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| The Bengals held Pittsburgh to one touchdown and have allowed just five touchdowns in the last six weeks. (AP Images) |
If defense indeed wins championships, the Bengals may be about to pull off the improbable. The Cincinnati defense over the last six weeks hit a hot stretch as good as any in recent franchise history.
Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer enjoyed dominating days since arriving in 2008, including two top-10 defenses. None pulled off a run quite like this current stretch.
Over the past six games, the Bengals allowed 12 points per game and lead the NFL in fewest yards allowed per play (4.32). In an AFC playoff picture stuffed with explosive offenses, the Bengals stand alone with a dominating defense.
“Our defense is really clicking right now, man,” DT Domata Peko said. “I love the way we're playing, and I love the energy we're playing with. The overall defense -- everyone trusting teach other.”
Taking stock of the other five AFC playoff teams reveals just how well the Bengals defense is playing over the last six games.
Team: Yds/play last six weeks
- Cincinnati: 4.28
- Denver: 4.73
- Baltimore: 4.96
- Houston: 5.62
- New England: 5.62
- Indianapolis: 6.43
Consider also over the past six games the Bengals allowed but five touchdowns. Only Denver (9) has allowed fewer than 12 in that span. In a game of limiting points, the Bengals' advantage lives in a different stratosphere.
Team: Points allowed per game last six weeks
- Cincinnati: 12
- Denver: 16.2
- Baltimore: 20.1
- New England: 21.7
- Houston: 26.7
- Indianapolis: 28.3
In the offensive-heavy NFL, the power of a great defense serves as background noise to the chorus of 400-yard passing days. Does a great defense still trump a great offense? Can the Bengals ride on the power of Zimmer's bunch from six seed to Super Bowl?
Here's a look at the teams who have reached their conference championship games in the past two years and where their defenses ranked:
- 2011 Baltimore: 3
- 2011 New England: 31
- 2011 NY Giants: 27
- 2011 San Francisco: 4
- 2010 Green Bay: 5
- 2010 Chicago: 9
- 2010 Pittsburgh: 2
- 2010 NY Jets: 3
The Patriots and Giants reached the Super Bowl last year, but five of the eight participants ranked in the top five in overall defense. This may be the era of big-yardage offense, but defense still wins championships.
“Defenses are going to win you big games,” S Chris Crocker said. “Because when you have two defenses that are very good, both the offenses aren't going to play very good. So it's going to be the best defense that wins the game.”
Follow Paul Dehner Jr. for Bengals updates on Twitter @CBSBengals.
