Why the Bengals Defense Is Giving Up Yards but Not Points

[Arkansas Bengal]

Why the Bengals Defense Is Giving Up Yards but Not Points

 

By Andrea Hangst , AFC North Lead Writer Sep 25, 2014

 

Joe Robbins/Getty Images
The Bengals defense has made a number of big plays and allows the fewest points in the NFL. How does it do it?

 

Through three games, the Cincinnati Bengals possess the top-scoring defense in the NFL, allowing an average of 11 points to their opponents. 

However, the Bengals are not near the top in opponent yards allowed, ranking 17th and giving up an average of 352.7 per game. They are 18th against the run, allowing an average of 113.3 rushing yards per game, and 17th against the pass, allowing 239.3 yards on average.

So how are the Bengals able to hold their opponents to such low scores every week while looking downright average in the yards they've been giving up? 

The biggest key to the Bengals' defensive success is big plays and big plays made at the right time. The Bengals have a total of seven sacks and six interceptions, and those are certainly two ways to make an impact on defense and keep opponents' point totals low.

The Bengals allowed just seven points in their Week 3 win over the Titans while picking off Titans quarterback Jake Locker twice and sacking him twice.

Three of the Bengals' seven sacks have come on third downs and have served as drive-killers. Five have happened in the second half, not just killing drives but also serving to take advantage of desperate offenses trailing and trying to make something happen.

Trailing offenses pressing the pass is also why the Bengals have recorded four second-half interceptions this year compared to two in first halves. And even when the Bengals aren't picking off their opponents, they're keeping them from completing passes. It's no coincidence that the Bengals are allowing the fewest points though offenses are passing against them more often than any other team.

Collectively, the Bengals have 23 passes defensed. As a result, the Bengals defense ranks first in opposing quarterbacks' completion percentage at 54.29 percent. Opposing offenses appear to be playing right into the Bengals' hands (pun intended). 

 

Key Bengals Defensive Stats
  Stat Value

Rank

 

Opponent Points Per Game 11.0

1

 

Opponent Yards Per Game 352.7

17

 

Opponent Run Attempts Per Game 22.3

4

 

Opponent Rush Yards Per Game 113.3

18

 

Opponent Pass Attempts Per Game 46.7

32

 

Opponent QB Completion % 54.29%

1

 

Opponent Red-Zone Attempts Per Game 2.0

2

 

Opponent Red-Zone Scoring % 50.00%

T-6

 

Sacks 7

T-12

 

Interceptions 6

T-1

 

Passes Defensed 23

1

 

Source: TeamRankings.com and ESPN

 

Because of the Bengals' ability to make key stops, opposing offenses aren't reaching the red zone often—only twice per game. And the Bengals are only giving up touchdowns on those two red-zone appearances 50 percent of the time.

Of course, none of this would be as easy without the Bengals offense holding up its end of the bargain. Just as the Bengals defense is holding opponents to few points per game, the Bengals offense is scoring prodigiously, ranking sixth in points per game at 26.7.

The reason why opposing offenses are pressing the pass on the Bengals and why Cincinnati's defense is set up to sack quarterbacks and pick them off is because of the massive point deficits the Bengals offense has put them in. The offense sets them up, and the defense knocks them down.

 

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Bengals opponents fall behind, forcing them to pass. That's when safety George Iloka comes in—he has two interceptions already this year.

 

While there is an element of bend-but-don't-break to Cincinnati's defense, it is only the case because the Bengals are confident of their ability to stop drives before they reach the end zone. As long as Cincinnati's offense continues scoring points, then opposing offenses become predictable—pass, pass again and pass some more.

Therefore, the Bengals have increased opportunities to sack quarterbacks and pick off their passes. As long as offenses are forced to pass against Cincinnati, its defense will continue to make big plays and kill drive after drive. That is the No. 1 reason why the Bengals are giving up yards at an average rate but points at an extraordinarily low one.

 

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2210870-why-the-bengals-defense-is-giving-up-yards-but-not-points

 

[B.A.B.]

AKA one badass morherfuckin teaaaam

[Le Tigre]

Bend-don't-breaks rely on the sack/turnover factor. That is gambling on a lower percentage of success.

You can have 3-and-outs, and still give up no points. Just sayin'.

[Big Alice]

Bend-don't-breaks rely on the sack/turnover factor. That is gambling on a lower percentage of success.

You can have 3-and-outs, and still give up no points. Just sayin'.

True, but the Bengals aren't a "bend, but don't break" squad.

This article completely misses. The Bengals have had big leads in all three games. They haven't gone into a prevent in the second halves, but they have DEFINITELY softened their coverages. There's also been some good old-fashioned "clearing the bench" going on. In each of the last two games, there have been a lot of backups in the game by the time it was over.

[Phatcat]

I think this guy does a much better job of explaining the subject matter in this post...

 

 

 

Is The Bengals Secondary Playing The Best In The NFL?

by Sean McMahon 1h ago


Through the first three weeks of the NFL season, no team has dominated their competition more than the Cincinnati Bengals. In 180 minutes of play, the Bengals have only trailed in a game for 48 seconds; an astounding number to think about. Many people claim the Bengals’ success weighs heavily on the improvements Hue Jackson has brought to this team, which is true; however there is a very underrated aspect as to why the Bengals have been as dominant. What is it? The secondary.

While the Bengals do not possess the top overall passing defense, how they have played on tape surely seems so. Looking merely from a statistical standpoint, the Bengals have six interceptions through the first three games. Before the Giants-Redskins game last night, that would make the Bengals tied for first in interceptions. Not only that, but quarterbacks average a rating of 56.9 against the Bengals’ secondary, which is best in the NFL. The Bengals lead the league in passes defended with 23 (again before the Giants-Redskins game). All this while having faced Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco, the high powered offensive attack in Atlanta, and the up-and-coming Titans.

Here’s some game analysis. In the game against the Ravens, Joe Flacco threw for 181 of his 345 yards in the fourth quarter while also completing his lone touchdown pass, an 80-yarder to Steve Smith, in that frame. While allowing such plays in the fourth quarter is clearly a negative, it also shows how well the Bengals kept the Ravens passing offense in check to that point. Taking a look at the Falcons game, 125 of Matt Ryan’s 231 passing yards came after 11:01 in the 4th quarter while the score was 24-3. Also include that 57 of Julio Jones’ 88 receiving yards came during that same time period. Also of note, the Bengals have only given up passing touchdowns in the 4th quarter and quarterbacks have a 1:2 touchdown to interception ratio while playing the Bengals this year. So how is this possible?

On paper, every starter in the secondary besides safety George Iloka is a former first round pick. In fact, five of the six cornerbacks on the team are first round draft picks; the exception being backup Chris Lewis-Harris. Leon Hall is back from an Achilles’ injury and while he has not looked 100%, he is arguably the most underrated cornerback in the league. With quick hips and the ability to play the ball, Hall has kept everything in front of him and is playing at a very high level. Terence Newman is obviously the veteran of the group, but he definitely does not play like a 36-year-old. 

While he was picked on a few times, he always rebounds back by being even stronger and shows great recognition. Adam Jones appears to be the vocal leader of the group, and he has every right to be. He has shown the ability to get to where the ball is and can play both the slot and outside cornerback well. The Bengals also have Dre Kirkpatrick in the waiting dock along with 2014 first-rounder Darqueze Dennard. In 2013, Kirkpatrick was tied for the team’s interception lead (3) and Dennard has received high praise from coach Marvin Lewis.

One cannot overlook the safety play. Once Reggie Nelson was traded to Cincinnati, he revived his career by playing at a consistently high level. Arguably the best pass rushing secondary member on the team, Nelson also has a knack for being where the ball is and shows recognition while playing the zone. George Iloka is the only starter who is not a first rounder, but his play surely doesn’t show that. In 2013, Iloka was a solid starter showing he was deserving of the spot. In 2014, Iloka has been a ball-hawk and has elevated his performance level. He leads the team in interceptions and has played the deep ball very well by being in position to knock a pass away when need be.

Do the Bengals possess the best secondary in the league? Whether they do or don’t on paper, they sure are playing like it. Teams have had to pass against this team in an attempt to catch up and the secondary has held the lead while opposing teams do so. The Bengals have given up 376 passing yards in the fourth quarter this season, but two of those games provided a substantial amount of garbage time. What have the Bengals allowed in the first three quarters (of each game) for the season? A mere 342 passing yards. So in nine quarters of play, the Bengals have given up only 342 passing yards. Again, most of the 376 passing yards in the fourth quarter came when the game was already out of hand. What does this show? The Bengals secondary is playing at an extremely high level and is arguably playing the best in the NFL.

http://www.chatsports.com/cincinnati...NFL-2-10464520

[Cricket]

Other factors that these so-called experts seem to forget is Huber's punting and the team's kickoff coverage...or, in other words, where the opposition is starting their drives. A drive that puts any points on the board racks up more yardage if starting at the 5-yard line vs. starting at the 20-yard line. Plus it's harder to sustain longer drives.

[scharm]

I'm guessing 4th quarter, garbage yards drops their ranking a little.