the least.
Speaking of sights for sore eyes, I would say whatever the antithesis of that would be was what I was feeling when Ja'Marr Chase came up lame just before halftime. Looked like either a hamstring issue or an aggravation of the hip injury he was listed as having throughout the week of practice.
Count all our lucky stars, Ja'Marr kept playing, but before he got dinged up, he was BALLING THE HELL OUT.
Oh by the way, Ja'Marr wasn't even the leading Bengals receiver on the afternoon despite logging eight catches, 130 yards and two TDs. That honor would go to Tyler Boyd with a line of 8-155-1.
On deck, we have a Monday night, Halloween matchup in Cleveland versus the Jacoby Brissett-led Browns, followed by a home duel with the PJ Walker/Sam Darnold/Baker Mayfield-led Panthers. Then a nice little bye so we can ensure Ja'Marr is right health-wise, and to give Reader and Wilson a little buffer to return to the field.
At least in the moment, I'm inclined to say Cincinnati's Slow Start Syndrome has been put to bed. Twenty-eight first-half points was such a refreshing changeup. And the fact the defense played this well sans Reader and Wilson?
I'm just saying, rest of the NFL. Look the fuck out for the 2022 Cincinnati Bengals.
Twitter @MattFitz_gerald/TikTok