Numbers Game Crunches Into Last Two Games - Bengals.com

QUARTERBACKS

Andy Dalton (9), Jeff Driskel (4), Ryan Finley (R), Jake Dolegala (R).

How can you fairly judge what Dalton could do when he had a second-and-20, third-and-11, third-and-14 and third-and-19?

But you can say that Finley, the Bengals’ fourth-round quarterback, decisively outplayed Washington’s first-round quarterback. You can also say after going 20 of 26 for 150 yards and throwing for two touchdowns, Finley went into Friday’s games leading the NFL with 33 completions, 44 attempts and a completion percentage of 75 (with those of at least 21 passes), as well as being the league co-leader with three touchdown passes.

Time for a Kyler Murray check after two games: nine of 15 passing for 56 yards and no TDs.

The big difference for Finley between the first week of training camp and the rest of the way? The coaches say his footwork and getting into his throws. 

 As for Driskel, you may not be able to keep this guy off the roster. In the game The Experiment began, Driskel got them in field goal range as a quarterback with a hellacious run on third down in which he split two defenders as if he were a drafted running back. He started The Experiment on two snaps as a rush end on the punt return team.

It would seem if you made Driskel active on game day, he could serve as a package No. 3 quarterback, the fourth running back and sixth receiver while playing some phases on special teams. The only question is if they can teach and he can learn it in two weeks.  

OFFENSIVE LINE

L-RT Andre Smith (11), G-T John Jerry (9), LT Cordy Glenn (8), RT Bobby Hart (5), RG John Miller (5), G-C Trey Hopkins (4), G Alex Redmond (4), C Billy Price (2), T Justin Evans (1), C Brad Lundblade (1), LT Jonah Williams (R), G-C Michael Jordan (R), O’Shea Dugas (R), G Keaton Sutherland (R).

Jordan is going to be the starter at some point this season at left guard. After his first NFL start against Washington they’re trying to decide if he’ll be ready for Sept. 8 and we’ll get a pretty good idea Sunday when they line up for practice for this Thursday.

Word is they think Jordan had an overall good one against Washington but like all young players, he needs to be consistent. He had a false start, but he also impressed them with his power and how hard he played all 42 of his snaps. Once he got in 18 with the first group, he came back with the third and helped Finley get a touchdown.

But Hopkins moved seamlessly from center with the first group to left guard with the second group, and it was behind him and Price at center they generated the longest run of the preseason on running back Quinton Flowers’ nine-yard run. If they’re looking for steady, that could be the tandem they go with in the opener if Price’s foot is OK.

Holding calls on Miller and Glenn in the first group looked to be questionable, but overall they haven’t allowed Dalton to get hit in the preseason and that’s a good thing. The back-up people continue to play well and they got plenty of work since tackle Kent Perkins retired and guard Christian Westerman left the team with reports he’s considering retiring.

Redmond gets back into the back-up rotation Thursday when he makes his season debut as the Bengals continue to churn through various combos. The No. 2 tackles, Smith at right and Dugas at left, have yet to allow a sack and remember back to previous preseasons when the second half was a jail break?

Jerry continues to be interesting. He lined up at right guard on one touchdown drive and right tackle on the other. Also interesting is Dugas, an undrafted guard who has looked competitive at left tackle despite a penalty for a blind-side block on the last chaotic Hail Mary of the half.

They usually keep nine and you have to think they keep at least that with the Jonah Williams injury. If they think Dugas is the best back-up left tackle after he led the offense with 57 snaps Thursday, would they keep four tackles? Maybe they can with the versatility of Hopkins and Jerry in the interior.

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2019-08-17 13:03:22Z
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