CINCINNATI – To pose a challenge for the Cincinnati Bengals as they aspire to reach the Super Bowl in 2025, their defense must exhibit significant enhancement compared to last year’s performance.

Fans that attended Bengals games in 2024 witnessed some troublesome play, while those who missed it can refer to this summary of their shortcomings:

• The Bengals averaged 27.8 points in their losses, marking the highest ever for a team in NFL history.
• Joe Burrow recorded 43 touchdown passes, becoming only the third quarterback in NFL history to throw at least 40 TDs and not qualify for the playoffs (1986 Dan Marino, 2012 Drew Brees).

Responsible for rejuvenating the defense is Al Golden, appointed as the Bengals’ new defensive coordinator in January, taking over from Lou Anarumo, who notably was the opposing defensive coach during the Bengals’ 41-14 defeat to the Colts in their final preseason matchup this year.

The Bengals opted to rest their defensive starters against the Colts, but they were active during the first two games of the preseason, which were less than ideal. In Week 2, Jayden Daniels executed a simple 19-yard touchdown run that may be the easiest of his career.

The defense faced criticism as they have significantly struggled with positioning during preseason games, leading to fans expressing frustration on social media.

However, the coaching staff is not concerned. Zac Taylor, the Bengals’ head coach, noted that they usually don’t make rash judgments based on a few preseason games, drawing parallels to Ja’Marr Chase, who struggled during his rookie training camp but blossomed when it mattered.

Despite feeling pressure due to player absences and public scrutiny, Golden remains optimistic about the unit’s growth as the team readies for regular season competition. The Bengals are set to launch their campaign against the Cleveland Browns, led by veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. Should they falter against him, it will indeed be time to be alarmed in Cincinnati.

“I’ve never read too much into a preseason,” Taylor said. “If we read into the preseason, Ja’Marr wouldn’t have played a down for us.”