Marvin Lewis didn’t hold back when talking about the Bengals’ defense after Week 1.
The former Cincinnati head coach praised the unit’s four-turnover, four-sack performance on The Wingo Network, calling out the aggression, the new additions, and the way the whole group showed up against the ball.
"They played confident, man," Lewis said. "They stripped the football.
They were going after it every play. And again, adding Boye Mafe from the Seahawks, Jonathan Allen, Bryan Cook, who actually was a camper at the Marvin Lewis football camp and he reminded me of that when I was there.
But then their second-round pick was also Cashius Howell. These dudes came through, man.
The two young linebackers were not a liability on defense, and then the secondary played their tail off, and that's what they needed to have.
"And kudos to Duke Tobin because they get beat up on personnel all the time. Yeah, and him, Trey Brown, Stephen Radicevic, a little bird told me that Duke may have got a game ball. Now I guess it was his 200th victory for being in the building, but also for the additions they did on defense, and my gosh, it was impressive."
Lewis has been outspoken in support of the Bengals since taking on a bigger media presence this year and moving away from the coaching grind.
Cincinnati’s defense backed up the praise in Week 1 by creating havoc across the field. The Bengals are currently sixth in the NFL with an early 36.1% pressure rate, and Warren Sharp noted on X this week that they are No. 1 in havoc rate.
A big reason for that start is Al Golden’s system, which has already started to settle in.
"It was good. We played hard, we ran to the ball really well, we were relentless at times," Golden noted earlier this week.
"A lot of little things we've got to clean up, both as a unit and in our collective positions and techniques. Great experience for a lot of guys.
A lot of new faces. But we played hard and did what we had to do to win the game."
Now the Bengals will try to carry that momentum into Sunday’s matchup with the Texans and chase a 2-0 start.
In Other News...
Bengals Make A QB Insurance Move With Joe Burrow Uncertain
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Zac Taylor said Burrow is questionable but expected to play, and the team is focused on making sure he can go after the Houston game plan aggressively if hes cleared. Cincinnati has also been encouraged by the way its offensive line has protected in recent practices, a small but meaningful sign as the Bengals try to keep their quarterback upright and avoid any late-week surprises. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Suddenly Have A D-Line Question Fans Did Not Expect
The Bengals entered the season expecting the defensive line to be one of the places where recent draft investment would finally start to pay off, and for a moment it looked like Kris Jenkins and Myles Murphy might help change that conversation. Jenkins flashed in Week 1 despite limited snaps, while Murphy turned in a more noticeable outing with a handful of impactful plays, including a forced fumble, giving Cincinnati at least a small reason to think the group could take a step forward.
Still, the broader picture remains unsettled because the Bengals have also brought in new defensive linemen this offseason, a sign the front office is retooling the room even as it waits on its young talent. For a team that needs more consistent pressure up front, the question is no longer just whether Jenkins and Murphy can build on those early moments, but how quickly they can do it before the rest of the depth chart starts shifting around them. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Face A Few Matchups That Could Decide Houston Trip
Cincinnati heads to Houston with a handful of pressure points that could shape the afternoon, and the most obvious one starts on the outside. Ja'Marr Chase against Derek Stingley is the kind of receiver-cornerback matchup that can tilt game plans, while rookie tackle Amarius Mims drawing Will Anderson Jr. puts the spotlight on whether the Bengals can keep Joe Burrow comfortable when the Texans bring heat.
The other battles matter just as much for a team trying to navigate a tough road trip. Houstons running backs testing the Bengals linebackers could determine whether the Texans stay on schedule, and the interior line work in front of Cincinnati figures to be a major factor as well. With C.J. Stroud directing the offense, these are the spots where the game may be decided long before the final possession arrives. [Read more 🡒]