The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 33–31 on Thursday night, ending their two-game losing streak, but the victory came with a questionable distinction for head coach Zac Taylor. Despite winning, Taylor’s group made some unwanted history with one of the worst seven-game defensive performances in franchise history.

The Bengals’ worst seven games of a season to start the year defensively this century, according to the athletics reporter Paul Dehner Jr., in several key categories: defensive EPA per play, points per drive, defensive success rate, touchdown percentage per opponent drive, and points per game. Together, it is the Bengals’ worst defensive opening of a season since 2000. That mark indicates just how up-and-down Taylor’s defense has been, and just how, de

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