NYJ DL Sheldon Richardson suspended for Bengals game

[Brownshoe]

(07-04-2016, 11:07 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I disagree with this.  When the Bengals started out 8-0, it was without Burfict.  The defense was stellar, even without him.  If Atkins isn't the best DT in the league (at least for the defense the Bengals run, 4-3, where he plays the 5-technique, then I would be curious to know who is better.

Burfict is a major contributor, and they are undoubtedly better with him in the lineup, but I wouldn't go so far as to say the defense plays good without Atkins.  At 100%, which he is now, he is a difference maker.  

If the defense continued to play like they were w/o Burfict we would have been in the 12th in points allowed and 23rd in yards. They were no where close to stellar. The team was an offensive team with a mediocre defense until Burfict came back. Just go re-watch the games, or at least look at the score board.