For the second time this season (and that was only three weeks ago), the Cincinnati Bengals were surprised at Paycor Stadium.

The Bengals tried to get back on track, but the Washington Commanders dominated their defense from start to finish, leading to a 38-33 loss for Cincinnati.

As hard as this loss is to digest, there are some bright spots on the offensive side, and only on the offensive side.

Joe Burrow was nearly perfect, Ja’Marr Chase was a monster, Tee Higgins was back and the run game was fantastic.

It was a relief to see the running game get going as both Zack Moss and Chase Brown helped move the ball down the field.

Brown finished the night with 62 rushing yards and Zack Moss finished with 58.

Moss also served as a safety for Burrow in the passing game, as he made five catches for 39 yards.

The offensive line was fantastic, creating running lanes for both Moss and Brown, despite losing Trent Brown, who was replaced by rookie Amarius Mims. That unit also held its own in the passing game.

On the other end of the court, the defense had perhaps its worst performance of the Zac Taylor/Lou Anarumo era, killing any excitement the offense showed tonight.

We can certainly look forward to seeing this attack in action for the rest of the season, and the improved field play will play a big part in that.