Demetrius Knight Jr., the Bengals sophomore linebacker no longer playing like a rookie, recalled after Thursday's joint practice that it was after the game against these Bears last midseason that his defense had a turning point moment and looked in the mirror.
They must have loved the reflection they saw on Thursday's tape when the Bengals defense finished both last-minute drills with interceptions in an ending that was completely different than the one at Paycor Stadium last November when the Bengals couldn't hold a one-point lead with 54 seconds left against quarterback Caleb Williams in the loss to the Bears.
That was exactly Thursday's drill against the defending NFC North champs.
The coaches gave the Bengals a one-point lead with four minutes left, and after the offense drained the clock for a first down before giving it back to the Bears just before the two-minute warning, edge Myles Murphy logged back-to-back sacks of Williams.
Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, who on Thursday owned the Bears like Papa Bear Halas, then finished off the day when he pushed the interior offensive line enough so Williams hurried his throw to last year's hero, tight end Colston Loveland. The pass was high and behind him, and Loveland tipped it into the arms of Bengals nickel cornerback Jalen Davis.
"After the Bears game, we started to learn how to finish as a defense," said Knight of a final eight games they allowed an average of 16 points. "We got closer. We got forged in the fire, and they brought more pieces to that fire. We're starting to see the product of our hard work."
Not to mention those new pieces. Start with Lawrence, the biggest add of the offseason who the Bears couldn't block. Bengals center and captain Ted Karras could have told them that.
Lawrence derailed Williams' other four-minute drive when he picked off a screen pass by tipping it to himself. The Bears' one-point lead then disappeared on Evan McPherson's 45-yardish field goal with 1:15 left.
That play overshadowed solid work all across the Bengals defensive line, starting with rookie edge Cashius Howell having a presence in the run game, to defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and edge Boye Mafe holding up on the perimeter runs that fueled many of the Bears' 283 rushing yards in last year's game.
"Our defensive line validated what's been a hard month for us," said Karras, who says it's been his toughest of five camps as a Bengal. "It's been back and forth. That's a real unit over there."
Karras has been telling us about Lawrence all camp. Now everybody knows.
"Nothing has to be said," Knight said.
Safety Kyle Dugger, playing for the banged-up Bryan Cook, showed the new defensive linemen weren't the only ones making their presence felt. Dugger came up on the perimeter a few times to tag running back D'Andre Swift.
"I thought we played the perimeter runs better," safety Jordan Battle said. "We let a couple get out. They had some big runs. But I think for the most part we played it better."
Williams had his way in the red zone with some nice touchdown throws to Loveland and wide receiver Kalif Raymond. But when the front line showed up (after a slow start), everything changed.
The offense got to watch the last period and thoroughly enjoyed it. Right tackle Amarius Mims, who has been dealing with Howell all camp, was going nuts on the side.
"Cashius was making some grown-man plays," Mims said. "He's the least like a rookie player I've seen on defense since I've been here (three years). A grown man."
The way Knight is talking, he sounds like a new add, too.
"It was a new mindset," Knight said of Thursday. "The last time we played them, I was just trying to do my job. Get guys down. This time around, I was stepping up, being a vocal leader. Encouraging the guys. Bring an energy. As a linebacker, it's contagious to the front and the back."
Player of the Day
DT Dexter Lawrence.
He looked every bit worth the 10th pick and $70 million.
The last two series were riveting, but he had done it all day whenever the Bengals and Bears split into teams.
"That's Dexter Lawrence," Allen said. "He gets double-teamed and it opens up everybody else one-on-one."
Lawrence says hold on, people will see more.
"We're just communicating really well. That's the biggest thing," Lawrence said. "Keep learning each other, keep caring about each other. I think that's the biggest thing.
"Just being myself. I'm in a good place. I got an opportunity that rarely comes. I've got to take advantage of those opportunities."
PLAY OF THE DAY
DT Dexter Lawrence
If you can believe it, the 340-pound Lawrence took one of these back 37 yards in the third game of last season when he tipped Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert's pass at the line, grabbed it, and took off.
Karras had monster flashbacks of the gargantuan Ted Washington and Keith Traylor making similar plays during his boyhood. Both guys have been out of the league 20 years, but something like that sticks with you.
This is the savvy Karras talks about.
"They had been throwing some screens, so when I saw the running back out of the corner of my eye, he was running a screenish route," Lawrence said. "Caleb kept drifting and drifting back. Then the offensive linemen just let me go, so I knew it was a screen."
It sounded like he played it like a linebacker.
"Kind of," said Lawrence with a laugh. "My natural position."
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"He's going to be overwhelming. Strong with good hands. Very, very savvy player. You've got to be right 100 percent of the time. You've got to be ready to go or he'll dump you."
Karras on what he would say to another center scouting Lawrence.
Slants and Screens
Karras is satisfied that the starters are done for the preseason, except for about 300 practice snaps leading into the opener.
"Overall, a real solid day against one of the top teams in the NFC," Karras said. "Encouraging for all of us.
"From an offensive line perspective, good execution, busted a few runs, got to see someone else," Karras said. "Get my body right. It's been a great test of mettle to fight this guy every single day. Looking forward to putting a few pounds back on this weekend." …
Wide receiver Tee Higgins caught all five of his targets, one for a red-zone touchdown. Higgins told the press he felt particularly good about it because he had a drop or two in the last practice on Tuesday …
Reports from the one-on-ones were that left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. shut down the edge and kept doing it in the team period …
