CINCINNATI — Heading into the 2021 season, the Cincinnati Bengals’ front office made a point to add veteran players on defense who had playoff experience and shined in big games on good teams. That strategy was rewarded as the veterans meshed with the young returning core on the Bengals defense and the team made it to the Super Bowl.
Key Factors
That list includes the 2022 Bengals, and Cook made the game-changing play to beat Cincinnati in the 2022 AFC championship game. “They taught me the intricacies of the game. Learning that makes the game a lot simpler for players. Half the game is mental. When you know what’s going on around you, it makes it easier to play the game. In the four years that Cook played with the Kansas City Chiefs, he was an integral part of an energetic and complicated defense that frustrated some of the best teams in the NFL.
“The coaches that I had and the people I’ve been surrounded by, I’ve been blessed,” Mafe said. “I see really good communication on that side of the ball,” Taylor said. “I see a high level of confidence because he’s he’s firm believer in the work that he’s put in and the position he’s put himself in.”
What It Means
Lawrence and Allen also have stepped in and immediately made an impact on the team culture. When Taylor was asked Thursday about the qualities from the defensive line that were impressing him the most, he stressed the football IQ that he’s seeing from that unit. That’s led by Lawrence and Allen, who have seen it all in the NFL. “The defense is always the attitude of the team. We carry that with a badge of honor. I’m from here. I’m going out here for my city on any given Sunday. That’s a gift and an honor.”
“We want that attitude,” Cook said.
