Bengals fans are celebrating the team’s commitment to its high-powered offense, locking in Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins with massive contracts totaling $124 million per year. Despite Burrow’s MVP-caliber season in 2024, leading the NFL with 43 touchdown passes and nearly 5,000 yards, the Bengals missed the playoffs due to a porous defense that failed to hold opponents under 30 points. The team has made minimal changes to address this weakness, firing defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and hiring Al Golden while adding a few defensive players like T.J. Slaton and Oren Burks. However, their lack of significant defensive upgrades, combined with a tough schedule ahead, leaves the Bengals relying heavily on Golden’s coaching and rookies to improve. While their offense should remain elite, the defense’s struggles could lead to another season of high-scoring losses, much like the 2016 Falcons and 2013 Broncos, who had prolific offenses but fell short in the postseason.
