Bengals on bye: 10 defining stats from the first five weeks of the 2026 season

Through the first five weeks of 2026, Cincinnati’s season has been shaped most clearly by quarterback Joe Burrow’s efficiency. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Burrow leads all eligible passers with a 71.4% completion rate, and he ranks top five in passing yards (1,361), passing touchdowns (11), and first downs (74).

The passing game has also depended on explosive production from its top targets. Tee Higgins, fresh off a Pro Bowl season in 2025, is seventh in the NFL with 423 receiving yards through the first five weeks, and he has 13 explosive receptions, the second-most in the league per Next Gen Stats.

On the other side of the offensive line, Cincinnati has benefitted from improved pass protection metrics. Offensive tackle Amarius Mims has allowed a 4.0% pressure rate in the early season, the lowest among offensive tackles with at least 100 pass-block snaps, and his eight total pressures allowed are tied for the second fewest.

Down the field, the Bengals’ deep-play threat has continued with Ja’Marr Chase. Chase ranks tied for fourth in the NFL with four receiving touchdowns so far, and his Week 5 highlight catch against Miami marked his 58th career receiving score, the most by any NFL player since entering the league in 2021. On that play, he also passed Isaac Curtis for third place on Cincinnati’s all-time receiving yardage list.

Cincinnati’s defense has complemented the offense with consistent pressure. Defensive end Boye Mafe has generated 25 quarterback pressures through five games, ranking seventh in the NFL per Next Gen Stats, and his pressure rate on pass-rush snaps (18.1%) ranks 13th among defenders with at least 50 pass-rush reps.

The interior pass rush has stayed productive as well. Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Dexter Lawrence II each have three sacks through five games, tied for the fifth most among defensive tackles, with their pressure totals ranking sixth and ninth among DTs, respectively, per Next Gen Stats.

As a unit, the Bengals are applying pressure frequently, which helps explain the individual front-seven numbers. Cincinnati has pressured opposing quarterbacks on 40.4% of dropbacks, the eighth-highest rate in the NFL, while sending five or more pass rushers on just 18.2% of snaps, according to Next Gen Stats.

In coverage, cornerback DJ Turner II has limited opponents’ success on targets. Per Next Gen Stats, Turner has allowed a 50% completion rate when targeted, which ranks seventh among corners with at least 20 targets, and he has been targeted on only 10.2% of his coverage snaps, the lowest rate among corners facing 20 targets. The Bengals also note Turner and Dax Hill as top-10 in passes defensed with five apiece.

Special teams has provided moments that swing field position and game tempo. Wide receiver Dohnte Meyers ranks fourth in total kick return yards (435), and he began Week 5 in Miami by returning the opening kickoff 81 yards. The club also points to a kickoff return speed of 20.70 miles per hour, fifth-fastest among returners this season.

And with Cincinnati’s offense often setting up late-game opportunities, kicker Evan McPherson’s accuracy has been a steady constant. In Week 5’s win over Miami, he made a 26-yard field goal and extended his streak to 22 consecutive made field goals dating back to Week 11 of last season, a Bengals franchise record that surpassed Shayne Graham’s 21 straight made kicks from 2007.