How a ‘Critical Errors’ Cut Up Is Jump-Starting Bengals’ Prep for Ravens on Short Week

Part of the weekly routine that coaches sacrifice heading into a short week like the Cincinnati Bengals are facing is the full film review the day following the previous game.

Instead of going over every play, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was putting together a cut up of “critical errors,” which still was a long production after the team’s 30-27 loss to Houston on Sunday.

Teetering Bengals Defense Facing Huge Test vs. Ravens

But there were constant interruptions to his workflow.

“I’ve got a million text messages from the guys about this play, that play, or whatever,” Anarumo said.

The first one came from defensive tackle DJ Reader about an hour after the game had ended, and the notifications rumbled on through the night and into Monday morning. And one thing that doesn’t get sacrificed on a short week is responding to his players, even with so much work to do in a hurry.

“Oh, no. I answer every one of the players,” Anarumo said.

And, in turn, he hopes they’ll answer for him Thursday night at Baltimore as the Bengals try to rinse the ick of one of their worst defensive performances since Anarumo arrived.

Cincinnati’s defense allowed 544 yards and 17 explosive plays (12+ run or 16+ pass), the most allowed by a Bengals team since at least 1991 and the most league-wide since 2010.

Asked what was the most difficult part of rewatching the game, Anarumo said, “All of it.”

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“We didn’t play well in any phase, except for taking the ball away three times,” he added. “But too many open receivers, too many missed tackles, not enough rush. Overall not good enough.”

Anarumo said none of it had to do with communication issues, it was simply guys being unable to cover for as long as they needed to when Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud was buying time and extending plays, always with the intention of throwing and never of running.

Lamar Jackson with a beautiful throw to Nelson Agholor for 6️⃣

The #Ravens extend their lead over the #Bengals in the 4th 👀pic.twitter.com/U6Zz27xuIg

— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) September 17, 2023

That will not be the case with Lamar Jackson on Thursday.

“He does a little bit of both, but he knows that he’s probably the most talented guy on the field, so at any point, if he sees enough green grass, he’ll go,” Anarumo said. “But he is still looking down the field first, to a degree. But the book is wide open with him.”

And if that doesn’t deliver enough stress, the Bengals also have to be worried about Baltimore’s various designed running plays and a new weapon in undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell, who was not a part of Baltimore’s 27-24 win at Cincinnati in Week 2.

“We have to make sure we do a good job in the type of runs they incorporate,” he said. “We gotta make sure that we are in the right spots and make sure we have the proper reads on the option type plays. And then they also have their power run schemes that we have to be good on. So it definitely stresses us for sure.”

Rather than receiving text messages from his players Friday morning, Anarumo wants to send one simple one to the whole group that reads: “Great job. Enjoy your weekend off.”

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