Three weeks ago, the Bengals defense seemed on the verge of imploding.
Cincinnati collapsed against San Diego on Nov. 12, allowing a staggering 42 second-half points in a 49-41 loss. In the locker room, safety Dexter Jackson accused teammates of quitting.
But in that disaster were the seeds of rebirth. That week, the Bengals had a players-only meeting to hash out problems and demand accountability from each other.