'We're Better Than That' - Bengals Defense Points to Third-Down Woes Against Eagles, But It's an Old Issue

Jay Morrison | Oct 27, 2024

Oct 27, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) catches a pass during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals defense knew third-and-short essentially would be automatic conversions for the Philadelphia Eagles and their perfected “Brotherly Shove” short-yardage play.

The intent was to make sure to get the Eagles in longer third down conversions.

And the Cincinnati defense did that on multiple occasions. But the Bengals also failed to get off the field on too many of those third downs, and the end result was a 37-17 loss in which the Philadelphia offense held the ball for 31 minutes and 48 seconds of the game’s final 49 minutes and 56 seconds.

“Just find ways to get off the field,” cornerback Mike Hilton said. “I mean, third and 16. Sh-t, we've got to get off the field someway, somehow. It should not be a conversion on a third and 10-plus. We're better than that.”

Not against the Eagles they weren’t.

That third and 16 conversion was one of the easiest you’ll see. A.J. Brown ran into the middle of Cincinnati’s zone defense, got to the sticks and played a simple catch of catch with Jalen Hurts.

Had the defense got off the field there, the offense would’ve had 96 seconds and three timeouts to work with to try to build on a 10-3 lead.

Instead, the Eagles tied the game with 22 seconds left before halftime, then started the third quarter with an eight-play, 70-yard drive that featured conversions on third and 5 and third and 3.

“I’m not feeling anger or anything, just frustration,” cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt said. “We preach always 'get them in third and long, somewhere they don't want to be. We've got to get off the field. We've just got to do it.”

Through today’s 4 p.m. games, the Bengals ranked 26th in the league in third-down defense, allowing teams to convert 45.3 percent of the time.

It was even worse against the Eagles, who went 6 of 11 on third down (54.5 percent) and 1 of 1 on fourth down.

That's how you give up drive charts that look like this:

• Field Goal
• Punt
• Touchdown
• Touchdown
• Touchdown
• Field Goal
• Touchdown
• Field Goal

It was reminiscent of the Washington and Baltimore games when the mantra was that they would be better when they got all their injured players back.

This was the third week they've had everyone back, but it looked a lot like it did when so many key pieces were out.

If the 45.3-percent rate on third down continues, it will be their worst success rate in the Zac Taylor/Lou Anarumo era. Not just the Joe Burrow period, but all the way back to 2019 when the franchise didn’t have anywhere near the talent or expectations it has today.

“Those conversions were tough. Our goal is to not get them in those third-and-short, fourth-and-short because they were gonna do that push play they've had so much success with,” Hubbard said. “That was the emphasis throughout the week. And we get them in third and long and don't get 'em stopped. That's frustrating for sure.”

A couple of the third-down “stops” weren’t really stops because the Bengals gave up enough yards to allow the Eagles to a few successful “Brotherly Shove” plays.

For most of the season, the extent of the pass rush has been Trey Hendrickson. Against the Eagles and former Cincinnati tackle Fred Johnson, Hendrickson wasn’t even in the equation.

Hurts had all the time he needed to make plays on third down and extend drives.

“We've got to be better than that for us to have any shot,” Hilton said.

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