After five games, the Cincinnati Bengals stand at a disappointing 3-2. The bye week couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
As Joe Burrow said, the team has to be better everywhere and avoid the little mistakes that cost them two games by a combined eight points.
Here are three things we learned:
1. The defense is improved, but they can’t stop the run
Let’s be fair here.
Last year, the Bengals had one of the worst defenses in the league, giving up 380.9 yards and 28.9 points a game.
This year, they’re only giving up 21.8 points per game, good for 11th best.
They’re also forcing a lot more turnovers, including four against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And they’re getting to opposing quarterbacks consistently, including 41 pressures against the Houston Texans.
Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen have been successful at generating pressure.
But the centerpiece (figuratively and literally) is Dexter Lawrence, who has exceeded the very high expectations that came with being traded for the 10th overall pick in the 2026 Draft.
Thanks to Lawrence, the Bengals went from the NFL’s lowest run stuff rate in 2025 to the highest through Week 5 of this season.
The problem is when runners get past Lawrence.
Over the last three weeks, Cincinnati is allowing an average of 155.3 rushing yards per game.
The result was back-to-back losses and a game against the Miami Dolphins that was closer than it should have been.
If Lamar Jackson plays on Sunday, the Bengals’ run defense could be in for a long day.
2. Burrow and Chase are still holding up the offense
The passing game is working, accounting for 260 yards per game (seventh in the NFL).
Burrow has 11 touchdowns in five games, and he’s just warming up.
Ja’Marr Chase suffered a concussion against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he’s still making eye-popping plays when he’s on the field. Tee Higgins has been outstanding as well. And they even have an elite right tackle in Amarius Mims, who very rarely allows a QB pressure.
The problem is twofold: those big passing plays are coming off incredible athleticism or playmaking from the receivers and Burrow. And the running game is not making things easier (outside the Miami game).
Currently, the Bengals are 26th in the league at 82.8 rushing yards per game.
Against the Jaguars, Burrow threw 54 times and made a costly mistake in the fourth quarter. That’s what happens when you become too one-dimensional in the NFL.
Then Samaje Perine got more involved against the Dolphins, and the run game turned around.
It’s not clear if the 31-year-old veteran running back can continue getting double digit carries or not.
But that game did show that Cincinnati needs a bigger, more traditional runner to lead the rush attack instead of Chase Brown. (I am very much in favor of trading for Jonathan Taylor, for what it’s worth.)
3. The Bengals’ biggest opponent has been themselves
The two losses this year were completely avoidable.
The game in Pittsburgh was largely decided by two special teams disasters.
And against Jacksonville, Burrow made a shockingly bad read that took the Bengals out of scoring position and set the Jaguars up for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Additionally, Cincinnati had some sloppy plays against Miami, including two personal fouls, a foul on a field goal (that then turned into a touchdown), two red zone fumbles, and a kickoff caught at the 4-yard-line.
The bye week is the perfect time to take a deep breath, reevaluate, and get your focus back if you’re Zac Taylor and the Bengals.
Once they’ve done that, they’ll have to prepare for Derrick Henry and the Ravens.
We previewed that game with HOF Bengals coach Jim McNally and Ravens YouTuber Engraven in the video below.
