The Cincinnati Bengals put on one of the most wow-worthy comebacks of the 2022 NFL season by scoring 34 straight during a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend.
That included four touchdown passes from Joe Burrow, while the defense forced Tom Brady to turn the ball over four times.
Understandably, advanced grades from Pro Football Focus paint Burrow and others in a positive light. There are some surprises too though worth highlighting, for better or worse.
Here’s a look at the most interesting Bengals PFF grades exiting the win before the team starts prepping for Week 16 against the New England Patriots.
Offensive top 5
QB Joe Burrow — 75.2
WR Tyler Boyd — 69.5
G Alex Cappa — 68.6
RB Joe Mixon — 64.2
WR Tee Higgins — 63.6
If the grades seem lowish, that’s a testament to just how bad things looked in the first half. Higgins, for what it’s worth, was just 0.3 ahead of Ja’Marr Chase’s grade and Cappa was the team’s best pass-blocker by a mile at 87.8.
Defensive top 5
CB Tre Flowers — 90.0
DT B.J. Hill — 82.0
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither — 81.4
S Jessie Bates — 76.2
DT Jay Tufele — 69.1
Flowers only played 15 snaps, but he sure made each of them count, including the interception. Yet another strong day from Hill, who continues to make the Billy Price trade look amazing. Don’t sleep on the value of Tufele playing so well over 15 snaps, either.
Biggest surprise
DJ Reader — 64.5.
Reader appeared to put on a clinic against the Bucs, including being in on multiple turnovers. PFF would appear to disagree, as he finished as only the eighth-highest-graded defender on the day. PFF gave him a 51.3 mark in run defense and a 35.7 grade in tackling.
Biggest disappointment
OT La’el Collins — 51.8
Colins stuck out as struggling and the grades back it up, as he earned a team-worst 47.8 pass-blocking grade. It was a forgettable day for the entire line besides Cappa, as three of the starters finished 13th or worse in offensive grading.
Other notes
PFF didn’t like Germaine Pratt’s day (58.5 grade). Eli Apple was credited as being targeted 10 times, allowing eight catches for 100-plus yards and a score. Rookie Cam Taylor-Britt, three catches on six targets. Chase struggled massively against Carlton Davis, catching just three of his eight targets when matched up with him.
