The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t get immediate returns from the rebuilt offensive line early this season.
But they’re sure getting it now.
During a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13, the rebuilt line held major names like Chris Jones and Frank Clark mostly in check. Funnily enough, it was old friend Carlos Dunlap making the biggest play of the night for the Chiefs.
Much of that has to do with the upgraded interior of the line, a lineup boasting Cordell Volson-Ted Karras-Alex Cappa. Obviously, Jonah Williams and La’el Collins have fought through ups and downs at the tackle spots and are currently steady.
As a whole, the line has evened out into one of the league’s better units. Some of that is just time and chemistry together — most lines around the league have suffered at least one setback. If the line can keep the attendance consistency going, it’s going to really boost those Super Bowl chances.
What’s really interesting is seeing the line compared to last year’s unit. Seeing the upgrade in performances against the Titans and Chiefs is really telling, as compiled by PFF’s Andrew Russell:
Bengals pass pro in '21 playoffs vs Tennessee and KC:
89 pass block snaps
10 sacks
27 pressuresBengals pass pro in 2022 vs Tennessee and KC:
79 pass block snaps
2 sacks
16 pressures— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) December 5, 2022
Granted, fans don’t need numbers to see how much better the line is this year. And the offense doesn’t endure the loss of Ja’Marr Chase for a handful of games without these upgrades.
So fans of the idea winning starts in the offseason get a big win here — the Bengals offensive line is dramatically improved, as the numbers against top-tier AFC teams shows.
