What happened: The Cincinnati Bengals have utilized a four-man rush on an NFL-high 82.8 percent of defensive snaps through two weeks. The unit has paired that approach with a league-low 12.1 percent blitz rate, according to Next Gen Stats.
Why it matters: Golden has deployed first- and second-down zone pressures alongside third-down simulated This structure forces opponents to constantly prepare for heavy pressure even though Cincinnati rarely commits extra rushers.
By the numbers: The defense has already secured seven unblocked pressures this season by rolling into split-safety and
What to watch: The unit will continue relying on disguised pre-snap alignments to generate free rushers without sacrificing secondary coverage.