Bengals' major problem from last year remains at large after being upset by Patriots
Missed tackles. Turnovers. Coming out the gate slower than a sloth.This was the recipe for the Cincinnati Bengals to lose the season-opener, at home, against the New England Patriots. It was cooked to perfection by the visiting team.The Bengals drop to 0-1 for the third consecutive season with a discouraging 16-10 loss to the Patriots. […]
Missed tackles. Turnovers. Coming out the gate slower than a sloth.
This was the recipe for the Cincinnati Bengals to lose the season-opener, at home, against the New England Patriots. It was cooked to perfection by the visiting team.
The Bengals drop to 0-1 for the third consecutive season with a discouraging 16-10 loss to the Patriots. As 7.5-point road underdogs, New England had a journeyman at Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, a brand new head coach in Jerod Mayo, and a makeshift offensive line. The Bengals still couldn't get out of their own way to start the season with a victory.
Offensively, it will be a story of missed opportunities. Mike Gesicki dropping a touchdown against his former team. Tanner Hudson fumbling at the goal line exactly one play later. A whole other possession never happening due to Charlie Jones fumbling away a punt return.
Starting the season off horribly on offense isn't anything new to Cincinnati, but the biggest fear of the week involved the other side of the ball. New England's run game opened the doors for an upset, and ultimately closed the doors on a shocking road victory.
Bengals' run defense remains a gigantic problem
All offseason, one big question surrounded the Bengals' roster. Can they stop the run? Losing nose tackle DJ Reader was the biggest blow to a defense that had an awful 2023 season limiting opposing rushing attacks. Reader was only one (very large) man, but he meant so much to a scheme that could place him in the middle of the defensive line and have him two-gap, creating easier responsibilities for everyone behind him.
Replacing Reader never really happened. The only nose tackle added was a rookie, McKinnley Jackson, in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Jackson didn't even play Sunday. He injured his knee in training camp and was placed on the Reserve/Injured list to start the season. He didn't even play Sunday.
Even if Jackson were out there, the Patriots would've had their way running the ball. Rhamondre Stevenson had a physically delightful day cutting back and cutting up the edge of the Bengals' defense. Missed tackles by cornerback Dax Hill and others collapsing down the line of scrimmage led to short gains turning into drive-extenders.
The very last run for Stevenson was the perfect example. In attempting to go for the ball to force a fumble with time running out, cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt failed to get the ball or Stevenson down on the ground as the Patriots moved the chains one last time to win the game.
Stevenson accounted for 120 of the Pats' 170 rushing yards. It's the seventh time in the last 12 months the Bengals allowed at least 150 yards on the ground, and the 13th time they allowed at least 100.
The worst part? This was the exact way the Patriots could win. Brissett predictably wasn't Tom Brady throwing the ball, and his weapons hardly challenged the Bengals down the field. Relying on Stevenson was the only way the Patriots could control the game and win a close one.
That exact scenario happened.
Bringing back Vonn Bell at safety was supposedly the missing piece to get the defense back on track. Communication has apparently been improved according to every player and coach on that side of the ball.
Tackling, on the other hand, comes down to every player, and it was simply terrible on a day it couldn't be. It certainly wasn't last year, and that problem looks like it hasn't nearly been solved.
Bengals Roster Breakdown: McKinnley Jackson has enormous shoes to fill at defensive tackle
Jackson was one of two third-round picks Cincinnati made this year.
