After arguably the worst defensive performance of the Lou Anarumo era, can this defense get up off the mat and help Cincinnati get back in the playoff mix?
What happened?
That is the question that is on everybody’s mind after Monday night’s embarrassing loss to the Washington Commanders, in which neither team punted the football.
Sometimes, the answers only raise more questions.
“I knew that was a dangerous team,” Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said after the game. “They were ready for us, and they made more plays than we did.”
Clearly, the Bengals were not ready for Washington.
Jayden Daniels, the Commander’s rookie quarterback, came into the game having completed 41 of his 53 passes (77%) for 410 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
He left as the owner of the rookie record for completion percentage (91.3%) after connecting on 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a score in Washington’s 38-33 victory.
“You’ve got to give them a ton of credit,” Taylor said. “They dictated the flow of the game, and we just couldn’t do enough to create a turnover, make a play for ourselves and go win the game.”
Watching the game back the biggest issue on defense is the lack of pass rush. Hendrickson received plenty of attention but there were too many reps like this where no one wins despite one on ones across the board. Need more from the star end and everyone else. pic.twitter.com/MtFqVkFGER
— mike (@bengals_sans) September 24, 2024
A big part of the reason for that was the fact that both of Cincinnati’s best interior defenders were sidelined with hamstring injuries. But ends Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard were both out there and healthy, yet the Bengals were unable to generate much of a pass rush.
And, despite the offseason emphasis on communication and eliminating explosive plays, the Bengals gave up a pair of them (55 and 30 yards) on Monday night. And that’s not even counting the special team breakdown that allowed a 62-yard kickoff return to open the second half.
Still, there is no sign of panic in the locker room – at least, not yet.
“We’ve got the players,” Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow said. “I’m not sure what happened tonight. I know that we have great coaches and we have really good players that are willing to improve and take coaching. So just like any game, if you don’t play great, you’re going to learn from your mistakes and get better, and that’s all you can do.”
“You know, it’s the NFL,” safety Geno Stone said. “Crazy things happen in this league. Anyone can beat anyone each week. We just have to put it together. We got it. Every game we’ve lost is a one-score game. It’s not like we’re not there.”
At 0-3, you’re not there. A couple of victories could begin to change that. A couple of losses …
