Key Highlights
- The Cincinnati Bengals have struggled against tight ends for years and are currently the worst in the league.
- The Bengals’ defense has allowed 13 touchdowns to tight ends this year, a record that only six teams since the 1970 merger have surpassed.
- Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens could feast against the Bengals, with two upcoming games scheduled for November 2025.
- The Bengals’ defense has allowed 971 yards to tight ends this year, nearly 200 yards more than the next worst team.
Defensive Struggles Against Tight Ends: The Bengals’ Dilemma
The Cincinnati Bengals are facing a significant challenge on their defensive front, particularly when it comes to stopping tight ends. This issue is not new; the team has struggled against this position for years, with 2025 numbers reaching comically bad levels.
Historic Defenses and Current Struggles
The Bengals have allowed 13 touchdowns to tight ends in the current season, a record that only six teams since the 1970 merger have surpassed. The 2013 Arizona Cardinals hold the record with 17 receiving touchdowns. For context, the Bengals still have six games left in their schedule, including two against Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens.
With this season’s numbers, the Bengals are allowing an astonishing 971 yards to tight ends, which is nearly 200 yards more than the next worst team, the Carolina Panthers.
The NFL record for yards allowed to tight ends in a single season stands at 1,303, set by the 2015 New York Giants. To break this record, the Bengals would need to average just 55.3 yards per game against tight ends.
Persistent Weakness Over Years
The defense’s struggles are not a one-year phenomenon but a persistent issue over recent seasons. Here is how the Bengals have fared in the past five years:
- 2024: 111 receptions (32nd), 1,114 yards (30th), 10 touchdowns (31st)
- 2023: 107 receptions (32nd), 1,080 yards (31st), 6 touchdowns (t-17th)
- 2022: 89 receptions (t-24th), 932 yards (23rd), 3 touchdowns (t-5th)
- 2021: 96 receptions (29th), 1,083 yards (28th), 8 touchdowns (t-21st)
- 2020: 96 receptions (29th), 987 yards (30th), 8 touchdowns (t-20th)
In all these years, the Bengals unsurprisingly rank last in all three categories with 562 receptions, 6,167 yards, and 48 touchdowns. The team’s defensive struggles are well-documented, making the upcoming games against Mark Andrews and the Baltimore Ravens particularly crucial.
Mark Andrews: A Feast for the Bengals
The upcoming Thanksgiving match-up between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens will feature Mark Andrews as a key player. Andrews is an All-Pro tight end known for his impressive performances, making him a significant threat to the Bengals’ defense. The two games against Andrews in November 2025 could prove decisive for both teams.
The Bengals have faced similar challenges in previous years and will need to find a way to improve their defensive strategy significantly if they hope to break these records and gain some momentum going into the next season.
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