Cleveland Browns: 5 reasons Browns save season vs Bengals in Week 2
5. Interior run stopping
Bengals running back Joe Mixon rushed the ball just 19 times for 69 yards against the Chargers in Week 1, which served as a reminder that Cincinnati’s offensive line isn’t a team strength.
I’ve touched on Garrett already, but his fellow interior lineman, Larry Ogunjobi and Sheldon Richardson played very well against the Ravens and should be to control the interior when the Bengals lean on the rush.
It’s a strategy as old as time. Stop the run and put the other team’s rookie quarterback into 3rd and 7 passing situations. The Bengals really struggled protecting Burrow (Bosa’s aforementioned sack and three hits), meaning the Browns’ defensive line could emerge as the star of the game.
Big things were expected from Ogunjobi last season, but the Browns have seemingly gone back to the strategy that made him an effective player between 2017-2018 in that he’s shooting gaps, not just shedding blockers.
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The result from Week 1: Ogunjobi was PFF’s top graded lineman.