For a refresher, during a critical five-game stretch midseason, the Bengals’ defense allowed an average of 35 points per game while going 1-4 and seeing an MVP-caliber season from Burrow sink into the Ohio River.
Sound familiar?
They tied for most losses in a season this century when scoring at least 25 points in a game. They somehow went 5-6. The NFL winning percentage in those circumstances is 81 percent.
Old players fell off, young players regressed and the quarterback became a weekly embodiment of exasperation while publicly pressuring the front office to pay its stars.
The Bengals brass shared the same emotions.
“We’re a championship-level team that didn’t get an opportunity and that irritates us,” director of player personnel Duke Tobin said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “It irritates all of us. It irritates our fans and we’re not happy about it and we’re going to attack the offseason to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
In response, the Bengals fired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. A man once believed to be the club’s secret weapon in toppling Patrick Mahomes became its scapegoat.
They hired Al Golden, fresh off a legendary three-year run turning Notre Dame’s defense into one of the best in the country and winning the Broyles Award as top assistant coach in college football.
Voices get stale, even respected ones. A collection of recent premium draft picks who failed to develop could use fresh motivation.
Cool. Great. Makes sense.
What’s happened since suggests the Bengals forgot what transpired last season. Or, maybe more precisely, have made clear their opinion on what happened last season.
Read more below.
Bengals’ bet on new DC Al Golden has shifted from safe to reckless during free agency
