This Shocking Stat Proves the Bengals Struck Gold With Offseason Additions

The Cincinnati Bengals have struggled on the defensive side of the ball for the last few years, but they seem to have made it their mission to fix this issue during the offseason. The Bengals used free agency, the NFL Draft, and the trade block to add multiple star players to their defense.

The Bengals signed Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, Jonathan Allen, and a few others in free agency. Cincinnati swung a blockbuster trade for Dexter Lawrence ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. They added edge rusher Cashius Howell, among other young defensive players, in the NFL draft.

After a productive day on defense in Week 1, the Bengals defense, led by their defensive front, dominated in Week 2 to hold the Houston Texans to six points in a 20-6 win.

Bengals Posted Pressure Rate Over 40 Percent in Week 2

Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Boye Mafe (53) reacts after a play during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

According to Next Gen Stats, the Bengals defense posted a 43.5 percent pressure rate, which is the highest pressure rate posted by a Bengals defense since Al Golden took over as their defensive coordinator. Five different Bengals defenders posted at least four pressures in the contest.

Allen and Mafe led the team with seven pressures apiece. Allen was the true star of the game, as he posted three tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack in a dominant performance for Cincinnati. Mafe didn't get home for a big sack, but his pressure helped disrupt CJ Stroud all game.

"Starting with the physicality up front and I thought the coverage on the back end, especially in the early parts," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Monday. "Anytime you keep the running backs to 14 carries for 18 yards is really impressive, and just showing the team the sequencing of events. We get a 4th-and-1 stop that really changes the momentum of the game. Offense goes down and scores a touchdown. We get a stop on a 3rd-and-1 in the third quarter on the 40-yard line. They then miss a field goal. Offense then goes down and scores the second touchdown. So just the playing off each other, I think, in all three phases when you go on the road against a good team that we have a lot of respect for. That's the way you got to win, and taking good care of the football, which we did. So I was impressed. It doesn't mean that there's not a lot of room for improvement, which there should be early in the year. But I just thought the way that all three phases complement each other at the right times allowed us to win the game."

Cedric Johnson had six pressures as he posted two sacks and two tackles for loss. Howell had five pressures and found himself in the backfield for multiple big plays, though he didn't earn his first career sack in the contest. Lawrence also posted four pressures while impacting nearly every single play that he was a part of.

It's very difficult to take a defense from one of the worst units in the league to an above-average defense in a single offseason, but the Bengals may have pulled it off.

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