Cincinnati Bengals: Can the Defense Sustain No.1 Ranking?

Believe it or not, the Cincinnati Bengals are the NFL's top-rated defense headed into Week 5 of the 2011 season.

Despite the team's offense being widely considered as irrelevant in 2011 and Andy Dalton expected to have a tough year, the defense has put on a performance that has not only helped the Bengals stay in games, but it has grabbed them both the No.1 spot in total defense standings and the media's attention with it.

The attitude and performance of the Bengals' defense in 2011 is best summed up by the two following tweets from Rey Maualuga:

"While the whole world had no faith in us, we did! Grateful for this win! Who Dey!"

-and-

"The first step in getting somewhere is realizing that your NOT going to stay where you are! -Zimmer"

This Bengals' defense is frequently described as having no "big names" and being a side full of "unknowns" and "cast-offs" from other teams. It's a sentiment that hasn't sat well with players like Maualuga, who has focused on proving the doubters wrong. Frequently looked at as the underdogs, the Bengals' defense thrives on non-believers, as Maualuga's tweet following Sunday's win over Buffalo attests.

The second tweet, a quote from defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, is a testament to the OC's tough work ethic. Following Week 3, Zimmer stressed the fluidity of the defensive rankings:

 “Who was No. 1 in the league last week?" he asked. “Look it up. See where he is now.” 

Of course, this was in reference to Wade Phillips' Texans defense, who were blown out of the water by the Saints in Week 3.

The defense seems to be buying into Zimmer's philosophy, and they played down the performance on Monday. “Don’t believe the hype,” said Robert Geathers. “Keep our head down and see where we’re ranked at the end of the season.”

Rey Maualuga also chimed in with regard to the fanfare around the Bengals' ranking. “Don’t bite on the cheese. Don’t feed off what everyone is talking about.”  

Maualuga's Zimmer tweet is something the Bengals should hang off of this coming week. With a visit to Jacksonville on the cards, they have an opportunity to stay dominant on the defensive side of the ball with Blaine Gabbert under center.

Unfortunately for Cincy, the Bengals are a team that struggles with consistency following big games, and the upcoming game in Jacksonville is the quintessential example of a situation where the Bengals would in previous years have a down-week.

While the Bengals have not faced a top-tier offense yet, there are a number of reasons to believe this defense is as good as their ranking. The likes of Frank Gore, Fred Jackson and Peyton Hillis had poor showings against Cincy, the defensive rotation has allowed the pass-rush to be one of the fiercest and most relentless in the league right now and they have come up with big plays to force bucket-loads of three-and-outs to keep Andy Dalton in games.

You have to agree that week-by-week defensive rankings mean very little, but for Bengals fans who have endured hours of NFL Network or ESPN analysts saying that the Bengals stink, it comes as a pleasant surprise this Tuesday morning.

	Statistic	Rank
Total Defense	275.5	1st
Rushing Defense	86.8	7th
Passing Defense	188.8	3rd
Scoring Defense	18.5	6th
Third Downs	32%	3rd
First Downs Allowed	16.0	4th
Yards per Play	4.4	t-1st
QB Sacks	10.0	t-12th
Forced Fumbles	6	4th