The Cincinnati Bengals weren’t just throwing out lip service when they said this offseason the emphasis was on finding winners and proven leaders from other programs — collegiate or otherwise.
Josh Bynes, a longtime NFL veteran, was a free-agent add tasked with suddenly being the senior-most guy in at the linebacker spot on a team that drafted three rookies and added more later.
After a struggle-filled start for Bynes’ defense during the march to 0-2-1, it was the veteran who stepped up with a surprise Saturday night speech to his teammates before the win over Jacksonville.
Star safety Jessie Bates explained, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
“Bynes is undrafted, he’s been in ten years, he’s been on a national championship (team), he’s won a Super Bowl. Him just being able to talk about his experiences and how that Super Bowl team, they started out 2-5 or whatever. How they came back and they won a Super Bowl. We’re trying to build that culture and that mindset here in Cincinnati.”
Rest assured the rookies noticed too, per ESPN’s Ben Baby:
Bengals LB Markus Bailey on Josh Bynes' surprise address to the team on Saturday night about overcoming adversity: "I thought it was what we needed to hear as a team"
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) October 5, 2020
The defense responded by generally looking improved and holding the Jaguars to a 2-of-10 mark on third downs in the win. Bates again looked like an NFL-wide breakout star and keep in mind Bynes’ unit did this while down a few starting corners and Geno Atkins.
The unit will need another upswing in play going into Week 5, where a battle against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens awaits.
