The Cincinnati Bengals came out of Washington with a win on Monday night and put up a really solid performance. Offensively anyway. The defense still has some issues but Head Coach Zac Taylor says he’s happy with where they’re at. Here the Winners & Losers from Monday night’s game.
Winners:
Mitchell Tinsley
Mitchell Tinsley is something else. Tinsley put up one of the best performances by a player in the preseason. Tinsley registered five catches for 73 yards and two two touchdowns. Tinsley made an incredible one-handed catch where he tipped it to himself and fell to the ground with the ball in his hand. Later in that same drive, he hauled in a thirteen-yard back-shoulder touchdown thrown by Jake Browning.
Have a drive, Mitch Tinsley!
— NFL (@NFL) August 19, 2025
His third catch of the drive is a TD 🙌
Watch on ESPN
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/67SMjWO3v8
Twenty seconds later he caught a ridiculous 21-yard toe-tap catch that even had Ja’Marr Chase pumped up.
MITCH. TINSLEY. AGAIN.
— NFL (@NFL) August 19, 2025
Watch on ESPN
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/lsOpLpMTDt
Barrett Carter
With twenty-eight seconds left in the first half, Carter came in clutch with an interception setting up Tinsley’s eventual twenty one-yard touchdown. Carter read Commanders quarterback Sam Hartman like a book and returned the interception for thirteen yards.
Charlie Jones
A receiver, who seems to be constantly injured had himself a solid game. Jones tallied four receptions, 32 yards, and one touchdown that he and Joe Burrow connected on. He even returned the opening kickoff past the forty yard line. It’ll be crucial for Jones to remain healthy all year for Cincinnati especially if Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins go down with an injury this year. So far, so good.
Tycen Anderson
In a below average safety room, Cincinnati needs someone to step up and prove that they can be relied on. Well, Tycen Anderson had himself a good performance recording four tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception. It would be awesome if he could emerge into a starting safety for the Bengals especially with Jordan Battle raising question.
Losers:
Starting Defense
Things have not gotten better since they’re week one matchup against the Eagles. Defensively that is. It was another poor performance, the Commanders got off to a hot start with Jayden Daniels playing. But Daniels didn’t even throw the ball. The drive started with a jet sweep to Deebo Samuel for a nineteen yard run. The next play running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. exploded for a big run to put Washington at the fifteen. And on Washington’s final play on that drive Jayden Daniels ran in for an easy touchdown. A few plays into the Commanders next drive and rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran in for a twenty-seven yard touchdown going two for two on their first two possessions.
Lucas Patrick
Patrick was replaced by rookie Jalen Rivers during the teams second drive. It hasn’t been confirmed if it is injury related but if it isn’t that means that Cincinnati had seen enough. The Bengals are hosting Dalton Risner on a visit so if they don’t trust Patrick to play well then Risner could be the replacement.
This was Lucas Patrick and others on this play:
Ladies and gentlemen.. the Cincinnati Bengals offensive line 💀 pic.twitter.com/XEYvMG2tTI
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) August 19, 2025
Like Zac Taylor said during the post game press conference, there are many things to clean up and rightfully so! Let’s just hope it’s all cleaned up before they travel to Cleveland to play the Browns on September 7th.