After years of being known for having one of the worst defenses in the league, the Cincinnati Bengals fired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and replaced him with Al Golden in the offseason. The move immediately paid off in the Bengals' Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns.

The Bengals' defense held the Browns to just 16 points after allowing 20 or more points in 12 of their 17 games in 2024. They also forced two turnovers while not allowing a single rush attempt of more than five yards, according to Sleeper Fantasy on X, formerly Twitter.

After the game, head coach Zac Taylor credited the defense for the win. Taylor said the defense “rose up” to the challenge and liked that they won the turnover battle, according to reporter Charlie Goldsmith. Second-year defensive backs DJ Turner II and Jordan Battle accounted for the team's two takeaways, picking off Joe Flacco once each.

Cincinnati hired Golden after contributions to Notre Dame's National Championship runner-up season in 2024. Golden previously worked as the Bengals' linebackers coach under Zac Taylor in 2020 and 2021 before joining Marcus Freeman's staff in South Bend.

Notre Dame allowed just 15.5 points per game in 2024, the fifth-fewest in the country. The NFL is certainly a different level, but Golden impressed in his first test.

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Al Golden's Bengals defense locked up Browns in Week 1

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) runs onto the field before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium.
Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

While the Bengals were uncharacteristically slow on offense, their defense saved the game. It made for an unorthodox method of victory that fans are accustomed to seeing, but Golden's influence was evident from the jump.

Flacco had some success through the air, but the Bengals completely eliminated Cleveland's rushing attack. The Browns had just 49 rushing yards on 24 carries for 2.04 yards per carry as a team. Rookie linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. led the charge, racking up 10 tackles, including a team-high eight solo stops.

The Bengals' new-look defense will continue to be tested in Week 2, when they return home to host the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars only averaged 18.8 points per game in 2024, the seventh-fewest in the league, but they are coming off a 26-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 1.