One area of rapid improvement Bengals fans should cling to during bye week blues

It was so refreshing to see the Cincinnati Bengals step up to the plate this offseason and take some actual swings. They got bold by signing Boye Mafe to a three-year, $60 million deal even though he was a rotational player for the Seattle Seahawks. And that was just the start.

Then came the audacious acquisition of Jonathan Allen on the open market. He'd just been released one year into a three-year contract in Minnesota. Wouldn't you know it, the Vikings are 5-0 without him.

But that just goes to show a change of scenery is sometimes best for all parties. That's certainly the case for Dexter Lawrence, who the Bengals gave up the 10th overall pick for, and it took him all of two games to prove he was well worth the hefty compensation.

Add up that trio and what do you get? A wildly improved pass rush from a season ago, and so much more schematic flexibility for defensive coordinator Al Golden.

Cincinnati's aggressive pass rush reinforcements taking a massive leap forward bodes very well

Both Lawrence and Allen are drawing loads of double teams. That leaves 1-on-1 matchups for Mafe, and to his credit, he's capitalized in matching Sexy Dexy and Allen for the team lead with three sacks apiece.

To have all these guys on pace for double-digit sacks is downright ridiculous. Plus, if not for some egregious missed holding calls on Lawrence, he could easily have a few more to date.

FOX19's Joe Danneman made an astute comparison between the Bengals' pass rush from 2025 and what's transpired through five games of action this season:

I haven't even mentioned Cashius Howell, because the focus is on veterans and not a rookie who started off quite promising but has been virtually invisible the last couple games at least. Howell may have a bright future, yet it's clear the Bengals could use a little more juice off the edge to complement/spell Mafe in particular.

Oh well. It's early. And while I'm salty that Jacob Rodriguez got snubbed by Cincinnati in favor of Howell, I'm still a Cashius believer.

What's great about all this is that Allen was viewed as a possibly declining player when he signed up to be a Bengal. The same was said about Lawrence in the midst of that shocking blockbuster trade. Mafe was a bit unproven for someone who was going to be counted on to play such a big role.

And would you look at that. An emphatic 3-for-3 on those pickups I think it's fair to say, eh?

It's not just that the Bengals are getting home to the opposing QB...it's how fast they're doing it

The ridiculous degree of ease with which Lawrence, Allen, and Mafe are wreaking havoc in the backfield is quite something to watch. When these guys are firing on all cylinders and pinning their ears back, even the best opposing QBs can't do much to escape.

if Cincinnati can get that kind of heat on Lamar Jackson in Week 7 at Baltimore (assuming LJ's ankle is healed enough for him to play by then), it could add a whole new dynamic to a rivalry where Who Dey Heads are used to Jackson absolutely shredding that secondary.

Who's to say this power trio of Lawrence, Allen and Mafe won't continue? They've jelled so well after a mere handful of games. Provided they stay healthy, imagine how dangerous they'll be when the playoff race is coming down the stretch.

After the Ravens, the QBs Cincinnati's d-line gets to face are as follows:

• Cam Ward
• Michael Penix Jr. (currently dealing with a rib injury)
• Aging Aaron Rodgers
• Jayden Daniels
• Tyler Shough
• Deshaun Watson, who leads the NFL in sacks taken (19)

Licking chops alerts almost all around on those foes. And if Joe Burrow keeps balling out and lighting up the scoreboard, the Lawrence-Allen-Mafe triumvirate can tee off even more.

Look out, rest of NFL. The Bengals are gonna come out of this bye with a vengeance after a sloppy few weeks of play.

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