Training Camp Report | Bear Market For Chicago’s Situations as Dexter Lawrence’s Bengals Defense Stakes Its Claim Against Playoff Foe
Demetrius Knight Jr., the Bengals sophomore linebacker no longer playing like a rookie, recalled after Thursday’s joint practice that it was after the game against these Bears last midseason that his defense had a turning point moment and looked in the mirror.
They must have loved the reflection they saw on Thursday’s tape when the Bengals defense finished both last-minute drills with interceptions in an ending that was completely different than the one at Paycor Stadium last November when the Bengals couldn’t hold a one-point lead with 54 seconds left against quarterback Caleb Williams in the loss to the Bears.
That was exactly Thursday’s drill against the defending NFC North champs.
The coaches gave the Bengals a one-point lead with four minutes left, and after the offense drained the clock for a first down before giving it back to the Bears just before the two-minute warning, edge Myles Murphy logged back-to-back sacks of Williams.
Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, who on Thursday owned the Bears like Papa Bear Halas, then finished off the day when he pushed the interior offensive line enough so Williams hurried his throw to last year’s hero, tight end Colston Loveland. The pass was high and behind him, and Loveland tipped it into the arms of Bengals nickel cornerback Jalen Davis.
“After the Bears game, we started to learn how to finish as a defense,” said Knight of a final eight games they allowed an average of 16 points. “We got closer. We got forged in the fire, and they brought more pieces to that fire. We’re starting to see the product of our hard work.”
Not to mention those new pieces. Start with Lawrence, the biggest add of the offseason who the Bears couldn’t block. Bengals center and captain Ted Karras could have told them that.
Lawrence derailed Williams’ other four-minute drive when he picked off a screen pass by tipping it to himself. The Bears’ one-point lead then disappeared on Evan McPherson’s 45-yardish field goal with 1:15 left.
That play overshadowed solid work all across the Bengals defensive line, starting with rookie edge Cashius Howell having a presence in the run game, to defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and edge Boye Mafe holding up on the perimeter runs that fueled many of the Bears’ 283 rushing yards in last year’s game.
“Our defensive line validated what’s been a hard month for us,” said Karras, who says it’s been his toughest of five camps as a Bengal. “It’s been back and forth. That’s a real unit over there.”
Karras has been telling us about Lawrence all camp. Now everybody knows.
“Nothing has to be said,” Knight said.
Safety Kyle Dugger, playing for the banged-up Bryan Cook, showed the new defensive linemen weren’t the only ones making their presence felt. Dugger came up on the perimeter a few times to tag running back D’Andre Swift.
“I thought we played the perimeter runs better,” safety Jordan Battle said. “We let a couple get out. They had some big runs. But I think for the most part we played it better.”
Williams had his way in the red zone with some nice touchdown throws to Loveland and wide receiver Kalif Raymond. But when the front line showed up (after a slow start), everything changed.
The offense got to watch the last period and thoroughly enjoyed it. Right tackle Amarius Mims, who has been dealing with Howell all camp, was going nuts on the side.
“Cashius was making some grown-man plays,” Mims said. “He’s the least like a rookie player I’ve seen on defense since I’ve been here (three years). A grown man.”
The way Knight is talking, he sounds like a new add, too.
“It was a new mindset,” Knight said of Thursday. “The last time we played them, I was just trying to do my job. Get guys down. This time around, I was stepping up, being a vocal leader. Encouraging the guys. Bring an energy. As a linebacker, it’s contagious to the front and the back.”