The Cincinnati Bengals were not perfect in Week 1, but they got the job done. Cincinnati defeated Tampa Bay 33-27 in their season opener despite not playing particularly well. Bengals QB Joe Burrow set high expectations for his team in 2026. Fans should feel confident that Burrow will help get the team pointed in the right direction.

Perhaps the biggest surprise from the season opener was how great Cincinnati's defense looks out of the gates.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated thinks that Cincinnati could be truly dangerous if their offense and defense can both play well. And oddly enough, the offense was the problem in Week 1.

“This, by the way, was a game where Burrow was held to 254 passing yards, and threw the aforementioned pick, the run game needed 27 carries to get to 106 yards, and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined for five catches for 71 yards,” Breer wrote. “The key there is the Bengals’ Supermen didn’t need their capes on Sunday. And if that continues to be the case, the Bengals will be that much more dangerous.”

One could even argue that the Bengals only beat the Buccaneers because of their defensive performance.

Is Cincinnati's defense finally good enough to keep up with their elite offense?

Bengals defense should give fans hope after season opener vs. Buccaneers

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Boye Mafe (53) reacts after a play during the second quarter at Paycor Stadium.
Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

There's no question that Cincinnati's offseason investments moved the needle in Week 1.

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The Bengals were middle of the road in many statistical categories in in their season opener. But when compared to last season, there is a clear improvement.

Cincinnati allowed 282 total yards (11th) and 27 points (19th) against Tampa Bay. Those figures are both a small sample size and a bit skewed by Monday Night Football not happening yet. Still, they show that the Bengals played some solid defense on Sunday. They also got lucky by generating four turnovers, more than any other team.

Meanwhile, the Bengals allowed 380.9 total yards (31st) and 28.9 points (30th) per game across the entire 2025 regular season. That is much worse at a 17-game sample size.

It is important to note that this is what Cincinnati's defense was able to accomplish with the offense constantly sputtering. Imagine how well they could play when the offense is humming and putting them into advantageous situations. For example, letting pass rushers pin their ears back after gaining a large lead.

Simply put, Sunday's showing is not the ceiling for this Bengals defensive unit.

Make no mistake, the old Bengals would have found a way to lose Sunday's game. The meltdown likely would have happened after Joe Burrow's crushing interception. But this Bengals team does look different, if only after one game.

It will be fascinating to see how they fare against C.J. Stroud and the Texans in Week 2.