Cincy Jungle
Week 2 of the NFL preseason ended with the Cincinnati Bengals beating the Washington Commanders 31-17 on a night where the Bengals’ starters saw the most significant action we’ve seen from a Zac Taylor-led team.
Here’s a recap of how it went:
The Bengals started the game with the ball. After two runs by Chase Brown totaling seven yards, they faced a 4th and 3 near midfield. Joe Burrow came to the line and drew Washington offsides with a hard count, giving the Bengals a first down via penalty. A pass interference call on a deep ball from Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase set the offense up at the Commanders’ four-yard line. After being stopped three times by Washington, Chase Brown ultimately punched it in on 4th and goal. Evan McPherson converted the extra point, giving the Bengals a 7–0 lead.
Washington took over with their starting unit on the field. Deebo Samuel broke off a 19-yard run, immediately followed by a 40-yard gain from Chris Rodriguez Jr. Their four-play, 74-yard touchdown drive came without a single pass attempt, ending with Jayden Daniels running it in from 14 yards out.
The Bengals’ next drive never really got going. It ended with Burrow scrambling back to the Washington one-yard line for a 17-yard loss on a sack. While Burrow admirably tried to extend the play, in a preseason game, he probably should’ve just thrown it away.
After a 51-yard punt by Ryan Rehkow, Washington took over with backup quarterback Josh Johnson under center and quickly scored again — this time on a 27-yard run by Jacory Croskey-Merritt. By that point, the Bengals’ defense had allowed 14 points and 118 yards of offense — with Washington attempting just one pass.
The next Bengals drive featured another scary Burrow sack and more pressure, but the offense eventually began to settle. Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown were all out of the game, but Burrow stayed in and was able to connect with Charlie Jones on a nice gain to move into scoring position before the quarter ended.
Burrow remained in the game to start the second quarter. The broadcast mentioned that he wanted reps with the backup weapons to develop chemistry. Ultimately, after a few scary moments, he connected with Charlie Jones for a five-yard touchdown. McPherson converted the extra point, tying the game at 14–14.
When Washington got the ball back, most of the Bengals’ defensive backups were on the field. After a poor showing by the starters, the backups had a chance to put some good tape out there — and some might even push for starting roles.
Tycen Anderson, who has seen first-team reps with Geno Stone out, finally made a big play, intercepting Josh Johnson on an errant throw and returning the ball to the Bengals’ three-yard line.
Jake Browning entered the game on the next possession, looking to bounce back from a tough first outing. He completed a couple of short...
