The Cincinnati Bengals defense couldn’t sink much lower. Coming off a 44-38 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13, the season — right along with the job security of sixth-year defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo — felt long gone.
One month later, with the Steelers back on the schedule in a Week 18 season finale incredibly featuring the Bengals’ playoff hopes still hanging on by a thread, the feelings have changed.
Yes, the Bengals have won four in a row. Yes, Joe Burrow has continued to ascend into the MVP conversation. The difference, however, stems from improved production from a defense that leads the league in turnovers over that span and used them to stabilize a unit previously plummeting to one of the worst in franchise history.
“We have been playing better, and that obviously brings a lot more confidence,” cornerback Mike Hilton said. “For us to finally get our hands on some balls and get some takeaways, that brings more confidence. Guys are excited, and we are playing good ball right now.”
Six questionable and one out for the #Bengals, including Cam Taylor-Britt surfacing with an ankle. pic.twitter.com/48zOEbQSuO
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) January 2, 2025
Good ball is one thing. Overall improvement is another.
How much of this progress is the result of playing against Cooper Rush, Will Levis/Mason Rudolph, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bo Nix? Each at one point in a game threw the ball directly to a defender for an interception.
How much has truly shown a defense trending in the right direction? And has all of that shifted the conversation surrounding Anarumo in what will eventually be the first critical decision of a monumental offseason?
These questions linger beneath the surface of Saturday’s last stand against the Steelers. This could prove to be one final test to cement a group headed in the right direction. It could also feature a repeat of what doomed the Bengals in the biggest moments throughout their biggest games.
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The defensive transgressions this season have been many, including six games giving up at least 33 points. In five of them, the Bengals also scored at least 27 and lost. None left a larger black eye than Pittsburgh, a game in which they gave up 38 offensive points via 414 passing yards and three touchdown passes from Russell Wilson. Another 110 yards on the ground, including a 7-yard run by Justin Fields on the final real offensive play of the game in which cornerback Josh Newton crashed inside rather than accounting for the noted running quarterback, put the win on ice.
The Steelers are the only team that scored 30-plus on the season that doesn’t rank in the top half of the league in EPA/drive this season. They were an underperforming division rival offense that came into their house when the Bengals had everything to play for and ran up the score.
That day was the worst in a season of disastrous performances against teams with winning records. The Bengals were last in the league in nearly every meaningful defensive category against winning teams.
Defenses vs. teams with winning records
|
Stat
|
Bengals
|
NFL Average
|
|---|---|---|
|
Points/drive |
3.17 (32nd) |
2.32 |
|
Success% |
47.3% (32nd) |
52.3% |
|
TD% |
38.1% (32nd) |
26.1% |
|
Red zone efficiency |
71.4% (29th) |
60.1% |
|
EPA/play |
-0.21 (32nd) |
-0.05 |
|
Opp ANY/A |
9.24 (32nd) |
6.9 |
|
Turnover/drive |
8.3% (19th) |
9.0% |
Making up for the broad-brush failure generally, and Pittsburgh specifically, is almost impossible, but Saturday provides an ideal opportunity.
“We got a second chance to play these guys and got a chance to clean it up,” Newton said. “Watch the film, trust the film and go make the plays. That s— ain’t got to be on the film. It should be on your mind. Should be in your heart. I gave up a couple plays in that game, so I’m a little sour. It’s going to be a big one, for sure.”
Newton serves as a perfect example of a player benefiting from experiencing success in recent weeks. He was thrust into the lineup for his first career start in the first Steelers game. The road has been bumpy for him, but there he was last week making a critical tackle in overtime to help set up a punt.
The mentality of the maligned group has changed.
“I’ll just point to playing with confidence,” Anarumo said. “You put a month of winning straight under your belt, that’s going to help anybody’s attitude and confidence level. Getting takeaways — (Germaine Pratt’s) pick was huge the other night. Keep that trend going. You go a month without losing a game, I think that that adds to everybody’s confidence level.”
After the loss to Pittsburgh, Burrow called out the rest of the roster, stating the Bengals would “be remembered for how we handled this” and pointing out the need to find “cornerstones.”
Oddly enough, the last time they faced changes on defense after a losing year created one of the most memorable moments of their turnaround against Pittsburgh. A win against the Steelers in 2020 that included a big hit by Vonn Bell against JuJu Smith-Schuster laid the groundwork for what they would become over the next two years.
It also helped build belief behind not just Anarumo but an entire coaching staff under extreme scrutiny after going 6-25-1 over its first two seasons.
So much of the judgment of progress here is dedicated to the progress of a slew of young players forced into action due to injury or demotion.
Nine of the 15 defensive players to log at least 20 percent of the snaps against the Denver Broncos were on their rookie contract. And they produced. Sixth-round rookie Cedric Johnson logged his first career sack. Joseph Ossai enjoyed one of his best games with eight tackles, a half-sack and a forced fumble. Rookies McKinnley Jackson and Newton offered winning plays in critical moments.
“You’ve seen a lot of young players get more opportunity,” head coach Zac Taylor said. “And so as they’ve gotten more experience, you’re seeing that confidence level raise. And you can really point to all levels of the defense where guys have been thrust into action due to injuries or whatnot. And as they’ve gotten that game experience, really stepped up and been able to become dependable and make plays for us, and combine that with the vets that already are out there. And it’s been a pretty good recipe.”
The recipe tasted good enough for Taylor to hand out game balls to the entire defense after the win.
That didn’t mean it was perfect. The Bengals still gave up 24 points, including a tying touchdown drive at the end of regulation. Safeties Jordan Battle and Geno Stone allowed Marvin Mims Jr. to run right past them for a 51-yard touchdown reception.
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There were two three-and-outs in overtime, but both came when Nix missed wide-open targets down the field. Because Nix missed both passes, the narrative plays out differently. The difference between one or two plays in a game has been the story of the season.
“Obviously, not as good as we wanted to be early in the year in some of the bigger games,” Anarumo said. “Just not getting a stop or two. But at the end of the day, the guys have gotten better. They’ve stayed the course, and that’s led to helping us win some of these games here as of late. We’re gonna need another big performance on Saturday.”
Another big performance and the Bengals could end up with a chance to start that season over and change the narrative once more. If the long shot doesn’t happen, it will be time to decide what to make of whatever progress occurred in the last month and who — if anybody — takes the fall for an MVP-level season at quarterback but not reaching the postseason.
(Photo: Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
