Taking stock of a few key Cincinnati Bengals players to watch in the team’s Week 8 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
After a brief reprieve from their season-opening malaise, it seems the Cincinnati Bengals have quickly returned to their bungling ways. Despite seeming to discover some rhythm on offense, a high-level defense apparently taking another step forward towards the elite, and having an extra week of preparation, they fell well short of victory in a deflating 29-14 loss to their division rival Pittsburgh Steelers to fall to 2-4.
They may not feel great right now, but they’ve got little time to sulk. This week brings in what could be their single most likely chance for a victory in any remaining game; immediately after, they hit the road for three straight contests against three possible playoff competitors. At 2-4, even in a strange year with just about everyone in the middle of the standings, they can’t afford to fall any further behind the other teams competing for the postseason.
Their last gasp efforts to re-enter the playoff fold begins now, versus the 2-5 Indianapolis Colts. Their team may not be good, but this season is proving more than ever that anyone can win (or lose) in any given matchup; Cincinnati needs to be as prepared for them as they would want to be for any elite squad league-wide.
Here are the guys Cincinnati will need to have step up to prevent an upset and keep their fading playoff desires alive.
3. Alex Erickson
This feels like a trap game. Cincinnati doesn’t quite have the record for when that term is usually used, but if they aren’t out of the playoff race yet — and still actually hope to make the postseason by the end of it — then this fits the criteria for a trap.
After this game, Cincinnati has those three straight road games against other possible AFC playoff contenders (Tennessee, Jacksonville, Denver). Though every one of those teams has proven to have debilitating flaws, they also have strengths which, in a given week, could overpower their opposition.
The Colts don’t have any of that. In fact, they are easily one of the most talent-starved rosters across the entire league. They do have some quality players, but some of their best talents either are or could be out of action for an extended period of time (including QB Andrew Luck). Their roster isn’t completely bare, however, and if Cincinnati comes into this game overlooking them they could easily lose.
That’s where someone like Erickson comes into play.
Coming into the year, he was viewed as maybe the No. 6 wide receiver, but he’s already seen the third-most offensive snaps of any wide receiver on the team and is the only non-Green receiver to not grade out as poor (59.9 or less on a 0-100 scale) in Pro Football Focus Edge‘s grading metrics (Erickson: 67.9). His snaps numbers per game are sporadic (four game under 10 snaps; two games with 30+), but he has had some level of involvement as a receiver in every game this season.
His main impact isn’t just as a receiver, though. He forced his way onto this season’s roster in the first place by becoming Cincinnati’s top return man. Erickson’s emergence was key in putting the days of Brandon Tate behind them, and he hasn’t disappointed.
Through seven weeks, Cincinnati is in the top ten for average kick return yardage (10th; 22.9 yards per return). He’s not been quite as good as a punt returner (Cincinnati is 14th there), but he’s been the main piece of a group that has averaged nearly 10 yards per return attempt (9.6).
To prevent themselves from falling into the trap that is this Colts game, they’ll need to win in every facet. Having their return man find a way to come away with a big play — or at least not make a mistake while supplying consistent gains — would go a long way towards keeping Indianapolis from ever being handed an opening to take advantage of.