Bengals’ Defense Finds New Life with Return to Health
After a rocky stretch earlier in the season, the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense has bounced back with strong performances in back-to-back wins. A key factor in this turnaround is the return to health of several key players, including defensive end Sam Hubbard.
A Newfound Energy
Hubbard, who secured his first career interception on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, led a caravan of defenders down the field to celebrate the turnover. This display of energy and enthusiasm was a far cry from earlier in the season when Hubbard was struggling with injuries.
“I was standing on one leg out there playing 65 plays, just trying to do my job,” Hubbard recalled. “Someone celebrates or makes a play, the last thing on my mind was expending energy to run over and celebrate. Now I got all the energy to go ahead and celebrate. The team feeds off that.”
A Healthy Defense Makes All the Difference
The Bengals’ defense has allowed no more than 14 points in each of their last two games, a significant improvement from earlier in the season. Coach Zac Taylor attributes this success to the return of several key players, including Hubbard and defensive end Myles Murphy.
“You’re finally seeing us healthy and everybody back to full speed,” Taylor said. “It’s good because now you’ve got some depth you can roll through there and have some confidence with.”
A Boost of Confidence
The Bengals’ recent wins have given the team a much-needed boost of confidence. Quarterback Joe Burrow is thrilled to see the defensive improvement, and cornerback Mike Hilton believes the team’s ability to win both high-scoring and low-scoring games is a testament to their strength.
“It shows the type of team we are,” Hilton said. “We can win high-scoring games, we can win ‘slug it out’ games. We play as well as we did these past two games, it’s a huge confidence boost for us.”
A Tough Test Ahead
The Bengals will face a tough test in their next game against the Philadelphia Eagles, who are ninth in the league in touchdowns per drive. Hubbard knows that the team will need to play their best complimentary football game of the year to win.
“We have to play our best complimentary football game of the year to win this game,” Hubbard said. “You’re not going to just go steal this game. You got to earn it.”
A Trophy Worth Cherishing
For Hubbard, the ball he intercepted on Sunday holds extra value given the adversity he’s faced this season. As he walked out of the locker room with the ball safely in a cloth to-go bag, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.
“A lot of adversity, lot to battle through, both mentally and physically,” Hubbard said. “But still standing, still where I want to be. Feeling good about it.”
Leave a Reply