Cincinnati Bengals: This Loss Means Mike Nugent Needs To Go
On a week the Cincinnati Bengals should be winning a game and playing with conviction, Mike Nugent is 0-2 on extra points. Instead, they loss to the Buffalo Bills at home 12-16.
The is an issue when Batman made more field goals on Friday night at the Cincinnati Bengals’ Mike Nugent on Sunday. Thanks to Jeremy Potts on YouTube for the video
The Cincinnati Bengals special teams has been a point of concern over the past few months. It isn’t the whole special teams though, as Mike Nugent has struggled for the entire season with doing his job. Although Nugent wasn’t the only thing wrong, he is the main focus.
Nugent is a 76.2% field goal kicker and an 86.4% extra point kicker. It is something as routine as an extra point that caused the Bengals to not only go down against the Buffalo Bills but to lose by four points 16-12 at Paul Brown Stadium.
The Bengals were not only in field goal range at the end of the game, but if Nugent even makes one of his two attempts, they could have tied the game late to force overtime. If he makes both, then they are kicking for the win.
As for the rest of the game:
The Cincinnati Bengals offense was terrible, with Dalton throwing two interceptions. The defense, was better with two sacks and an interception, but with no help from the offense, fell short again. A waste of what otherwise would have been a better showing from this defense.
More from Stripe Hype
- How to watch the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022
- Denzel Ward wants to flex on Bengals WRs in 2022
- Scouting the enemy: Bengals preseason opener chat with Raising Zona
- Bengals should place these 3 players on the trade block
- 3 advantages the Bengals have over the Steelers in 2022
A.J. Green was injured incredibly early in this game with a hamstring injury and did not return. The Bengals offensive relied on Tyler Boyd and Giovani Bernard to make plays from there, including a late 13 yard pass to Giovani Bernard on third and 12 to keep the drive going.
Vontaze Burfict recorded his second sack of the season and recorded 13 total tackles in the game. Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson split a sack as well. The Bengals defense recorded four tackles for loss and four QB hits, as well as five pass deflections.
On special teams, Alex Erickson had another stand out kick off return for 36 yards and a 13 yard punt return. Huber was also able to pin them twice inside their own 20 yard line twice, but kicked a few times pinned back in Buffalo territory.
This loss is just another in disappointing fashion by this Bengals team and another that Mike Nugent has had a direct impact in the result. If they don’t change something, this season will be lost for good and even worse, Mike Brown will be pressured for tough decisions and change, more so than he has been in the past six years.