Josh Tupou

While the Bengals offense regrouped, their defense went into Sunday's first division game of the season in Pittsburgh (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 12) better suited for an AFC North slugfest than at any time in head coach Zac Taylor's tenure. 

Let's see. The last time nose tackle Josh Tupou lined up on the Bengals defensive line in a game, he started on a five-man front and had a tackle for a loss in the win over Cleveland in the 2019 finale. Welcome back and here's a seating chart for you. But Tupou, the fourth-year veteran who opted out last season, is unfazed.

The Bengals welcomed numerous new members to the team since the start of the 2021 league year last month. Now those players have their uniform numbers.

The Bengals today placed DT Josh Tupou on the Reserve/Opt-Out list, and waived TE Moritz Bohringer and HB Devwah Whaley.

The Bengals re-signed DT Josh Tupou to a one-year contract. Tupou, a fourth-year player in 2020, originally was a Bengals college free agent signee in 2017. He has played in 23 career games (seven starts), and has 36 tackles and a forced fumble.

The Bengals designated WR A.J. Green as the team's franchise player, under terms of the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement. The team also extended tender offers to TE Cethan Carter, G Alex Redmond, DT Josh Tupou and S Brandon Wilson.

Defensive tackle Josh Tupou, a third-year player in 2019, joined the Bengals as a college free agent out of the University of Colorado in 2017.

The Bengals' spate injuries along the front seven didn't take Thanksgiving off. On Thursday the Bengals announced they put rotational nose tackle Josh Tupou on season-ending injured reserve with what is believed to be a torn pectoral muscle and plucked rookie nose tackle Niles Scott off the Denver practice squad to replace him.

It must be Steelers Sunday. With an eye to keeping in check the Pittsburgh running game that has dominated this series, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis opted to suit up two nose tackles when he traded out Adolphus Washington for Josh Tupou on the inactive lost before Sunday's game at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals got one to fall their way when starting cornerback William Jackson (knee), designated questionable on Friday after being limited much of the week, got the start.

The Bengals came out of Saturday's cut even younger than last year, but for how long as they continue to adjust the roster through the weekend and eye finalizing it Sunday in preparation for the Sept. 9 opener (Cincinnati's Channel 12, 1 p.m.) in Indianapolis. The Bengals had to cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. Saturday, but a spate of injuries is apparently going to force them to re-adjust the roster by 4 p.m. Sunday. Two players who missed the last two games with injuries, wide receiver Cody Core (back) and rookie cornerback Davontae Harris (knee) both made it but may be candidates to go on injured reserve Sunday so they can be eligible for recall midway through the season. 

Bengaldom hopes their team walked the line well in last week's NFL Draft. They went offensive line in the first round and then in the last round. Mississippi's Rod Taylor waited a long time to get picked, but he may have enough versatility to stay around longer than that.

The Bengals are looking to re-sign a handful of their own players when free agency starts next week, but they've been active looking at veterans already on the market that they think can help them shore up some weaknesses. The agent for vet defensive tackle Chris Baker says he's signed up.

Bengals No. 1 pick John Ross' injury-marred season fittingly came to an end Wednesday when he went on season–ending injured reserve. The fastest man in the history of the NFL scouting combine just never got on track as a rookie.

The Bengals at Broncos game kicks off on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. on CBS.

The Bengals head to Denver Sunday for their third straight road game and the questions are following them. Meanwhile, rookie linebacker Jordan Evans seems to have a lot of answers.

Marvin Lewis news conference transcript 11/13/2017

NASHVILLE - This one cut them deep because Sunday's final-minute 24-20 loss to the Titans was one the Bengals really should have had. The offense finally re-discovered the big play and torched a Tennessee defense leading the NFL in fewest passes of 20-plus yards allowed with quarterback Andy Dalton's two long touchdown throws and the defense turned to an emerging new cast of characters and blanked the Titans for all but the final 36 seconds of the second half without ejected captain Vontaze Burfict.

NASHVILLE - Facing a third-and-seven for a touchdown and the Bengals trying to hold the Titans to a game-tying field goal, Titans running back DeMarco Murray caught a check-down pass from quarterback Marcus Mariota on the 2 and he powered past cornerback Darqueze Dennard, safety Clayton Fejedelem, and got the ball underneath linebacker Vincent Rey for a touchdown with 36 seconds left that gave Tennessee a 24-20 victory.