After giving the New York Jets their first win of 2025 a week ago, Cincinnati lost again in a thrilling finish, 47-42, this time to Chicago.
Defense Bungles Game Again
Defensive Coordinator Al Gordon’s defense performed so atrociously that there’s no clear place to start. You could first look at the nearly two hundred yards of offense allowed to rookie running back Kyle Monangai, who had just 186 yards heading into the contest. You could also look at Caleb Wiliams, who had a perfect game with a trio of passing touchdowns and zero interceptions, despite throwing zero touchdowns and two interceptions in the last two weeks combined. Tacking on a receiving touchdown and more than fifty rushing yards, Williams and the offense were given just about every look they wanted. To top it off, they allowed a game-winning 58-yard touchdown to tight end Colston Loveland, who more than doubled his total yards this season.
Not only is this Bengals defense becoming mortifying to watch, but it is also reaching historic levels of bad. The Bengals became the first team since 1966 to score thirty-eight or more points in two consecutive games and still lose both.
The Brightsides (the offense)
Despite the dreadful loss, the offense did look incredible. Quarterback Joe Flacco, who had been dealing with injuries all week, looked just fine. He threw for 470 yards, breaking the 400-yard mark for the first time in his career. Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, and Chase Brown all had over a hundred yards of offense, and Flacco completed passes to seven different players. Kick returner Charlie Jones even took one to the house to start the game.
14 days Until Their Next Game (@ Pittsburgh)
Week ten is their bye week, and they will certainly need it. The defense needs to kick into gear and at least give the team a fighting chance. As each week passes, fans are going to begin to wonder: Will Joe Burrow even be able to save this team upon his return?
