The Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) have had a very unpredictable start to the 2025 season.
They have a winning record but a -33 point differential.
A team that started with Joe Burrow throwing to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins is now banking on the defense to keep them in the playoff hunt.
Here are ten things I’ve observed about Cincinnati so far:
There has been an attitude change on defense
Al Golden has his unit playing with a sense of pride and a bit of feistiness. Sure, they’re still a little leaky. But they make more than their fair share of big plays.
The defense is, shockingly, what kept the Bengals in their first two games and would’ve given them a chance in Week 3, if the wheels didn’t completely fall off for the offense.
This improvement is largely due to younger players stepping into their own. Jordan Battle, Demetrius Knight, and Shemar Stewart have all made big plays to keep the Bengals in games.
The run blocking just isn’t getting better
The interior of the o-line has been the weakness the last couple of years, which generally means you won’t have a real run game. The addition of Dalton Risner did not move the needle. And Ted Karras, as lovable as he is, gets beat in ugly fashion on the regular.
Risner wasn’t the answer, and Frank Pollack wasn’t the problem. While the Bengals still lack elite talent on the interior, one can’t help but think a different head coach would be able to get even average production out of that unit at some point in the span of six years.
Joe Burrow was hiding the bigger issues
Just a week ago, the idea was floating around that the star QB brings sacks upon himself and refuses to play in traditional formations, thus holding Zac Taylor’s offense back.
After playing in the preseason, Burrow didn’t come out lighting it up, though he was playing turnover free football and winning games.
So the idea spread that the offense (and offensive line) could look better under Jake Browning.
Well, the ugly 38 point loss to the Minnesota Vikings hopefully put such delusional thinking to rest. If anything, Burrow deserves even more credit for protecting the ball despite poor interior blocking and no real run game.
Zac is boldly living in the past
After Burrow was injured because the o-line collapsed yet again, Taylor said something revealing.
Instead of reconsidering his offense’s style of play, Taylor simply reminded reporters that this same offense got to a Super Bowl and two AFC championship games.
For any other franchise, it would be a ridiculous statement, considering the Bengals haven’t made the playoffs the last two years.
But expectations in Cincinnati aren’t what they are in, say, Philadelphia. Here, the credibility a head coach earns from a Super Bowl appearance can carry him through a few disastrous seasons without consequence.
The rest of the season will be wild
Let’s not pretend we don’t know who Browning is and that, if given the chance, he could develop into an elite QB.
He’s not terrible. He’s just sloppy with the ball. So from game to game, you don’t know if he’ll have multiple 50 yard touchdown passes or four interceptions. Both extremes are always on the table.
So for now, fans can strap up, hold on, and hope Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins decide it’s their time to carry the team until Burrow comes back.
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