Cincinnati Bengals' B.J. Hill Makes Emotional, Triumphant Return to MetLife, Helps Defense Snap Dubious Streak

Jay Morrison | Oct 14, 2024

Oct 13, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill (92) forces an interception on a throw by New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Best friends and college roommates B.J. Hill and Germaine Pratt once made a social media post where they recreated the Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly pose from “Step Brothers.”

Maybe’s Hill’s next creation should show he and Cincinnai Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo dressed in tuxedos for homecoming.

Because that’s what Sunday night was for Anarumo, who coached the Giants defensive backs in 2018, and Hill, who spent three seasons with the team before getting traded to the Bengals in 2021.

Actually, the most appropriate mock-up would have Hill and Anarumo dressed as priests, because Sunday night’s 17-7 victory against the Giants felt like an exorcism.

A Bengals defense that was mostly culpable for the team’s 1-4 start walked out of MetLife Stadium largely responsible for a season-saving win.

“Our goal on defense is if we score one time, we've got to win the game,” Hill said. “Whether the defense scores or the offense scores, that has to be our mindset all the time. They (the offense) scored, gave us enough points to win the game, and that's what we did.”

Anarumo, who grew up on Staten Island, N.Y. and attended many Giants games as a youngster, directed a defense that had allowed 29 points per game through five weeks, ranking 31st in the league.

Sunday night, the Cincinnati defense blanked the Giants for the first 39 minutes and 12 seconds – and then again for the remainder of the game after New York running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. had evened things at 7-7 with a 1-yard touchdown run.

For a while, it looked as though “Freaky Friday” might be the most appropriate movie poster to link to the game as Joe Burrow and one of the league’s top offenses had no answers beyond the quarterback’s 47-yard touchdown run to cap the opening drive of the game.

“It was great to see our defense step up like that,” Burrow said. “They’ve taken some heat the last couple of weeks, but they played awesome today.”

That was the first of five shoutouts Burrow gave Anarumo’s group.

Head coach Zac Taylor lauded the way the group played as well.

“I think you can name a lot of people on that defense that really stepped up,” he said. “A resilient group that goes about it the right way believes in each other, believes in what we're doing. That’s what I expect to see from those guys.

“So this was a great way on Sunday night football, in front of the world, for them to show who they are,” Taylor added.

The game marked the first time this season the Bengals had their top four defensive tackles available after Sheldon Rankins missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, Hill missed two games with a hamstring injury, second-round pick missed two games after thumb surgery and third-round pick McKinnley Jackson sat out the first four games with a knee injury.

With his four top tackles available for the first time and his top four edge rushers for just the second time, Anarumo was able to employ a rotation that saw all eight defensive linemen play between 20 and 51 of the 74 snaps.

Trey Hendrickson had two sacks to give him five for the season, moving him into a tie for seventh among the league leaders.

But the night really was about Hill, whose seven tackles were one shy of his career high. His two quarterback hits also were one shy of his career high, and his two passes defended set a new mark.

“It definitely was a little emotional,” Hill said of his homecoming. “I had to keep my poise at the beginning of the game. I didn't want to get too hype. They did a lot for me for my first three years here. They gave me a chance. And the rest of history.”

Hill made his impact felt immediately – and literally. He hit Daniel Jones as the Giants quarterback was throwing, causing the ball to flutter on New York’s second offensive possession.

And it only seemed fitting that Pratt was the one who snared it out of the air at the Cincinnati 3-yard line for the Bengals defense’s only turnover of the night – technically.

The Bengals also came up with two fourth-down stops.

Cornerback Mike Hilton broke up a fourth-and-2 pass to thwart the Giants’ opening drive of the second half at their own 38-yard line.

Then after three consecutive fourth-down conversions, New York had fourth and 2 at the Bengals 36, trailing by three with 3:05 to play.

That’s when Turner, who earlier had a defensive pass interference penalty that gave the Giants the ball at the 1-yard line, setting up their only touchdown, broke up Jones’ pass for Darius Slayton to seal the victory.

“Just a lot of big plays,” Taylor said.

Turner’s play put the finishing touches on killing a dubious streak.

The Bengals had allowed 10 points or more in 75 consecutive games, which not only was the longest active streak, but the sixth longest in NFL history.

Everyone on defense had a hand in holding the Giants to seven points.

But no one made more big plays than Hill, who joined New Jersey native and tight end Mike Gesicki as an honorary captain for the game and called the coin toss correctly to give the Bengals the ball first.

And Hill continued to play a big role right up until the Cincinnati offense had the ball last to kneel out an important win authored by the defense.

“I just wanted to come out and be dominant today and help lead this defense to a great defensive game, and that's what we did,” Hill said. “We came out, played physical. We gave up some big plays, but at the end of the day we did our job very well.

“I’m ready to get this thing rolling the right way,” Hill added. “It was a big win for us. We have to keep on going. I'm excited for what's next.”

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