Joe Burrow threw for 251 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Bengals to a victory. Burrow threw passes to eight different receivers and was in complete command of the offense. The Bengals have a Thursday game upcoming this week against the Ravens on the road, with their playoff hopes possibly on the line. Look for Burrow to step up and have another big week against a Ravens defense that has been beaten by far inferior offenses in previous weeks.
Chase Brown
With Zach Moss out for the game, Chase Brown was finally given the RB1 role and had 27 carries for 120 rushing yards. He also had five receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown. This is the kind of explosive play that many people have been expecting from Brown since he was drafted from the University of Illinois. Expect that when Moss returns, he will only be used in short-yardage situations, while Brown should get the bulk of the touches.
Tee Higgins Injury
With Tee Higgins out once again with an injury, tight end Mike Gesicki stepped up and had five receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns. With Higgins looking for a new contract in 2025, it would surprise me if he rushed back from his injury, as he is not willing to risk hurting himself for a team he does not wish to return to. While Higgins is out, Gesicki has evolved into the team’s de facto #2 receiver and one of Joe Burrow’s favorite targets.
Gardner Minshew and Brock Bowers
The Raiders have no chance to be successful so long as they continue to get such awful quarterback play as they’ve been getting thus far. Gardner Minshew completed 10 passes for 124 yards with no touchdowns and missed his receivers consistently. Complicating matters further is Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce’s insistence on running the football. The Raiders ran 21 times for only 60 yards, which is less than three yards per carry. Minshew’s best quality is his gunslinging nature; If you’re not going to let him throw, then what the use of starting him is?
The one bright light for the Raiders has been the play of rookie tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers had five receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown and has quickly become the number one tight end in fantasy football. Considering how good he’s been with such poor quarterback play tells you how good he can be if the Raiders can find themselves a good young quarterback to build around.
