Stripes

I wanted to go for it there. Oh well, keep it going defense.

were you able to get the game on?

Great job, defense. Relieved to see a stop so soon.

Offensive line is road-grading. Love it.

I was afraid this would be a difficult matchup for the defense. If they want a shootout, let's just make sure they settle for one FG somewhere in there.

That was pretty brutal at the goal line, Nick Scott.

If you can't get NBC, try Googling "NFL streameast"

Very good to see Irv snag that thang right off the bat. Shut all of us the hell up.

Today I learned that Devin Harper is a player.

A look ahead to next week against the Texans: CJ Stroud just threw for 470 yards and 5 TDs.

I completely passed out. What a boring game.

Doesn’t matter. 3 points might be enough for Cleveland.

Watson looks like crap again so far.

Looks like my area gets Arizona @ Cleveland. Stand by for irritated commentary. Somehow the Browns get to face a third-string QB despite Murray being healthy enough to play.

Tennessee with “suspicion of tanking” level terrible playcalling with a chance to take the lead.

Al Michaels sounds like he just took an Ambien while reading a 24 year old issue of Reader’s Digest on the toilet.

I suggested at some point that I think Hudson can be Trenton Irwin as a tight end. I have a strange and unfounded confidence in him, and I didn't even think he should make the roster in the first place. I saw a little something against the Rams that made me rethink that. We'll see if 1) he gets any actual opportunities, and 2) if so, if my confidence is appropriate.

Having a competent receiving threat at TE expands the playbook, makes the Bengals less predictable, opens otherwise narrowed route trees, and provides insurance if one of the three receivers is injured. It isn't the most important thing in the world, but it's certainly valuable.

He's 0 for 2 trying to get former head coaches to be current head coaches. Maybe try someone new.

The tight end position is a black hole, and probably the 32nd best unit in the NFL. That's a glaring problem for a perceived Super Bowl contender. Still, there may be a solution yet available to the Bengals if they have the chutzpah to USE him: Tanner Hudson.

I was pushing for a move too. This seems to be the one old-school Bengals philosophy that hasn't gone away. Oh well. On to Buffalo.

Maybe my favorite Goodberry tweet ever.

I'd be pretty ambivalent about bringing Lawson back. More pass rush help is never "bad", though I think the Bengals ought to have bigger priorities if they are active at the trade deadline. I'd agree that tight end tops the list, whether its Hurst or whoever. I'd also think about a strong safety (or whatever term is more appropriate now, since the strong/free designations are kind of obsolete), which in my view is an underrated flaw of the current roster. Scott is very bad, and Battle has rookie moments.

I don't have the full season grade, but here's a rundown of his per-game grades (click the spoiler): My trust in PFF has degraded, but at least the numbers mostly bear out what you describe.

I like the Bengals offense against the Bills defense (assuming things continue to click. I'm not sure that I like the Bengals defense against the Bills offense. Anarumo has amassed a great resume for shutting down top-flight QBs, so perhaps he does it again. The raw matchup though is a bit scary. Consider what Purdy was able to do with his legs and how that might translate with Josh Allen instead. The big chunk plays in the passing game are also a concern against Diggs/Davis/Knox/Kincaid. They'll have their work cut out for them, and their success might depend upon the effectiveness of the pass rush. Hopefully Trey is full go.