CINCINNATI — Within the aftermath of the Cincinnati Bengals’ Week 5 win over the Miami Dolphins, quarterback Joe Burrow was requested to guage the crew by 5 video games this season.
“Bought to be higher,” Burrow mentioned.
In what methods?
“All over the place,” he mentioned.
The Bengals enter the bye with a 3-2 document, and their subsequent recreation can be an AFC North matchup as Cincinnati faces the Baltimore Ravens. The best way that the Bengals entered the bye and the specifics of the sport towards the Dolphins confirmed what the Bengals want to enhance.
“A whole lot of irritating issues on our finish,” Taylor mentioned concerning the 31-24 win. “We had two private fouls. We fumbled twice within the purple zone. We caught a kickoff on the 4-yard line. We had a penalty on a discipline aim that led to a landing, gave them 4 factors, and gave up over 200 yards speeding. A lot to scrub up.”
An important ingredient of this bye week seems to be like an opportunity to get wholesome. Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Bryan Cook dinner have missed time over the previous two weeks with varied accidents, and the Bengals’ depth at receiver and security has been severely examined.
Additionally, the bye week comes after a taxing recreation in a record-setting October warmth final Sunday in Miami.
“The bye hits us at a good time,” Taylor mentioned. “I do know these guys are worn out. We’ve had some down-to-the-wire video games the final three weeks. I understand how sizzling this one was . The bye week comes at a good time for us to be 3 -2. These guys will regroup. We all know who we’re. Immediately, there’s loads of issues we have now to scrub as much as be higher once we go to Baltimore in two weeks.”
The most important brilliant spot of the primary 5 weeks of the season is that the Bengals realized the kind of unit that it might probably have on protection. The entrance workplace closely invested within the protection throughout the offseason, and the investments are paying off as Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Cashius Howell, Jonathan Allen and Cook dinner hit the bottom operating.
“We’re bringing life to one another,” Mafe mentioned. “We don’t level fingers on this protection. If a man makes a mistake, we’ve received you. We’ll again you up. When you’ve got that mentality, it’s simple to play the sport the way you need to.”
With Lawrence within the combine, the Bengals have gone from a crew that had the bottom run stuff price within the NFL in 2025 to the crew with the best run stuff price within the NFL in 2026 by Week 5. Lawrence has additionally made a big influence as a move rusher with influence, drive-changing performs.
“He simply loves it. It’s contributed rather a lot to the character of our protection,” Taylor mentioned. “That’s what you actually see from our guys. Not solely are they gifted and assured. They’re taking part in with actually good chemistry. They’ve received a very huge character as a complete. He’s clearly a giant a part of that.”
Mafe has grow to be the Bengals’ greatest true move rusher. His constant capacity to win off the sting has sped up quarterbacks, produced turnovers and generated sacks for himself and his teammates.
“Proper now, it’s a mindset to go on the market and present who I might be as a participant,” Mafe mentioned. “With the coaches trusting me to be that participant, it’s as much as me to uphold that in my finish of the discount.”
The protection might want to hold making progress because the Bengals flip the web page to the second half of the season. Expectations are excessive for a crew that hasn’t made the postseason because the 2022 season, and the Bengals’ upcoming recreation in Baltimore units up as a pivot level for the remainder of the season.
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