5 heartbreaking stats from Bengals' last-second loss against the Chiefs

Points off of turnovers

That abysmal third-down conversion rate and lack of red zone scoring contributed to another disappointing stat. Cincinnati only scored ten points off of turnovers. But this is a byproduct of not converting third downs and scoring touchdowns instead of field goals after getting to the red zone.

The Bengals finished the game with three forced takeaways. They got seven, three, and zero points, respectively, after turnovers from Kansas City. Twenty-one points is what you need to defeat the defending champions. Thirteen was the least they could afford to score after the defense gave the offense the ball. Ten was not enough. 

The defense played much better than the 17 points they surrendered to Kansas City’s high-powered offense. Regrettably, the offense did not take advantage of the opportunities afforded to them by a great defensive effort. 

Rushing attack

Something else to monitor is the split in carries from the running backs. The expectation when Zack Moss signed is that he will be one of the new starters on offense. However, there should be a point at which the old tired saying “feed the guy with the hot hand” comes into play. 

On Sunday afternoon, Zack Moss had 12 carries for 34 yards. He averaged 2.8 yards per carry. Chase Brown had only four carries for 31 yards, averaging 7.8 yards per attempt. Brown had three fewer yards than Moss on eight fewer carries. Last week, Moss had better production than Brown. 

No matter which is having the best day, Brown looks more explosive than Moss with the ball in his hands. He should have more than three or four rushes a game. Hopefully, Brown will get more opportunities as the season goes on. 

Identifying which running back has the hot hand early could pay dividends late in games. An effective rushing attack is imperative in a four-minute offense situation. It allows the team to run the clock out at the end of the game rather than giving the ball back to the best quarterback in the NFL. An effective four-minute offense was something that Cincinnati was on the receiving end of last week against the Patriots. Through two games, the Bengals are 31st in rushing attempts. 

0-2, again

And with the snap of the fingers, the Bengals are again 0-2 to start a season. The record is the most important statistic of them all for Cincinnati.

It is the fifth time in Zac Taylor’s six-year tenure that Cincinnati is 0-2 after the first two games and the third consecutive season. That slow start did not stop the team from reaching the AFC Championship Game in 2022. It also did not prevent them from having a winning record in 2023. 

In another timeline, the Bengals are a lost Tanner Hudson fumble and a third-down conversion from being 2-0. There are no moral victories. However, because Cincinnati is used to being in this spot, it is not the time to panic. They showed there is time to correct the errors and right the season. 

Let’s hope the Bengals get these foibles corrected and these heartbreaking stats do not become themes of the season. And if they reemerge like Thanos in End Game, the team finds ways to overcome and win despite them.