The Bengals' Race Car is Built, Can Joe Burrow Win The Checkered Flag?

Cincinnati's offensive line should be much improved this season. They'll be tested right away in Sunday's season opener against the Browns.

Author:
Elise Jesse
Publish date:
Sep 8, 2023 9:26 AM EDT

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Cincinnati Bengals

You’ve seen the statistics between the Bengals and the Browns throughout Joe Burrow’s career. It's a storyline that simply won't stop until the NFL's highest-paid player finds a way to win in Cleveland.

Burrow earned his first career win over the Browns last season in Week 14 at Paycor Stadium. Now he has the opportunity to exorcise some demons on the shores of Lake Erie.

The Bengals' offensive line should be the best it's been since Andrew Whitworth, Clint Boling and Kevin Zeitler were protecting Andy Dalton in 2015.

Jonah Williams moved from left to right tackle following the massive addition of Orlando Brown Jr.

During this positional transition Williams was also rehabbing his surgically repaired knee. His anchor leg and dominant hand was switched from right to left. Williams took mental reps during rehab and he was able to work on his physical mechanics over the summer.

“Once I was able to take one step, I took one step. Eventually by the summer I was able to go full speed and try to do it everyday,” Williams told All Bengals. “It’s just kind of all around getting used to it and now I’m at a point where it feels really natural to me and I’m not thinking about it anymore.”

For Burrow, life is good. He just got paid and will play behind the most talented offensive line he's had in the NFL. Protecting Burrow has been vital to the Bengals' success. Cincinnati was 1-4 when Burrow was sacked 4 or more times last season (including playoffs).

“I heard Teddy (Karras) talking about it and I liked his analogy, basically saying like all of camp we were trying to build this race car and Jake (Browning) did a great job. All of our quarterbacks did a great job," Williams said. "We were driving it all of camp and now we have this great race car driver coming in and taking the reigns. We want to give him a well oiled machine and I think we are in a good position to do that. He’s the guy who calls the shots and we are going to have a great game."

We'll have a chance to see what kind of horsepower Cincinnati’s proverbial race car has on Sunday. The Browns defensive line aims to make sure Burrow never gets going. If the Bengals offense does seek to win the checkered, flag they’ll have to deal with Myles Garrett and a rebuild Cleveland defensive line.

Garrett was the most double-teamed edge rusher last season and still managed to accumulate 16 sacks, which was tied for second in the NFL with Eagles defensive end Haason Reddick.

“He’s an elite level talent, but his motor as well. I mean you don’t get 16 sacks being the highest double teamed player and not have a motor,” Orlando Brown Jr. said. “I think he’s got an incredible set of fundamentals based on his athletic ability and body. His style of play is very unique and I have the utmost respect for him but in my opinion he’s a hall-of-fame level player and one of the better players of our generation.”

The Browns new and improved defensive line will be one of the tougher battles for Cincinnati as they’ve added Dalvin Tomlinson, Ogbo Okoronkwo, and Za’Darius Smith.

Adding talent to the defensive line with Jim Schwartz at defensive coordinator means the Browns are hoping to take some of the attention away from Garrett.

Schwartz, a seasoned coach, returned to the NFL last year as a defensive assistant with the Titans after retiring from the Philadelphia Eagles staff in 2021 due to health issues.
The Titans were thin defensively with most of their starters including Amani Hooker, Kristian Fulton and Bud Dupree missing time last season. In spite of the injury bug, Tennessee still managed to finish with a defense which ranked 15th in points allowed at 21.1 points per game. Schwartz was a part of Shane Bowen’s defensive staff before moving to Cleveland in January.

The Bengals don't seem to be underestimating Cleveland’s defense. They know exactly what they’re up against and the offensive line will be relying on their talent and experience to keep the pocket intact for Burrow.

“We have a veteran group and we have had a lot of reps together and I have a good feeling about it,” Williams said. "Everyone here has played a lot of football, we work well together and we are set up in a good position to have a really good year.”

What would qualify as a really good year for the Bengals? Nothing less than the Super Bowl LVIII Championship.

Throughout the summer there have been a few guys throwing around the goal of going 20-0. They seem prepared for another long journey and the chip on the team’s shoulder has only grown in size. The path to an undefeated season won't be an easy one, but if anyone has the roster talented enough to make history, it's this roster led by Zac Taylor.

“That’s our feeling and that’s our mindset,” Brown Jr. said. “That’s one of the goals we set for ourselves is to be the best team in the world.”

They'll get their first chance to show who they are on Sunday in Cleveland.

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