Commanders-Bengals takeaways: Cincinnati defense is major issue, Washington RBs shine without Brian Robinson

For the Washington Commanders and the Cincinnati Bengals, the biggest storylines for Monday's preseason game were the players not playing. Cincinnati star edge defender Trey Hendrickson remains a hold-in at training camp, and the Bengals have set a high asking price for the reigning NFL sack king as they listen to trades.

Washington, meanwhile, had a pair of notable absentees: Terry McLaurin, recently activated off the physically unable to perform list, was not even at the stadium as he seeks a new deal. That situation is months old. A newer one -- "newer" as in developed in the last few days -- was Brian Robinson Jr., whom Washington is shopping as it appears to be moving forward with other players at running back. Robinson also wasn't at the stadium.

There was, however, plenty of of notable action on the field, led by both Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels starting. Burrow playing in the preseason is a departure from years past; the Bengals hope that adjustment will help them avoid the slow starts that have plagued them the past several seasons. For Daniels, it was his preseason debut ... and, in all likelihood, finale.

Here are the top things we learned from Cincinnati's 31-17 win just outside the nation's capital.

Bengals' defense still looks like a major issue

No, preseason games don't count. But they do matter. In turn, the Bengals' defensive struggles -- especially in light of last year's issues and Hendrickson's continued absence -- matter.

The Commanders' "first-team" offense, even without McLaurin and several starting offensive linemen, went 74 yards on four plays for a touchdown to begin the game. Deebo Samuel Sr. took a sweep 19 yards on his first (unofficial) play with Washington before Chris Rodriguez Jr. burst through a gaping hole for 40 yards. After a one-yard Rodriguez run, Daniels escaped through the middle of the pocket, sped upfield and ran through a poor tackle attempt by Jordan Battle for a touchdown.

Washington brought Josh Johnson in for the next drive, but the result was the same: a touchdown. This time it took just three plays and 44 yards. And this was against many Cincinnati starters and key rotational pieces, too.

So here are the results of the three drives Cincinnati's starting/starting-adjacent defense has played:

• Week 1 vs. Eagles backups: nine plays, 75 yards, touchdown
• Week 2 vs. Commanders starters: four plays, 74 yards, touchdown
• Week 2 vs. Commanders backups: four plays, 44 yards, touchdown

That's less than ideal. Tackling and run fit issues persist. There hasn't been much of a pass rush. Last year, the Bengals lost four games in which they scored 33 points or more, most in NFL history. It's early, but they might be in for more shootouts in 2025.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, aka 'Bill,' helps lead Washington rush attack

Last year, Robinson had 187 carries, 110 more than any other Washington running back. With him seemingly on his way out, it looks like it will be a group effort in 2025.

Seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who goes by "Bill," has been the name that has popped all offseason. Croskey-Merritt only played in one game last year at Arizona due to eligibility issues, but he shined in East-West Shrine Game and rolled up 1,262 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns in 2023 at New Mexico.

It should be noted, however, that Rodriguez was the guy in on the opening possession alongside Daniels. He finished with six carries for 62 yards. The big pop from Croskey-Merritt came on the second possession: a 27-yard sprint to the end zone.

As a side note, this was tremendous blocking from pulling linemen Andrew Wylie and Chris Paul as well as tight end John Bates. It was also a less than stellar effort by the Bengals' run defense.

Croskey-Merritt had 11 carries for 46 yards and a pair of catches for two yards. He played pretty deep into the game, which is worth noting when trying to figure out the pecking order.

Austin Ekeler will continue to see a sizable role on passing downs, and he may see more work on the ground than the 77 carries he got last year. Rodriguez might be in line to be more of the downhill bruiser. He has been effective in limited action, averaging 4.9 yards on 86 carries.

We'll see how much Croskey-Merritt contributes as a guy who can run between the tackles but also add some pop with his speed. Jeremy McNichols is a key special teams contributor who has helped out of the backfield as well. Add in Daniels' and Samuels' rushing ability, and it will be a by-committee approach on the ground.

Mitchell Tinsley steals the show

For as much as we want to talk about the stars, the preseason is really for roster bubble guys hoping to make their case. No one did more for his prospects than Mitchell Tinsley. The Penn State product went up for acrobatic touchdowns catches -- on back-to-back Bengals offensive plays, no less -- and finished the night with five catches for 73 yards and the two scores.

Tinsley spent the first two years of his career with Washington, coincidentally, though he appeared in just two games in 2023 and was on the practice squad in 2024. He showed the Commanders what they (may have) missed out on, at least for one night.

Who is Mitchell Tinsley? Bengals receiver stuns Commanders with two touchdowns during wild 20-second span

John Breech

The Bengals are loaded at wide receiver with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins leading the way. Andrei Iosivas, Jermaine Burton and Charlie Jones figure to be next in line. But Tinsley has had a strong camp, and he may well have locked up a roster spot Monday.

Daniels, Burrow are really good

In case you needed a reminder, Daniels and Burrow are excellent ... though both had their respective coaches and fans holding their breath. Daniels' electrifying run was reminiscent of the exploits of his rookie season, but that was really his only involvement.

Burrow, meanwhile, played three drives, two of which resulted in touchdowns. Chase Brown powered in from a yard out on the opening possession, and after a punt, Cincinnati went right back down the field again, with Burrow fitting in a beauty to Jones for a score.

Both quarterbacks took way more contact than anyone would have liked, though. Burrow got spun down twice, once on a sack and again a sack that was wiped out by a horsecollar penalty. And Daniels took a hit on his touchdown run. Both appear fine ... and likely won't suit up again before the regular season begins.

Odds and ends

• Washington's QB3 battle between Johnson and Sam Hartman continues to be an eyesore. Both threw an interception for a second straight week. With Marcus Mariota nursing an injury, this is an important battle, and neither have taken control.
• With McLaurin and Noah Brown missing all and almost all of the preseason, respectively, the Commanders have desperately looked for another wide receiver to step up. Monday, they finally got one: Jaylin Lane had three catches for 42 yards, including an outstanding diving catch. The speedy rookie out of Virginia Tech had more receiving yards than all other Washington wide receivers combined.
• Washington got some great moments from its remade defensive line, with Jacob Martin wreaking havoc off the edge and Dorance Armstrong continuing his strong preseason. However, coach Dan Quinn will certainly rue continued penalty issues. Washington had a pair of penalties that gave the Bengals first downs on the opening drive and finished with seven penalties for 74 yards.