The Cincinnati Bengals are sitting pretty at 2-0 to kick off the 2026 NFL season, getting ready to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. While Joe Burrow and the offense have had their moments through those first two wins against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans, the absolute biggest positive sign for this squad is their defense. Seriously, it looks like Burrow might finally have the defensive unit he’s been dreaming about for years.
This Defense Is For Real, Y’all
ESPN’s Ben Baby isn’t pulling any punches, he’s straight up saying this early-season breakout from the new-look defense is absolutely for real. And honestly, after what we’ve seen, it’s hard to argue. That Cincinnati defensive line looks like it’s finally ready to wreak some serious havoc. Baby puts it bluntly: “The early surprise: The Bengals’ defense is putting pressure on QBs. The verdict: Real.” When you dig into the numbers, it’s even more impressive. ESPN Research pegs the Bengals at fifth in team pressure rate, clocking in at a dominant 40.2%. And if that’s not enough, they’re fourth in QB hit rate with a blistering 20.5%. That’s not just good, that’s elite pressure from the jump.
Sack City and Shutting Down the Run Game
You know what makes a defense click? A relentless defensive line, and through two weeks, the Bengals are absolutely nailing it. Yeah, their matchups against the Buccaneers and Texans weren’t exactly against world-beaters. Both those offensive lines had some serious question marks, plus shaky quarterback play and questionable skill groups helped Cincinnati put on a show early. But don’t let that distract you from how flat-out impressive this defense has been. Guys like Boye Mafe, Cashius Howell, Dexter Lawrence II, and Jonathan Allen, along with returning studs Myles Murphy, Shamar Stewart, and Kris Jenkins, have gotten off to a scorching start. They’ve piled up eight sacks in two weeks, which is just insane! They’ve given up only three touchdowns and a measly 149 total rushing yards. Now, sure, 569 passing yards allowed through two weeks sounds like a lot, but the good news is a huge chunk of that came from garbage-time production. This Bengals defense might actually have made the leap that the fans and Joe Burrow have been hoping for.
There’s always room for improvement, of course, but man, for the 2026 season so far, it’s looking mighty good for Cincinnati’s defense. They’re trying to cement their status atop the AFC North this season, and with this kind of defense stepping up, Week 3 against the Steelers is going to be a massive test to see if they can keep this momentum rolling.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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