How much did our defense really improve in second half of last season

[BengalChris]

You still cannot escape the fact that the Bengals played only 2 teams with a winning record in the second half of the season. And those two winning teams just pummeled the Bengals defense for 49 and 34 points. Now if they had played better against those two teams that would be another thing. Instead they had their asses handed to them.

The defense did improve some. But it sure wasn't enough for the team, witness the substantial free agent moves the team made at every level of the defense in the off-season.