MADRID _ A Saturday afternoon jaunt through the bustling plaza Mercado de San Miguel smack in the two-deep zone of the Spanish capital revealed a teeming slice of Who Dey nation.
The small sample showed what we've always known. The Boomer Esiason Bengals were at the front of Europe's NFL awakening and the Joe Burrow Bengals have brought the popularity to new heights, so expect a blanket of orange Sunday (9:30 a.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 5, NFL Network) when the Bengals play the Falcons here at Bernabeu Stadium.
Along with Nos. 1, 5, and 9, there were No. 28 jerseys (both Corey Dillon and Joe Mixon), No. 18 (A.J. Green), and a No. 80 sighting (Peter Warrick). As a tour bike drove for views of the Madrid Royal Palace and Almuderan Cathedral, a pedestrian dressed in a Bengals polo shirt and Bengals ballcap did what head coach Zac Taylor asked and hollered, "Who Dey."
The game has become a destination visit. A couple from Mason, Ohio. A man from 30 miles northwest of London who became a Bengals fan when Esiason led them to a 6-0 start in 1988.
And Florian Kroess, 38, here from Munich, Germany with his wife and friends, and a devout Bengals follower who joined in the Burrow Era.
"This is my first NFL game, and it's the thrill of a lifetime," said Kroess, who is going to his second next week when the Lions play the Patriots in his hometown.
Kroess' favorite is wide receiver Tee Higgins because, "I love how he plays, his type of game and he's always so calm."
He plans to wear Higgins' No. 5 jersey and the chants of "Tee-eee," could be a preview of 2027, when the Bengals are expected to go overseas again. Since Cincinnati's sister city is Munich, that's always an option.
"That would be another thrill," Kroess said.
Running With Bulls
About 300 miles from here, they run with the bulls in Pamplona and that's pretty much what the Bengals defense is going to be doing against Falcons running back Bijan Robinson.
The 5-11, 215-pound Robinson has been both historic and prolific during a season he has led the Falcons' ground game to fourth in the NFL. He leads the league in rushing, is averaging more than five yards per touch, and his 983 scrimmage yards have put him 10 away from passing Edgerrin James for fifth-most scrimmage yards by age 25.
But the Bengals have nose tackle Dexter Lawrence. A week after saving the day on his sack with 27 seconds left in regulation to knock the Titans out of field goal range to set up an overtime win, Lawrence is flexing his muscles in what is sure to be a fourth Pro Bowl season.
According to Next Gen Stats, the Bengals' 31.3 rushing success rate with Lawrence on the field is best in the NFL. When he's off the field, it's 50.8 and last. His 10 run stuffs for a loss or no gain are the most in NFL by a defensive lineman.
"I think Bijan is probably the best back in the league," Lawerence said this week. "He makes you be disciplined as a front and makes you have to build a wall. And I think we're preparing to do that. We just can't let him get going, and don't let him get to the second level and just keep him in the backfield. It's going to be a big challenge."
The Falcons rushed for 100 yards in the first five games, but not in the last three. The Bengals, ranked 20th against the run, stoned the Ravens on 83 yards the week before the Titans hit them for 158 yards last Sunday.
"I think for us, essentially, it's an 11 -man job," said Jonathan Allen, Lawrence's tag-team partner at tackle. "You can't rely on one person to get the job done. You've got to throw bodies at him. You've got to swarm. You've got to play with a great effort. It's going to take everybody to do their job and be consistent and patient."
Lawrence also has the most sacks by a tackle, tied with Jeffery Simmons and Quinnen Williams with five.
No. 1 Check
Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase seemed a lot more at ease this week than he did after last Sunday's emotional comeback that spilled into overtime. A few gestures and suddenly his emotion shared the headlines with the win over the Titans. He revealed Friday that he spoke with head coach Zac Taylor and the conversation appeared to involve perception and reality.
"I'm a leader," Chase said Friday. "I want the best for everyone around me, especially when the offense isn't clicking. They let me speak my mind and opinion at the end of the day as long as I do it with respect. And I believe Zac can vouch for me. He and I already talked. Everything is always blown out of proportion with whatever I do."
What is not blown out of proportion is how he and Higgins are dominating defenses. Higgins has the second-most yards in the league, Chase has the second-most touchdowns, and Burrow has had no trouble finding them.
Burrow has an NFL-best 132.3 passer rating targeting Higgins and a 113.6 passer rating targeting Chase, fifth best. In between are the Packers' Jordan Love-Christian Watson (117.5), the Seahawks' Sam Darnold-Jaxon Smith-Njigba (117.3), and the Lions' Jared Goff-Amon-Ra St. Brown (113.9)
"We always make each other better within the offense and outside the offense. I think that's always what it's about," Chase said. "He's a good brother. He keeps me on my toes when I'm in the wrong. I would do vice versa, and I think I think it's best because we're both on the same team. Because when one's clicking, the other guy's getting all the attention, and it's one-on one matchups for Tee, so like it."
Leaders Leading
As that leader, Chase is trying to push being in the moment.
"We still haven't played our best game yet. We still had a lot of delays and situations where we can't take advantage of opportunities on the field and score touchdowns on the defense when there's an opportunity they didn't get to take away what they wanted," Chase said.
"I think the biggest thing for that is just playing in the moment. Coming together as a team and not worrying about those things and worrying about the next play. So when we are moved on from the play that we're mad about, I think it's going to get us ready for the next play."
On the other side of the ball, Allen, a 10-year vet, is impressed how the Bengals have responded to last week's tight win.
"To be successful in this league, you have to have high competitive stamina, and that's something that comes with time. I feel like as a team, even though it was a big emotional win, we're already focusing on the next as soon as the game was over," Allen said. "That's just something that comes with time. That's what makes the team special is the leadership, the veteran leadership we have, and the ability to be consistent week in and week out."
Slants and Screens
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