While much of the blame for the Cincinnati Bengals’ Week 1 loss to the New England Patriots has been placed on Joe Burrow and the offense’s struggles, an issue from 2023 on the defensive side of the ball once again reared its ugly head.
Last season, the Bengals struggled to stop opposing running backs after contact, largely due to an onslaught of missed tackles throughout the year. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo even stated that the team “faced 30 more runs in three fewer games and gave up nearly 300 yards after first contact” when speaking to reports at the NFL Combine.