Bengals offense starting to click entering Week 5 showdown against rival Ravens

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Despite their 1-3 start, the Cincinnati Bengals are starting to play better with a big challenge set for next week.

Joe Burrow is making smart decisions, displaying poise in the pocket along with accuracy. Ja'Marr Chase again resembles one of the league's top playmakers after an offseason of contract dispute, and running mate Tee Higgins is rounding into form after missing the first two weeks with an injury.

And then there's the Bengals running game.

Second-year back Chase Brown picked up 80 yards on 15 carries and ran for the first two touchdowns of his career in Sunday's 34-24 win over Carolina, while Zack Moss added 51 yards on the ground and caught four passes for 27 yards and a score helping to soften the blow from the trade of Joe Mixon.

After being held to 11 yards rushing in the first half, the Bengals had 130 yards on the ground after intermission to take control of the game.

“We’re explosive,” Brown said. “I mean, we can put up 30 points against anybody. That’s our mindset.”

Burrow finished 22 of 31 for 232 yards with two touchdowns and one interception coming on a miscommunication with Chase. But over the past two games Burrow and Chase have mostly been on the same page, hooking up 13 times for 203 yards and three touchdowns.

It's probably no coincidence that Chase's increased production have coincided with the return of Higgins, who takes added pressure off the team's No. 1 wideout.

“We’ve been moving around, making plays,” Chase said. “The team looked pretty good starting out the first half, which is what we needed, someone to keep the momentum up for us, and all around everybody is making plays.”

The Bengals have now increased their point total with each game and Burrow said the offense is now “playing at a high level.”

The amount of playmakers has coach Zac Taylor excited about the future, especially with Burrow at quarterback.

“There are certainly plays where we are trying to target key guys,” Taylor said. “If they take them away defensively with whatever they're doing, Joe progresses and finds the next option. There are so people that can make plays for us. About everyone in that game made critical plays for us in big moments. And the line is playing its tails off, giving great protection so Joe feels like he can call anything."

Of course, few things make an NFL coach happier than the ability to run the ball late in a game and burn the clock.

The Bengals did just that on Sunday.

Leading by seven with 4:23 left, the Bengals ran the ball nine straight times to move into field-goal range for Evan McPherson, who made it a two-possession game with a 46-yarder with 1:17 remaining.

“No doubt it was important,” Brown said. “They were stacking up the box, they were gapped out. We know what’s coming. We play for those moments in those four-minute situations and we know we just want to put points up at the end. The thing is, you keep the rock on our side and kick the field goal to really push on the dagger at the end.”

The win gives the Bengals some needed momentum heading into an important home game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

“We knew we needed this one this week, especially going into a divisional game next week,” Brown said. “We just want to carry that momentum and that energy into next week and the rest of the season and just continue this style of football.”

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Steve Reed, The Associated Press