While it was certainly a heartbreaking result after the Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Kansas City Chiefs by a last second field goal, the Cincinnati fanbase certainly has a lot to be optimistic about. Even as the team was missing superstar wide receiver Tee Higgins, likely starting right tackle Amarius Mims, and then virtually the entire interior of the defensive line, the game was essentially dominated by Cincinnati aside from a handful of egregious errors. If it weren’t for plays like the fumble by quarterback Joe Burrow allowing the Chiefs to get a free touchdown, Cincinnati was in complete control.
Offensive Line Woes Return to the Cincinnati Bengals
There are plenty of things for this squad to be optimistic about but after a rough showing, the offensive line is not one of them. During the 41 dropbacks taken by Burrow in a game where he played at his best, Kansas City managed to pressure him 14 times and sack him 3 times. That is a ridiculous pressure rate of 34% in a game where every negative play staggered momentum and built up crowd noise in their biggest rival’s home turf.
Amongst the most disappointing outings against Kansas City was that of promising left guard Cordell Volson. Last week may have been the best week of Volson’s young career but Week 2 against Kansas City was one of the worst. In a desperate fashion to stop All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, Volson was seen lunging on several plays. Several times he didn’t even lay a finger on Jones as the superstar defender easily avoided him with a swim move. Volson finished the night with a PFF score of 41.8 and an egregious pass-blocking score of 11 where he fell from the 12th ranked guard to the 47th in one week.
Overall, the offensive line dropped from a PFF pass-blocking score of 73.5 against New England in week 1 to a score of 59.6 against Kansas City. Obviously a lot of that is attributed to a different tier of competition when you play the defending Super Bowl Champions. Jones will likely be in the discussion for Defensive Player of the Year once the year is over but if this team wants a shot at contention, they need to keep their superstar on his feet.
The most tragic part of the night for the offensive line was just how effective Burrow was when they were able to keep him protected. When Burrow was kept clean, he had a passer rating of 112.4 as he was remarkably accurate and efficient with the ball in his hands according to PFF. On the other hand, when Kansas City flustered him or had him under pressure, Burrow’s rating dropped all the way to 73.4. Imagine if this offensive line could just decrease that pressure rate from 34%.
It is speculated that one offensive lineman may already be losing his job over how the season has started. Right tackle Trent Brown has had a rough few weeks as his PFF pass block rate of 59.4 is far lower than expectations. In his two games, Brown has allowed five pressures already and a sack but more upsetting is how he is giving up sacks. On several plays, Brown has been susceptible to the bull rush even though his 6’8″ 380 lbs frame should be almost immobile on the edge. That means that Brown is playing with terrible pad level as defenders are easily getting underneath him and getting their hands into his chest.
Cincinnati has a chance to pick up their level of play far earlier than normal after an 0-2 start and if they take advantage, this could be an intimidating roster late in the season.
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