Stock Watch: Bengals Trending Up in Key Areas
There are some positive and negative trends for the 2-5-1 Bengals. In a year of rebuilding, all of them are indicators for future success under head coach Zac Taylor. Let's take a peek at the good and bad from the first half of the season.
Trending Up: Burrow Gets the Keys
The first year with a rookie quarterback can be a tough balancing act for any coaching staff. There’s a desire to take off the training wheels and let loose, while also holding some things back so they don't get overwhelmed. Joe Burrow showed early on in training camp that he was capable of running the entire offense. Taylor recognized his ability to command the offense and never looked back. Not many first-year quarterbacks have been asked to do more than Burrow.
Cincinnati's offense already revolves around the rookie, passing nearly 59% of the time on first and second down. That ranks fourth in the NFL. Burrow has been efficient, posting 0.221 EPA (Expected Points Added) per play, which is 10th among quarterbacks (min. 100 plays).
The coaching staff is using the same tendencies that worked for Burrow at LSU. Burrow has quickly built a strong bond with his receiving corps en route to a top-three spot on the passing yards leaderboard. The number one pick was always going to shoulder the load once this team started to contend, and he’s showcasing that ability in year one.
Trending Down: Leaky Run Defense and Fumbles
Lou Anarumo's defense has occasionally held its' own against aerial attacks, but the run defense has been a consistent problem all season long. The Bengals rank 29th in rushing yards allowed (144.3 yards per game), 25th in rushing first downs allowed (8.1 per game) and 24th in EPA.
The run defense has left the Bengals playing with one hand behind their back in multiple games, including matchups against the Chargers, Browns and Ravens.
Josh Bynes and Christian Covington have done their part—ranking in the top ten at their positions in ESPN's run stop win rate, but that can't be said for the rest of their teammates.
The struggles stopping the ground attack have manifested into a lack of forced fumbles. Cincinnati's defense is eighth in interceptions (8), but they're one of five teams with less than two fumble recoveries. Attacking the football should be a point of emphasis during Steelers week and beyond.
Cincinnati has found the pieces for a strong secondary we'll see if the front seven can find consistency over the final eight games to form a complete unit.
Trending Up: Special Teams Continues to Thrive
Special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons got a promotion to assistant head coach this past winter for good reason. The unit was arguably the best in the NFL last season, and they haven't slipped much, ranking ninth in Football Outsiders special teams DVOA.
Randy Bullock has rebounded from the week one collapse to post a 90% conversion rate on the second-most attempts league wide (20). Bullock shook off the rust and now leads the league in points (74). Meanwhile, his punting peer Kevin Huber never showed issues. The 12-year veteran is averaging a career-high 47.5 yards per punt and the unit ranks 12th in the NFL with 52 opponent return yards.
The return game is picking up right where it left off in 2019, with Brandon Wilson slating in at eighth in kick return average (24.67 yards). The Houston-product has blossomed in his role while his punt game partner has matched him return for return.
Alex Erickson has wedged a key role on the roster, posting the sixth-highest punt return average in the league (9.3 yards).
The past 18 months have been some of Simmons' best leading this unit, proving the Bengals have a gem calling plays for the often overlooked phase of the game.
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