There once was a time, not so long ago, that the Cincinnati Bengals were known for their defense. Longtime head coach Marvin Lewis had been the architect of the 2000 Ravens dominant defense before being hired in 2003 to run the Bengals. Mike Zimmer ran a string of exceptionally dominant defenses as the Bengals defensive coordinator from 2008 to 2013, and Paul Guenther continued that trend when Zimmer got the head job in Minnesota.
Guenther left for the same job in Oakland prior to the 2018 season, which coincided with the Bengals’ defensive downturn. Teryl Austin, who had received praise for his work as the Lions defensive coordinator, replaced Guenther but was fired after Week 10.