Cincinnati Bengals team owner and general manager Mike Brown has one goal this coming offseason.
For the next seven months, he must build an offensive line that will provide impenetrable protection for Joe Burrow.
The playoffs proved that they already have a franchise quarterback in place, especially when they still won against the Tennessee Titans despite giving up nine sacks.
But if the team doesn’t address that pressing need, Burrow might not play for long and could retire early like Andrew Luck.
It was evident during the entire season that the current Bengals offensive linemen couldn’t protect their prized player consistently.
In the regular season, Burrow endured 51 sacks which translates to three per game.
Some linemen do not even give up a sack in a year.
Unfortunately, the situation got worse during the playoffs, as this tweet shows.
Tom Brady was sacked 22 times in 17 games this regular season.
Joe Burrow was sacked 19 times in 4 games this playoffs. pic.twitter.com/nhOM3xrfpA
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 14, 2022
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady suffered only 22 sacks in 17 regular-season games.
That feat is part of the reason he was able to play at a high level at 44 years old.
Meanwhile, a Brady-esque quarterback like Burrow had to endure 19 sacks in four playoff games.
Those blunders cost them the Super Bowl because they had control over Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams defense in the first half.
Rams Stampeded The Bengals Offensive Line
The Bengals’ offensive line must have felt good that the Rams’ vaunted defensive front only had one sack.
Unfortunately, the second half was a different animal.
Donald started to work his way through Burrow’s defenders, sacking him twice and making the play that sealed their victory.
In total, the Rams had six sacks in the second half alone, tying a Super Bowl record of seven.
The Bengals already are already stacked at the skill positions and have a solid defensive unit.
Therefore, they must use their draft picks or their massive cap space to get Burrow an offensive line he deserves.
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