What We Saw: Week 15

The What We Saw team recaps all of the action from Week 15

Ben Brown
What We Saw 12 Months Ago
Series Navigation
Introduction
Chargers @ Raiders
Vikings @ Bengals
Steelers @ Colts
Broncos @ Lions
Falcons @ Panthers
Bears @ Browns
Buccaneers @ Packers
Jets @ Dolphins
Giants @ Saints
Texans @ Titans
Chiefs @ Patriots
49ers @ Cardinals
Commanders @ Rams
Cowboys @ Bills
Ravens @ Jaguars

Vikings @ Bengals

Final Score: Bengals: 27, Vikings: 24

Writer: Nick Beaudoin

 

With the Minnesota Vikings leading 17-3 late in the third quarter, even Nick Mullens’s son was falling asleep. Everything changed in the fourth, however, starting with a Tee Higgins touchdown on the opening play. This ended a three-game streak for the Vikings defense of allowing zero touchdowns, and it marked the beginning of the team’s collapse: Minnesota allowed two more fourth quarter touchdowns, followed by the game-winning field goal in overtime. Not all of the blame can be put on Brian Flores and the defense. The Nick Mullens-led offense may look decent on paper, but it was a poor showing overall. They left too many points on the field and were unable to capitalize on their (many) opportunities.

 

Four Up:

  • Ty Chandler – Chandler seized the moment, totaling 157 all-purpose yards and one touchdown on 26 touches.
  • Jordan Addison – After a few weeks of silence, Addison came back in a big way, catching all six of his targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
  • Jake Browning – What appeared to be a letdown performance after three quarters resulted in 324 yards passing with two touchdowns (and one interception).
  • Tee Higgins – Higgins had 0 yards entering the fourth quarter but ended the game with 61 yards and two touchdowns.

Two Down:

  • Nick Mullens – This was arguably the ugliest 300-yard performance I’ve ever seen. Even if they won the game, he would probably be on this list.
  • Ja’Marr Chase – Chase was having a solid day but was forced to leave the game toward the end of the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. He was unable to play in overtime and was in a sweatshirt on the sidelines.

 

 

Minnesota Vikings

 

Quarterback

 

Nick Mullens: 26/33, 303 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 3 sacks | 6 carries, 10 yards

Nick Mullens is the fourth different quarterback to go under center for the Vikings in the past seven games. It would be his first start in two years, and it sure looked like it.

On their first drive of the game, Mullens led the Vikings on a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, their first of the year on an opening possession. Mullens took the snaps, but RB Ty Chandler carried the load. The struggles for Mullens began shortly after through a combination of competent drives and mind-numbing mistakes. In the second quarter, Mullens took two straight drives into the red zone, with both of them ending in horrible interceptions. The first went straight into the arms of CB Mike Hilton, who sat alone on the goal line, and the second was an attempt to throw the ball away while getting sacked, instead dropping the ball into the lap of DL B.J. Hill, who was literally on the ground next to him. He hit Hill in the face, used his own butt to secure the ball, and turned the ball over with under 30 seconds in the half. He couldn’t do that again if he tried.

In his defense, at least he didn’t learn from his mistakes. Neither of these attempts deterred him from his “gunslinger mentality” and he continued to make similarly questionable passes. The difference in the second half was that they actually started going in his favor. Not one, but both of his touchdown passes to Jordan Addison came on ill-advised throws that left me cringing on the couch; both could have easily resulted in interceptions. He also threw a pick-six in the fourth quarter, which will not show up on the stat sheet because it was fortunately called back due to a neutral zone infraction on the one week anniversary of the infamous Kadarius Toney miscue.

It wasn’t all bad for the veteran journeyman, but the bad outweighed the good, even if the stat sheet says otherwise. Mullens did complete 26 of 33 passes and put up a QBR of 99.9, but it sure didn’t feel like it while watching. He had a few nice drives and encouraging passes, mostly outside the hashes. However, for a quarterback in his sixth year in the league surrounded by superstar talent, fewer mental errors and more situational awareness were expected, especially against a Bengals secondary that just put CB Cam Taylor-Britt on IR.

With the game in overtime, the Vikings curiously called two straight “brotherly shoves” for Mullens and were stuffed twice. With Ty Chandler averaging 5.7 YPC, you’re probably wondering why they didn’t give him a try. Well, you are not alone, my friend. This resulted in a turnover on downs, and the Cincinnati Bengals would go on to kick the game-winning field goal. It remains to be seen if Mullens draws the start again, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this quarterback carousel continues, with maybe Josh Dobbs, or Jaren Hall, or a Mailbox, or perhaps a Squirrel at the helm next week.

Missed Opportunities

  • With the Bengals in zone defense early in the second quarter, Mullens targeted Jefferson and hit the defender in the chest. This incomplete pass should have resulted in a pick-six.
  • Mullens threw a horrible interception at the goal line later on the same drive. Ball don’t lie.
  • On the very next drive, as he was getting sacked, he threw an INT to the DL with 20 seconds left in the half. This was the second straight drive in which points were left on the field.
  • In the fourth quarter, Mullens threw a pick-six that would be called back due to a neutral zone infraction.
  • Two straight brotherly shoves were called in OT and neither were able to gain the first down. There was no reason not to give Chandler an opportunity here; also, why is Brandon Powell the one doing the “shoving?”

 

Running Back

 

Ty Chandler: 23 carries, 132 yards, TD | 4 targets, 3 receptions, 25 yards

Ty Chandler was arguably the MVP for the Vikings today. If the team was driving, it was on the back of chunk runs, opening up play action downfield for Mullens. Chandler received eight touches on the first drive, accounting for 46 of the 75 yards, and capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run. The Bengals defensive line has not been a marker for success this season. and DT DJ Reader (quad) was knocked out of the game early. Yet despite missing starting RT Brian O’Neill, Chandler looked good in all facets of the game, averaging 5.7 YPC and adding 25 yards through the air. He was very close to a second touchdown as well, gashing the defense for a 30-yard gain, just to be taken down at the one-yard line. Instead of handing it off on the next play, the Vikings allowed Mullens to make an absolutely horrendous pass into double coverage, somehow resulting in Addison’s second touchdown of the day. Chandler handled 26 of 27 touches in the backfield, and likely earned himself a bigger role in the offense, even if Alexander Mattison is able to return next week.

 

Kene Nwangwu: 1 carry, 1 yard

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Justin Jefferson: 10 targets, 7 receptions, 84 yards

Justin Jefferson looked healthy today after a brief hospital visit last week, turning seven receptions into 84 yards. He put up a few beautiful catches, including a bobbled reception in the second quarter (see below), and an amazing jumping grab over two defenders in the third. Jefferson may not have been at the receiving end of the touchdowns today, but he is the most talented WR in the league, despite what Ja’Marr Chase may think. He will remain in your lineup no matter who is under center next week.

Missed Opportunities

  • He took a reverse for a designed pass that had K.J. Osborn open for a touchdown, but he did not have enough time to attempt a pass.
  • Mullens took a deep shot towards JJ into double coverage in the fourth quarter, but could not make the play.

 

Jordan Addison: 6 targets, 6 receptions, 111 yards, 2 TDs

Jordan Addison blew up on your bench today. After averaging just 46.2 yards/game with zero touchdowns over the past five weeks, Addison showed up in all the big moments. He had nice gains of 19 and 35 in the first half but separated himself entirely with two touchdown receptions in the second half. Both came on “ill-advised” passes (to put it lightly), but that doesn’t matter for our purposes. Addison has a bright future in the league, and can only benefit from defenses having to focus on Jefferson and Hockensen.

 

TJ Hockensen: 7 targets, 6 receptions, 63 yards

TJ Hockensen looked poised for a big day, facing off against a Bengals team coming in dead last to fantasy points against tight ends. He played well and made several big 3rd-down conversions, as well as two completions in overtime to put his team in a position to win (Spoiler alert: they did not). Hockensen is an elite talent at a scarce position and is a top-3 option every week regardless of opponent or QB play.

https://twitter.com/TSV__1/status/1736097851200123326

 

Josh Oliver: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 14 yards

KJ Osborn: 2 targets, 1 reception, 3 yards

Johnny Mundt: 1 targets, 1 reception, 3 yards

 

 

Cincinnati Bengals

 

Quarterback

 

Jake Browning: 29/42, 324 yards, 2 TDs, INT, 4 sacks | 4 carries, 0 yards

The Jake Browning revenge game went exactly as planned. Kind of.

Browning started off well, walking the Bengals straight down the field to put three points on the board after a very bad play call gave TE Tanner Hudson a pass attempt on 3rd-and-1 in the red zone. However, after this point, they were unable to get much of anything going, with just 101 total yards and 3 points at half. The Brian Flores defense, ranked first in the league since Week 6, had seemingly exposed this offense, which had been attempting nearly 50 percent of their passes at (or behind) the line of scrimmage over the past two weeks. The Vikings had not let up a touchdown in three games, and were well on their way to another dominant performance. I had already started writing about the demise of the Bengals offense. That is, until the fourth quarter.

On the first play of the fourth, Browning hit Tee Higgins on a post-corner in the back of the end zone, shifting momentum when the Bengals needed it most. Browning led two more touchdown drives, including a second touchdown pass to Higgins with under one minute remaining in the game. This would send the game to overtime, where Browning would step on their throats and remind the Vikings that “They shouldn’t have cut me.”

The scene of Joe Burrow grimacing on the sideline in Week 11 will likely haunt Bengals fans forever, but Jake Browning has the Bengals right back in playoff contention with their third straight win and has far exceeded expectations in the process:

Missed Opportunities

  • On 3rd-and-1 in the red zone on the opening drive, head coach Zac Taylor drew up a jet sweep designed pass for TE Tanner Hudson, which predictably resulted in a 0 yard gain and a field goal.
  • On 3rd-and-15 in the second quarter, Browning took a deep shot to a wide open Charlie Jones, but just overthrew him. This would have been a walk-in touchdown.
  • After the Vikings second touchdown, Browning threw a very bad interception. He had Tanner Hudson open in the flat, but tried to play “hero ball” and force the ball downfield into triple coverage. His body language at this time suggested the game was over, but boy were we wrong.
  • He took an intentional grounding in the fourth quarter while in field goal range, but hit Ja’Marr Chase on 3rd-and-21 shortly after to redeem himself.
  • The Bengals called a “Brotherly Shove” on 3rd-and-goal from the one-yard line in the fourth quarter. This resulted in a Joe Mixon touchdown on the next play.

 

Running Back

 

Joe Mixon: 10 carries, 47 yards, TD | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 14 yards

Joe Mixon looked good when he was on the field, but seemed to be on a nearly even split with backfield-mate Chase Brown. He was seen on the sideline working with trainers early in the game but was never gone for too long. His impact was mostly made in the fourth quarter, with a few big runs and a fourth-down conversion on the goal line, when he tied up the game at 17. This was a good finish overall against a strong Vikings defense, who had held opponents under 65 rushing yards in three of the past four games, but it is also clear the team is involving Brown more each week.

With that said, this should not be discouraging for Mixon managers, as he and Brown are very different players. I view this as a (lesser version of) Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard last year. Mixon will continue as the early down and goal line back, and was encouragingly still involved in the passing game, matching Brown with three receptions today. Both running backs have benefitted from the Bengals offensive line being just one of three teams with the same starters all season, and he may find more efficiency with a lighter workload moving forward.

 

Chase Brown: 7 carries, 23 yards | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 28 yards

Chase Brown has earned more playing time after an explosive 54-yard touchdown last week, where he hit 22.1 MPH, the second-highest speed of any player this year. Brown notably had two touches before Mixon received his first, but ended with three fewer after nearly splitting time with the veteran. Brown’s role differs from Mixon’s, as the Bengals seem to prioritize getting him in space, rarely running him up the middle. He had a few designed screens, and almost all of his carries were pitches to the outside. Brown should be immediately stashed in Dynasty leagues, as he has shown potential to serve in a James White role for the next few years.

 

Trayveon Williams: 1 carry, 10 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 2 yards

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Ja’Marr Chase: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 84 yards

Ja’Marr Chase made headlines this week, letting the world know that he is the self-proclaimed best wide receiver in the league. I disagree; if not Tyreek Hill, it’s definitely Justin Jefferson…and it made for an exciting storyline as Chase and Jefferson would face off for just the second time since their 2019 title run at LSU. Chase made a beautiful 25-yard catch down the sideline on the first drive, leading to the Bengals’ lone first-half points, but disappeared until the end of the third quarter. His biggest play came on 3rd-and-21 in the fourth quarter, with the Bengals down seven, as Chase found a hole in the zone and subsequently logged a first down. Unfortunately, he injured his shoulder on the play and had to leave the field. He came back shortly after but was later ruled out for the remainder of the game, appearing in a sweatshirt on the sideline while the team made their overtime comeback. It wasn’t a promising look for the Bengals (or those of us with Chase in the fantasy playoffs), but we will have to wait for a diagnosis later in the week.

Missed Opportunities

  • Chase left the game late in the fourth quarter and was ruled out for overtime.

Tee Higgins: 8 targets, 4 receptions, 61 yards, 2 TDs

Tee Higgins was on his way to a devastating, heartbreaking day until the first play of the fourth quarter. He beat his defender on a post-corner, caught a touchdown in the back of the end zone, and scored the first touchdown against the Vikings in three games. With Chase in and out of the game, Higgins stepped up as the main target, including an amazing game-tying touchdown with under a minute to play (see below). The ball was underthrown, and Higgins came back to the ball, boxed out his defender, and high-pointed it where only he could get it. He then huffed and puffed and used all his might to swing his body toward the goal line and reached for the touchdown. Absolutely iconic stuff right there.

 

Missed Opportunities

  • Higgins dropped a wide open pass for 20+ yards on first play of the game.
  • The very dumb Tanner Hudson-designed pass was intended for him, but was well covered downfield.
  • With just seconds remaining in the first half, he appeared to make a perfect catch over the defender for 35 yards, but after replay, the call was overturned.
  • On 3rd-and-18 OT, Browning took a deep shot to Higgins, which should have resulted in a defensive pass interference. The defender was draped on him before the ball arrived, but there was no call.

 

Tyler Boyd: 5 targets, 2 receptions, 53 yards

Tyler Boyd was dead silent until overtime, where he found himself open on a Browning scramble. He broke the first tackle and took off for 44 yards, setting up the game-winning field goal.

 

Tanner Hudson: 5 targets, 5 receptions, 49 yards

Tanner Hudson has taken the lead in this four-man TE rotation, averaging 4.3 targets and 30.8 yards/game. He has provided a sure-handed safety valve for Browning, but without a touchdown, he will more often than not wind up in the TE2 range.

Notes

  • On 3rd-and-1 in the red zone on the opening drive, Zac Taylor dialed up a designed pass play on a jet sweep. It was covered downfield and Hudson wisely did not make the pass, but this was an absolutely ridiculous play call, and the Bengals were forced to kick a field goal.

 

Mitchell Wilcox: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 20 yards

Irv Smith Jr.: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 18 yards

Charlie Jones: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 10 yards

Andre Iosivas: 2 targets, 1 reception, 5 yards

Drew Sample: 1 target

Series Navigation
Introduction
Chargers @ Raiders
Vikings @ Bengals
Steelers @ Colts
Broncos @ Lions
Falcons @ Panthers
Bears @ Browns
Buccaneers @ Packers
Jets @ Dolphins
Giants @ Saints
Texans @ Titans
Chiefs @ Patriots
49ers @ Cardinals
Commanders @ Rams
Cowboys @ Bills
Ravens @ Jaguars

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