Cincinnati Bengals Two-Point Conversion: Peaks and Valleys Aplenty

The Bengals are searching for their identity through five games.

Who exactly are the Cincinnati Bengals? Through five weeks, I'm not sure we have a definitive answer to that question. They looked lost and inept against the Cowboys and Steelers, but also dominated the Jets and Dolphins. 

It was somewhere in the middle last week against the Ravens.

Decision Making Is An Issue...

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You can look at any game in the NFL in any given week and point to one or two plays that could have changed the outcome. I'm a staunch believer that one play doesn't win or lose a game, but one play can change the course of the game with everything that follows. For the Cincinnati Bengals, it was a matter of two plays in one drive.

Yes, I'm talking about the terrible series with goal-to-go in the third quarter.

After a rough start, the Bengals battled back and only trailed the Ravens by three late in their third quarter. After engineering a drive that chewed up almost the entire third quarter, they found themselves with first-and-goal from the two yard line thanks to a pass interference call against Ravens defensive back Kyle Hamilton. On first down, the Bengals looked for Hayden Hurst and it was incomplete. OK, no big deal. On second down they tried the trick play that results in Tyler Boyd being sacked for a 12-yard loss. Awful. Third down, Ja'Marr Chase gets the sack yardage back and it's fourth-and-goal from the two.

Decision time.

Kicking a field goal results in a tie and the Bengals are still right in the thick of it. Going for it caps off a nearly nine-minute drive with a score that takes the lead. 

Zac Taylor opts to go for it and what ensues might be one of the worst decisions this team has made in the last two seasons. A shovel pass to Stanley Morgan—a heavily covered Stanley Morgan. The ball fell incomplete and resulted in a turnover on downs. The Ravens extended their lead on the following drive. Disaster.

Tee Higgins was sidelined even though Taylor said the 23-year-old might've been able to go back into the game in certain situations. That goal line series was probably the most obvious of situations, even just as a decoy—the Bengals still had Chase, Boyd, Joe Mixon, and Hurst as viable options. Instead, they went for their second head-scratching play of the drive and it ends in a six-point swing.

I don't know what the Bengals can do at this moment to fix some of the play calling issues, but someone has to step in and put a stop to it. Having lost by just two, that six-point swing proved to be the difference. This team is too loaded with talent to struggle in those situations. Trying to get "cute" or catch the other team by surprise is hurting an offense that can impose their will on an opposing defense. While nothing is likely to be done about this heading into next week, it's play calling like this that will prevent the Bengals from getting to a level they're capable of.

...But It Shouldn't Be An Issue This Week

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

With a matchup against the New Orleans Saints this week, the Bengals shouldn't have any problem coming away with a win. It would be nice to get Higgins back, but the Saints' defense is susceptible to big plays and the run. Marshon Lattimore will be lined up on Ja'Marr Chase most of the game, but he can be beat. An early deep ball to Chase for a big game will get Lattimore in his own head and he'll begin to struggle.

As for the Bengals' defense, they should have a relatively easy time with New Orleans as they could end up facing former Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, with Jameis Winston still dealing with a back injury. Michael Thomas has missed three straight games, Jarvis Landry was out last week, and standout rookie Chris Olave suffered a concussion against the Seahawks and his status is up in the air.

The biggest threats to Cincinnati are in the form of Alvin Kamara—who began to get on track last week—and Taysom "Diet Tebow" Hill, who is the jack-of-all-trades for the Saints, coming off a four touchdown performance where he rushed in three and threw for one more.

Kamara is usually that duel threat as both a prolific runner and pass catcher. However, he has just 17 targets on the season and has been outrushed by Hill. Now, Kamara has only played in three games, but he's averaging 4.3 yards per carry. The Bengals on the other hand, are allowing just 99.6 rush yards per game.

If the receiving trio for New Orleans is out, containing Kamara and Hill should be a walk in the park for this Cincinnati defense. Doing that will effectively shut the Saints completely down and force a lot of punts. Dalton is averaging just over eight yards per completion and has just two touchdown passes in as many games. Everything is lining up for a Bengals bounce back in the bayou

Bengals Extra Point

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Stop being cute. Just use your playmakers and the points will come.

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