This 2024 NFL Season has been brutal for many fans and teams in the league as the chase for the playoffs is getting more difficult.
The season has been brutal on the fans, fantasy football owners and the offense of the Cincinnati Bengals as they put up elite performances on the field. The same, however, couldn’t be said about their defense. Cincinnati’s defense is easily one of the worst units in the NFL and it is overshadowing the team’s Super Bowl chances created by quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Ja’Marr Chase voices his frustrations
It has gotten so bad that players are not even hiding their frustrations with the coaches and with other players as the team is closer to elimination from postseason play than they are clinching a spot.
On Sunday, the Bengals lost their third consecutive game and their eighth overall at home to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Burrow had another 300-yard passing yard passing and three-touchdown passing performance while the Bengals accumulated 375 total yards.
Another stellar offensive performance was wasted as the Bengals’ defense, once again, displayed a terrible performance. The Steelers’ offense accounted for 520 total yards with 410 of them coming from quarterback Russell Wilson and 38 points.
Among the players upset at the lack of consistency is Chase, who spoke about how the Bengals need to score at a high level in order to overcompensate and win:
“That’s kinda our expectations now.”
What to expect from Cincinnati moving forward
It isn’t going to get any easier for the Bengals as three of the five remaining teams on their schedule currently average 20 or more points per game.
They will have to face the Steelers again, the Dallas Cowboys and a red-hot Denver Broncos. They have two winnable games against the Cleveland Browns and the Tennessee Titans. The Titans are averaging 18.4 points per game (28th in the league) and the Browns are averaging 18.2 points (29th in the league).
Cincinnati’s defense has taken a huge fall in efficiency since their Super Bowl run. Cincinnati is ranked 31st in the league in points allowed per game (28.3), only better than the Carolina Panthers.
They have six games played where the defense has allowed 30 or more points. Head coach Zac Taylor and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo have done a terrible job of controlling the defense and preparing them each game.
There is a real chance that the Bengals could finish the season with an overall record of 6-10 based on the offenses they will play. The best-case scenario is the Bengals win all five of their remaining games to 9-8 and hope the rest of the playoff contenders slip so they can grab one of the final AFC Wild Card spots.
