As we continue to reflect on this year’s Super Bowl and think about the future of the Bengals, the one glaring weakness holding Cincinnati back is their unreliable offensive line and lack of protection for their star quarterback, Joe Burrow.
This has to be fixed in the offseason if they want Burrow to stay healthy and effective.
Burrow was sacked nine times against the Titans during the playoffs. Although they found a way to win that game, their weak offensive line caught up with the Bengals and hurt them in the Super Bowl.
According to ESPN, the Bengals posted a 14 percent pass-block win rate in their 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. That was the worst win rate of any team in any game this season.
Also, according to ESPN, Burrow was sacked seven times in the Super Bowl, tying the record set by Roger Staubach in Super Bowl X.
They allowed Aaron Donald and Von Miller to get to Burrow and knock him down at key times in the Super Bowl, which prevented him from making the necessary plays to win. Amazingly, Joe Burrow was sacked 70 times in the season and postseason, third-most ever.
There’s no denying the importance of teams placing value on a consistent and reliable o-line, so the Bengals will approach free agency with the goal of strengthening their offensive line and improving how they protect their franchise quarterback.
As I think about our own lives, what would it look like if we placed value on having our own “offensive line” to protect us and keep us from getting knocked down?
The people we choose to surround ourselves with (friends, family, mentors, advisors, and co-workers) can help us be successful by providing a consistent and reliable “offensive line.”
The reality is, we all face opponents each day and deal with temptations and pressures that can potentially sack us, but do we have teammates who properly protect us?
When we recognize we have a “weak offensive line,” we need to seek others to help us stay upright and watch our blindside. If we’re getting sacked all the time, then we need to fix our “o-line” if we want to stay healthy and effective.
As we consider the people we need around us, let’s look at the book of wisdom in the Bible:
Proverbs 13:20 (ESV) says, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
Proverbs 11:14 (ESV) tells us, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
We can be encouraged by Proverbs 15:22 (AMP): “Without consultation and wise advice, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors, they are established and succeed.”
Proverbs 24:6 (NLT) declares, “So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.”
As followers of Jesus, we’re not meant to be alone in life. Today, let’s make sure we’re standing in the pocket with confidence, and surrounded by a solid “offensive line.”
By filling our lives with wise advisers and friends who are willing to protect us and help us fight against the opponent, let’s return the favor for them as well.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I’m thankful that through others You speak wisdom. I pray I’d accept protection and advice from them so that I don’t get knocked down. Please bring the right people to surround me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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What have you done to establish a strong “offensive line” in your life?
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When has wise counsel helped protect you from making unwise decisions?
