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Bengals Snap Counts Show Josh Newton Is Now a Full-Time Piece of the Secondary
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- Bengals Snap Counts Show Josh Newton Is Now a Full-Time Piece of the Secondary
Cincinnati fans got a Sunday shootout at Paycor Stadium, and the Bengals' 43-36 overtime win over the Titans came with a reshuffled secondary. Josh Newton went from six defensive snaps against the Ravens to 63 of 77 against Tennessee, according to PFF, lining up mostly as a slot cornerback.
That 82% share could stick. DJ Turner II hurt his left ankle in the second half, leaving Newton as a likely full-time piece going forward.
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Mike Gesicki's snaps more than doubled
Nov 1, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) scores a touchdown in the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Joe Burrow played all 74 offensive snaps, while Ja'Marr Chase (71) and Tee Higgins (65) carried the passing game. Higgins caught 10 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns, and Chase added 11 catches for 141 yards and a score.
The bigger shift came at tight end . Mike Gesicki jumped from 20 snaps in Week 7 to 50, and his 25-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter gave him a touchdown catch in five straight games . With Erick All not playing, rookie Jack Endries logged 12 snaps and caught his first NFL touchdown.
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Dohnte Meyers also more than doubled his workload, from 20 snaps to 44. Chase Brown led the backfield with 51 snaps to Samaje Perine's 26.
Josh Newton's jump reshaped the secondary
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II (20) breaks up a pass to Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) in the second quarter of the NFL Week 14 game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Newton's rise came with safety Kyle Dugger sidelined with a quadriceps injury . Jordan Battle and Barrett Carter played all 77 defensive snaps, and Bryan Cook played 76. Battle posted 11 tackles and two pass breakups.
Newton's debut as a regular was uneven. He was targeted seven times and allowed six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown, according to PFF.
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Turner graded as the Bengals' top defender at 93.3 on 58 snaps, allowing two catches for 3 yards. PFF credited him with two forced fumbles, including a punch-out on a screen to Wan'Dale Robinson that Newton recovered.
Up front, Myles Murphy climbed from 40 snaps to 59 and matched Boye Mafe with five pressures. Mafe (60 snaps) added a strip-sack that Dexter Lawrence recovered in the third quarter, and B.J. Hill earned a 91.8 grade with two pressures on 30 snaps. Shemar Stewart, the subject of trade talk , played six snaps. Even with that pressure, the pass defense still allowed 26 of 35 targets to be caught for 303 yards.
Bengals Week 8 snap counts vs. Titans
Nov 1, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) reacts after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Snap counts and percentages are according to PFF. The Bengals ran 74 offensive snaps and played 77 on defense in Week 8, up from 53 and 67 against the Ravens in Week 7.
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Offense (74 snaps)
| Player |
Pos. |
Snaps (%) |
Week 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow |
QB |
74 (100%) |
50 |
| Dalton Risner |
RG |
74 (100%) |
50 |
| Amarius Mims |
RT |
74 (100%) |
50 |
| Orlando Brown Jr. |
LT |
74 (100%) |
53 |
| Ted Karras |
C |
74 (100%) |
50 |
| Dylan Fairchild |
LG |
74 (100%) |
53 |
| Ja'Marr Chase |
WR |
71 (96%) |
46 |
| Tee Higgins |
WR |
65 (88%) |
46 |
| Chase Brown |
RB |
51 (69%) |
40 |
| Mike Gesicki |
TE |
50 (68%) |
20 |
| Dohnte Meyers |
WR |
44 (59%) |
20 |
| Drew Sample |
TE |
29 (39%) |
29 |
| Samaje Perine |
RB |
26 (35%) |
12 |
| Colbie Young |
WR |
19 (26%) |
7 |
| Jack Endries |
TE |
12 (16%) |
9 |
| Cam Grandy |
TE |
3 (4%) |
— |
Defense (77 snaps)
| Player |
Pos. |
Snaps (%) |
Week 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Battle |
S |
77 (100%) |
58 |
| Barrett Carter |
LB |
77 (100%) |
63 |
| Bryan Cook |
S |
76 (99%) |
63 |
| Dax Hill |
CB |
67 (87%) |
63 |
| Demetrius Knight Jr. |
LB |
65 (84%) |
49 |
| Josh Newton |
CB |
63 (82%) |
6 |
| Boye Mafe |
EDGE |
60 (78%) |
53 |
| Myles Murphy |
EDGE |
59 (77%) |
40 |
| DJ Turner II |
CB |
58 (75%) |
63 |
| Dexter Lawrence |
DL |
55 (71%) |
42 |
| Jonathan Allen |
DL |
42 (55%) |
41 |
| DJ Ivey |
CB |
40 (52%) |
53 |
| B.J. Hill |
DL |
30 (39%) |
34 |
| Cashius Howell |
EDGE |
27 (35%) |
26 |
| T.J. Slaton |
DL |
22 (29%) |
22 |
| Oren Burks |
LB |
10 (13%) |
12 |
| Kris Jenkins |
DL |
8 (10%) |
13 |
| Shemar Stewart |
EDGE |
6 (8%) |
— |
| Cedric Johnson |
EDGE |
4 (5%) |
16 |
| Jack Kiser |
LB |
1 (1%) |
4 |
More on the Bengals
This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
