After the Cincinnati Bengals got absolutely destroyed by the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, it became clear that some changes needed to be done on the defensive front.
So the team went ahead and fired its first-year defensive coordinator.
#Bengals have fired defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, per @JosinaAnderson
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) November 12, 2018
The Saints came into Paul Brown Stadium and absolutely embarrassed Cincinnati. While the Bengals are still in the hunt for a playoff spot, yesterday’s loss showed just how outmatched they are when facing playoff-contending teams.
Considering the fact the firing comes in the middle of the season, it shows just how desperate the Bengals are in trying to quickly improve their defense.
As for the #Bengals, expect coach Marvin Lewis to take on much more of a role in coordinating the defense with the firing of Teryl Austin.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 12, 2018
Under Austin, the Bengals defense allowed the third-most total yards, better than only the Chiefs and Browns. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have given up more points (291) on defense than the Bengals (288).
Whether or not the Bengals’ defense shows any signs of improvement under head coach Marvin Lewis remains to be seen. The team needs the defense to play much better if they want a chance at reaching the playoffs.
