The season continues to slip away from the Cincinnati Bengals, who lost their third straight game with a 44-38 defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13. There's plenty of blame to go around following the latest loss, but here's a look at three of the biggest losers from the contest.
Lou Anarumo, Defensive coordinator
Anarumo's defense has been bad all season, and a lot of that is personnel-based. But, against Pittsburgh, the defense looked unprepared and that's on the coach. The defense didn't look prepared to defend Pittsburgh's screen pass, and it was slow to adapt despite the fact that the Steelers went to it time and again in the first half. It's also fair to wonder why Geno Stone was on the field as much as he was despite his poor play.
Cincinnati's defense has now allowed 34-plus points in three straight games, and unsurprisingly, all of those games resulted in a loss. The Bengals have been a mess on defense all season, and the team should seriously consider making a change in leadership on that side of the ball over the offseason.
Geno Stone, Safety
The ongoing struggles of Cincinnati's secondary can't be blamed on one player, but safety Geno Stone struggled mightily against Pittsburgh, missing tackle after tackle and leaving users on social media exactly why he was even out on the field.
Geno Stone pic.twitter.com/GQ5oyNFhLO
— Faux Joey Brrr (@FauxJeaux) December 1, 2024
The Bengals took a chance on Stone on free agency last offseason, and it simply hasn't worked out. He hasn't been the difference-maker he was in Baltimore last season, and as a result it wouldn't be surprising if the team parted ways with him after just a single season.
Bengals fans
Up to this point in the season, Bengals fans were able to have at least some hope that the team could rally and make a playoff run, and as a fan, hope is all you really need. Now though, that hope is gone, as Cincinnati's playoff odds are virtually nonexistent at this point. As a result, many Bengals fans will likely start to focus on free agency and the draft, and you can't blame them.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Bengals were supposed to be legitimate contenders this season. They were supposed to bounce back after missing out on the playoffs last season. Many fans, both in Cincinnati and on a national level, expected big things. Now though, all those fans get is bitter disappointment. It's a tough pill to swallow.