CINCINNATI (WKRC) – There weren’t many bright spots in the Bengals 48-10 loss at the Minnesota Vikings this past Sunday, but one of them was the play of defensive end Myles Murphy, and now the question is whether that is the start of something big for the team’s 2023 first-round draft pick or just a blip in an otherwise disappointing career to this point.

Murphy tied his career-high with four total tackles, recorded a half a sack, which is more than he recorded all of last season, and played with great energy even when the game was out of hand in the fourth quarter, according to head coach Zac Taylor.

“I thought in the fourth quarter, (he was) really physical,” said Taylor. “Really did a good job of imposing his will. So again, more of that and it’s gonna be great. Great attitude. I think he’s got a lot of confidence right now, and that’s really good to see.”

Murphy showed progress as a rookie when in 305 snaps he recorded 3.0 sacks in spot play subbing for Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson. Last season he didn’t record a single sack in 353 defensive snaps.

After not doing much in either of the first two games this season, he finally flashed a bit at Minnesota, and it wasn’t all in the fourth quarter.

On Minnesota’s second offensive series of the game, Murphy and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins combined for a sack of Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz on a third down play to force a punt. Later in the first quarter, Murphy chased down Wentz and stopped him in space for just a one-yard gain on 3rd-and-7 to force another punt.

“It’s good to see that in myself and for other people to see just to bring confidence to other people in me,” said Murphy. “Now it’s just keep stacking days, because honestly it’s just one step at a time. You’re not going to become a superstar overnight. It’s a day-to-day thing. You have to keep putting in the work.”

Murphy admits it has taken him time to evolve into the player who was expected to be making an impact by now and he still has a ways to go.

“Everyone runs their own race,” said Murphy. “Not everyone is running on the same track. You have to keep your head down. Everyone reaches their potential at different times. I feel like I’m taking the steps to get there.”

Then came his fourth quarter performance where his effort was noticeable.

“I think coming out of the game I was most encouraged about Myles, his velocity and the toughness that he exhibited late in that game,” said defensive coordinator Al Golden. “He has to play with that violence all of the time, and hopefully that’s his floor now, not his ceiling. I really believe that could be a big moment for him moving forward, I would love to see him just rise to the occasion now. There is no denying the violence in which he played with in the last 12 minutes of the game. The speed, the ability to make plays in the alley and track down a quarterback. We’ve got to keep cultivating that and hopefully he takes the next step for us.”

The Bengals could use more consistent pass rush juice from players other than Trey Hendrickson, and they got that a bit on Sunday as Jenkins had 1.5 sacks and defensive end Joseph Ossai recorded a sack.

Murphy said he believes his performance, especially late in the game, could be a light bulb moment for him.

“I played how I should play the whole game honestly,” said Murphy. “It shouldn’t be wait till the fourth quarter to play differently. At that point in time I knew what they were doing, the backfield scheme. I had done enough film study to know what they like out of certain schemes. It allowed me to play fast. That’s really what it was. I was able to play with more confidence.”