The Bengals defense got lit up like a Christmas tree by CJ Stroud and Noah Brown on Sunday as the Texans hung 30 on Cincinnati in a narrow win.
Stroud (356 passing yards, one score passing and rushing, one interception) averaged 9.1 yards per pass attempt.
Cincinnati clamped down in the backend of the game a bit better thanks to improved play from Cam Taylor-Britt, but the zone coverage got worked by Brown (seven catches, 172 yards).
"We already nipped it in the bud," Taylor-Britt said about adjustments they need to make before Thursday. "Like closer to the end of the game. I think we just changed the coverage and they just stopped throwing overs (routes), once we changed it, they were hitting us with them again. I think Coach tried to show something and they mixed it up and hit us with something different than what we saw."
Overall, Cincinnati's defense got worked on the ground and through the air, allowing 544 total yards, their most in a game this season.
"It's tough, but we got a big one coming on Thursday," Mike Hilton said after the loss. "We can right our wrong going into Baltimore Thursday night and coming out with a win. It's definitely not gonna be easy, tough environment, but our backs against the wall. So what we're gonna do? Are we gonna fold or bow up and show who we are?So it's up to us."
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