The Cincinnati Bengals have been one of the most surprising teams in the NFL this season, with their high-powered offense leading the way. However, despite their impressive performances on the other side of the ball, the team's defense has been a major concern. In a recent interview, Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton opened up about the struggles his team is facing on defense.
There's no denying that the Bengals have been impressive on offense. With a talented roster that includes quarterback Joe Burrow, running back Joe Mixon, and wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Cincinnati has been lighting up the scoreboard all season. But despite their success on offense, the team's defense has been a major letdown.
Hilton's admission that the Bengals' defense is struggling should come as no surprise to anyone who has been following the team. The numbers tell the story - Cincinnati is ranked near the bottom of the league in terms of total yards allowed per game, and they've been getting torched by opposing quarterbacks all season.
So what's behind the Bengals' defensive struggles? According to Hilton, it's not a matter of talent. He believes that the team has the players it needs to succeed on defense, but they're not executing. "We've just got to play smarter," Hilton said in his interview. "We've got to make more plays. We've got to tackle better. We've got to cover better. It's just the little things."
While it's easy to point to the Bengals' defense as the problem, the truth is that the offense has been doing its part to try and compensate. Burrow and company have been scoring points in bunches, but it's hard to keep up with the pace when the defense is giving up yards and points left and right.
As the season wears on, the Bengals will need to figure out a way to get their defense back on track if they want to make a serious run in the playoffs. With Hilton's admission that the team is struggling, it's clear that the players are aware of the problem. Now it's up to them to fix it.