Bengals Newcomers Deliver Instant Impact as Defensive Chaos Fuels Win vs. Tampa Bay

The Cincinnati Bengals committed more than $175 million – and the No. 10 pick in the NFL Draft – to acquire four new players the organization is counting on to fix one of the worst defenses in the league.

And all four of them – defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen, defensive end Boye Mafe and safety Bryan Cook – made an instant impact Sunday as the Bengals recorded four sacks and four turnovers in a 33-27 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium.

“I think it’s a testament to the maturity we have,” said Lawrence, the prize addition of the offseason via a trade for the No. 10 pick in the draft. “We talked after every series about what we wanted to do, how we wanted to attack, how they were trying to attack us. So that right there just keeps the game feeling fresh and new all day.

“Later, I kept reminding everybody, 'This is why we here,’” Lawrence added. “Every time the score kept getting closer and closer, situations got more intense, I told them, ‘this is why we here to make these plays and to show up and help guide the defense.’”

Lawrence’s lone contribution to the sheet was a quarterback hit in the first inning. But as is usually the case with Lawrence, his impact when way beyond the numbers as he anchored a defensive line that put repeated pressure on Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield, resulting in him losing three fumbles.

Bengals Defense Makes History with 4 Sacks, 4 Fumble Recoveries

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. recovers a fumble and scores against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Sept. 13. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Boye Mafe, fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Seattle Seahawks, forced one of the Mayfield fumbles with a fourth-quarter sack, closing from behind and knocking the ball free for T.J. Slaton to recover with the Bengals leading 30-20.

“That’s one of the best feelings,” Mafe said. “It’s a blindside hit. He doesn’t know what’s going on. He doesn’t know if he has time or doesn’t have time.”

OPEN SACK SEASON. 😤#TBvsCIN at 1:00 PM on Fox pic.twitter.com/biYgNfO2gs
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 13, 2026

Mafe also recovered a fumble forced by Cook, the Cincinnati native and owner of two Super Bowl rings with the Chiefs, in the first quarter.

And Cook forced a fumble of his own, separating running back Bucky Irving from the ball late in the first quarter to give the Bengals the ball at the Tampa Bay 33, leading to a Joe Burrow to Mike Gesicki touchdown that upped the lead to 14-3.

“It’s a beautiful feeling, and I’m just thankful for the guys in the locker room,” Cook said. “They accepted me. They treated me as a brother from Day 1. I like to see guys make plays on our side of the ball. It’s as if I made the play myself.”

All the newcomers took turns making plays as well as watching others.

“You felt their presence, all of them,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said of the newcomers on defense. “It’s just really fun to watch those guys get into the action, create those turnovers and create that energy for the crowd early on.

“Those four turnovers are a gut punch to an offense,” Taylor added.

Asked about the satisfaction he felt watching all the new additions make impact plays, Cook turned his attention to two guys who aren’t new this year but were last year – linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter.

With both of them starting as rookies last year, they took a lot of heat for the failings of the defense.

Less than nine minutes into the season opener, they teamed up to make the play that ignited the whole defensive onslaught.

With the Buccaneers leading 3-0 and looking to tack on after the Cincinnati offense went three and out, Carter chased down Mayfield along the sideline and Myles Murphy delivered the big blow to force a fumble.

Knight scooped it up and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown and 7-3 lead, and the Bengals never trailed again.

“We absolutely felt the presence of all those new guys out there today,” Knight said. “We know who we have in front of us on the line. We know who we have behind us. It all starts with confidence.”

Carter admitted he had a tear in his eye watching Knight scoop the ball and run it in for defensive touchdown, something the Bengals only did once in 2025.

“I’m glad my brother was able to make that play,” Carter said. “That was a big momentum play.”

D KNIGHT SAID GIMME THAT.#TBvsCIN at 1:00 on Fox pic.twitter.com/WNSKgJ6STf
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 13, 2026

The game marked just the third time in franchise history the Bengals recorded four sacks and four fumble recoveries in a game.

It was just the second time they had four sacks, four fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown, with the other one coming in a 55-14 road win against the Houston Oilers in 1983.

The Cincinnati defense only allowed 20 points, with Tampa Bay’s other seven coming on a pick six against Burrow.

There was a lot of optimism that they new additions could make a meaningful difference to the defense. The question was how long it would take for the new faces to come together and gel.

Cook said the Bengals didn’t answer that question Sunday.

They might night answer it for a while.

“This might just be the floor of what we’re capable of,” he said. “I understand winning in this league is hard. And when you do it in the fashion we did today, man, it’s definitely a pleasure.

“But we had some self-inflicted wounds and some things we can clean up,” he added. “But that just makes it even more exciting to think about what we still can be.”

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