NFL: 5 takeaways from Washington's Week 11 win over the Bengals
Week 11 in the NFL brought us what some fans were calling the "Tank Bowl," in which rookie quarterback Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals headed to FedEx Field to take on the Washington Football Team.
In an unfortunate series of events, Burrow was hurt during the game and upon further evaluation, was ruled out for the season after tearing ligaments in his left knee. Burrow was on track to break several rookie QB records, despite the lack of an offensive line and defense to help him.
Nonetheless, Washington (3-7) came out of this game as the winner, 20-9, with their defense clobbering Bengals (2-7-1) backup QB Ryan Finley.
5. Washington's defensive line thrives
After Burrow was carted off the field, Ryan Finley took his place under center for the Bengals. But it wasn't pretty, as the backup was greeted by Washington's talented D-linemen several times.
Specifically, Finely was sacked four times, which is something the Bengals will have to severely work on this offseason considering they have been notorious for putting Burrow in tough spots as well.
4. Washington must fix the rest of their defense
While Washington is currently ranked 6th overall in defense, Burrow was certainly exposing them on several occasions while he was in the game.
Before being carted off, Burrow had 203 passing yards with one touchdown. He could have been on his way to 400-plus passing yards for the day against the Washington' secondary, which has struggled this season.
If Washington wants to win the division, they have to fix the secondary.
3. Bengals have a good receiving corps
Cincinnati certainly has shown that its receiving corps is one of the best and most underrated in the league. With the likes of Tyler Boyd, A.J. Green, and Tee Higgins, QB Joe Burrow certainly has plenty of players to throw to.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor certainly has catered this offense as more an of pass offense than anything else. With star running back Joe Mixon out injured, he was certainly utilizing the passing game more than before.
2. Joe Burrow's unfortunate injury
After seeing the rookie laying on the field in pain, most fans knew immediately that he is likely done for the season. Once seeing the play that resulted in his unfortunate fate, it was certain that it was something major.
While Washington's defensive line is considered one of the best in the league, the Bengals' offensive line is to blame here as well. Throughout the season, Burrow has been forced in pressure many times, and this shows through his attempted number of passes in each game. In this coming offseason, the Bengals MUST focus on bolstering the offensive line before anything else, otherwise Burrow will not survive in Cincinnati.
1. Washington can still take the NFC East division
Truth be told, the NFC East is up for grabs by any team right now. But with the win on Sunday, Washington stays alive in the race for a playoff spot.
If Washington wins on Thanksgiving against the Dallas Cowboys, they will take first place in the division. With Dallas winning on Sunday, the Eagles losing, and the Giants reportedly tanking despite their three wins, it will be an interesting several weeks to determine who wins the division.