Why Bengals DC Lou Anarumo Felt Like One Got Away Monday Despite the Week 3 Win

CINCINNATI — In the middle of the madness Monday night, Lou Anarumo didn’t realize it was happening. About 36 hours after the fact, the Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator said he was bummed such a rare opportunity slipped away.

During Monday night’s 19-16 win against the Rams, Anarumo’s defense was one play away from pitching a shutout on the stat sheet, which is the next best thing to posting one on the scoreboard.

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What Was the Key Stat That Got Away From the Bengals in Week 3?

“I knew at halftime we were doing well,” Anarumo said. “Obviously, I look at the halftime sheet just to see what the targets are, but to be honest, I did not realize until the last third down where they were at.”

Where the Rams were on third downs was 0 for 10 with 1:06 left in the game.

“Those are the kind of things you don’t want to say in the headset and jinx yourself,” Anarumo said. “It’s like saying, ‘we’ve got a no-hitter.'”

#Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo didn't blitz a lot Monday night (his front 4 negated the need), but when he did, 2022 first-round pick Dax Hill made it count. https://t.co/0nBGHZo0Ib

— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) September 26, 2023

Then Matthew Stafford’s one-yard touchdown pass to Tutu Atwell on third-and-goal must have felt like giving up a bloop single to spoil a no-hitter with two outs left in the ninth.

“Those are rare opportunities,” Anarumo said.

The Bengals have never held a team without a single third-down conversion since Anarumo became coordinator in 2019, although they have come close.

They held the Raiders to 1 of 7 in 2021, and they limited the Dolphins to 1 of 10 in a game the Bengals lost in 2020.

But Anarumo has experienced the satisfaction that comes with a third-down blanking before his arrival in Cincinnati.

“I’ll say this one proudly,” he began. “The only one I remember was 2017, maybe, Dolphins-Patriots in Miami. They might have been 0-for.”

They were. Anarumo was the Dolphins defensive backs coach at the time, and the Miami defense held Tom Brady and the Super Bowl-bound Patriots offense without a third-down conversion on 11 attempts in a 27-20 Miami win … also on Monday Night Football.

Since that Week 16 game in 2017, there have been only five instances where a team has held its opponent without a third-down conversion on at least 11 attempts.

• The Patriots held the Colts to 0 for 14 in a 26-3 win in 2022.
• The Dolphins limited the Saints to 0 for 12 in a 20-3 win in 2021.
• The Steelers stymied the Bengals to the tune of 0 for 13 in a 36-10 win in 2020.
• The Patriots blanked the Jets on 12 tries in a 30-14 win in 2019.
• The Patriots also held the Jets to 0 for 12 in a 26-6 win in 2017, three weeks after Anarumo and the Dolphins did it to the Patriots.

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Monday’s 1 for 11 performance by the Bengals defense improved their season totals to 14 of 39. That 35.9% conversion rate is tied for the 13th best in the league.

Last year, Anarumo’s defense ranked 20th, allowing a 39.6% conversion rate (84 of 212).