Bengals Beat: Big-Play Bengals Offer Hope With Ravens Up Next As Joe Burrow Delivers Fiery Pregame Speech

CHARLOTTE — Maybe there’s hope for these Bengals after all.

But if there is going to be a rise back to relevance and a resurgence in the AFC North, one thing was very clear in their 34-24 win over Andy Dalton and the Carolina Panthers Sunday. The offense will lead the way.

Joe Burrow made sure before the game to let the Bengals know what was on the line Sunday with an empassioned pre-game address to the team.

“Just felt like I had something to say,” Burrow said. “I’m not going to go out of my way and be somebody that I’m not, but when I have something to say, I’ll definitely step up and say something.”

What message did he deliver?

“I’ll keep it in there,” Burrow said. “I’m not a big pregame speech guy. I’m getting my mind right and try to stay as calm as possible because emotions are high pre-game. And it’s an intense league. So I always just try to keep my keep myself.”

Well, while Burrow was delivering a message Sunday, his teammate were leaving their mark with their play.

From Ja’Marr Chase’s 63-yard catch-pinball-and-run for a touchdown to Chase Brown’s two touchdown runs to Joe Burrow’s big gamble to Zack Moss, the Bengals showed they were capable of making the big play at big moments Sunday.

“We knew inevitably we were going get a win,” Moss said. “We’ve got a really good team. Things didn’t fall our way the first couple weeks, and guys didn’t waver or think this season is already over, nothing like that. So we got a lot of vets on this team. So that was never the feeling.”

With game tied, 14-14, late in the second quarter, Joe Burrow faced third-and-goal at the Carolina 1. The Bengals had no timeouts left and the Carolina corners were playing press coverage on all the Cincinnati receivers. That left Moss out in the right flat to catch a swing pass at the 5. Moss had one man to beat, former Bengals safety Nick Scott. He did and just barely dove into the end zone for the 21-14 halftime lead.

“I trusted Zack to go make that play,” Burrow said. “I thought he had enough space. Maybe not my best decision, but it worked out for us.”

“I was kind of surprised that he threw it first of all,” Moss told me. “I just was able to catch it and make a play once he threw it to me. I was super shocked. And the defender was outside. So I try to make a move and get up the field and they played soft enough it gets me a little bit room to make a make a move and make someone miss.”

The Bengals went up 21-14 at the half and came out and scored to make it 28-14 and the Bengals had a cushion for the first time this season.

Mix that in with Moss and Brown each running the ball 18 times, combining for 131 yards and you have the kind of formula you will need in a game with a team that loves to ground and pound and play keep away from the star Cincinnati quarterback.

Yes, there were still moments that offered at the very least concern and – at the very worst – alarm that too many things have to go right against an inferior opponent to walk away with a win.

Cam Taylor-Britt had his second straight poor game in coverage, allowing Diontae Johnson to get by him for a 35-yard gain on third-and-4 at the Carolina 35 on the game’s third play.

Taylor-Britt also got beat by Johnson for a touchdown in the third quarter. Things got so bad that defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo went to a rotation scheme in his secondary, subbing in DJ Turner at times for Taylor-Britt and occasionally Dax Hill.

Chuba Hubbard had 104 on only 18 carries for a 5.8 yards per carry average. What’s going to happen next week when Derrick Henry (24/199 yards in 35-10 win over Buffalo) comes to Paycor with Lamar Jackson?

The perimeter defense for the Bengals Sunday was suspect at best. But on this day in Charlotte, the Bengals made just enough plays on defense to offset the bad. Kris Jenkins Jr. had the biggest play of his four-week old NFL career when he blew through a block and stopped Hubbard on fourth-and-goal at the 1 on the game’s opening drive after Dalton drove the Panthers 69 yards with little resistance.

The Bengals sideline exploded in jubilation and suddenly there was a much different vibe than existed six days earlier at Paycor.

The second big play was Trey Hendrickson breaking through and getting a hand on Andy Dalton as he was throwing. The ball popped up into the air and Vonn Bell returned it to the Carolina 16. That led to Cincinnati’s first touchdown, Brown’s 3-yard run up the middle.

Ja’Marr Chase turned back the clock to 2021, when he outraced the entire Baltimore defense in Cincinnati’s 41-17 win over the Ravens in Baltimore. His catch over the middle Sunday revealed of the characteristics that make him an elite top-3 receiver in the NFL.

“He continues to make incredible plays like that, and that’s just a reminder for me, you just got to find ways to get in the ball,” Burrow said.

It was extra special for Chase because he tossed the ball to his father, James, in the end zone. But the ball wasn’t for his dad but rather his dad’s parents who are still alive and live in North Carolina.

“I told Tee before the game, if I get the score, I’m trying to get my grandparents the ball. So I actually called it. It was just a blessing to have opportunities to be playing in front of my grandparents, who are still alive at the moment. It’s nothing but but a blessing at this moment.”

There were other huge moments:

Andrei Iosivas hanging in there on a pass over the middle, taking a big hit and converting a 35-yard pass from Joe Burrow to get the Bengals in range for the Moss TD.

Rookie Daijahn Anthony breaking up a fake punt throw over the middle from punter Johnny Hekker that would’ve extended the Panthers drive in the third quarter. Instead, the Bengals converted a 56-yard field goal from Evan McPherson for a 31-14 lead.

Rookie punter Ryan Rehkow boomed a clutch 62-yard punt that stirred the emotions of special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons because it pinned the Panthers at their own 8 with the Bengals holding on, 31-24.

Sunday was about taking care of business. The Bengals did that. Now, they need to take that next step and it will be a big one with Baltimore on tap next Sunday at Paycor.