LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

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Since 2004

Tag: Burrow

  • The Bengals Battle in the Windy City

    The Bengals Battle in the Windy City

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – Although the score might not have borne it out, the Cincinnati Bengals’ reserves played their tails off against the Chicago Bears starters on Saturday. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was riding high ready to make his first start in front of a raucous Soldier Field crowd of 59,829 fans. But the Bengals defense held him and the explosive Chicago offense to three straight three and outs.

    The Bengals backups on defense proved so effective that Williams remained in the game well into the second quarter. He eventually showed everyone just how much of a special athlete he is, throwing a dot after an amazing scramble and then running for a spectacular touchdown of his own.

    There’s no doubt that Williams has all of the potential in the world to be a superstar in this league, but Bengals fans should take a lot of pride in the way that their team contained the rookie and the rest of the Bears offense in the first half. Especially considering that after starting their backups, towards the middle/end of the game Cincinnati was putting players on the field that will likely have little chance of making the 53-man roster, which undoubtedly added to the lopsided 3 – 27  score.

    The Bengals offense, on the other hand, really felt the absence of its key players and struggled all day. Logan Woodside looked good at times but held on to the football a bit too long on two plays and took some massive hits, one of which led to a floating interception for the Bears. Woodside finished 17-25 with 132 yards and 2 interceptions. The running game also struggled to get going, finishing with 82 total yards at just 3.3 yards per carry. Perhaps the biggest worry for the Bengals was their 11 penalties for a staggering 123 yards, but there is still plenty of time to work those issues out before week 1 on September 8 at Paycor with the New England Patriots.

    In the end this was a game where the first half told the true tale of the depth and effectiveness of this team, especially on defense. The fact that our backups held an explosive offense like the Bears in check for so much of this game is something to be celebrated. Maema Njongmeta lead the defense once again with 8 total tackles as well as 1 tackle for loss. Bengals rookie Kris Jenkins had a great bull rush that led to a sack, in a great bounce-back game after he had a difficult time last week against Tampa Bay.

    Another bright spot was Evan McPherson, who hit a 54-yard field goal and made it look silky smooth. The Bengals reached an extension with their clutch kicker to the tune of 3 years and $16.5 million. McPherson made it look like he was worth every penny on Saturday and having such a clutch kicker will no doubt pay dividends this year.

    Some other interesting notes in this one: Jermaine Burton had 1 catch for 19 yards. Trayveon Williams did run hard and also had 2 catches out of the backfield for 19 yards of his own. Williams looks poised to lock up the third running back spot as well. And after numerous injuries and setbacks in college, rookie tight end Erick All had his first reception today, hopefully the first of many for a kid who has worked so hard to get back to football action.

    An important rule for preseason football games is not get too excited about wins, and just as important to not rush to the gloom and doom after a loss. There was plenty that did not go to plan on Saturday that the Bengals can fix. At the same time, it would be beyond foolish to draw any sort of condemnation of the team after their starters all took the day off, and their backups (at least on defense) looked up to the task. The key is to make it through with as few injuries as possible, learn from mistakes, and prepare for week 1 against the Patriots. And the Bengals checked all those boxes today.

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    Hey readers… have an opinion about sports? How about a topic you’d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

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    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coach’s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Missing in Action: The Ja’Marr Chase Saga Continues

    Missing in Action: The Ja’Marr Chase Saga Continues

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – Just as soon as the Bengals thought they’d solved one issue at wide receiver by signing Tee Higgins, they found themselves staring down the next one in what to do about Ja’Marr Chase’s own contract concerns. As soon as Chase proved on the field that he was one of the top receivers in the National Football League, pundits and fans alike knew that this moment coming. The writing was on the wall that the Bengals were going to have to find a way to pay both him and Joe Burrow, and the price was going to be more than a king’s ransom.

    That’s why Chase’s “hold in” was not entirely surprising to anyone who’d been closely following the team in the years since he was drafted 5th overall in 2021. He is in the final year of his rookie contract (with a club option for 2025 to the tune of 21.8 million) and wants the security of a long-term deal. After seeing Justin Jefferson sign a 4 year, 140-million-dollar contract (with over 110 million potentially guaranteed) it is understandable that he wants to be paid around the same range, especially given that Jefferson was drafted a year before Chase. As of now, the talented Bengals receiver is set to make $1 million in base pay with a total of $4.8 million in guaranteed money this season.

    Although it was understandable that Chase might excuse himself from participating in Bengals preseason games and practices, fans could at least take comfort in the fact that he was present and with his teammates as they worked. That all changed on Tuesday as he was completely absent from the team’s activities. For their part, Zac Taylor and the Bengals tried to downplay the situation as much as possible. Taylor said that “we’ll take it one day at a time, I don’t have any comment beyond that” and that the situation was “day to day.” Neither side has publicly weighed in beyond one or two sentences at a time, but the tension underlying the situation is plain for all to see.

    Ja’Marr Chase is a superstar that the Bengals cannot afford to let walk, and they know it. Although these contractual issues are something of a distraction, the situation with Tee Higgins demonstrates that when push comes to shove, players want to be on the field rather than at home bickering about money. Chase is likely no different, and though he may be making a statement now, it’s almost a certainty that he will be in the orange and black week 1 against the Patriots.

    Make no mistake, it is unfortunate that Chase is missing important reps in camp and a chance to get in sync with a healthy Joe Burrow. Honestly, there may be some lag in that connection to start the season, though I hope that is not the case. But other key pass catchers are healthy and progressing well, including Tee Higgins. Ja’Marr Chase is such an elite athlete that he’ll be in game shape in the blink of an eye, and if it takes him a second to get back to where he was, Higgins and company will be right there. And never forget the ability of Joe Burrow to make any receiver a star at any given moment given his arm strength and accuracy.

    As of right now there is no need to sound the alarm. But still, it’s a drama that fans can’t help but keep at the front of their minds and computer screens. And the sooner it’s finished the better it will be for all parties.

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    Hey readers… have an opinion about sports? How about a topic you’d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here. 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coach’s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Going Camping! Four Captivating Storylines to Watch as the Bengals Start Camp

    Going Camping! Four Captivating Storylines to Watch as the Bengals Start Camp

    Photo of Rookie Jermaine Burton running a route at Bengals’ Minicamp, Courtesy of the Bengals on X.

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – As fall approaches the inevitable excitement for the return of Bengals football grows to a fever pitch. The start of that excitement usually begins with the commencement of training camp, which begins this week. There are plenty of interesting storylines to track as the Bengals ramp up for their season opener on September 8th against the New England Patriots. Here are just a few:

    Joe Burrow’s Health

    Any conversation about the Bengals understandably begins and ends with Joe Burrow. His preseason injury disrupted the beginning of the team’s 2023 campaign and his injury against Baltimore in week 11 nearly spelled the end of it.

    All of that is thankfully in the past and the Bengals franchise quarterback has looked smooth and focused in the limited preseason action that we’ve seen so far. Physically his hand appears strong and Burrow’s throwing motion is solid. Keeping him in good health is a top priority not only during the season but also throughout camp and during Cincinnati’s preseason games. The trick is that those concerns are also balanced against the need to get Burrow on the field as much as necessary to build the cohesion of the offense.

    No, he does not have to, nor should he, play large chunks of the preseason. But this camp will be important because the more he can connect with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and sharpen their timing and communication now, the faster the Bengals can hopefully find success once the season starts. Early injuries have hurt this team in the past and that’s been evident in their record over the early part of the season. Last year they started 1-3, in 2022 it was 2-2. But with both Burrow and Higgins completely healthy, watching them get in sync during camp will be a great thing to watch for.

    Dax Hill’s Position Switch

    When the Bengals drafted Dax Hill with the 31st overall pick in 2022 it was as a safety. There was a lot of hope that the promising young man out of the University of Michigan could eventually step into the shoes of Jessie Bates. However, the plan hasn’t necessarily come to fruition in the way that we all thought.

    Part of the need to switch Hill from safety to corner has been his struggles there, but also because of the emergence of Jordan Battle and the signing of Geno Stone from the Baltimore Ravens. With two solid players in the back of their secondary it allows more flexibility to get Dax Hill meaningful reps on the field, albeit at a different position. Moving positions doesn’t come without risks, though.

    Playing cornerback requires physicality at the line of scrimmage and with less space to operate it really puts a player’s speed and flexibility to the test. It’s a tough transition but if there is anyone who has the versatility to pull it off it is Dax Hill. But training camp is the place where fans and coaches will be able to see his progress at his new position and evaluate what he might bring either as a nickel or slot corner or to backup Cam Taylor-Britt or DJ Turner. In today’s NFL a team cannot have enough experienced defensive backs and however the Bengals can get their former first round pick on the field they should absolutely embrace those options.

    A Major Offensive Line Battle

    As discussed above, Joe Burrow’s health is the team’s paramount priority. Burrow has played behind patchwork offensive lines since he entered this league, and the world has seen the results. Bengals fans have suffered through the lowlight reels time and again, of their only hope for a Super Bowl running for his life or being crushed by pass rushers so gargantuan that it seems almost criminal to witness. Burrow has been sacked 148 times in his first 52 games played, which simply cannot be allowed to continue.

    This year 4 out of the 5 starting positions are likely set, but this week revealed some interesting news. On Tuesday the Bengals placed OT Trent Brown on the Active/Non-Football Injury list. Brown signed a one-year, $4.75 million contract with the Bengals in March of 2024 after his tenure with the New England Patriots and many had him pegged as the starter at right tackle given his prior experience. However, the future at the position almost surely rests with Amarius Mims, who the Bengals drafted with the 18th overall pick this season out of Georgia.

    With Brown’s absence, Mims will receive critical first-team reps during training camp. Fans and coaches alike will be able to see and evaluate his ability to play right away at a position that is critical for this team and to protect its most valuable asset in Joe Burrow. There was always a chance the right tackle position would turn into a heated battle between the veteran and the up-and-coming young rookie, but it looks like that battle will happen much earlier than we all expected, adding yet another layer of excitement in this year’s camp.

    The reason for Brown’s placement on the non-injury list hasn’t been made clear yet. Though Brown has his own significant injury history, this list is for issues that arise while players are away from their teams. Brown will not be able to practice until he’s activated from the list, but that activation can happen at any point this summer. So as of now, it’s a waiting game for Brown’s return, but until then, many eyes will be watching the progress of Amarius Mims.

    There were more than a few analysis that believed that Mims was a “project” when he was selected, given the lower amount of snaps that he played while at Georgia. Though Mims’ size and talent have the potential to make him into an all-pro type player, there are questions as to just how much time it would take to get there. Now, he has the chance to prove that he is ready now to start in this league, and show that the “project” is well ahead of schedule.

    A New Era At Running Back

    Joe Mixon had over 6,400 yards and 62 touchdowns during his 97 games with the Bengals in a career that included many great moments for the Orange and Black. He’s now with the Houston Texans and the man signed to replace him is Zach Moss. He played last year for the Indianapolis Colts and had 794 yards on 183 carries and reached the end zone 7 times. He will also be sharing at least some measure of his carries with Chase Brown, the Bengals’ 5th round draft pick in 2023. Brown had just 179 yards on the ground but showed an electric ability to catch the ball out of the backfield where he had 15 catches for 156 yards (an 11.1 average).

    Moss and Brown might not have the carry volume of Joe Mixon, but for his part Moss graded better in a key area that the Bengals need (just as they need with the offensive line): pass protection. Brown is also a much more significant threat to catch the ball out of the backfield and that aspect of his game will only get better as his time on the field increases. Their workload and fit into the Bengals offense will also be very interesting to watch as camp, and the preseason, get ramped up.

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    Hey readers… have an opinion about sports? How about a topic you’d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here. 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coach’s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Special Announcement: The Loveland Magazine Sports Desk!

    Special Announcement: The Loveland Magazine Sports Desk!

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – Loveland Magazine is very excited to announce that we are expanding our sports social media experience to encompass Facebook, X, and even Instagram.

    After you are done browsing our hard-hitting sports articles at Loveland Magazine, head on over to The Loveland Magazine Sports Desk. There, across all three platforms, we will be bringing you some more concise and up-to-the-minute updates on all of the sports teams you follow every day. Whether you’re watching a Reds or Bengals game in real-time and want to weigh in, or if you drop by the day after the game to check in on what happened and give your thoughts, you now have three more ways to get into the game and get the discussion going! We also look forward to bringing you local Loveland sports stories about all your hometown teams, including Loveland football and more.

    We appreciate your ongoing support and comments, so look forward to seeing you across the social media universe!

    To follow The Loveland Magazine Sports Desk on Facebook, click here.

    To get into the game on X, give us a follow by clicking here.

    Instagram is also a great way to post pictures of local Loveland sports, and we hope to have more content there very soon, but for now feel free to check in on our progress and give us a follow at this link.

    However you get in contact with us, we are happy to have you and look forward to a lot of fun together this summer and onward.

    Hey readers… have an opinion about sports? How about a topic you’d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coach’s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Tee Higgins ends holdout and signs Franchise Tender with Bengals

    Tee Higgins ends holdout and signs Franchise Tender with Bengals

    by Chris Ball

    Queen City Sports from Loveland, Ohio

     

    On Monday, Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins officially ended his holdout and signed his franchise tender. He’ll now make $21.816 million fully guaranteed for the 2024 season. Higgins played in 12 games last year and caught 76 passes for 656 yards and 5 touchdowns. His season high in receiving yards came on December 23 when he had 5 receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown in a 34-11 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He spent much of 2023 dealing with lingering rib and hamstring injuries but hopes to put those behind him next year and show that he is indeed a top receiver in this league.

    Photo courtesy of the Cincinnati Bengals on Twitter

    The impact of Higgins’s signing his franchise tender in June and reporting to Bengals training camp can’t be anything but beneficial. Having a healthy Joe Burrow throwing passes and working on the critical element of timing with one of his key receivers in July instead of August is absolutely critical to doing what the Bengals have often struggled to do in years past: start the season strong.

    They lost 3 out of their first 5 in both 2022 and 2023. Joe Burrow’s injury no doubt played a large role in that last year. However, having both he and Higgins healthy, in sync, and on the field ready to go for the first part of 2024 will be a welcome sight for all of Who Dey Nation.

    While there was never really a significant belief that Higgins would sit out the 2024 season, there was plenty of uncertainty about just when he would sign and/or report for offseason workouts. With those questions safely behind them, the hope is that the team can focus on their work on the practice field.

    Bengals Training Camp presented by Kettering Health kicks off on Wednesday, July 24. Training camp practices will take place at the Kettering Health Practice Fields located just west of Paycor Stadium. Practices will continue through August 20th. The Bengals first preseason game is on August 10th against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

    What do you think about Higgins’ extension? Let us know in the comments here or on Facebook, or drop us a line at the email below!

    _______________________

    Hey readers… have an opinion about sports? How about a topic you’d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coach’s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Can the Bengals do right by the team and fanbase with Mixon, Green contract decisions

    Can the Bengals do right by the team and fanbase with Mixon, Green contract decisions

    Willie Lutz is a former Loveland resident, a graduate of Loveland High School, and former sportswriter for Loveland Magazine

    By Willie Lutz

    Closing the regular season with a convincing 33-23 victory over the listless Cleveland Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals closed their first run with Zac Taylor at head coach with a 2-14 record and a whole lot of questions left to answer. Granted, the close of the regular season now brings the season of change for this organization. 

    While the Bengals have plenty of structural reloading to do across this roster, with changes being needed in just about every position category, the team has to decide how the foundation of their team progresses with two key contracts this offseason; A.J. Green and Joe Mixon. 

    Both players have also made their interest in remaining Bengals-for-life pretty clear, especially for Green who’s modeled his career after Arizona Cardinals-lifer Larry Fitzgerald.

    If it comes down to a pick-em, it seems relatively clear that Mixon will carry the day.

    Certainly, a “why not both” reality exists, as the $17.7 million owed to QB Andy Dalton, $11.1 million owed to CB Dre Kirkpatrick, and $9.5 million owed to LT Cordy Glenn in 2020 could very easily come off the books at some point early in this offseason. Despite the ability to make up the money, the team may decide it’s one or the other; if it comes down to a pick-em, it seems relatively clear that Mixon will carry the day. 

    Here’s how Mixon and Green have fared over the past two seasons: 

      • Joe Mixon: 30 games, 2,305 rushing yards, 96.3 total yards per game, 17 total touchdowns, 4.5 yards per rushing attempt. 
      • A.J. Green: 9 games (none since Week 13 of 2018), 694 receiving yards, 77.1 receiving yards per game, 6 touchdowns, 15.1 yards per catch, 9 yards per target. 

    Both have the ability to post league-leading numbers in addition to both being complete game-changers when at the top of their game. While it’s been 395 days since we’ve seen Green play football and 437 days since he posted his last 100-plus yard receiving game, what Bengals fans have seen A.J. do in Cincinnati over his eight-year career is plenty convincing. 

    Going into the offseason, everyone in and around the organization is pretty aware that the team’s star running back will plan to hold out for a new contract before the final year of his rookie deal in 2020. Considering Mixon attempted a hold out before the 2019 season, it seems inevitable that the running back will match his colleagues’ tactics and try to push for a healthy pile of cash from the Cincinnati Bengals. 

    It’s not to say that Mixon will have a big drop in production, but typically players in his position group tend to start falling off around the age of 27.

    Recent changes in football spending wisdom have pointed out the inefficiencies of signing running backs to a second contract, as the burn-out factor has frequently out-weighed the value of the deal. It’s not to say that Mixon will have a big drop in production, but typically players in his position group tend to start falling off around the age of 27. 

    Here’s what’s resulted for the bank accounts of other top running backs around the league who’ve held out for more money:

      • Ezekiel Elliot, Dallas Cowboys: Held out all of training camp, signed a six-year, $90 million ($28 million guaranteed) contract on Sept. 4, allowing him to rush ahead for 1,357 yards and 12 touchdowns on 4.5 yards-per-carry during the 2019 season.
      • Le’Veon Bell, New York Jets: Sat out for entire 2018 season with Pittsburgh Steelers, signed four-year, $52.5 million ($35 million guaranteed) with Jets in Summer 2019. 
      • Melvin Gordon, LA Chargers: Skipped training camp, returned to Chargers in Week 5, finishing the season with 8 touchdowns and a career-low 612 yards on 3.8 yards per attempt.

    As the NFL acts as something of a fraternity or perhaps a very specialized networking organization, Joe Mixon is certainly friends with a lot of the other top-flight running backs in the league who’ve recently held out for more cash. Considering Mixon ranks somewhere in the top three-to-five runners in the league, his contract seems more likely to resemble a lofty salary like Elliot’s deal from Dallas and less like the front-loaded deal Bell received from New York. 

    Green will be more of a specialized case; he’s the face of the franchise in a lot of ways and certainly has the healthiest jersey share of any player currently on the team.

    Green will be more of a specialized case; he’s the face of the franchise in a lot of ways and certainly has the healthiest jersey share of any player currently on the team. Walking around the Paul Brown Stadium tailgate lots, you’ll find exponentially more #18 jerseys than #28, #14, or #85 (Ochocinco and Eifert) on the backs of fans. 

    Over the course of his time in Cincinnati, this fanbase has seen a lot more winning when Green is on the field than when he’s off; the Bengals are 66-48-1 with A.J. on the field and 7-21-1 when he doesn’t check into the game. He was also the best player on the team during their five-straight runs to the playoffs from 2011-2015. Making seven appearances in the Pro Bowl and being named to three Second-Team All-Pro squads, Green has been a talisman of greatness in his 111 starts at wide receiver in Cincinnati.

    The Bengals are 66-48-1 with A.J. on the field and 7-21-1 when he doesn’t check into the game.

    What’ll be interesting to monitor in A.J.’s contract negotiation will be his complete disgust at the concept of playing under the franchise tag. If the team does decide to tag the star wide receiver, it seems like that it would only be to drum up a trade asset so they don’t lose him without some sort of return. In a major market, Green would’ve likely been traded at the deadline for a few nice draft assets, but Cincinnati doesn’t operate with that sort of mindset. 

    Certainly, the organization has to consider the value of having both players around for the development of what’ll be April’s first-overall pick in the draft in LSU’s Joe Burrow. The incoming quarterback will strongly benefit from having a talented arsenal of receiving options during his first season in the NFL, as both Green and Mixon have the ability to lift great pressure off of their quarterback.