It’s probably a weird jinx type of deal to look ahead to the next game already, but the Cincinnati Bengals have to avoid that precise trap in Week 8 against the Tennessee Titans.
The three-game stretch after this is absolutely massive for Cincinnati. A trip to Madrid to take on the Atlanta Falcons kicks off the succession of big stages. That’s followed by Sunday Night Football against the Steelers upon the Bengals’ stateside return, and a Monday night matchup with the Commanders on the road in Week 11. What easy schedule!?
Any team could be forgiven for overlooking a 1-6 opponent before all that.
However, the Titans represent a unique opportunity for the Bengals to fine-tune themselves before a critical next month. If they can tick some things off of the following task list, they should be much better off going forward.
The championship adage Cincinnati must better tap into
Run the ball, stop the run. A cliché for a reason. That’s been the formula for many championship teams over the years.
It’s quite clear the Bengals are best at throwing the ball, but to succeed later in the season, they must become a more balanced offense. Week 8 will be a great test not only for now but for the rest of the year. If Chase Brown or Samaje Perine can’t get going against the 1-6 Titans, it’s officially time to trade for a running back before the deadline lapses.
As for the defense with last week’s stellar effort to limit Derrick Henry to 45 yards on 17 carries, the Bengals are still allowing 4.7 yards per carry on the season. That’s in spite of how often Dexter Lawrence causes immediate disruption and how free he allows the rest of the front seven to be by drawing frequent double teams.
Maybe the Ravens game was where Cincinnati’s run D officially turned the corner. I’m still concerned about how well they can defend out on the edge, not so much between the tackles.
The Titans theoretically don’t have the maulers in the trenches nor the skill on the perimeter or backfield to make hay. Add in the fact that Cam Ward isn’t really a threat to throw the ball at a high level, and Al Golden should be able to get away well enough with light boxes like he has all season.
Still, I’d like to see some more aggression and experimentation against such a shorthanded opponent in Tennessee. Because one thing is for sure: Bijan Robinson and the Falcons’ rushing attack won’t be a cakewalk in Madrid.
Shore up whatever the heck is happening on third down defense
The Bengals gave up way too many 3rd and long conversions at Baltimore in the first half. It was embarrassing. Golden confused Ravens QB Tyler Huntley with more exotic second-half looks, but that’s Tyler Huntley we’re talking about.
It’s critical for Cincinnati to demoralize Tennessee early and not even give Ward a whiff of confidence. If the Bengals can’t improve upon their 30th-ranked third down defense after Week 8, they could be in for a world of hurt across the pond next Sunday.
Stopping Bijan is hard enough. Doing so if the Falcons are in shorter third down situations is even tougher. Plus, Michael Penix Jr. has a quick, decisive playing style and doesn’t like to sit in the pocket too long. It’d behoove Golden to heat him up and try to knock him off his spot a little bit.
Maybe we’ll see some more of that against Ward. After all, the Titans are PFF’s sixth-ranked pass blocking unit, so it’s not like the young field general doesn’t have time to throw. I wouldn’t lean so much on four-man rushes if I were Al Golden. Sounds like a conservative recipe for potential disaster.
Give Shemar Stewart some runway to prove himself
We know the Bengals are stacked on the defensive line. What we don’t know is what we have in Shemar Stewart. Trade speculation has swirled around him after he was a healthy scratch in Week 7.
That’s more of a numbers game and a reflection of how good Cincinnati’s d-line is, but still.
Stewart is officially in put up or bust territory. The coaching staff seems to believe in him. If they did, then why isn’t he playing?
If Stewart is indeed much better than he was in a disastrous rookie year, his physical tools alone should net him at least some rotational snaps with Myles Murphy.
There’s no doubt Cedric Johnson and Cashius Howell have impressed when given their opportunities, but Stewart hasn’t had much of anything to show for the whole season other than a Week 2 garbage time sack in Houston.
This is the prime spot to give Stewart some serious action. The Bengals should handle the Titans comfortably as double-digit favorites.
I want to see what Stewart can do. Play him early or late, doesn’t matter. Just show me something. Otherwise, the 17th overall pick from 2025 might as well be shipped away before the trade deadline just to save some face and get some value out of such a premium draft asset.
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