Bengals Defense Holds Players-Only Meeting After Meltdown vs. Justin Fields, Jets

The New York Jets entered Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals with an 0-7 record and a team owner publicly criticizing quarterback Justin Fields' play.

And they exited the game with a 39-38 victory thanks in large part to continued defensive struggles from the Bengals.

With that as the backdrop, ESPN's Ben Baby reported Cincinnati's defense held a players-only meeting Monday to address some of the issues.

"I don't know what was talked about—nor should I—but it does feel like the fact that was called is a sense of urgency there, as there should be," defensive coordinator Al Golden said. "Because we cannot do that to the offense and special teams again."

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Even with Joe Burrow sidelined, the Bengals offense put up 38 points with Joe Flacco throwing for two touchdowns and running for another while the rushing attack averaged 7.9 yards per carry. That should have been enough to win, especially against a winless Jets team that was playing without its top weapon in wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

However, Fields threw for 244 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions while Breece Hall ran for 133 yards and two scores. Hall also threw what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the final two minutes.

New York accumulated 502 total yards of offense, which Baby noted marked the first time the AFC East team finished a game with 35 points and more than 500 yards since 2000.

The Bengals are last in the league in yards allowed and points allowed per game and seem to be wasting another year of impressive offensive playmakers in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins because of their inability to make key defensive stops.

Star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson also left the game with an injury, so things might get worse for the 3-5 Bengals before they get better.

That is, unless the players-only meeting leads to improvement on the field.