Cincinnati Bengals stock report from Week 3 win over Steelers
By Alex Austin
The Cincinnati Bengals came away with a huge win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3, getting them to first place in the AFC North. The good guys looked impressive in their dismantling of the black and yellow and this game felt like it was Cincinnati’s from the get-go.
On offense and defense, Cincinnati had the biggest plays and shut down anything the Steelers were trying to do. As the current leaders in the AFC North, here are the Cincinnati Bengals who saw their stock rise and fall on Sunday.
Stock Up: Ja’Marr Chase
What a day for the former first-round pick!
With concerns about his ability to catch the ball and not drop it all offseason, Ja’Marr Chase has put those concerns to bed with his first three games of the season. This game saw the biggest momentum-swinging play when he grabbed a 37-yard touchdown pass right before halftime to give the Bengals a lead they would never relinquish.
With a second touchdown in the second half, Chase is becoming the top choice for Joe Burrow — Just like old times.
Stock Down: Secondary
Just looking at the box score may not give an accurate indication of where the Bengals shined or struggled Sunday. They held the Steelers to only 10 points, but the Cincinnati secondary had some struggles throughout the game.
A few pass interference penalties that extended drives and leaving a few too many players open is something this unit will need to work on. Ben Roethlisberger was not good at challenging this unit, but even he was able to find the weakness. Against a better offense, this could continue to spell trouble.
Stock Up: Joe Burrow
A week after costing his team the game against Chicago, Joe Burrow put that all behind him and put up a lights-out performance. After an early interception (really the only blemish on his day) he went on to throw three touchdowns and be the leader of this team.
In addition to the throwing, he was able to do damage with his feet, which is a great sign that Burrow is fully recovered both physically and mentally from his injury.
Stock Up: Offensive line
Coming into this game, Burrow had been the second-most sacked quarterback in the league. Instead of continuing the trend, the Bengals gave up ZERO sacks and kept the pocket clean all day.
This is a tremendous step forward and something that will give Cincinnati hope moving forward. Among the standouts, Jackson Carman started his first game and performed well. With another lockdown game on a short week, Carman might be able to insert himself into the regular starting lineup.
Stock Up: Defensive line
The defensive line of the Cincinnati Bengals has had different contributors step up each week, but this week was about the whole group playing well. With four sacks coming from four different players, the Bengals lived in the backfield and made life incredibly difficult for the Steelers.
They were able to have their way and produce results that saw rookies, veterans, and newcomers were all able to make big plays. The Bengals having a top ten defense was not really considered in the offseason, but that might be the way Cincinnati pushes to the top of the AFC North.
Stock Up: Logan Wilson
One of the players who has improved the most this year has been Logan Wilson. He has flashed moments of brilliance in the past, but this year he has been able to take that to a whole new level.
Wilson intercepted Roethlisberger twice, with both takeaways leading to a Bengals’ touchdown. He has been a turnover machine this year and has given Cincinnati a great swing of momentum. Continued play like this will see his stock rise throughout the year and he will start being recognized on a national level.
Who would you say saw their stock rise and who saw their stock fall?