The Bengals left Sunday with a 2-2 record after a frustrating loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the front of their defense kept showing up. Even with Jordan Battle and some of the other issues on the back end, the new faces up front were again the loudest part of the unit.
Boye Mafe, Dexter Lawrence, and Jonathan Allen teamed up for 12 pressures in the game, with Mafe and Lawrence each getting a sack. That kind of production gave Cincinnati a real edge along the defensive line, even in a loss.
Allen was the most disruptive of the bunch. He finished with five pressures, the most on the defense, and posted the top overall grade on the unit with an 80.7.
His 82.7 pass rush grade backed up how active he was getting after Trevor Lawrence all afternoon. He didn’t land a sack himself, but his work in the pocket helped open the door for teammates, including on the plays where Mafe and Murphy finished the job.
Allen’s impact wasn’t limited to the pass rush, either. He also helped hold up against the run, finishing with three tackles. The chemistry he has built with Dexter Lawrence was obvious again.
Lawrence did what Lawrence does. He logged three pressures, three tackles, and a sack, while continuing to wreak havoc against the run. He kept freeing up linebackers to make plays and made some himself, too.
There was one snap in particular that showed just how difficult he is to handle. Robert Hainsey had to grab a handful of jersey and take an obvious holding penalty after Lawrence powered him backward, a move that helped keep the Jaguars from cashing in after reaching 1st and 10 inside the five-yard line. Jacksonville settled for a field goal on the drive.
Lawrence also showed the kind of motor that makes him such a problem for offenses. At 350 pounds, he chased Trevor Lawrence down from behind for his sack, a hustle play that stood out as much as any of his power snaps.
Mafe added his own punch as a pass rusher. He finished with four pressures and a sack, and he made an early statement by getting to Trevor Lawrence and popping the ball into the air. Myles Murphy was nearly in position for the interception.
Mafe also helped create the pressure that led to a Kris Jenkins Jr. sack. He beat Anton Harrison around the edge and nearly came away with a strip sack on the play.
And when the Bengals needed one final stop, Mafe was right in the middle of it. He and Jordan Battle combined for a tackle for loss to open the last defensive possession and help set the tone for the stand.
The loss was frustrating, but the message from Sunday was hard to miss: this defensive line looks better. If the secondary can clean up its issues as the season goes on, Cincinnati has a chance to finish in a much better place than it did last year. If that happens, the guys leading the way will be Lawrence, Mafe, and Allen up front.
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