Key takeaways from Week 1 of 2018 NFL season

By Ian Wharton | Sep 11, 2018

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 11: Quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after a first quarter touchdown pass to wide receiver Stefon Diggs #14 against the Denver Broncos during an NFL preseason game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on August 11, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

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CINCINNATI, OH – NOVEMBER 26: Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) carries the ball during the game against the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals on November 26th, 2017 at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

5. Cincinnati’s young talent is worth watching

The easiest bet of the week was taking the Bengals +3. It’s not that the upstart Bengals are a juggernaut, but they have young stars at the right positions, and it allowed them to score 17 points unanswered in the fourth.

The addition of Cordy Glenn at left tackle helped spur running back Joe Mixon to a solid day, where he totaled 149 yards on 22 touches and one touchdown. And though he finished with just three yards on one reception, second-year receiver John Ross showed off his potential in the red zone by crossing up Colts corner Quincy Wilson on the goal line for the easy score.

Safety Jessie Bates and corner William Jackson had quality games for the Bengals’ defense. Bates’ development will be especially interesting since the team parted with George Iloka in order to get Bates on the field more.

Also consider the Bengals didn’t get much production from edge rushers Carl Lawson, Jordan Willis, and Sam Hubbard as they will in other games this year.

So yes, it was just the Colts that the Bengals defeated, but they have budding stars in the right places to keep them in the Wild Card race.

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