Stars, studs and duds from Bengals’ blowout win over Raiders in Week 11
The Cincinnati Bengals emerged big winners over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11, a 32-13 win the team broke open late.
It wasn’t all pretty and there are some duds to go over, but the overarching result is a win that dramatically helps the Bengals in playoff positioning later in the season, should they keep winning games.
Below is a look at some of the biggest studs and duds from the Week 11 clash.
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Star: WR Tyler Boyd
Las Vegas Raiders outside linebacker K.J. Wright (34) tackles Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
After a perplexing game in which the Bengals hardly targeted Boyd, the coaching staff righted the wrong against the Raiders by feeding the slot man eight targets, a team-high. Boyd responded with six catches for 49 yards, leading the team on a day the passing attack just couldn’t get going.
Star: Joe Mixon
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon, left, celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Mixon had five or more runs go for negative gains. But if we’re being honest, most of those were on the offensive line and/or other blockers. He had a fantastic game, rushing 30 times for 123 yards and a score on a 4.1 per-carry average. He was the heart and soul of the offense on a day nothing else was working.
Dud: RT Riley Reiff
Cincinnati Bengals tackle Riley Reiff (71) walks to the sidelines during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
We could put most of the offensive line on here but the veteran Reiff was especially bad on the right side when asked to match up with Maxx Crosby. He’s had a solid season, but looked lost at times in this one.
Stud: K Evan McPherson
Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (2) watches from the sideline in the second quarter of the NFL Week 2 game between the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. The Bears led 7-0 at halftime.
Cincinnati Bengals At Chicago Bears
The Bengals asked their fifth-round rookie to carry the weight on the scoreboard and he did, going 4-of-4 with three conversions from 50-plus yards. Trying to win any game with only field goals is a terrible idea, but McPherson clearly showed he’s up to the task.
Dud: QB Joe Burrow
Nov 21, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) prior to the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Burrow put his body on the line repeatedly and had to deal with a bad line in front of him. But he also missed some critical throws that could have opened up the game sooner and finished with a 20-of-29 line with 148 yards and a score, averaging a paltry 5.1 yards per attempt. Not that this is the end of the world — Burrow can grow from this and he got bailed out by a dominant showing from his running game.
Stud: DEs Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard
Nov 21, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) forces a fumble by Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Both defensive ends tallied a sack on the day. Hubbard was relentless, eventually breaking through for big plays late in the game. And as has been the case all year, Hendrickson has been a force for four quarters. Funnily, Hendrickson forced a fumble late that Hubbard almost took back for a touchdown.
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