Three Down Look: Bengals Ring in a Comeback Against Jaguars

Cincinnati roared back from a 14-0 halftime deficit to beat Jacksonville 24-21.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Updated:
Oct 1, 2021 9:38 AM EDT
Original:
Oct 1, 2021

Things got off to a rocky start on Ring of Honor night, but Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals overcame a leaky first-half defense to improve to 3-1 on the season.

The Bengals trailed 14-0 at the half, but reset and gave the ball to their franchise player time and time again. Cincinnati had won just once in the past 30 games where they've trailed by 14-plus points. Burrow, C.J. Uzomah, and the rest of the offense made sure to break that trend in the 24-21 victory.

Here's our Three Down Look at another win for the division-leading Bengals.

First Down: Joe Cool

Burrow has to accomplish a bit more for that nickname to transition from the great Joe Montana, but performances like Thursday's put him on the right track.

Given the circumstance, environment, and halftime deficit, this was the best NFL game Burrow has played in his young career. "Joey Franchise" completed 25-of-32 passes (78.1%) for 348 yards, and two touchdowns. He finished with a 132.8 quarterback rating. The leader guided his team on four straight scoring drives in the second half.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Burrow passed for the second-most primetime yards without an interception in Bengals history. Only the man of the hour, Ken Anderson, passed for more yards in a 1975 matchup against the Bills.

Burrow was extremely efficient like he's been most of this season. He ended up with a game-high 16.7 total EPA and 0.44 EPA/play, ranking in the 91st percentile of RBSDM.com's database.

This game was a tale of two halves indeed. They say it's not about how you start, it's about how you finish, and Burrow finished Jacksonville with surgical precision and wit.

Jacksonville controlled the time of possession over the first 30 minutes. Burrow was 8-of-12 in the opening half, but he went into destroyer mode after the Bengals celebrated their legends. He was 17-of-20 for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns in the second half, cementing his status as a primetime maven.

Burrow now has two primetime outings on his NFL ledger, and the results are elite. Combining Week 2 of 2020 and Thursday night's outing, Burrow is completing 66.6% of his passes for 664 yards and five touchdowns under the lights.

Plenty of those yards came out of empty formations, including the game-sealing jailbreak screen audible that Burrow masterfully checked to in the final two minutes.

Burrow loves being in empty formations, and the Bengals nurtured that on Thursday. He finished with the most throws out of empty in an NFL game this season, posting a 14-of-16 passing line for 153 yards and one touchdown.

The Bengals are 3-1, and "Joey Franchise" is the biggest reason why.

Second Down: Uzomah and Boyd Answer The Call

The Bengals were without Tee Higgins for the second straight game and struggled to find Ja'Marr Chase against the Jaguars' split safety coverages. Enter Uzomah and Tyler Boyd.

Uzomah had just 39 total receiving yards heading into this game, but he was a great outlet in short areas of the field all night long. He finished the contest with five catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns.

The veteran is just the third Bengals tight end ever to finish with five or more receptions, 90-plus yards, and two touchdowns. He joins Tyler Eifert, who did it twice last decade, and Bob Trumpy in 1969.

Uzomah was a crucial outlet for Burrow in short areas, and he parlayed those targets into the highest EPA/play (1.31) of any player logging more than one touch on Thursday. Boyd (0.51) and his 9 catches weren't far behind Uzomah in total EPA (5.6 to Uzomah's 7.9).

Boyd's cemented himself as one of [if not the best] slot receivers in the league. He showcased those skills all night on 9 catches for 118 yards. The performance is nothing new in Boyd's career. He's now posted the Bengals' last six outings of 9-plus catches and 110-plus yards.

Boyd moved the chains and helped keep Burrow efficient on a night where his average depth of target was just 6.6 yards. He found creases all over the middle of the field and used the Jaguars' two-high safety strategy to his advantage.

Versatility was a big selling point for this group of weapons in the offseason. The NFL is about finding different ways to win, and the Bengals duo of Boyd and Uzomah kept options open throughout the night.

Third Down: Rushing Defense Lags Behind

An underrated but glaring storyline early on was the Bengals' defense and the 87 snaps they played in Pittsburgh on Sunday. The unit did a great job limiting the black and yellow offense, but 80-plus snaps on a toasty day in Pittsburgh had an adverse effect on the defense.

That was on display in the first half when the Cincinnati front four couldn't get any push at the line of scrimmage. James Robinson took advantage of the extra space for 64 of the Jaguars' 113 first-half rushing yards.

A number that doesn't fit a defense that allowed just 235 yards on the ground all season. Chalk it up to a mixture of fatigue from the game four days prior and sound execution from the Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence effectively ran the read option and showed off his athleticism on eight carries for 36 yards and a score.

Meanwhile, Robinson affirmed what many labeled a head-scratching decision in April. Urban Meyer drafted Travis Etienne when he already had a bell-cow back on his team. The Jaguars' leading rusher showed off flashy cuts all night long and led all ballcarriers in total EPA (1.6).

Yet, the effort wasn't enough to keep Jacksonville from their 19th straight loss, tying the NFL record for consecutive defeats.

The Bengals have ten days to figure out how to start fast at home before tackling their biggest test to date in Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

Make sure you bookmark All Bengals for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

You May Also Like:

Watch: Bengals Induct Legends Into Ring of Honor

Watch: Bengals Celebrate Comeback Victory over Jaguars

Three Thoughts on the Bengals' 24-21 Win over the Jaguars

Postgame Observations: Bengals Beat Jaguars 24-21

All Bengals Staff Makes Picks for Bengals vs Jaguars

Film Breakdown: Analyzing Jackson Carman's First Start

Key Matchups: Bengals vs Jaguars on Thursday Night Football

Former NFL Lineman on Ja'Marr Chase: "The Bengals Got it Right"

Tyler Boyd Praises A.J. Green Following Big Game Against Jaguars

Watch: A Quality Breakdown of Ja'Marr Chase's 34-Yard TD Against the Steelers