Bengals Week 3 Snap Counts: Depth on both sides of the ball utilized to navigate the end of a blowout

Rookie running back makes debut on offense

With the game out of hand and Samaje Perine (15) suffering an injury on his literal hand, rookie Tahj Brooks (10) took his first offensive snaps of his NFL career. He carried the ball five times for 17 yards with a long of seven yards.

Tahj Brooks Quick Facts

• Brooks played five years of college football at Texas Tech and ran for 4,557 yards and 45 touchdowns.
• Brooks was drafted by the Bengals with the 193rd overall pick in the sixth-round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
• Brooks ran for 73 yards on 21 carries during the preseason for Cincinnati.

Brooks is next-man-up should Perine miss time with his thumb injury, so you can expect him to get his snaps behind Chase Brown (31) if that's the case.

Backup cornerback tops all defenders in play time

Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt's hamstring injury paved the way for backup Josh Newton (54) to start in his place, and Newton ended up playing more snaps than any of his teammates.

Cincinnati's secondary was the defensive unit that played the most together despite the blowout unfolding. Marco Wilson (13) and PJ Jules (9) saw time at the very end and safeties Geno Stone (52) and Jordan Battle (52) were each pulled for backups Tycen Anderson (8) and PJ Jules (8), the latter of which made his regular season debut.

Other notes

• Rookie defensive tackle Howard Cross III (9) saw the field for the first time in his career. He was active thanks to fellow rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart being out with an ankle injury.
• Rookie right guard Jalen Rivers (23) finished the game for Dalton Risner (33), who suffered a calf injury.
• Backup quarterback Brett Rypien (3) played the final three snaps on offense. Rypien, who was signed off the practice squad to be Jake Browning's (53) backup, was last with Minnesota before Cincinnati signed him in August.