Yardbarker
x
Bengals Report Card: Grading the few highs, many lows, and ongoing troubles from the first six games of the season
© Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

Bengals Report Card: Grading the few highs, many lows, and ongoing troubles from the first six games of the season

Originally posted on A to Z Sports  |  By John Sheeran  |  Last updated Oct 14, 2025 12:15 PM ET

We're one-third into the NFL season and the Cincinnati Bengals are reeling. Four-straight losses following a 2-0 start has the club fighting for answers in a wide-open AFC. They're on their third quarterback, they haven't scored a first-half touchdown since Week 2, and the direction of the franchise is under major scrutiny.

All of that anguish is reflected in our trimester report card. Let's go through the good, the bad, and the ugly for both sides of the ball, and those responsible for maximizing their talents.

Offensive superlatives

MVP: WR Ja'Marr Chase

Chase has more than double the receiving yardage as the next Bengal (Tee Higgins) and generally makes the offense watchable in its current state. He's never had to play with more QB chaos, but he's managing like an elite wide receiver would be expected to do so. It's a nightmare to imagine how much worse things could get without him.

Glue guy: WR Ja'Marr Chase

Not only has Chase been his usual self on the field, he's taken on a larger leadership role as a team captain. He's recognizing his voice needs to be heard by the players and coaches in this time without the franchise QB around. There are other leaders on this offense, but none are more deserving of the platform Chase has earned in the locker room with how he's backing it up on the field.

Biggest surprise: TE Noah Fant

There are not many pleasant surprises with what the offense has done through six weeks, but Fant scoring the team's first touchdown of the year was not a popular expectation. He's been targeted at least four times in four of the five games he's played in, and three different QBs have thrown to him in those five games. It's good to see signing him so late in the offseason didn't make him a total afterthought, especially when the group needs all the help it can get.

Biggest disappointment: Where to even begin?

Seriously, what isn't disappointing about the unit? The offensive line remains underwhelming despite middling expectations. Chase Brown has been stuffed running the football behind the porous blocking and scheme. Bad QB play for most of the season has hurt in more ways than one. This unit has been terrible for most of the first six games and it's impossible to pin it on one player, especially because three different passers have been involved.

Turning point of the last six weeks: Joe Burrow's injury

Nothing has mattered more. Burrow was going through the same struggles he always goes through in the first six quarters of the season, but he never got a chance to make it through the rough patch when he suffered turf toe. Jake Browning came in and was a spark plug for a half of football before violently crashing down in the following three games. Now Joe Flacco is starting? It's been a fever dream since No. 9 limped off the field. The only reason why their grade isn't an F is because of the unpredictable mess under center.

Offense overall grade: D-

Defensive superlatives

MVP: DE Trey Hendrickson

There's still no debating the best player on this defense. Hendrickson supplies the pressure for the defensive line and wins significantly more often than anyone else. When pressure is applied, the rest of the unit can make plays. Others have started to finish around the QB slightly more often compared to last year, but Hendrickson is still the engine that makes this all go.

Glue guy: DT B.J. Hill

Hill is still tasked with providing all the interior pressure and is a well-respected leader in the locker room. This was the expectation when he re-signed in the offseason as other veterans were exiting the door. He's never flashy, but he earns his keep and has the ear of the younger players.

Biggest surprise: CB DJ Turner II

No one's playing better in the secondary than Turner. He's by far their best man-cover cornerback and leads the entire NFL with 11 passes defensed. His interception in Week 1 helped seal the Bengals' first season-opening win in four years. It wasn't a given in training camp he would start, but the defense is very lucky to have him playing at this level so far.

Biggest disappointment: CB Cam Taylor-Britt

On the opposite end of that spectrum, Taylor-Britt had great expectations entering his contract year as a starter in a new scheme, and he's fallen so far below them. He was effectively benched in Week 4 and didn't play much in Week 5, either. The defense still needs him to play a role without many answers behind him, but he needed to show he can be dependable this year. He's still got a ways to go.

Turning point of the last six weeks: Finally some hope for complementary ball?

The defense had to carry the offense with turnovers for the first two weeks, and the offense got even worse when Browning replaced Burrow and made the job impossible. Flacco finding a sense of rhythm in the second half against the Green Bay Packers this past Sunday is a glimmer of hope for the defense to finally get some help. Abnormally terrible circumstances from the last month slightly boosts their grade.

Defense overall grade: D+

2025 draft class superlatives

Overachiever: RG Jalen Rivers

A fifth-round pick becoming a starter in Week 4 is grounds for overachieving, even if the quality of play hasn't been great. Rivers is still a very rough player in pass protection, but the staff wants him to work through it, at least until Lucas Patrick is good to come off the Reserve/Injured list. This answer will likely have a new name six weeks down the road.

Rookie we need to see more from: DE Shemar Stewart

It's not Stewart's fault he hurt his ankle in Week 2, but we literally need to see more from him because he hasn't played in a month. He flashed as a pass-rusher the times he was out there and could really give the defensive line a boost with his eventual return.

Underachiever: LB Demetrius Knight Jr.

Draft status has an impact here as Knight has been up-and-down as a starting second-round pick. He's been working with the ones since OTAs and his role has changed the least out of the main players at linebacker. They need better tackling out of him going forward.

Draft class overall grade: C

Bengals 2025 Rookies

  • 1st round pick Shemar Stewart: Rotational defensive end
  • 2nd round pick Demetrius Knight Jr: Starting linebacker
  • 3rd round pick Dylan Fairchild: Starting left guard
  • 4th round pick Barrett Carter: Starting linebacker
  • 5th round pick Jalen Rivers: Starting right guard
  • 6th round pick Tahj Brooks: Backup running back

Coaching report card

Grade: D-

An F really, really feels warranted here. An offseason spent emphasizing coaching has been the issue over personnel puts the last four weeks into perspective. If the pieces are in place, why are the results near the bottom of the league? Losing Burrow is the biggest detriment possible, but they've hardly looked competitive over a month-long stretch.

It's inexcusable, and for Zac Taylor and his staff, it needs to change in a hurry.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.