Joe Burrow's biggest enemy in his young NFL career has been the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive line. The former LSU quarterback had one of the worst pass protections in the last two years. It's what spurred the front office to splurge on Grade-A offensive linemen in the 2022 offseason. In the first two weeks of the 2022 season, though, the Bengals' shopping spree seemed to fail spectacularly, giving up many sacks on Burrow.
After their 0-2 start, it seems like the Bengals' pass protection has finally lived up to expectations. Week 3 against the Jets saw some improvements, but their best performance came in Week 4 against a stout Miami Dolphins offense. Joe Burrow was only sacked one time, prompting the QB to react to this after the game. (via NFL.com)
“All day, the protection was awesome,” Joe Burrow said. “I had all the time I needed in the pocket to find the guys I needed. I told them this is the most time I've had since I've been in the league,”
That last sentence from Joe Burrow is both an encouraging sign for the Bengals and also a sad reminder of the team's past mistakes. Last season's Super Bowl run showed that the QB can win in spite of his offensive line struggling against good defenses. Now, they were able to hold up against a really good Dolphins front four.
There's still work to be done for the Bengals: despite improvements in protecting Burrow, the offensive line struggled to open up ways for Joe Mixon to attack on the ground. Still, it's a hell of an improvement for a unit that was one of the worst of its position last season.
Follow Us
Subscribe