The Cincinnati Bengals just took their first major setback of the 2026 season, and it was a gut punch. They’re coming off a Week 3 loss where the Pittsburgh Steelers absolutely gashed them for *seven* explosive plays. Now, the Bengals need to get back in the win column this Sunday as they host the Jacksonville Jaguars, another top AFC playoff contender, in what is shaping up to be a critical early-season showdown.
Defense Giving Up the House
If the Bengals want to turn things around this weekend, their defense *has* to clamp down. The Steelers just ran all over them and passed right through them for multiple big plays last Sunday. Seven explosive plays, man! That’s just not gonna cut it for a team with playoff aspirations. Giving up that many huge chunks of yardage means you’re constantly playing from behind, constantly on your heels. And guess who’s rolling into town? The Jacksonville Jaguars, who just stomped the reigning AFC Champion New England Patriots 35-6. Trevor Lawrence is slinging it to a talented trio of receivers: Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Brian Thomas Jr., who can all hit those big plays downfield. Plus, their leading rusher, Bhayshul Tuten, is averaging 4.7 yards per carry this season. If the Bengals don’t figure out how to limit those game-breaking plays, the Jaguars are absolutely gonna feast.
Self-Sabotage in Cincinnati?
Beyond the defensive struggles, the Bengals have been shooting themselves in the foot, big time. In Week 2 against Houston, they racked up 12 penalties, yet somehow still pulled out a 20-6 win. Against Pittsburgh in Week 3, they cleaned it up to “just” six penalties, but those six were brutal and came at the worst possible moments. Remember Amarius Mims lining up too far back on the second possession? That wiped out what would have been a Tee Higgins first down and forced them to settle for a field goal. But even worse than the penalties? The special teams miscues that handed the Steelers a direct 10 points. Darrin Simmons made a wild call to try and block a punt when the Bengals were up by three points in the second half. Cedric Johnson roughed the punter, the Steelers kept the ball, and boom, touchdown a couple of plays later. And then, after the Bengals somehow regained the lead, returner Ke’Shawn Williams muffed a punt. What was PJ Jules thinking after that? We might never know. That kind of self-destruction can’t happen against a team like Jacksonville.
The Bengals are hosting the Jaguars, two of the top teams in the AFC battling it out early in the 2026 season. After a brutal Week 3 loss filled with defensive breakdowns and self-inflicted wounds, getting back on track against a Jaguars team that just crushed the reigning AFC champs is a massive challenge. This isn’t just about getting a win, it’s about showing they can hang with the league’s elite and stop getting in their own way.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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