Two AFC North groups entered Week 4 winless, desperately seeking to keep away from a dreaded 0-3 begin. Heading into Week 5, solely the Cincinnati Bengals are looking out to safe their first victory. The Bengals fell to the Washington Commanders 38-33 on Monday evening soccer, now on their lonesome in division basement. The Pittsburgh Steelers early benefit within the North solely grows.
Via three weeks, the Steelers have a multi-game lead on the remainder of the pack. Right here’s the up to date standings.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers: 3-0
2. Baltimore Ravens: 1-2
3. Cleveland Browns: 1-2
4. Cincinnati Bengals: 0-3
With the win, the Commanders transfer to 2-1, their first time over .500 since Week 3 of final season.
Within the early minutes, the Bengals regarded poise to cruise. Taking the opening kickoff, QB Joe Burrow discovered WR Ja’Marr Chase for a 41-yard landing. It was his first rating of the season and first since Week 13 of 2023.
However rookie QB Jayden Daniels and the Commanders provided an instantaneous reply. Daniels led his offense on a 10-play, 70-yard drive. It didn’t finish in an extended landing however a brief burst by RB Brian Robinson Jr. from 1-yard out to tie the sport.
Following a Bengals missed discipline objective, Washington grabbed the lead as free agent addition RB Austin Ekeler muscled his means by line of scrimmage resistance, discovered daylight, and beat the Bengals to the entrance left pylon for a 24-yard landing.
Ekeler had a giant day earlier than leaving with a attainable concussion, returning the second half kickoff 62 yards and chipping in a pair of receptions.
Bengals’ kicker Evan McPherson atoned for his earlier miss, hitting a 28-yarder to make issues 14-10 shortly earlier than halftime. Whereas Cincinnati settled for discipline objectives, Washington stored discovering the top zone. A 55-yard completion from Daniels to WR Terry McLaurin arrange Daniels doing it himself with a 4-yard rating on 1st and objective the next play. Cincinnati saved some face as McPherson hit his second discipline objective of the day, reducing into Washington’s halftime lead however nonetheless trailing 21-13 on the break.
The Commanders tried to run away with the sport on the half. After Ekeler’s massive opening return to the Bengals’ 33, Washington pushed their means right down to the 1-yard line. Daniels threw his first landing cross to not McLaurin or a working again or tight finish however OT and former Steeler Trent Scott, who did his massive man dance in the long run zone.
Daniels is the primary quarterback to throw his first profession landing cross to an offensive lineman for the reason that Buffalo Payments’ J.P. Losman hit offensive deal with (and former faculty tight finish) Jason Peters in Sept. 2005.
Going through the prospects of getting run out of their residence stadium, the Bengals hit the fuel. Burrow moved the Bengals’ 78 yards on 13 performs and on 4th and objective, used a rub path to get second-year WR Andrei Iosivas for a 2-yard rating. The additional level made it 28-20 late within the third quarter.
Washington added a discipline objective to once more go up two-possessions. Burrow introduced the Bengals offense again into the top zone the following drive, hitting Chase for a 31-yard landing, his second of the day. It was his first multi-touchdown day since his three-score explosion in Week 5 final season.
However the two-point conversion failed, preserving it a 5-point sport.
Main 31-26, Daniels and the Commanders didn’t go right into a shell. Whereas they moved the pocket and stored issues manageable for Daniels, they moved the ball to midfield. However a false begin and DE Trey Hendrickson sack put them behind the sticks. Washington bought yardage again on consecutive WR Dyami Brown tunnel screens. Going through no man’s land on 4th and 4 from the Bengals’ 39, Commanders’ head coach Dan Quinn pressed his luck. Daniels averted a whammy, connecting with veteran TE Zach Ertz for 9-yards as Washington started bleeding clock.
In what could be often called Daniels’ popping out get together, he continued to ship within the sport’s most crucial moments. On third and seven from the Bengals’ 27 with 2:15 remaining, Daniels stood tall within the face of stress and threw an ideal deep into the top zone, discovering McLaurin for the seize and landing.
The additional level put Washington up 38-26 simply forward of the two-minute warning. Daniels completed the sport practically good, finishing 21-of-23 passes for 254 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 141.7 quarterback score.
Cincinnati bought the ball again however couldn’t pull off a miracle. RB Zack Moss scored from a yard away with 40 seconds left, the additional level making it a 38-33 contest. Washington recovered the onside kick and after a kneeldown, the sport was over.
Whereas the Bengals have gotten accustomed to beginning out seasons 0-2, doing so in three of their final 4 years, 0-3 is an exponentially greater Defcon degree of concern. In 2020, 2022, and 2023, the Bengals averted a loss of their third sport, profitable two and tying the opposite. This time, they’ll should climb out of their deepest gap since 2019, Burrow’s rookie 12 months, after they completed 2-14. They’re more likely to do it with out OT Trent Brown, carted off with a knee harm. First spherical rookie Amarius Mims completed the sport.
Cincinnati will face a tougher-than-expected Carolina Panthers group subsequent Sunday, revived after turning to veteran and longtime Bengals QB Andy Dalton. The Commanders will journey West and face the Arizona Cardinals.