The Bengals defense has struggled to finish games this season. There is, though, still time to turn that around.
Let me start by making, perhaps, a bold statement. I don’t think the Cincinnati Bengals defense is THAT bad. Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens offense is THAT good.
MVPs are going to do what MVPs do, and that’s what Jackson did in the second half on Thursday night.
So, what is wrong with the Bengals’ defense? Is it that they can’t tackle? Is it that they give up too many big plays in the passing game? Maybe it’s that Rob Livingston isn’t here this season.
Rob Livingston? Yes, that Rob Livingston. The former secondary coach for the Bengals is now the defensive coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes. Their defense has massively improved this season. The Bengals defense has regressed. So, I’ll ask the question: Could the Bengals bring back Rob Livingston as their defensive coordinator in 2025?
A lot of things would have to happen for this scenario to play out. First, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders would likely have to leave Colorado and go be the head coach elsewhere next season. That could happen, considering Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion’s son, will be a high draft pick next Spring.
Second, the Bengals would have to move on from current defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. The Bengals value continuity, but some things just get stale. I feel like that’s what’s happening with the Bengals defense. As star players have departed, Anarumo’s defense hasn’t been the same as it was in 2021 and 2022.
Colorado’s defense has massively improved this season. The Buffaloes are 51st in points allowed per game this season at 22.6. In 2023, Colorado was 124th out of 133 FBS teams, allowing 34.8 points per game. Their yards per game is also down by nearly over 100 yards per game.
The Bengals were 21st in scoring (22.6 points per game) in 2023 and were 31st in yards allowed per game.
This season, the Bengals rank 26th in scoring (26.2 points per game) and 22nd in yards allowed per game. So in terms of yards allowed per game, they’ve actually improved.
Still, giving up 30 points or more in four games this season is not good enough. Interestingly, the Bengals have scored 30 points or more in three of those four games.
I watched Colorado’s defense in person when they hosted the Bearcats two weeks ago. They are excellent in man coverage. With Livingston’s background as a secondary coach, he can help the Bengals’ secondary reestablish itself as one of the upper-half-of-the-NFL secondaries in the NFL.
The Bengals’ solution on defense may just be in Boulder, Colorado. Maybe we forgot how great of a position coach Rob Livingston was, is, and can be.
