LOS ANGELES –– Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor made an admission to cornerback Mike Hilton in their first conversation during the whirlwind of NFL free agency.
As the Bengals made Hilton one of the highest paid slot cornerbacks in the NFL, Taylor felt comfortable spilling the truth. Taylor told Hilton that for the last three years, he “was always worried about him” whenever Taylor saw Hilton in the game for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Taylor knew Hilton was one of the few slot corners in the NFL able to disrupt a game plan. Taylor had seen it firsthand as Hilton had a three pass breakup game against the Bengals in 2019, and when Hilton eliminated a potential 80-yard touchdown pass with a blitz.
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Hilton took that as a sign that not only was he wanted in Cincinnati, but he was going to be one of the defining players of the Bengals defense.
“I feel like everybody else only knows me as a run stopper and someone who can get to the quarterback and make plays at the line of scrimmage,” Hilton said. “I’m just as confident in my coverage ability. I can take out a team’s slot receiver. I believe my all-around game is second-to-none.”
Hilton has the most unique skillset on the Bengals defense, and it's been one of the team's biggest asset's all postseason. He's exactly the player Taylor was hoping to add to the defense.
In the first round of the 2021 postseason, Hilton led the way as the Bengals took Las Vegas Raiders star slot receiver Hunter Renfrow out of the game. In the second round, he made the defensive play of the game with an interception off a slot blitz.
In the AFC Championship Game, Taylor credited Hilton for a crucial third down pass break up as well as perfectly executed coverage that contributed to safety Vonn Bell’s interception in overtime.
The Bengals always envision Hilton playing a big role, and he recognized that role from the moment he signed with Cincinnati.
During his first few days of training camp with the team, Hilton brought over a tradition from the Steelers, as he instituted a “loaf chart.” Led by Hilton, the Bengals defensive backs tracked every single mistake they made in camp. Every time a defensive back was slow running to the football, missed an assignment in coverage or dropped an interception, they put a fine into a jar.
The money was used for a dinner among all of the cornerbacks and safeties. It was the first way Hilton left a mark on the 2021 Bengals.
“He continues to give us confidence, and we have guys who are ready to step up to that challenge and aren’t scared,” Bengals safety Jessie Bates said. “That’s what separates this defense. Mike has been the vocal leader that we’ve needed. He has been such a great addition for us.”
Hilton didn’t have this sort of influence during his tenure with the Steelers. He clawed his way from an undrafted free agent bouncing around practice squads into the team’s leader in turnovers in 2020. But when the 2020 season ended, the Steelers didn’t offer Hilton a new contract.
The Bengals saw more value in one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL.
In the Super Bowl against the Rams, Hilton will be one of the most important players on the Bengals defense. There’s never been another game this season where it’s been more important for the Bengals to have one of the highest-paid slot corners in the NFL.
The Rams offense is built around slot wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who led the NFL with 1,947 receiving yards and 114.5 yards per game during the regular season. In two of the Rams three postseason games, Kupp finished with more than 140 receiving yards.
Kupp can run every route in the book, and h even created his own routes in the Rams offense. His unique ability to stay balanced, read coverage and change direction has given him the ability to beat every type of coverage this season.
“He’s just deceptive,” Hilton said. “He knows how to switch tempos, slow his feet down and create separation for himself… That’s their go-to guy, and he’s expected to win his one-on-one. But I know what I can do. That’s going to be my mission this week.”
The Bengals are looking for Hilton to at least slow him down. And they have good reason to believe he can do it.
In 2019, when Kupp was in the middle of a 1,000 yard season and Hilton played for the Steelers, they played against each other. Hilton followed Kupp as the Steelers played man defense on the most important passing downs of the game.
Even though Kupp was targeted four times, he finished the game with zero catches and zero receiving yards.
Since the 2019 season, Kupp has become one of the best players in the NFL and the focal point of the Rams offense. But Hilton’s strengths match up with Kupp’s.
“(Hilton) is like another coach on the field,” Bengals safety Vonn Bell said. “He knows the situational downs. He knows everything. Calls out downs. He has a natural feel for the game and that’s huge. He’s a natural playmaker. He just has that instinct.”
As he demonstrated in the 2019 matchup and in both of his matchups against Renfrow this season, Hilton is at his best when he’s in press coverage against a slot receiver. He’s one of the Bengals best tacklers, and Hilton uses that strength at the line of scrimmage to stop the receiver’s forward progress.
In the first round of the playoffs, Renfrow only had 58 receiving yards. According to Bates, Hilton asked for that matchup and delivered against the Raiders.
“Mike Hilton never backs down from the challenge,” Bates said. “Before the game against the Raiders, he maybe even walked into (defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's) office and said, ‘I want to always be on (Renfrow).’ That’s the same mindset he has had throughout this week heading into the Super Bowl.”
Hilton played a similar role often in the AFC Championship Game against Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Hilton also had the speed to consistently pass Hill off to the Bengals safeties playing high zone coverage. Hilton’s combination of physicality, his low center of gravity and his speed makes him a unique option against Kupp.
In the Super Bowl, the Bengals likely won’t be able to completely take Kupp out of the game. Kupp finished the regular season with the second-most receiving yards in NFL history and led the NFL with 16 touchdown catches. He’s one of the fastest players in the NFL and is also known for his toughness and his attention to detail.
Hilton is known for some of the same things. For his entire career, Hilton has had to overcome being lightly recruited out of high school, going undrafted and then seeing the only NFL team he had played for have no interest in re-signing him.
While Kupp might be the best receiver in the NFL, Hilton has asked for that type of challenge all season.
“I feel like we’re the best two slots in the game,” Hilton said. “We’ll get the space to go out there and prove it. Me against him in the Super Bowl.”
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