No one will remember the final score of any preseason game (sorry Green Bay Packers fans) but the moments created by under the radar players and roster long shots live on forever. Members of the Cincinnati Bengals roster will agree.

Cincinnati's 36-19 defeat to Green Bay came down to one team moving the ball on offense with solid pass protection, and the other having much more trouble doing that. The macro view is fine and dandy, but the preseason is about going deeper into the micro; identifying individuals who boosted their stock, or showed signs of tanking it. 



These players did one or the other Friday night.

7 Winners From Bengals’ Preseason Loss to Packers

S Tycen Anderson

Not one, but TWO interceptions for the former fifth-round pick. Anderson came in after Dax Hill exited at safety, and he made his impact felt immediately. He put six points up on the scoreboard by taking an errant Sean Clifford pass to the house, and followed that up by stealing a pass from rookie tight end Tucker Kraft over the middle.

Anderson wasn't in danger of not making the roster, but he surely reinforced his role going forward.

WR Andrei Iosivas

The Bengals threw practically everything at Iosivas, and the rookie handled it well. Four catches for a team-high 50 receiving yards on a variety of routes, including a few nine routes that resulted in an impressive sideline grab. He was inches away from a touchdown grab that would’ve dominated the highlight reel. His combination of winning against tight coverage and separating from would-be tacklers caught Zac Taylor’s eyes.

"He won some good contested throws. He didn’t go down at first contact and got YAC,” the Bengals' head coach said after the game.

Iosivas continues to trend upward, so much that he's a clear second-stringer now at one of the team's strongest positions.  

RBs Chris Evans, Chase Brown

The blocking in front of them was suspect most of the time, but both of these backs ran hard and efficiently with the space they were given. Evans had no wasted movement on his 33-yard long run of the night, which is contrary to what the scouting report would say about his running style. Brown showed his high-end athleticism on his 21-yard catch and run. 

It doesn't seem like one back had the edge over the other entering the night, and both put together quality games to keep their standing.

TE Tanner Hudson

Before exiting the game with a concussion, Hudson definitely looked the part of a tight end who can threaten defenses as a receiver. He got to his spots quickly and showcased reliable hands with four receptions on four targets, a continuation of what he showed in camp. Should he pass the concussion protocol before next week’s game, Hudson will continue to build his case for the 53-man roster.

CB DJ Turner

Speaking of translating camp work into the game, Turner did just that at cornerback throughout the first half. He turned in four tackles, two for a loss, and an impressive pass breakup on fourth down that required an incredible midair adjustment to bat away an under-thrown pass. Turner’s speed and awareness were on full display and it was a treat to watch.

S Jordan Battle

Battle was no slouch in the secondary either. He made several nice plays near and behind the line of scrimmage starting primarily from inside the box. He plays much faster than his timed speed indicates. He finished with three tackles, a tackle for loss, and a PBU, further solidifying why he’s being rotated in with the 1s and forcing defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to involve him with three safety personnel groupings. 

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4 Losers From Bengals’ Preseason Loss to Packers

RT Jackson Carman

There was a reason why Carman played nearly the whole game. The coaches wanted to give him a heavy workload to see if he could handle it. He couldn’t. The former second-round pick was losing often in pass protection, whether it be with improper hand usage, or simply a lack of focus and awareness. He absolutely needed a strong outing to remotely convince the Bengals that he can still challenge Jonah Williams at right tackle. All he did was put his roster spot in question.

CB Sidney Jones

Despite giving up a touchdown and a big first down in coverage, Jones wasn’t completely terrible out there. You could just see the clear difference between him and the younger and faster Turner. Jones has never been a man-to-man savant, and that showed Friday evening as he failed to find the ball and was a half-step behind receivers. With Turner and DJ Ivey showing out, Jones needs a better showing next week. 

QBs Jake Browning, Trevor Siemian

Let’s be real, they both didn’t really have a chance to succeed behind the Bengals’ offensive line. Their best plays came from standing tall in the face of pressure. Unfortunately, neither Browning nor Siemian separated from each other in this game, and that can be perfectly exemplified in the box score. They each ended up with the same exact passer rating of 49.9. 

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It was a busy night for the entire Bengals rookie class. Myles Murphy, Charlie Jones, and Brad Robbins each had some positive moments, but were more or less on par with expectations. Murphy has was to go with developing his bag as a pass rusher, Jones looked like a receiver playing with a partially torn labrum (he is), and Robbins' hang time was impressive for his five punts that averaged 44.8 yards of distance.

Cincinnati's next preseason game is next Friday at 7:30 pm E.T. against the Atlanta Falcons.

Bengals backup has the first half of his life vs. Packers

Two highlight reel plays for the second-year player.

Featured image via © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK