The Cincinnati Bengals were back in action tonight, taking on the Arizona Cardinals in their first preseason game of the 2022 season. With virtually all starters in street clothes, this was a game that revealed depth or not. Let’s take a look at the winners and losers of Friday night’s contest.
Winner:
Chris Evans: Sophomore running back Chris Evans had one night, although the boxing score won’t tell you that. Official stats don’t look good, but Evans made progress as he attempted to take second place running back from Samaje Perine. Two out of three of Evans’ best plays were recalled. In the first quarter, Evans took a handoff outside for a big 68-yard gain that would have put the Bengals in the red zone but was saved by Thaddeus Moss. Later in the quarter, Evans had a five-yard touchdown run recalled, again by a grab on Moss. Last but not least, Evans popped into Special Teams and returned a kickoff for 41 yards.
Zach Carter: Rookie defenseman Zach Carter put on a strong performance in the first half. Finishing the game with 4 tackles sounds modest, but Carter jumped off the line. His best game featured him starting the ball and quickly making it to backcourt, knocking down a Trace McSorley pass. With an open hole in the defensive line rotation, Carter showed he should be in the mix.
Daxton Hill: The Michigan first-rounder had his first NFL action Friday night and he looked like he belonged. After being one step behind a touchdown pass early on (the game wasn’t his fault), Hill seemed to be on the ball every game. Hill had a near-interception in the end zone but couldn’t catch it when the receiver turned defender. A few more nearby picks and a big hit to force an incomplete made it a good effort for the young safety. If Jessie Bates misses the regular season, Hill can help fill the gap.
Jeffrey Gunther: Another rookie defender showed he belonged. Jeffrey Gunter, a rookie from Coastal Carolina, reported his first NFL sack Friday night and made a handful of stops to keep his name in the mix for a spot in the rotation. The high engine you may have heard about doesn’t always show up in the stats, but it certainly showed up.
Evan McPherson: That’s no shock, but Evan McPherson was on his game. “Money Mac” was… well, money. McPherson went three for three, but distance was what stood out. Hitting kicks from 56 and 58 yards showed that we shouldn’t expect a dip as a sophomore from the postseason hero.
Kendric Pryor: The Wisconsin rookie wideout faces a steep climb to make the list in a crowded receiver room, but Pryor had as good a debut as he could hope for. He caught four balls for 89 yards and one goal while making some spectacular grabs. He is very much in contention for a spot on the 53-man list.
Loser:
Jackson Carman: According to the Bengals’ first depth chart, the only offensive-line starter to see action was sophomore guard Jackson Carman and it was a rough night. Carman looked a bit slow coming off the ball, was handed a holding penalty and allowed a lot more pressure than you’d expect from a starter. Add in a solid performance from rookie Cordell Volson and Carman may find himself on the wrong side of left defense if he doesn’t improve quickly.
Punters: It appears the Bengals have a real fight for the punter position for the first time in 13 years. While neither Drue Chrisman nor Kevin Huber looked particularly bad, neither did anything to trip the other up. One would assume incumbent Huber would have the edge in this situation, but it will be something to watch going forward.
Offensive Backup Lineman: Carman’s struggles weren’t the only ones. To be honest, Friday’s starting offensive looked anything but rough. Penalties, missed missions and collapsing pockets were the topic of the first half. Granted, none of them (other than Carman) are expected to start, but we all know that offensive line depth can be very important on the track. After a preseason game, there’s no need to panic, but Frank Pollack obviously has some work to do in the second unit.
Squidward Moss: As previously mentioned, Moss had two penalties that spoiled big plays for offense. Fans are certainly hoping that Joe Burrow and Moss’ connection can return to its former glory, but Moss had a chance to draw attention to himself on Friday. Unfortunately for him, his catches won’t be what the trainers see on tape. With Drew Sample sidelined and Mitchell Wilcox leaving the game early, Moss seems to have missed a great shot to work his way up the narrow ranks.
Some good, some bad and some downright ugly tonight but Bengali football is back!