Chiefs vs. Bengals: Cincinnati Grades, Notes and Quotes
The Cincinnati Bengals leave Week 4 of the season 4-0 for the first time since 2005 thanks to Sunday's 36-21 win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
While the defense employed a bend-but-don't-break approach and sacked Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith five times, it was Jeremy Hill who won the day for the Bengals. After two weeks of struggles, Hill exploded for 40 yards and three touchdowns on just nine carries.
It was an odd day, with Mohamed Sanu leading the team with 84 receiving yards and Brandon Tate making one big play on a 55-yard score. Andy Dalton finished 17-of-24 with 321 yards and the score.
Though not hard to pinpoint necessary areas of improvement moving forward, the Bengals remain undefeated and boast another win against a conference opponent. Within, let's take a look at grades, notes and quotes.
Position Grades for Bengals
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| Position | Grade |
| QB | A |
| RB | A |
| WR | A |
| TE | B |
| OL | B |
| DL | B |
| LB | C |
| DB | C |
| Special Teams | B |
| Coaching | B |
Dalton has been the main storyline surrounding the Bengals to start the season, and rightfully so given his upswing in play, but he didn't have to do much Sunday, attempting just 24 passes.
Most important was Dalton's smooth ability to take care of the football and get everyone involved. Three of his weapons finished with a minimum of four targets, which helped neutralize the Kansas City rush and open things up for Hill.
There isn't much more to say about Hill and Giovani Bernard, who pitched in with 62 yards and a score on 13 totes. The duo's production went hand in hand with the elite play of the offensive line, which opened holes all day and didn't surrender a sack.
Defense would be where many find issue with the Bengals despite the win. Geno Atkins and the line created plenty of pressure, but at the same time, the unit struggled to contain Jamaal Charles, who rushed for 75 yards on just 11 carries.
The in-trenches struggles hurt the linebackers, who once again struggled with tackling. Ditto for the secondary, which also had to deal with injuries to Adam Jones and Dre Kirkpatrick.
As far as coaching, Marvin Lewis and Co. once again came out with a strong game plan for a game opponent. Moving forward, the main point of emphasis has to center on better defensive containment.
Jeremy Hill Bounces Back
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What a couple of weeks it has been for Hill.
In Week 2, he fumbled twice and watched as Bernard handled the majority of the load. Afterward, coaches stressed he was still the starter. In Week 3, he ran timid and watched again as Bernard carried the ball more than him. Still, Hill remained the starter.
Things turned for the better Sunday. Hill totaled 40 yards and three scores on nine carries on a day backs only received 22 carries. Granted, Bernard still carried it more, but it matters little if Hill has his place in the offense and continues to produce.
So far, Hill doesn't look like a lead back this year. It's clearly just not what the coaching staff has in mind, and who can blame them with the way Bernard continues to run the football?
The approach right now will help both backs stay healthy over the course of a grueling season. Sunday, Hill put the struggles of the past two weeks behind him.
Defensive Line Rolls
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Atkins and Co. may have struggled to help stop the run when the Chiefs actually decided to utilize their star back, but it's a forgivable offense given how well the unit held up under the stress of 45 pass attempts by Smith.
The Bengals forced five sacks on the day, with Domata Peko recording two and the trio of Michael Johnson, Carlos Dunlap and Atkins each grabbing one apiece.
It's important to understand that this same woeful Kansas City line allowed seven sacks this past Monday, but it shouldn't take away from the height of the achievement by Atkins' unit.
Just last year, Cincinnati managed all of 20 sacks and the defense as a whole suffered. This year, Atkins looks 100 percent and the line continues to play as advertised with Johnson back in the fold, too.
At worst, upcoming teams have something to dread during film study each week.
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Adam Jones, Dre Kirkpatrick Leave with Injuries
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Lost in the hype of another win is the fact Jones and Kirkpatrick left the game with injuries.
The team listed Kirkpatrick's return as probable, but it's something to keep an eye on moving forward given the iffy, unpredictable nature of wrist issues.
Perhaps more concerning was the loss of Jones, who continues to stand as the team's best corner. Not only did he enter the game with an elbow issue, he left with a groin issue.
For a secondary that missed starting safety George Iloka the entire day, it's a concerning turn of events. The Bengals have struggled with injuries in the secondary in recent years, and the impressive depth only extends so far down the chart.
With any luck, both players will be able to go next week against Seattle. Either way, it's one of the biggest storylines to watch in the coming week.
Bengals Receive Praise from Opposition
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It's hard to ignore the progress the Bengals continue to make.
Apparently this growing notion has spread to the opposition, too. After Sunday's win, Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce heaped praise on Tyler Eifert and the Bengals, per Fox 19's Jeremy Rauch: "Travis Kelce and Jeremy Hill exchanged jerseys. Kelce to Hill: 'Your offense keeps rocking like that y'all are gonna be fine.'"
For the Bengals, it has to be a good feeling to receive praise from other teams compared to the organization's sluggish years. There was a time, after all, when teams looked forward to playing the Bengals.
Of course, Kelce might be on to something. It's hard to argue the 4-0 start. Told from one budding star tight end to another, the Bengals will continue to hear things along these lines and earn respect if this keeps up.
Marvin Lewis Speaks on Andy Dalton's Performance
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It's quite difficult to avoid praising Dalton these days.
Just ask Lewis, who took the time right out of the gates after Sunday's victory to praise Dalton for his handle on the offense. ESPN.com's Coley Harvey summarized the talking points: "Marvin Lewis on Andy Dalton: 'He executed the offense well.' First play he referenced was Andy's rollout then pass to Brandon Tate on TD."
There's no arguing with Lewis, nor the beauty of Dalton's lone touchdown, a dart under pressure to a diving Tate deep down the field, who then had the awareness to get up and take it in for the score.
Lewis' comments speak well to the season as a whole so far. Dalton looks improved this year with a tighter control of the offense, his accuracy and demeanor regardless of situation.
Like the praise offered from Kelce, this sort of chatter won't go away if the Bengals can keep going out and taking care of business.
Lewis: "We've Got to Get Better"
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At 4-0 or not, the best coaches will find the negatives to point out and work on in the following weeks.
Which is what it sounds like Lewis is doing with his team, per a quote overheard by Joe Danneman of Fox 19: "Bengals walking back to locker room. Marvin Lewis muttered to coaches, 'we've got to get better.'"
There are plenty of areas for improvement for the Bengals to focus on moving forward, but especially on the defensive side of the football. Sunday was a strong overall performance, but the Chiefs didn't have issues targeting the team's weak points (such as the athleticism of the linebackers) to pick up large chunks of yardage at a time.
For Cincinnati, a strong record is one thing. Keeping it that way over the course of a long season is a different animal. So while the globe heaps praise on the undefeated Bengals, rest assured Lewis and the team will continue to plug holes wherever they can find them heading into a matchup with Seattle.
Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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