The Cincinnati Bengals couldn’t stop a leaky faucet for most of the season; Mike Hilton helped turn things around. They were allowing 29 points per game through five weeks, including games of 38 and 41 points. On Sunday, albeit against the lowly New York Giants, they only allowed seven points, their lowest mark since 2019.
That’s why Hilton felt responsible for calling a players-only meeting, just the second he had done so since he departed from Pittsburgh. The first time was when the Bengals were preparing to play the Steelers in 2021. “That one was a little more personal”, he admitted. But this one was more crucial, given the state of the defense, and of the season.
“I know I have respect from the team as a player and leader. I can motivate guys and get them going”. Hilton said, via the Bengals’ website, about calling the meeting. “I try to do what I can to get guys locked in. And it worked”.
While the Giants did total just over 300 yards of offense, the Bengals held them to 4.2 yards per play. That included just 4.4 yards per pass attempt, allowing just 22 completions on 41 attempts. Mike Hilton forced the biggest incompletion of the game, breaking up a 4th-and-2 pass.
That helped set the tone for a much different defensive atmosphere than the Bengals produced through five weeks. “I know we’ve been playing like s— for real, honestly”, Hilton said last week after the meeting, via Ben Baby of ESPN.
“We know we have to turn around for us to have a chance to make this run, but that’s the thing about this game”, Hilton said at the time, before the Bengals beat the Giants, 17-7. “You all have another opportunity to go out there and prove yourself”.
On the season, Mike Hilton has had a low statistical impact. He has 17 tackles, and his pass defensed Sunday was his first of the year. But he has been ticking upward, registering nine tackles and a quarterback hit in the past two games he’s played. He missed the Bengals’ 41-38 loss to the Baltimore Ravens last week.
Mike Hilton spent four seasons with the Steelers before joining the Bengals as a free agent in 2021. In Pittsburgh, he recorded 237 tackles, seven interceptions, and 9.5 sacks with three forced fumbles. In his first three seasons with the Bengals, he produced 210 tackles with five interceptions, two sacks, and one fumble.
Both the Bengals and Hilton’s former Steelers rebounded this week following disappointing losses. The Steelers sit at 4-2, tied with the Ravens, while the Bengals are now 2-4 after starting 0-3. Their victory over the Giants kept them relevant, but they have tough games ahead. And they will need their defense to keep these scores manageable, no matter how talented the offense is.
