'Today showed our true identity': The Bengals defense showed a winning formula vs. Seattle

[Arkansas Bengal]

 

Charlie Goldsmith, Cincinnati Enquirer

Sun, Oct 15, 2023, 2:56 PM CDT·7 min read

 

 

Fifteen minutes after the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense closed out a 17-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks, Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard leaned back in his chair at his locker and was still trying to catch his breath.

 

Hubbard’s leg sleeve was torn and his knee pads were chewed up. His pass rush was a big part of two game-saving goal line stands in the final three minutes by the Bengals’ defense, and Hubbard ended one of those Seahawks drives with a sack on fourth down.

 

“We emptied the tank on that one,” Hubbard said about a win that was as exhausting as it was familiar.

 

On Sunday at Paycor Stadium, the Bengals followed the formula that they’ve used in the playoffs over the last two years. Quarterback Joe Burrow’s efficiency got the Bengals the lead, and the defense closed the game out with big plays.

 

In the final four minutes, the Seahawks made it to the Bengals’ 7-yard line while trailing by four points. Trey Hendrickson gave the Bengals a sack on first down and Hubbard got the Seahawks off the field with a sack of his own on fourth down.

 

Then in the final two minutes, the Seahawks made it to the Bengals’ 4-yard line. On fourth down, defensive tackle B.J. Hill hit Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith as he threw and forced a game-ending incompletion.

 

These game-winning plays resembled some of the biggest moments that the Bengals have had over the last three years. They felt like Germaine Pratt’s pick against the Raiders, Joseph Ossai’s sack against the Chiefs and Vonn Bell’s forced fumble in New England.

 

“Just because a team gets in there at the 3-yard line,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said, “It’s not like, ‘Here we go, it’s 7 points.’ I really think that our defense believes that worst case, we’re holding them to three. Best case, we’re getting the ball. Going back to that New England game last year, you always feel like these guys have an attitude to find the way to get that ball out and not give up any points.”

 

For the first five weeks of the season, the Bengals’ defense didn’t quite look like itself. For 90% of the game, the defense would be the same versatile, aggressive and remarkably consistent group that carried the Bengals in the playoffs the last two years.

 

But then on a few plays every game before Sunday, the Bengals would miss a handful of tackles, have a lapse in coverage or suffer from a miscommunication.

On Sunday, for the first time all year, the Bengals’ defense looked like it was at its best. The Seahawks entered Sunday as a top-10 offense in the NFL, and the Bengals kept them in check.

 

“We’ll keep on building on that,” Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt said. “We did great in the red zone. That’s what we expect to do. That’s our DNA as a defense.”

 

The Bengals jumped out to a 14-10 lead at halftime during a near-perfect stretch from Burrow.

 

As he completed 18 of his 22 passes for 143 yards in the first half, Burrow went into full point guard mode. He picked apart the defense with screens, slants and check downs. He read cornerback Riq Woolen’s eyes perfectly in the red zone, saw Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd get a one-step advantage darting back to the middle of the field and he hit Boyd in stride in the end zone on a slant that tied the score at 7 in the first quarter.

 

But in the second half, the Bengals’ passing game fell apart, and the offense totaled just 52 yards. Three sacks, an interception, a crucial drop and a terrible run game from the Bengals gave the Seahawks one opportunity after another to take the lead.

 

Every time, the Bengals’ defense held on.

 

“I’m confident in their ability to get the job done,” Burrow said. “I (also) kept reflecting on the opportunities to put that game away that we didn’t take advantage of.”

 

Cornerback Mike Hilton, the veteran in a very young Bengals secondary, showed what his instincts, IQ and athleticism mean to the Bengals’ defense with his interception. The Seahawks marched into the red zone with a chance to take the lead in the middle of the third quarter, and Hilton made his biggest play of the year.

 

When Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith tried a deep ball into the end zone for Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Hilton read the play perfectly and picked up the interception. He saw Smith staring down the rookie wide receiver, sprinted across the field and made the leaping pick.

 

Since the Bengals signed Hilton in 2021, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has encouraged him to be aggressive. Hilton is one of the best blitzing cornerbacks in the NFL, and he tries to play mind games with the quarterback and line up where they’re not expecting. He delivers big plays as often as anyone on the Bengals’ defense, and his interception near the goal line kept the Bengals out in front.

 

“Today was definitely a big stepping stone to lead us into the back half of the season,” Hilton said. “We knew they’d try to out-physical us. But we know who we are as a defense.”

 

Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt gave the Bengals another interception early in the fourth quarter. Taylor-Britt tracked Seahawks star receiver DK Metcalf in coverage deep down the field and showed his elite athleticism as he jumped in front of Metcalf to reel in the pass. Smith entered Sunday with one interception all season, and he threw two picks against the Bengals.

 

Taylor-Britt’s interception got the Bengals in good field position for a 52-yard field goal by Evan McPherson that put the Bengals up, 17-13, in the fourth quarter.

 

The Bengals’ defensive line closed out the game with two more stops. With six minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks drove 50 yards down the field with two big passes to Metcalf. On 1st and goal from the 7-yard line, Hendrickson continued his run as one of the best defensive ends in the NFL with a sack that resulted in a 12-yard loss. Then on 4th and goal from the 6-yard line, Hubbard recorded a drive-ending sack.

 

“Today showed our true identity,” Taylor-Britt said. “It showed the resilience of this defense in those tough moments. Who doesn’t want the ball thrown to them in the clutch moment of the game? Who doesn’t want to hold up this good offense with 40 seconds left in the red zone? We love that type of stuff. It wasn’t easy, but we live for that.”

 

The Seahawks got one final chance in the final minute after Smith beat the Bengals’ secondary with another deep throw. But the Bengals defense forced three incompletions, including one that Hill forced on fourth down with a quarterback hit that won the Bengals the game.

 

The Bengals enter the bye week with their first real momentum of the season. They have the same record they had through six games last year. Burrow’s health doesn’t feel like a concern anymore. The defense is starting to make more splash plays.

 

The Bengals have hit the reset button on the season, and expectations are back to being as high as they were entering the season

 

“It’s back to 0-0,” Taylor-Britt said. “It’s a fresh start, and we’ve got to come back after the bye and keep our feet on a lot of people’s necks. As you can see, it’s not going to be easy.”

 

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals beat Seattle Seahawks in Week 6 at Paycor Stadium

 

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/burrows-strong-start-defenses-loud-195636146.html

 

 

[Jamie_B]

We had a 50% pressure rate, that is insane.

 

 

[-GoBengals-]

if we can juuuuuust face mediocre indecisive QBs with limited offensive weapons and a mediocre o-line every week we are going to fucking crush it..

 

 

hoping CMC is out next week, if both he and Samuel are out man id be pretty excited and we should win.

[Jamie_B]

12 minutes ago, GoBengals said:

if we can juuuuuust face mediocre indecisive QBs with limited offensive weapons and a mediocre o-line every week we are going to fucking crush it..

 

 

hoping CMC is out next week, if both he and Samuel are out man id be pretty excited and we should win.

 

Sounds like Samuel is day to day this week I'd be surprised if he is out next week. CmC not sure as he sonds like an oblique or rib, which I have no idea of the recovery time on that.

 

Purdy looks beatable if you have a top pass rush. That is the question for me.

[Le Tigre]

2 hours ago, GoBengals said:

hoping CMC is out next week

Whatever happened to the “running backs are a dime a dozen” mindset in the media? 

[Shebengal]

This week’s take from Cincy Magazine.

 

https://www.cincymagazine.com/return-to-form/?mc_cid=cb13e750dd&mc_eid=471ba5c27b
 

 

[Jamie_B]

 

 

Interview with Lou

[claptonrocks]

On 10/15/2023 at 10:58 PM, Arkansas Bengal said:

 

Charlie Goldsmith, Cincinnati Enquirer

Sun, Oct 15, 2023, 2:56 PM CDT·7 min read

 

 

Fifteen minutes after the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense closed out a 17-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks, Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard leaned back in his chair at his locker and was still trying to catch his breath.

 

Hubbard’s leg sleeve was torn and his knee pads were chewed up. His pass rush was a big part of two game-saving goal line stands in the final three minutes by the Bengals’ defense, and Hubbard ended one of those Seahawks drives with a sack on fourth down.

 

“We emptied the tank on that one,” Hubbard said about a win that was as exhausting as it was familiar.

 

On Sunday at Paycor Stadium, the Bengals followed the formula that they’ve used in the playoffs over the last two years. Quarterback Joe Burrow’s efficiency got the Bengals the lead, and the defense closed the game out with big plays.

 

In the final four minutes, the Seahawks made it to the Bengals’ 7-yard line while trailing by four points. Trey Hendrickson gave the Bengals a sack on first down and Hubbard got the Seahawks off the field with a sack of his own on fourth down.

 

Then in the final two minutes, the Seahawks made it to the Bengals’ 4-yard line. On fourth down, defensive tackle B.J. Hill hit Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith as he threw and forced a game-ending incompletion.

 

These game-winning plays resembled some of the biggest moments that the Bengals have had over the last three years. They felt like Germaine Pratt’s pick against the Raiders, Joseph Ossai’s sack against the Chiefs and Vonn Bell’s forced fumble in New England.

 

“Just because a team gets in there at the 3-yard line,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said, “It’s not like, ‘Here we go, it’s 7 points.’ I really think that our defense believes that worst case, we’re holding them to three. Best case, we’re getting the ball. Going back to that New England game last year, you always feel like these guys have an attitude to find the way to get that ball out and not give up any points.”

 

For the first five weeks of the season, the Bengals’ defense didn’t quite look like itself. For 90% of the game, the defense would be the same versatile, aggressive and remarkably consistent group that carried the Bengals in the playoffs the last two years.

 

But then on a few plays every game before Sunday, the Bengals would miss a handful of tackles, have a lapse in coverage or suffer from a miscommunication.

On Sunday, for the first time all year, the Bengals’ defense looked like it was at its best. The Seahawks entered Sunday as a top-10 offense in the NFL, and the Bengals kept them in check.

 

“We’ll keep on building on that,” Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt said. “We did great in the red zone. That’s what we expect to do. That’s our DNA as a defense.”

 

The Bengals jumped out to a 14-10 lead at halftime during a near-perfect stretch from Burrow.

 

As he completed 18 of his 22 passes for 143 yards in the first half, Burrow went into full point guard mode. He picked apart the defense with screens, slants and check downs. He read cornerback Riq Woolen’s eyes perfectly in the red zone, saw Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd get a one-step advantage darting back to the middle of the field and he hit Boyd in stride in the end zone on a slant that tied the score at 7 in the first quarter.

 

But in the second half, the Bengals’ passing game fell apart, and the offense totaled just 52 yards. Three sacks, an interception, a crucial drop and a terrible run game from the Bengals gave the Seahawks one opportunity after another to take the lead.

 

Every time, the Bengals’ defense held on.

 

“I’m confident in their ability to get the job done,” Burrow said. “I (also) kept reflecting on the opportunities to put that game away that we didn’t take advantage of.”

 

Cornerback Mike Hilton, the veteran in a very young Bengals secondary, showed what his instincts, IQ and athleticism mean to the Bengals’ defense with his interception. The Seahawks marched into the red zone with a chance to take the lead in the middle of the third quarter, and Hilton made his biggest play of the year.

 

When Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith tried a deep ball into the end zone for Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Hilton read the play perfectly and picked up the interception. He saw Smith staring down the rookie wide receiver, sprinted across the field and made the leaping pick.

 

Since the Bengals signed Hilton in 2021, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has encouraged him to be aggressive. Hilton is one of the best blitzing cornerbacks in the NFL, and he tries to play mind games with the quarterback and line up where they’re not expecting. He delivers big plays as often as anyone on the Bengals’ defense, and his interception near the goal line kept the Bengals out in front.

 

“Today was definitely a big stepping stone to lead us into the back half of the season,” Hilton said. “We knew they’d try to out-physical us. But we know who we are as a defense.”

 

Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt gave the Bengals another interception early in the fourth quarter. Taylor-Britt tracked Seahawks star receiver DK Metcalf in coverage deep down the field and showed his elite athleticism as he jumped in front of Metcalf to reel in the pass. Smith entered Sunday with one interception all season, and he threw two picks against the Bengals.

 

Taylor-Britt’s interception got the Bengals in good field position for a 52-yard field goal by Evan McPherson that put the Bengals up, 17-13, in the fourth quarter.

 

The Bengals’ defensive line closed out the game with two more stops. With six minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks drove 50 yards down the field with two big passes to Metcalf. On 1st and goal from the 7-yard line, Hendrickson continued his run as one of the best defensive ends in the NFL with a sack that resulted in a 12-yard loss. Then on 4th and goal from the 6-yard line, Hubbard recorded a drive-ending sack.

 

“Today showed our true identity,” Taylor-Britt said. “It showed the resilience of this defense in those tough moments. Who doesn’t want the ball thrown to them in the clutch moment of the game? Who doesn’t want to hold up this good offense with 40 seconds left in the red zone? We love that type of stuff. It wasn’t easy, but we live for that.”

 

The Seahawks got one final chance in the final minute after Smith beat the Bengals’ secondary with another deep throw. But the Bengals defense forced three incompletions, including one that Hill forced on fourth down with a quarterback hit that won the Bengals the game.

 

The Bengals enter the bye week with their first real momentum of the season. They have the same record they had through six games last year. Burrow’s health doesn’t feel like a concern anymore. The defense is starting to make more splash plays.

 

The Bengals have hit the reset button on the season, and expectations are back to being as high as they were entering the season

 

“It’s back to 0-0,” Taylor-Britt said. “It’s a fresh start, and we’ve got to come back after the bye and keep our feet on a lot of people’s necks. As you can see, it’s not going to be easy.”

 

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals beat Seattle Seahawks in Week 6 at Paycor Stadium

 

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/burrows-strong-start-defenses-loud-195636146.html

 

 

 We have two of the best DEs at what they do.

Trey is a monster pass rusher..

Sam looks to stop the run or pressures QBs to throw on the run.

 

Both productive and with BJ Hill stepping up to play with passion only adds to their effectiveness.

 

Reader just plays the nose as well as anyone.

Outstanding front four.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cricket]

4 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

 

 

Interview with Lou

Nice.

 

What would it take ($) to keep him as DC and not look to become a head coach?

 

 

[PatternMaster]

6 hours ago, Cricket said:

Nice.

 

What would it take ($) to keep him as DC and not look to become a head coach?

 

 

 

He's been looking, but no offers as of yet...that I can remember. It's not en vogue to hire older DC's, most teams want the young OC. 

[|High School Harry|]

11 hours ago, claptonrocks said:

 We have two of the best DEs at what they do.

Trey is a monster pass rusher..

Sam looks to stop the run or pressures QBs to throw on the run.

 

Both productive and with BJ Hill stepping up to play with passion only adds to their effectiveness.

 

Reader just plays the nose as well as anyone.

Outstanding front four.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also have the most underrated, overlooked and BEST middle linebacker in the NFL

If Logan Wilson is not a first choice Pro Bowler its more of a sham than I already think it is.

[PatternMaster]

22 minutes ago, High School Harry said:

We also have the most underrated, overlooked and BEST middle linebacker in the NFL

If Logan Wilson is not a first choice Pro Bowler its more of a sham than I already think it is.

 

He's good but he missed too many tackles, great in pass coverage tho. 

[Shebengal]

2 hours ago, High School Harry said:

We also have the most underrated, overlooked and BEST middle linebacker in the NFL

If Logan Wilson is not a first choice Pro Bowler its more of a sham than I already think it is.

The DL and Wilson are all underrated and fly under the NFL's radar.

 

Fine by me. Keep sneaking up on people. 

[claptonrocks]

2 hours ago, PatternMaster said:

 

He's good but he missed too many tackles, great in pass coverage tho

Yes he has.

Better tackling will elevate his game tremendously.

He's still a good one to have though.

[claptonrocks]

34 minutes ago, Shebengal said:

The DL and Wilson are all underrated and fly under the NFL's radar.

 

Fine by me. Keep sneaking up on people. 

After 6 games Noone is under the radar.

They're an intense firery unit that plays 60 mins.

Teams know this.

 

[PatternMaster]

On 10/17/2023 at 4:33 PM, Jamie_B said:

 

Sounds like Samuel is day to day this week I'd be surprised if he is out next week. CmC not sure as he sonds like an oblique or rib, which I have no idea of the recovery time on that.

 

Purdy looks beatable if you have a top pass rush. That is the question for me.

It's looking like CMC will play this week, but they play on MNF and they play us on Sunday so we are catching them on a short week so we will be catching them at the right time.

[Jamie_B]

2 hours ago, PatternMaster said:

It's looking like CMC will play this week, but they play on MNF and they play us on Sunday so we are catching them on a short week so catching at the right time.

 

Gonna need to play a complete game to compete with these guys

[Jamie_B]