The Cincinnati Bengals begin prep for the Houston Texans in earnest on Wednesday.
In the interim, plenty of interesting news items went out surrounding the team. For one, we’ve finally seen the quiet emergence of a first-round rookie into the fray.
There are also some Joe Burrow stats to go over. A lot of them, in fact, as Burrow’s numbers since returning to 100 percent from his injury and against the best teams in the NFL are pretty staggering.
While there wasn’t an update on the Ja’Marr Chase injury just yet, there was plenty of other interesting stuff to go over during a quiet stretch.
Here’s a look at the must-know Bengals news, notes and quotes for November 8.
Myles Murphy emerges -- Bengals Wire
Don’t look now, but first-rounder Myles Murphy has started to see an uptick in snap counts and has even started to surpass other recognizable names in the process. Not bad for the rookie, considering at the start of the season it was worth wondering if he would even be active during games because of the depth of talent along the line.
National reactions -- Bengals Wire
“They know what they have right now” and some of the best reactions to the current streak for the Bengals and what it means for their Super Bowl aspirations.
Joe Burrow impressive stat No. 1 -- Bengals Wire
One breakdown shows how good Burrow has been against teams like the Chiefs over the last few years, something only made all the more impressive with big showings against the 49ers and Bills over the last two weeks.
Joe Burrow impressive stat No. 2 -- Bengals Wire
Just how back is Burrow? Two specific advanced metrics really illustrate the wild turnaround he’s had compared to how he was performing while injured early in the season.
Bengals enter top 10 in power rankings -- ESPN
ESPN highlights a defensive star while bumping the Bengals from 11th to seventh overall: “Hendrickson is one of the league’s most disruptive defensive linemen. He ranks 11th in pass rush win rate as an edge rusher (ESPN/NFL Next Gen Stats). According to ESPN tracking data, Hendrickson has created 9 sacks (fifth most among defenders), 19 incompletions (third most) and 2 interceptions this season. When he gets a first pressure, opponents are completing just 18.2% of their pass attempts.”
Bengals above Browns in top 10 -- NFL.com
The Bengals move up to ninth overall here: “Tee Higgins also has reasserted himself after a string of forgettable performances, and the tight ends made a surprisingly sizable contribution — another sign the team has added offensive dimensions. The Bengals’ defense really held firm after allowing the first-drive TD. This is a dangerous club now, even if the remaining schedule really is a murderers’ row. I think it’ll only make them stronger in the long run.”
Bengals enter top 5: The Athletic
Not only are the Bengals very high in these rankings, it makes sure to spotlight the Tee Higgins outburst: “Cincinnati has won four in a row and has beaten the 49ers and Bills in the last two weeks. Since Week 5, Joe Burrow leads the NFL in completion percentage (75.8), is third in offensive EPA per dropback (.15) and has 10 touchdowns against two interceptions. Getting Tee Higgins unlocked Sunday night, with a season-high 110 yards, feels like a notable development for this team.”
