After a slow start to the season, the Cincinnati Bengals seem to have settled into a rhythm already. They recorded their third win in their last four games after outlasting the New Orleans Saints, 30-26, on the road in Week 6 of the 2022 NFL season. This win put the Bengals in a tie for first place in the AFC North. Here we'll look at some takeaways from the Bengals' win in Week 6.

One of the most anticipated road games on the Cincinnati Bengals' schedule ended in a thrilling Bengals victory. The Bengals defeated the New Orleans Saints and returned to .500 on the season.

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase were both on a mission to have triumphant returns to the Superdome, where they saw a lot of action in college. They pretty much succeeded. Burrow's 300-yard, three-touchdown performance was the sixth of his career. Chase, meanwhile, was the recipient of 132 of those yards and two of those touchdowns. That included the game-winner.

“That was an unbelievable play by him,” Burrow said of his old LSU running mate. “When the going gets tough, I’m going to try to find that guy, and he’s going to make plays for us……I’m never surprised by that guy.”

The Bengals needed every play from Burrow and Chase because their usually suffocating defense had an off day against the Saints' multi-dimensional rushing attack. New Orleans finished with 228 yards rushing, including 99 yards from Alvin Kamara. The Saints also converted 50 percent of their third downs through the air. That allowed them to keep several drives alive throughout the game.

Here are our four takeaways from the Cincinnati Bengals' Week 6 win vs. the Saints.

4. Porous Bengals defense

Sure, the Bengals won, but their defense had a surprisingly poor outing. They have been consistently good all season, but they were unable to stop the Saints' running attack here. This is important since games against the Falcons, Browns, and Panthers are on the horizon. As such, the Bengals will have several chances to improve on their performance this week.

The main issue with Cincinnati's defense is when offenses attack it on the perimeter. This didn't appear to be a major issue last year, but it is now. When offenses like the Saints retreat to the sidelines, the second and third levels of the unit become disoriented. In addition, D.J. Reader's absence was as noticeable as it gets. Take note that the Saints rushed for more than 160 yards in the first half alone.

3. Terrific Tyler Boyd

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor stated prior to the game that they needed to get WR Tyler Boyd more involved in this offense. They did exactly that on Sunday. Boyd had 66 yards on six receptions, the majority of which came in critical situations. He also helped the Bengals' offense get back on track when they seemed to slow down.

This was a very good game for Boyd. He had a season-high six catches while his 66-yard effort was his second-best of the season so far. Looking ahead, if coach Taylor and Burrow can involve Boyd more, that would add another dangerous dimension to the Bengals' air attack.

2. Triumphant return for Joe Burrow

Star QB Joe Burrow delivered an outstanding performance in his return to Louisiana. He threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns while also scoring on the ground. Recall that Burrow had a slow start to the season, but this game demonstrated that he still has the ability to play at an elite level. We should expect him to build on this performance and return to elite form as the season continues to unfold.

To illustrate Burrow's excellence in this game, he did an excellent job of attacking underneath and exploiting the Cover 2 looks they saw. He had two passing TDs to Chase and one to running back Joe Mixon. If this continues, defenses will be forced to employ new strategies that may be more advantageous to Burrow & Co.

1. Super Chase at Superdome

Ja'Marr Chase returned to Louisiana and maintained his Superdome dominance. Recall that he went to LSU for college and was a bona fide stud in his time as a Tiger. Not surprisingly, he was happy to be back.

“It was crazy knowing that I was back home,” Chase said after the game. “The crowd was crazy. The fans were crazy. New Orleans fans and Bengals fans were both excited to see both teams. It was an unbelievable experience.”

Chase finished with seven receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns. This included the game-winner late in the fourth quarter. He is on track to reclaim his form from his record-breaking rookie season after a slow start to the season.

Take note that Chase averaged just 70.7 yards per game in his first three games this season. Over the Bengals' last three, however, he has normed 87.7 yards per game. Expect that number to continue going up as the season goes on.