Can we Expect an O & D-Line regression?

[SunsetBengal]

(01-24-2023, 09:21 AM)Sled21 Wrote: I was watching a clip with Chris Long, who I despise even though I really liked his dad. He was asked about how our makeshift O-line with 3 new players was able to perform as well as they did. Of course he gave us a backhanded compliment while also taking a shot at the team. But what he said does kind of make sense. He said when you have a superstar player get hurt, and the backup comes in, there is a huge drop off. He then said the Bengals do not have any superstars on our line (I would disagree about Karras and Cappa) He stated that is why the backups were able to come in and look as good as they starters, because they are all good players but none of them are elite.

I'm going to call Chris Long's assessment of that situation a swing and a miss.  For years I have subscribed to the "fresh legs syndrome" theory of why when backups fill in later in a season, that they appear to perform as well as the starters they are replacing.  Basically you're putting in fresh bodies that haven't been beaten up from the grind of playing week after week.