Jonathan Allen didn’t sound like a player content to sit on a 5-2 record and coast into the second half of the season. Before the Bengals headed to Spain on Tuesday, the veteran spoke at his locker Monday afternoon and made it clear the mood inside the room is more about correction than celebration.
“You know we’re sitting at 5-2, and I don’t think anybody’s happy about how we’ve played as a team up to this point. I think it’s probably only one game defense can say we played a complete game, and I’m sure offense will say the same thing. So for us, we’re just trying to get better every day,” Allen said.
That frustration makes sense after Cincinnati gave up 36 points to the Titans last weekend. It was Tennessee’s highest scoring output since Oct. 10, 2021, and it came during a stretch where the Bengals’ defense has started to slide. Since Week 5, Cincinnati ranks 18th in EPA/play allowed and 26th in success rate allowed.
Allen has been part of the mix throughout that uneven run. His season has included flashes, and the raw production has been solid enough: 20 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble.
He has also logged 294 snaps and carries a 59 overall Pro Football Focus grade. Two of his games have earned 80-plus grades, and with one more sack, he’ll top his 2024 and 2025 production.
The timing of the trip gives Cincinnati a chance to reset in a different setting, but the challenge waiting on the other side is real. The Bengals are betting favorites against the Falcons, and Allen knows Atlanta brings problems even after the rain turned last week’s game against Tampa Bay into a mess.
“You have to defend every blade of grass. With a guy like Bijan (Robinson), he can jump cut, reverse field.
So it’s going to be interesting, and you know we’re excited about it,” Allen said about the Falcons and Michael Penix. “That’s definitely a guy who can make all the throws, has a great group, a great weapon, and a great coaching scheme.
So, it’s definitely going to be a fun challenge for us. But we’re looking forward to the opportunity.”
The weather forecast across the pond is expected to bring more wet conditions, so Cincinnati can’t assume the elements will do any favors. And even if Atlanta struggled in the first month with backup quarterback play, the Falcons still rank 30th in offensive EPA/play since Week 5 began.
That leaves the Bengals with a clear opening to clean things up on defense. The offense, at least, has been carrying its weight. Cincinnati leads the league in EPA/play by a wide margin in that same span, and Joe Burrow just became the first quarterback in NFL history with a 70% completion rate and four-plus passing touchdowns in three straight games.
For Allen and the defense, the message is simple: the record is good, but the standard is higher.
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