Madden 19: Cincinnati Bengals Player Ratings, Roster, Depth Chart & Playbooks

The Cincinnati Bengals have been playing football since 1968, but significant success has eluded them. The Bengals won the AFC in 1981 to make the Super Bowl for the first time only to run into Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers. In 1988 they went back to the Super Bowl where once again Montana and defeat were waiting for them.

Since then the Bengals have won just one playoff game, in 1990. The franchise has struggled mightily, tumbling toward the bottom of the NFL, after that 1990 loss they didn't make the playoffs again until 2005, at which point Carson Palmer was injured badly and they lost. Between 2009 and 2015 the Bengals missed the playoffs just once, but they failed to win a game, leaving them as a competent yet an unthreatening franchise that leaves their fans with little to complain about, but also little to celebrate. Can you finally bring the ultimate prize home for Bengals fans?

*All stats correct at time of writing

Team Rating

The Cincinnati Bengals get a 78 overall rating in Madden 19. This is not a great one, it's better than just seven teams, but it isn't awful either. The offense gets a 79 rating which is better than just four teams, but this is down to a lack of depth more than poor players across the board. They have a better defensive rating, getting an 83 score which is better than 12 teams and puts them firmly in the middle of the pack. The Bengals roster is pretty strong and has a few legitimate stars on it, but in franchise mode they need some more depth before they achieve a rating in line with some of the better teams.

Geno Atkins, Defensive Tackle (OVR 94)

Age: 30

Development Trait: Star

Contract: 5 years/$51.6 million

2018 Cap Hit: $9.67 million

Best Stats: Play Recognition (98), Power Moves (94), Strength (90), Pursuit (89), Block Shedding (88), Tackle (84), Acceleration (84), Speed (78)

The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Geno Atkins in the 4th round in 2010 in what has been one of the best draft picks of the last decade. The undersized defensive tackle quickly took the NFL by storm and became one of the very best defensive players in the NFL. In his second year in the league he racked up 7.5 sacks and 18 QB hits. That turned into 12.5 sacks, 21 QB hits, and a First Team All-Pro selection. Injury struck in 2013 and slowed him down, but Atkins gained his second All-Pro berth in 2015. He has remained one of the best interior pass rushers around and a dominant force against the run.

AJ Green, Wide Receiver (OVR 91)

Age: 30

Development Trait: Star

Contract: 2 years/$27.1 million

2018 Cap Hit: $11 million

Best Stats: Jumping (97), Spectacular Catch (97), Catch In Traffic (96), Short Route (92), Agility (92), Medium Route (91), Speed (90), Catching (90), Deep Route (90), Release (90)

The Bengals took Green with the fourth-overall pick in 2011, and while his national exposure has not led to the compliments that draft-mate Julio Jones receives, Green has been an excellent player for the Bengals ever since. As a rookie Green pulled down 65 catches and 1,057 yards. In every healthy season he has surpassed 1,000 yards, and has scored 63 touchdowns in his 111 games, a strong return given the talent that has been lacking around him for some years.

William Jackson, Cornerback (OVR 85)

Age: 24

Development Trait: Quick

Contract: 2 years/$5.04 million

2018 Cap Hit: $2.32 million

Best Stats: Speed (93), Acceleration (93), Jumping (92), Agility (88), Play Recognition (87), Man Coverage (85)

William Jackson was a first-round pick in 2016 for the Bengals. He missed his rookie season through injury, but in his first true season he made 5 starts and was inconsistent. Flashing moments of brilliance and also youthful lapses. He finished the 2017 season with 14 pass deflections and 1 interception. In 2018 he established himself as a starter on the Bengals defense and one of the better young cornerbacks in the NFL, capable of running with most receivers and blanketing them in single coverage.

Andy Dalton, Quarterback (OVR 81)

Age: 30

Development Trait: Normal

Contract: 3 years/$45.2 million

2018 Cap Hit: $12.7 million

Best Stats: Throw Power (92), Short Accuracy (88), Medium Accuracy (84), Play Action (84), Awareness (84), Throw Under Pressure (83), Throw On Run (83)

The Bengals picked Dalton in the second-round of the 2011 draft and immediately stepped into the starting job for them. As a rookie he led the Bengals to a 9-7 record with a 58 percent completion rate, 3,398 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Dalton has been extremely competent for the Bengals, but far from spectacular. He has never thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in a season, but he has thrown over 4,000 yards twice and completed more than 65 percent of his passes once. Dalton is a good quarterback for Madden 19, but he is not going to make the sensational passes of a Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers.

Full Roster & Depth Chart

Offensively the Bengals are a solid team. They have Andy Dalton (92 throw power, 88 short accuracy) under center who can make the majority of throws you'll want, and on the receiving end is the excellent AJ Green (97 jumping, 97 spectacular catch). Away from him is the speedster John Ross (97 speed, 95 acceleration) and the safe hands of Tyler Boyd (94 catching, 92 acceleration), while in the middle of the field is tight end Tyler Eifert (89 spectacular catch, 88 catch in traffic). The ground game can carry the load thanks to Joe Mixon (93 acceleration, 92 carrying) and Giovani Bernard (94 acceleration, 89 juke move). The offensive line is not as strong as it used to be, but rookie center Billy Price (88 strength, 81 run block) is a good talent and left tackle Cordy Glenn (93 strength, 79 pass block) is a mountain of a man.

Defensively, the Bengals are again solid but unspectacular. Up front the star is Geno Atkins (98 play recognition, 94 power moves), but they have good defensive ends too with Carl Lawson (88 strength, 87 finesse moves) and Carlos Dunlap (90 play recognition, 83 finesse moves). At linebacker the Bengals best player is the troubled Vontaze Burfict (93 hit power, 84 acceleration), but this area is certainly the weakest on the defense. At cornerback there is nice depth with William Jackson (93 speed, 85 man coverage) leading the way and both Dre Kirkpatrick (92 acceleration, 79 man coverage) and Darqueze Dennard (91 speed, 78 play recognition) being capable players. At safety Jessie Bates III (90 acceleration, 82 zone coverage) and Shawn Williams (92 acceleration, 79 zone coverage) form a strong partnership.

Cincinnati Bengals Playbook - Offense

I Form Pro

I Form Slot

I Form Slot Open Flex

I Form Tight

I Form Twin TE

Strong I Pro

Strong I Y Off

Weak I Pro

Singleback Ace

Singleback Ace Pair

Singleback Bunch

Singleback Deuce Close

Singleback Dice Slot

Singleback Wing Pair

Singleback Wing Slot

Singleback Wing Tight

Singleback Y Trips

Pistol Strong

Shotgun Bunch

Shotgun Double Stack

Shotgun Doubles

Shotgun Doubles HB Wk

Shotgun Doubles Y-Flex

Shotgun Empty Base

Shotgun Monster

Shotgun Monster Stack

Shotgun Split Slot

Shotgun Tight Flex

Shotgun Trey Open

Shotgun Trey Y-Flex

Shotgun Trips TE Offset

Shotgun Wing Slot Offset

Shotgun Y Off Trips

Shotgun Y Trips Wk

The Cincinnati Bengals offensive playbook is a mixed bag. You only get one Pistol formation, which won't be enough for many players. You also have a lot of I Form sets, which will be too many for others. What you do have though is a unique set of shotgun looks. You get the rare Monster and Monster Stack looks which split the offensive tackles out wide. There is also Split Slot which has a lot of misdirection plays and Tight Flex which includes the excellent PA Post Shot play. Trey Open and Trey Y-Flex are very nice formations for gaining big chunks of yards too.

Cincinnati Bengals Playbook - Defense

4-3 Normal

4-3 Over

4-3 Over Plus

4-3 Under

4-3 Wide 9

46 Normal

Nickel Normal

Nickel 3-3-5

Nickel 3-3-5 Wide

Nickel Double A Gap

Big Nickel Over G

Dime Normal

Quarter Normal

Quarter 3 Deep

Goal Line Defense 5-3-3

Goal Line Defense 5-4-2

The Bengals defensive playbook is a pretty good 4-3 one. Sure, you get the usual Normal, Over, Over Plus, Under, and Wide 9 looks, but it's the Nickel formations that make this one good. You have both a normal look, a 4-2-5 formation, as well as the 3-3-5 and 3-3-5 Wide looks. This creates a defense that can change looks but run the same coverages, making life all the more difficult for opposing offenses. You also have the 46 Normal look if you need a short-yardage run-stuffing formation and Quarter Normal to get even more defensive backs on the field.