With Joe Burrow back in the fold, the Cincinnati Bengals mixed up the offensive line’s construction and continue to see good results.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and his staff elected to go with the veteran Dalton Risner over the last two games, including that Thanksgiving win over the Baltimore Ravens.
According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, the Bengals don’t appear to have any plans to go a different direction for the rest of the season.
Risner had been in and out of the lineup after signing just before the season. When he was out, the Bengals gave some developmental run to rookie Jalen Rivers.
As for Risner? He’s taking it on a week-to-week basis after some understandable delays in getting used to things in Cincinnati.
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“I got a couple of games at left guard when Dylan went down, and I was able to get back to myself,” Risner told Hobson. “After being here for five, six weeks, I was able to get physical and wear pads. I think that game I played against the Jaguars, I had been in full pads twice. It’s no excuse. I feel like I’ve been able to play well at right guard. This game, nothing is guaranteed. I get to play the Buffalo Bills, and I’m grateful for that. I’m entitled to nothing more.”
At least for now, the Bengals still have playoff hopes. And they need to keep Burrow as clean as possible. That means rolling with a veteran like Risner.
The boost to the running game sure doesn’t hurt. As Hobson notes, they’re averaging the most yards per rush over the last eight games of any stretch over the last seven years.
There’s a time and place for developmental reps, of course. Rivers showed some flashes and could very well be the future of the guard spot, with fellow rookie Dylan Fairchild obviously the other.
But right now, given the context? The Bengals need steady veterans like Risner in front of Burrow. If the playoffs become impossible, perhaps it’s a conversation worth revisiting, but not now.
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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals make right call with offensive line in front of Joe Burrow
Reporting by Chris Roling, Bengals Wire / Bengals Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
