The Cincinnati Bengals had a dominant 34-11 victory over the winless Detroit Lions. Joe Burrow and his team improved to 4-2 on the season, putting them in second place in the AFC North.

For what it's worth, the Bengals were firing on all cylinders as they took down the Lions.

While the Bengals may be known for their offense, the defense played a great game as well. They limited the Lions' offense and didn't allow them to find their rhythm. With the way they are playing, Cincinnati could really make a playoff push.

With that said, here are three Bengals' takeaways from their Week 6 destruction of the Lions.

3. The defense is improved

Heading into the season, the Bengals' defense was expected to be the demise of the team. That has not been the case, as the offseason additions have helped improve the unit. Trey Hendrickson has been great for the Bengals so far, as he puts a ton of pressure on the opposing quarterback.

This season, Hendrickson has 5.5 sacks, which leads the Bengals defense. While he's not one of the top pass-rushers in the league, Hendrickson has really helped the defense improve. Look for the Bengals to continue growing in that area as they get more continuity together.

2. Zac Taylor can be the long-term coach

Following a disappointing 2020 season, many had Zac Taylor on the hot seat. However, he has outperformed the expectations and is making a case to be the long-term coach of the Bengals. Taylor is a young coach that has shown his team can compete in any game.

While Taylor isn't one of the top coaches in the league, his improvement and success this season could help him keep his job. If the Bengals can make it to the playoffs, he has a great shot at securing his job for the future.

1. Joe Burrow will be elite

Joe Burrow had a solid rookie campaign last year before going down with a season-ending injury. He has started the 2021 season on fire, leading the Bengals offense to be elite. Burrow has taken a leap this season with three great wide receivers at his disposal.

In the 2021 draft, the Bengals selected wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase with the 5th pick. Chase was teammates with Burrow in college at LSU, and the QB-WR combination has been lethal this season.

In the first six games, Chase has 27 receptions for 553 yards and five touchdowns, all while helping Burrow improve as a quarterback in the NFL.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
A Lions mock draft one week before the 2024 NFL Draft.

Tristin McKinstry ·

Tee Higgins with question marks around him

Ryan Bologna ·

Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, looking focused.

Benjamin Adducchio ·

Meanwhile, Burrow has already thrown for 1,540 yards along with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Burrow needs to work on limiting the turnovers, but he has a high completion percentage at 70.7 percent.

Look for Burrow to continue improving and become one of the best quarterbacks in the league in the future.

The Bengals are on the rise and could make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2015. They are in a competitive division along with the 5-1 Baltimore Ravens, the 3-3 Cleveland Browns and the 3-3 Pittsburgh Steelers. All three of these teams made the playoffs last season and will be hard to beat in divisional games.

All of the divisional matchups will be pivotal for the Bengals as it could come down to a tiebreak at the end of the season. While it will be a challenging road ahead, look for the Bengals to make it to the playoffs this season.