Cincinnati Bengals' Ability to Adapt Main Reason Behind Team's Undefeated Mark

Many factors get tossed around when discussing the undefeated, 8-0 Cincinnati Bengals. 

Some point to health, the fact that the team mostly hadn't altered the 53-man roster until Vontaze Burfict made his return two weeks ago. Others point to slight mechanical changes for Andy Dalton under center, a return to form at defensive tackle for Geno Atkins or the downright return of Michael Johnson at the end. Some even point out that the schedule has wound up much easier than anticipated.

Adaptation, though, might have all other factors beat by a mile.

Thursday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns was proof enough. The Bengals took a 14-10 lead into halftime, but it would have been 14-3 had Cleveland quarterback Johnny Manziel not ran around and led the team on a 92-yard drive over 10 plays and four minutes and 15 seconds of clock for a score right before the break.

It didn't wind up mattering much, but it was yet another example of the team's ability to adapt to a situation or issue.

The Bengals came out of the break and didn't allow Manziel to further escape the pocket, blanking the Browns on the scoreboard the rest of the night and eventually sacking Manziel three times.

Coach Marvin Lewis and his staff drew up the changes, and the players responded.

"The game came down to doing a good job of controlling the quarterback and not allowing him out of the pocket," Lewis said, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer. "That was basically the focus in the second half. When he escaped the pocket, we were able to get him on the ground."

Halftime adjustments and the shoring up of season-long issues have been a problem for recent Bengals teams.

Not these Bengals. Surrendering chunk plays was a major concern going into the bye, whether it was missed tackles or miscommunications in the secondary. Seattle's Thomas Rawls busted off a 69-yard touchdown run in Week 5. The week after, Buffalo's Sammy Watkins caught a 22-yard score.

Since the bye, the Bengals have let up just 20 total points, the longest scoring play just 12 yards.

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Flags and mental lapses were a major part of the reason the Bengals escaped Pittsburgh in Week 9 with just a six-point win, the team committing 10 penalties for a whopping 94 yards. On a short turnaround to Thursday, the team followed up with two penalties for 20 yards against the Browns.

Is any of this sudden ability to adapt a surprise? Maybe not. As mentioned, Dalton's gone from the guy who threw 19 touchdowns and 17 picks last season to an 18-4 ratio through eight games. The defensive line tallied 20 sacks in 16 games last year and now has 23 through eight games.

Call it a continuation of the franchise's long-term outlook for the roster in its current state. Progress in all areas aside, Lewis and Co. don't sound ready to stop digging, as he told the media after the win against Cleveland, per Bengals.com: 

"

Eight is not enough. (Laughs.) Like Tyler (Eifert) said, ‘We’ve done what we can with what’s been handed to us.’ We have lot of work still to do. Nothing has been decided. We have a chance to get ourselves refreshed a little bit now. We had two tough division games, and now we have Houston coming here Monday night, which we know will be a very tough, physical game. They’ll be coming off their bye ready to go.

"

In the span of half a season, the Bengals have altered a reputation held by fans and outside observers alike. Much of the credit, though, goes to a more under-the-radar reason in the face of bigger talking points.

Cincinnati's newfound ability to adapt on the fly or over a period of weeks has the team undefeated and rolling toward the postseason. There, for perhaps the first time in a handful of tries, the team will find a way to adjust to whatever gets thrown its way.

At the least, the team will be ready for next week. 

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of November 8. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.