Bengals' Defense Faces TOUGH Test vs Explosive Eagles: 'We Will Have Our Hands Full'

The Bengals enter Sunday's game with a 3-4 record on the season.

Oct 20, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) reacts after a long run during the second half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Were you worried when you realized that Eagles running back Saquon Barkey would be at Paycor Stadium this week after running for 176 yards on 17 carries in the Eagles' 28-3 win over the Giants in Week 7?

If you were, you shouldn’t be. 

The Bengals are tied for 21st in stopping the run, allowing opponents an average of 136.1 yards per game. 

However, since the return of B.J. Hill and Sheldon Rankins over the last few weeks, Lou Anarumo’s defense managed to contain Ravens’ Derrick Henry in Week 5 to 92 rush yards, on 15 carries for a 6.1 average. He had a 51-yard run in overtime that bolstered his numbers. Outside of that one carry, the Bengals' defense held up well against Henry. That was also before Rankins made his return to the field after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 2.

The defense turned around in Week 6, holding Tyrone Tracy Jr. to 50 yards on 17 carries (2.9 YPC) after the rookie running back ran for 129 yards the week prior against Seattle. 

After a gruesome knee injury in 2023, Nick Chubb returned to the field in Week 7. Chubb has been known to burn the Bengals and is a big reason why the Browns have managed to win most of the matchups over the last few seasons. 

Chubb averaged 5.37 yards per carry in 10 career games against Cincinnati prior to the matchup. The Bengals' defense held him to his lowest career average (2.0), giving up just 22 yards on11 carries.

Hill and Barkley entered the league together in 2018. Hill watched him rush for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie. Barkley also had 91 receptions for 721 yards and four scores that season.

“I know him very well. One of the best running backs,” Hill told BengalsTalk.com. “I might be a little bit biased, I think he’s one of the best running backs in the league. It’s hard to stop him. We just have to come and do what we do best and stop the run, play physical, set the edges and try to stop his as best we can.”

They draft classmates played together for three seasons before the Bengals traded for Hill prior to the 2021 season.

One key to the Bengals' resurgence in the trenches has been their defensive line rotation. Anarumo has rotated eight different players over the past few weeks.

“We took some L’s in the beginning, just a slow start,” Hill said. “We’ve picked it up the last couple of weeks. I’m excited for this whole group, defense offense, pretty much everybody the way we just responded. That’s what I’m most excited about, how we responded from week one to now. The way we got better the way we attacked each and every week even though we weren’t where we were supposed to be, but we came every day to work like nothing was wrong.”

Hill’s productivity in 2024 has been steady. He has a 74.4 overall grade according to Pro Football Focus, which ranks 14th out of 194 interior defensive linemen. Adding a veteran like Rankins has helped Hill play at a high level.

“Being around him is so awesome, just learning from him,” Hill said. “That’s why I think I’ve grown as a pass rusher too just learning stuff from him.”

The Bengals are no longer a team offensive coordinators expect to score easily on. Cincinnati has allowed just 21 points total in the the past two games.

“They’re a gritty team that has found ways to win,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said on Wednesday. “Their front seven definitely stands out and their DB’s make plays on the ball. We have a good challenge ahead of us.”

The Eagles are an elite run-first offense. They rank second in the league in rushing with 166.7 yards per game. Barkley won’t be the only challenge for Cincinnati as Jalen Hurts is known for his mobility. Once he breaks into the open field he can be a difficult guy to track down.

Forcing the Eagles into 3rd and long situations can prove to be beneficial for Cincinnati’s probably for a win. The Eagles have only converted on 34 percent (28-81) of their conversion attempts in 2024. Hurts voiced his frustration with that this week in Philadelphia.

“We have to change that,” Hurts said. “We are in third and long all the time, so we have to stay out of the sticks”

Last season the Bengals were a team that consistently gave up explosive plays but throughout training camp, Anarumo and his position coaches preached about stopping that stat from popping up in 2024. As of this week, the Bengals have allowed explosive plays at a rate of just 8.2 percent, which ranks second in the NFL.

Ahead of the season, safeties coach Jordan Kovacs shed some light on the benefit of having veterans like Vonn Bell and Geno Stone in meetings and around the team this season.

“We all take responsibility for that,” Kovacs said. “I love where we are at from a defensive backs standpoint, from a safeties standpoint and we are really good at communicating and that’s been a point of emphasis from day one. Vonn (Bell) is as good as there is at that, Geno (Stone) is as well and its been such a point of emphasis from not only myself but from Lou (Anarumo) and the rest of the coaching staff and those guys have really taken it to the next level.”

Dealing with the potential damage on the ground from Barkley and Hurts is just one block in the tower of challenges this offense can present for Cincinnati. Hurts also hit A.J. Brown for a 41-yard touchdown pass last week against the Giants. 

“They have a great offense over there, we will have our hands full, one of the top quarterbacks, one of the top running backs, top receivers and shoot, a really good offensive line," Hill said. "We definitely have our hands full we just have to do our best to put in the best defense we can, communicate, get to the ball, tackle and do the little things right.”

The Bengals will need to be stingy on defense again this week knowing their offense could face significant challenges from a Jim Schwartz-led defense that butters its' bread by eliminating a team’s top ball catchers. The Eagles are an important test to ace with a chance to even their record at 4-4.

A Week 8 win would also be Cincinnati’s first win at home this season.

“They deserve it, we deserve it. I’m excited for Sunday,” Hill said with a smile.

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