Bengals to play defensive starters during preseason game vs. Falcons
The Cincinnati Bengals' defense will have its starters out for a drive in preseason game No. 2 against the Atlanta Falcons Friday evening. Nickelback Mike Hilton confirmed as much when talking to reporters following Wednesday's practice. There's an obvious reason behind this decision, and Hilton made sure to relay that. "We're putting in a lot of […]
The Cincinnati Bengals' defense will have its starters out for a drive in preseason game No. 2 against the Atlanta Falcons Friday evening. Nickelback Mike Hilton confirmed as much when talking to reporters following Wednesday's practice.
There's an obvious reason behind this decision, and Hilton made sure to relay that.
"We're putting in a lot of new guys," Hilton said. "So you go out there, they kind of get a feel for each other, how each other likes to play, get the chemistry going and the communication. So it'll be good for us and it'll be good for them too, especially on the back end."
This makes all the sense in the world. Hilton is one of two projected Week 1 starters in the secondary who were also starting Week 1 last year. Cam Taylor-Britt, Dax Hill, and free agent signee Nick Scott are all set to play together for the first time with Hilton and Chidobe Awuzie.
Establishing chemistry is great, especially for a group of players who need to communicate constantly. What Hilton later said to justify suiting up in the preseason doesn't hold as much weight.
“I feel like the way we started last year definitely had something to do with not getting any preseason reps,” Hilton said. “So I feel like that will be good for us on the defensive end and should help us early in the season.”
The Bengals' 0-2 start last year had absolutely nothing to do with how they performed on defense. Despite losing to both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys, the Bengals' defense ranked eighth in Expected Points Added per play and third in Success Rate.
You could argue the only reason they were in either game was because of Hilton and that unit.
If either side of the ball needed reps before last year began, it was the offense. Joe Burrow struggled out of the gate coming off an appendectomy that took a physical toll on him during training camp, and the marriage between the pass and run game was in complete disarray.
A year later, Burrow missed another training camp due to a calf strain and hasn't practiced since late July. The Bengals' offense has once again struggled while operating with backup quarterback play, but there's been no indication that any of the starters will play this month.
It may not be the smartest decision to play Ja'Marr Chase, Orlando Brown Jr., or any other offensive starters without Burrow, but that unit needs the reps more than the defense based on how training camp has gone.
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