Bengals Week 8 Snap Counts vs. Titans: Cornerbacks shuffle through shootout
The Cincinnati Bengals are riding a three-game win streak after narrowly defeating the Tennessee Titans, 43-36, in overtime. Let’s see what the snap counts for the entire team look like from Week 8’s victory.
The Cincinnati Bengals are riding a three-game win streak after narrowly defeating the Tennessee Titans, 43-36, in overtime.
Cincinnati came in as multi-score favorites to win. No one would’ve been surprised to see the reserves take the field late in a comfortable victory. Instead, nearly every active member of the Bengals defense took the field out of necessity.
Let’s see what the snap counts for the entire team look like from Week 8’s victory.
Bengals’ Week 8 snap counts vs. Titans
Cornerback chaos
Tennessee had a wildly successful day passing the ball against the Bengals secondary that was all out of sorts. The cornerbacks, specifically, were dealing with a lot.
Dax Hill (67) missed an easy open field tackle on the first play the second drive. He was soon taken off the field for Josh Newton (63). The two nearly played the same amount of snaps throughout the game as DJ Ivey (40) was then removed from action, taking Hill back outside, where he started the season at. Ivey then return to the game after DJ Turner II (58) suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.
Cornerback is one of the last positions a team wants to experience personnel change during the game. What is this the sole reason why Cam Ward and the Titans had their best week dropping back? No, but it definitely attributed to allowing 36 points to one of the worst offenses in the NFL.
Turner’s ankle is now a major storyline entering the midpoint of the season. If he’s to miss any time, an embattled defensive backfield will have to play without its best member by a long shot.
Another big Mike Gesicki game
Cincinnati funneled the majority of its passing game through wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase (71) and Tee Higgins (65), but tight end Mike Gesicki (50) definitely made his snaps count.
Gesicki entered the week with a four game touchdown streak. He extended it to five games well also doing damage outside of the red zone for the first time in a while. He hauled in four receptions for 76 yards. His 28 yards after the catch are the most he’s posted in a game this year. An average of 7.0 yards after the catch per reception ranked eighth among 26 qualifying TEs.
Gesicki played more than any TE for the Bengals, and also topped starting slot receiver Dohnte Meyers (44).
Expert analysis on Bengals Week 8 snap counts vs. Titans
Other key takeaways from Cincinnati’s fifth win of the season:
- TEs Jack Endries (12) and Cam Grandy (3) played together for the first time as the main reserves at the position. Endries’ caught his first target for a touchdown.
- Running back Chase Brown (51) nearly doubled Samaje Perine’s (26) involvement on Sunday. Brown averaged 4.4 yards per carry.
- Defensive end Shemar Stewart (6) was active this week, but hardly played. Cedric Johnson (4) suffered an injury late in the contest, as well as as Cashius Howell (27).
