The Cincinnati Bengals opened their 2021 postseason campaign with a resounding 26-19 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in the Wild Card Round. A stellar performance from Joe Burrow ended a longstanding drought as he steered the team to its first playoff win in 31 years.
Certainly enough, a group effort was also key for Cincinnati to gain momentum and win the tilt as several players stepped up and delivered for the team. These men will surely be counted upon once again when the Bengals face the top-seeded Tennessee Titans in the AFC Divisional Round next weekend.
With that said, let's take a look at the three X-Factors for Zac Taylor's squad in their Wild Card Round victory over the Raiders:
Bengals Playoff X-Factors
3. Evan McPherson
Bengals kicker Evan McPherson made a statement in the first playoff appearance of his young career. The rookie was very much involved in the team's offensive attack and showed accuracy from the field to put up much-needed points across the board.
Against the Raiders, he successfully set a new Bengals playoff record for nailing four field-goal attempts in the game. McPherson nabbed a total of 14 points which allowed Cincinnati to create a significant margin against their opponents throughout the tilt.
The 22-year-old has been a solid contributor for the Bengals all throughout the season which eventually placed him among the league's best kickers in 2021. Without a doubt, the team will continue to bank on his production as they aim to surpass expectations in this year's postseason campaign.
2. Germaine Pratt
Another X-Factor for the Bengals was linebacker Germaine Pratt who had a solid contribution to the team's defensive efforts in the game. He was at the forefront of the unit as he compiled six solo tackles and three assists to go with a tackle for loss and a pass defended for his team.
Perhaps his biggest moment came during crunch time when he intercepted the pass of Raiders QB Derek Carr that was intended for WR Zay Jones at Cincinnati's two-yard line. Pratt successfully defending the red-zone attack eventually iced the victory for the Bengals as the game clock expired.
Unknown to many, the third-year defender had quietly put up the best regular-season campaign of his career thus far. He may not tally eye-popping numbers on a regular basis but his performance against the Raiders truly showed that he can be relied upon to make big plays when needed.
As expected, wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase turned out to be a vital contributor for the Bengals once again as he was unfazed to perform under the bright lights of the postseason. He continued to record his usual numbers and was a force in their offensive attack all throughout the game.
On Saturday, Chase showed his ability to play both as a receiver and a rusher against the Raiders. He notched 116 receiving yards on nine catches along with 23 rushing yards on three carries. Though he didn't get to score a touchdown, his route-running and pass-catching abilities definitely allowed him to be a major threat whenever he's on the field.
The attention that he received on defense eventually opened up opportunities for their other weapons in tight end C.J. Uzomah and wide receiver Tyler Boyd to score TDs in the endzone.
Overall, the outings that these guys put up in their first playoff game spoke highly of their ability to compete with the stronger teams in the league. McPherson, Pratt, and Chase will all have to keep up their strong performances in their upcoming games in order to help the team make a deep playoff run this season.
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