Counting Up Bengals' Missed Tackles and Where They Rank Among Worst Offenders in 2024

Jay Morrison | 3 Hours Ago

Bengals defense attempts to stop Steelers offense during their game against the Steelers Najee Harris (22) at Paycor Stadium on Sunday December 1, 2024. Steelers lead the game at halftime with a score of 27-21. / Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – Following the Cincinnati Bengals’ Week 1 upset loss to the New England Patriots, defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo lamented his group’s shoddy tackling.

Anarumo said he counted 14 missed tackles for 81 yards.

Twelve weeks later, tackling is still an issue.

In fact, it might be worse – both in terms of the team’s inability to tackle and some players’ lack of awareness when it comes to the problem.

Asked about all the missed tackles against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Sunday’s 44-38 loss, linebacker Germaine Pratt said there were “not too many.”

https://t.co/qWffGcRzW6 pic.twitter.com/bxi9hZOX5X

— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) December 2, 2024

A rewatch of the All 22 film suggests otherwise.

I counted 16 missed tackles, half of which occurred in the first quarter.

Here is the breakdown:

Linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither 4

Safety Geno Stone 4

Linebacker Joe Bachie 2

Linebacker Germaine Pratt 2

Safety Jordan Battle 1

Edge Trey Hendrickson 1

Defensive tackle B.J. Hill 1

Cornerback Josh Newton 1

The Pro Football Focus game review lists the Bengals with 14.

(Davis-Gaither 4, Stone 3, Pratt 2 and one each for Bachie, Battle, Hendrickson, Hill, Newton).

After the game, Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton was asked if the lack of tackling and giving up more than 500 yards after the bye week feels like rock bottom.

His answer sounded more like “Groundhog Day.”

“Sh-t, you could say that all throughout the year,” he said. “We lose a lot of games where we miss tackles, gave up 500-plus. But where we are record wise, it's a lot more frustrating."

According to PFF, the Bengals rank 10th in missed tackles per game with 9.3 per game, trailing:

New York Jets (10.2), Los Angeles Chargers (9.9), Indianapolis Colts (9.8), Atlanta Falcons (9.7), Dallas Cowboys (9.6), New York Giants (9.5), Arizona Cardinals (9.4), Los Angeles Rams (9.4), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9.4).

SportRadar is a little more lenient in its missed-tackle grading, but the order of the teams is about the same. The Bengals rank 11th (6.6).

Last year, SportRadar had the Bengals with the third fewest missed tackles in the league (4.2).

In terms of individuals, Stone has the fifth most missed tackles in the league, per PFF.

And he has the second most among non-linebackers, who obviously have more tackle attempts.

Here is PFF’s list of the most missed tackles through Sunday’s games:

Arizona safety Budda Baker 22

Indianapolis linebacker E.J. Speed 20

Dallas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown 17

Houston linebacker Henry To’oTo’o 17

Cincinnati safety Geno Stone 16

Detroit linebacker Davis Long 16

Los Angeles Chargers edge Jared Verse 16

Cincinnati linebacker Germaine Pratt 15

Jacksonville linebacker Ventrell Miller 15

Kansas City safety Chamarri Conner 15

Kansas City linebacker Nick Bolton 15

New York Jets linebacker Lavonte David 15

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