Free extension for sports fans
Advertisement
Advertisement

Bengals progress report: Grading special teams

The Cincinnati Bengals are 3-2 coming out of their bye week, and depending on which side of the bed you wake up on, there’s plenty of reason for optimism or pessimism. The offense has had its moments. The defense has…

Published: Tuesday, 20 October 2026 at 11:15 AM
Bengals progress report: Grading special teams
Key Things to Know
  • Cincy Jungle's Jason Garrison graded the Bengals' special teams a 'C' overall heading into their bye week.
  • Kicker Evan McPherson earned an A- for the field goal unit after starting the season 10-for-10.
  • The punt and punt return units received a D- grade following costly errors in a loss to Pittsburgh.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Cincy Jungle's Jason Garrison evaluated the Cincinnati Bengals' special teams performance at their bye week, arguing that the unit has been marred by costly mistakes outside of kicker Evan McPherson. The Bengals entered their bye with a 3-2 record under special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons. Garrison highlighted McPherson's franchise-record streak of 22 consecutive made field goals, including a perfect 10-for-10 mark in 2026, awarding the field goal unit an A- grade.

In contrast, Garrison assigned the punting units an overall D- grade, noting critical Week 3 errors against the Pittsburgh Steelers such as a roughing penalty and a muffed punt. The kickoff and return units earned a B- grade, with rookie Dohnte Meyers showcasing both an 81-yard return and poor awareness against the Miami Dolphins. Overall, Garrison gave the combined special teams units a C grade.

Advertisement

Never Miss a Sports Update

Get the latest sports news and top stories from MySportsTab delivered straight to your inbox.

No spam. Just the latest sports news and updates.