Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are on track to miss the playoffs for the second straight year after their season struggles continued in a devastating 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Just three years removed from their 2021 Super Bowl appearance and two years from falling in the 2022 AFC Championship game, the Bengals have struggled to resemble the successful team they once were.

The Chargers can thank running back J.K. Dobbins for a game-sealing rushing touchdown that extended their lead, putting the pressure on the Bengals to score a touchdown with just 18 seconds left.

In result of their loss, the Bengals dropped to 4-7 on the season as the Chargers improve to 7-3.

Quarterback Joe Burrow completed 28-of-50 passes for 356 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. On the other side, Justin Herbert had a standout performance, completing 17-of-36 passes for 297 yards, two touchdowns and one fumble.

The Chargers dominated the first half, taking a commanding 24-6 lead entering halftime and holding the Bengals to just two field goals, preventing them from reaching the end zone until midway through the third quarter.

Cincinnati stormed back in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to seven points as they entered the fourth. In a finish that nobody saw coming, the Bengals tied it 27-27, keeping the Chargers and NFL fans on their toes. Despite their strong comeback, their early deficit proved too much to overcome.

The Bengals are two games behind the Denver Broncos for the last Wild Card spot, while the Chargers, now the No. 1 Wild Card seed in the AFC, are on track to make their first playoff appearance since 2022.

Despite their exciting attempt at a comeback, fans took to social media to express their frustrations with Burrow and the Bengals for their lackluster season following their seventh loss of the season.

The Bengals head into a bye week, while the Chargers will face the 7-4 Baltimore Ravens at home next Monday.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts were among the players to earn a boost in the latest Madden 25 ratings update.

Chase's overall rating increased from 93 to 94 while his awareness was boosted from 92 to 95 after recording 264 yards and three touchdowns during a narrow 35-34 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

As for Hurts, he improved from an 85 overall rating to 86 after racking up four total touchdowns during a lopsided 34-6 win against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10. He also completed 70 percent of his throws for 202 yards in the victory.

Hurts is completing a career-high 69.8 percent of his passes during his 2024 campaign, throwing for 1,976 yards and adding 378 yards on the ground. He's helped lead the Eagles to a 7-2 record which includes a current five-game win streak.

Brock Purdy was another signal-caller to receive a boost in the game, improving by one point to 89 overall. Purdy finished 25-of-36 for a season-high 353 yards during the San Francisco 49ers' victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, orchestrating a game-winning drive with roughly 40 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

On the defensive side of the ball, Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker saw his overall rating increase from 90 to 91. His pursuit, play recognition and awareness ratings were also raised.

Baker was everywhere as the Cardinals limited the New York Jets to a mere six points during a 25-point win in Week 10. The 28-year-old racked up nine tackles, three tackles for loss, one pass defensed and one sack.

He's now tied with Xavier McKinney of the Green Bay Packers as the highest-rated strong safety in the game.

Although the Atlanta Falcons suffered a 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints, multiple young stars on offense were recognized for their efforts. Running back Bijan Robinson rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns, while wide receiver Drake London caught eight passes for 97 yards.

Robinson and London's overall ratings were boosted by one point to 85 and 86 overall, respectively.

If the Falcons are able to bounce back from the divisional loss and improve upon their 6-4 record, both players could see their ratings increase even further.

Joe Burrow has played with Ja'Marr Chase since their college days at LSU, so he knows how to read the wide receiver.

And he knows when the Cincinnati Bengals' top pass-catcher wants the ball.

"You know, when you have a guy like that, if you're not finding ways to get him the ball then he maybe isn't going to let you know directly but he'll let you know in his way for sure," Burrow told reporters Wednesday. "… On the sidelines, sometimes it's individual conversations in the locker room, sometimes it's through you guys. There's a lot of different ways that a receiver can tell you, 'hey, get me the f--king ball.'"

Burrow certainly found a way to get Chase the "f--king ball" last time out.

While Cincinnati fell just short in a 35-34 loss to the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Chase finished with 11 catches for 264 yards and three touchdowns on 17 targets. It was an unbelievable performance and the second time in his career he went over 260 receiving yards in a single game.

He also did so when he posted 266 yards in a January 2022 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, which stands as the 16th most in NFL history for a single contest. Thursday's outing is the 19th most in league history.

Chase has received 11 or more targets in each of his last three games, so Burrow is making a point to get him the ball.

Notably, fellow wide receiver Tee Higgins was sidelined for all three of those games. Chase saw just six targets in each of the last two games he played when Higgins was on the field, so the Bengals may need to draw up ways to keep their top option more involved when they are healthier on the offensive side of the ball and not just doing so out of necessity.

Maximizing the production of both receivers will be key as Cincinnati attempts to put its 4-6 start in the rearview mirror and make a late charge in the season's stretch run.

It will have to go 5-2 or better to finish with a winning record and perhaps battle for an AFC wild-card spot, which will be easier said than done with an upcoming matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers and two remaining games against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But as long as Burrow is throwing the ball to Chase, the Bengals figure to have a chance in any contest.

Wide receiver Tee Higgins is reportedly considered a huge long shot to re-sign with the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency during the offseason.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, NFL sources believe there is "little to no chance" Higgins will be with the Bengals in 2025.

Higgins is playing under the franchise tag this year, but franchising him again would cost $26.2 million, and Fowler noted it is likely the Bengals will instead use that money to sign No. 1 wideout Ja'Marr Chase to an extension.

This past offseason, Higgins did not immediately sign his franchise tender, instead requesting a trade in hopes of landing with a team that would be willing to sign him to an extension.

However, when no deal came to fruition, Higgins signed the franchise tender in July and agreed to play under the tag in 2024 before having the opportunity to hit free agency in 2025.

Over his first three NFL seasons after the Bengals selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, Higgins built up a strong rapport with quarterback Joe Burrow and put up strong numbers.

He delivered two 1,000-yard seasons during that stretch and averaged 72 receptions for 1,009 yards and a shade over six touchdowns per year.

Injuries started to take a toll on Higgins last season, though, as he missed five games and was limited in a couple of others, leading to a career-worst stat line of 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns.

It has been more of the same for the 25-year-old receiver in 2024 as well with him missing half of the Bengals 10 games due to hamstring and quad ailments.

Higgins has been highly productive when on the field, recording 29 grabs for 341 yards and three scores, but his lack of availability has undoubtedly contributed to the Bengals' disappointing 4-6 start.

Chase, who held out during training camp before returning to practice shortly before the start of the regular season, has benefited from Higgins' absence to the tune of a league-leading 66 receptions, 981 yards and 10 touchdowns.

That figures to help him land the mega contract extension he has been seeking, but it will also make it difficult for the Bengals to justify re-signing Higgins.

Higgins' durability issues may make it a bit easier for the Bengals to let go of him, as there will be significant risk involved with giving him a high-dollar contract.

Even so, Higgins figures to land one in free agency since he is shaping up to be the clear best wideout available, has a history of success and will still only be 26 by the time the offseason rolls around.

Assuming that happens, the Bengals will have an obvious hole across from Chase that they'll either have to fill in the draft or from within in the form of Andrei Iosivas or 2024 third-round pick Jermaine Burton.

Free-agent running back Leonard Fournette and free-agent cornerback Xavien Howard reportedly will not be signing contracts after visiting the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the Bengals made Howard an offer, but the two sides were not able to agree to a deal:

Meanwhile, Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported Fournette will not be signing with the team, either. Schultz reported the Bengals will instead be signing former New York Giants running back Gary Brightwell, who will begin on the practice squad.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero previously reported Cincinnati was working out Fournette.

Fournette won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2020-21 season and last played with the Buffalo Bills in 2023. He appeared in just two games with the Bills, racking up 40 yards on 12 carries.

Fournette previously recorded 668 rush yards with the Buccaneers in 2022 and owns a career average of 3.9 yards per carry.

Howard spent the first eight seasons of his career as a member of the Miami Dolphins before he was released in March.

The Bengals could use an experienced cornerback after allowing 35 points to Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in a loss on Thursday that dropped them to 4-6 through 10 games.

Jackson threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns in the victory without getting sacked, completing 75.8 percent of his passes.

Howard has four Pro Bowl nods under his belt, including three straight selections from 2020 through 2022. He's racked up 331 tackles, 95 passes defensed, 29 interceptions and four forced fumbles throughout his career.

The 31-year-old took a step back in 2023, which played a role in his eventual release. Howard picked off one pass and allowed 44 receptions on 71 targets in 13 starts, earning a mere 55.1 grade from Pro Football Focus.

Inconsistency from the Bengals' defense has prevented the team from meeting expectations despite impressive seasons from the star duo of quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Cincinnati is giving up 26.2 points per game in 2024, representing the seventh-worst scoring defense in the NFL.

The Bengals have scored more than 30 points in five games this season, but they own a record of just 2-3 in those contests.

Howard also has some familiarity with Cincinnati's coaching staff, as defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo previously served as the Dolphins' defensive backs coach with Howard from 2016-17. Despite his ties to Anarumo, it does not appear as though there will be a reunion at this time.

Despite the Bengals' tumultuous season, they still sit just one game behind the Denver Broncos for the No. 7 seed in the AFC.

As NFL officials continue to have problems seeing obvious facemask penalties during Thursday night games, LASIK has stepped up to offer them free surgeries to improve their vision.

After Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike's facemask on Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow went unpenalized in the Ravens' 35-34 win over the Bengals, LASIK took advantage of the marketing opportunity by announcing they're "still offering" refs a free surgery:

This is the second time in three weeks officials have missed a facemask penalty on Thursday Night Football. It previously happened on Oct. 24 in the Los Angeles Rams' 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Rams linebacker Byron Young grabbed a handful of Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold's facemask on a play that resulted in a sack and safety to give Los Angeles a 10-point lead with just under two minutes remaining.

Referee Tra Blake said in a pool report after the game that he didn't get a clear look at the play because Darnold was facing in the opposite direction of him. The NFL actually fined Young for the play even though there was no penalty called.

There were multiple missed calls on the Bengals' final drive, including on a two-point conversion attempt that would have given them a 36-35 lead with 38 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Burrow was hit in the head and facemask by Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones after throwing the ball on the two-point attempt. Amazon Prime analyst Kirk Herbstreit also pointed out that Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki was being held on the same play.

Prime Video's rules expert Terry McAulay said on the broadcast that both incidents should have been flagged (h/t Stephen Douglas of Fox 4 in Kansas City).

"Yeah, it was clearly defensive holding before the pass was in flight, which should have been called," McAulay said. "And that does look like forceable contact to the head of the quarterback. That's a personal ... That's roughing the passer and it should have been called."

A penalty would have given the Bengals another shot at converting the two-point play from the Ravens' one-yard line. Instead, they suffered a loss that dropped their record to 4-6 and put a dent in their playoff hopes.

The Ravens escaped with a win and improved to 7-3 overall this season. They could end the weekend in first place in the AFC North if the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

Ja'Marr Chase's representatives celebrated his big night against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football.

Caitlin Aoki, the agent of the Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver, wrote that Chase "keeps making my job easier" in a post on X.

The 24-year-old hauled in 11 receptions for 264 yards and three touchdowns in Baltimore.

Chase and the Bengals were unable to agree to a long-term contract extension before the start of the regular season.

The receiver held in throughout training camp, showing up to Cincinnati's facilities without participating in practice as he awaited a potential extension.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Chase and the Bengals "came close to reaching a deal" before Week 1 of the regular season, but the team's offer didn't meet his desire to reset the wide receiver market. Per Fowler, people "around the league" expected Cincinnati to pay Chase "somewhere between" the contracts handed to CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys and Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings.

Jefferson and Lamb own the two highest contracts among all receivers in terms of average value, playing on deals worth $35 million and $34 million per year respectively (via Spotrac).

As for Chase, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft is still on a rookie deal that keeps him under contract through 2025, giving both sides another chance to figure out an agreement during the upcoming offseason.

Chase's asking point will likely increase following his 2024 campaign, though. Entering Thursday's action, he already recorded 55 catches for 717 yards and seven touchdowns.

With teammate Tee Higgins set to enter unrestricted free agency in 2025, the Bengals will likely work harder to secure a long-term deal with Chase so that they don't risk losing multiple standout receivers.

After his stellar performance against the Ravens, it should be easier for Chase's representation to negotiate a hefty extension for the wideout.

The Cincinnati Bengals completed a rare deal at the NFL trade deadline by acquiring running back Khalil Herbert from the Chicago Bears, and star quarterback Joe Burrow is pleased with the move.

"It's something that we needed, I think," Burrow told reporters on Tuesday, per Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. "I'm glad that we went out and tried to get better. I've watched Khalil in the past, and I think he will help us."

Per Williams, before Tuesday's acquisition of Herbert, the Bengals had only made two in-season trades in the last 52 years.

Cincinnati was in need of depth at the running back position after Zack Moss was placed on injured reserve due to a neck injury. Herbert is expected to be the primary backup to second-year running back Chase Brown, who leads the team with 479 yards and four touchdowns.

A four-year veteran, Herbert appeared in six games for Chicago and registered just eight carries for 16 yards and a touchdown. He was a healthy scratch for the Bears in the last two games. For his career, he's appeared in 48 games and totaled 1,791 rushing yards and nine touchdowns while also adding 45 career catches for 291 yards and two more scores.

The Bengals rank third in the AFC North with a 4-5 record after this past Sunday's 41-24 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. After an 0-3 start to the season, Cincinnati appears to have found its footing with three wins in its last four outings.

The Bengals will look to keep the momentum going when they return to action on Thursday Night Football for a key division matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, who rank second in the AFC North at 6-3.

The Cincinnati Bengals have just three days between last Sunday's victory over the Las Vegas Raiders and their next game against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday.

But Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase says he doesn't know if that shortened week makes game prep feel like cramming for a test.

"I didn't study in school," Chase told reporters on Tuesday.

Chase was selected with the No. 5 pick of the 2021 draft out of LSU, where he led the FBS and set an SEC record with 1,780 receiving yards during his sophomore season in 2019.

The wideout continued: "It's a lot, 'cause you just gotta stay focused... just gotta stay locked in when we on the field, just pay attention."

Chase added that he was happy to be playing in a night game so that he could "finally sleep in."

Chase has been held to 55 receiving yards or below in three straight games but could be on pace for a breakout performance. With Tee Higgins continuing to recover from a quad injury, Chase has received 11 targets from Joe Burrow in each of the Bengals' last two games.

During the Week 9 win over the Raiders, he hauled in seven catches for 47 yards, although it was Chase Brown, Drew Sample, Andrei Iosivas and Mike Gesicki who Burrow found in the end zone.

Chase could be set for his first touchdown pass in two games as the Bengals come up against a Ravens pass defense that has allowed an NFL-high 2,718 passing yards through nine games.

The Ravens are also one of the highest-scoring teams in the NFL with an average of 31.4 points scored per game heading into Week 10, so the Bengals will be looking for a strong outing from their own defense anchored by NFL sack leader Trey Hendrickson.

After a sluggish 1-4 start to the season, the Bengals have won three of their last four games and look to be trending upward heading into Week 10. Cincinnati will now look to build on that momentum with their second win in five days.

Meanwhile Chase, who recorded 193 receiving yards against the Ravens in Week 5, will look to build on that season-high total when Week 10 kicks off on Thursday at 8:15 p.m. ET in Baltimore.