3 Bengals who need to thrive in pivotal Week 3 vs Commanders

The Cincinnati Bengals have seen their odds at making the postseason blown to smithereens after a surprising 0-2 start to the 2024 season. Only one in 10 teams make the playoffs after a 0-2 beginning, and the Bengals are very much a vulnerable team that needs to pick it up.

Luckily, the Bengals have a very winnable game against the Washington Commanders. While Jayden Daniels did pick up his first career win last week, he still hasn't thrown a touchdown pass. Washington also has one of the worst defenses in the league, which Joe Burrow has to be excited about.

Coming back from an 0-2 start is difficult, but coming back from an 0-3 record is damn near impossible. These three Bengals need to play their best games of the 2024 campaign to avoid the upset and give Cincy a fighting chance at getting back on track

3 Bengals who need to thrive in pivotal Week 3 vs Commanders

3. RB Zack Moss

The Bengals have had problems consistently running the ball in the Zac Taylor era, and Moss and Chase Brown have both been unable to reach the heights Joe Mixon set for them in the last few years. Moss has just 3.7 yards per carry and 78 yards on the ground. Against a very beatable Commanders defensive line, Moss could be in for a breakout game.

2. WR Andrei Iosivas

The results for Iosivas, who has stepped into an important WR2 role after the Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins sagas, have been mixed. While he has just five catches in two games, he has found the end zone twice and has looked like the same speedy athletic freak the Bengals plucked from Princeton.

Washington has arguably the worst secondary in the NFL, as both Baker Mayfield and Daniel Jones were able to move the ball against it quite frequently. Iosivas could be in for his first huge game in the pros if the offensive line can keep the Commanders' pass rush at bay and allow Iosivas to go down the field.

1. EDGE Sam Hubbard

The Commanders are going to throw the ball a ton despite a poor offensive line, as Kliff Kingsbury would rather steal a foul ball from a child than make his offense a run-first attack. This means that Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson could pin their ears back as they try to pursue Daniels.

While Hendrickson has gotten off to a veyr productive start this season, Hubbard has been largely kept quiet against New England and Kansas City. With the defensive line in tatters due to injuries, the Bengals can't afford another no-show from Hubbard in this game.