A big part of that is the defense, which entered Week 8 ranked near the bottom in nearly every major defensive ranking. That includes being tied for third-worst in interceptions, as they’ve struggled to make those game-changing plays this season.
The worst part about that is Bengals defenders have routinely dropped picks this season. That includes two vs. the Jaguars, one of which was a drop by safety Shawn Williams as he nearly made a diving grab at the sideline.
That one was a little difficult. The second one Cincinnati dropped was flat-out brutal, as it turned into a game of hot potato between several defenders:
Getting that pick would have put the Bengals in business while trailing 24-10 early in the fourth quarter.