NFL Fantastic 5: Matt Ryan and the best stats from Week 3
By Shaun Church
Keeping the Red Rifle upright
Stat: One pressure allowed
Poor Mike Pollak. The Cincinnati Bengals offensive line was nearly perfect in protecting quarterback Andy Dalton against the Tennessee Titans. On 26 dropbacks, Dalton was pressured just once—one measly little QB hurry allowed by Pollak, Cincinnati’s starting right guard, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
He had to be that guy.
The Bengals won the game in blowout fashion over the Titans, 33-7. The game was never close, as Cincy built a 10-0 lead by the end of the first quarter, thanks in part to a Mohamed Sanu 18-yard touchdown pass to Dalton, his quarterback.
Yes, Sanu was well-protected on the trick play.
By halftime, the game was well in hand, as the Titans had nothing going offensively and kept shooting themselves in the foot—Tennessee finished with 11 penalties and converted just 2-of-12 third downs (16.7 percent).
Near-perfect protection of Dalton wasn’t the deciding factor in beating the Titans, but the Bengals offensive line can be proud of its performance against the likes of defensive end Jurrell Casey and linebackers Shaun Phillips and Kamerion Wimbley.
According to PFF, Cincinnati has allowed zero pressures of its quarterbacks twice since 2007, the earliest season for which the stats site has grades. If not for its starting right guard, that would have been three times (math is obviously my strong suit).
Tsk, tsk tsk.