The Bengals are relying on Max Scharping this week and possibly the entire postseason at right guard. The former Houston Texans second-round pick isn't your typical backup.
Scharping has started 33 NFL games and logged over 2,100 offensive snaps. He's never played in a playoff game, but Scharping has plenty of experience to draw on.
"I think I've been here all year, so it's not necessarily anything lacking," Scharping told reporters in the locker room on Wednesday. "Cap [Alex Cappa] is just a great player, and he just sees things, he's had so much experience. I mean Cap's just fantastic at what he does, so I'm just hoping to go out there and play to the best of my ability and hopefully be there when Teddy [Karras] needs me the most."
The Texans waived Scharping last year on Aug. 31, and the Bengals had enough cap space to bring him in easier than any another contender.
Flash forward four months later, and that move could be the fulcrum point of a deep playoff run. Scharping's played on offense before Cappa went down, logging 7 snaps against Carolina and 9 against New England.
"[Offensive line coach] Frank [Pollack] knew what system I came from," Scharping said about getting integrated quickly with the Bengals. "So he was able to help me with that. It's always a learning process. Even to this day, you're always learning everything new, but for the most part, I think I had it down pretty early.
"Certain similarities and certain differences. There's a little bit of both, I would say, it takes you a little bit of time to learn what techniques he wants you to use compared to your other coaches, but everything that I've learned from those coaches and from Frank you tweak and you learn, and you use everything to the best of your ability."
Cincinnati and Baltimore run it back in the Wild Card round on Sunday at 8:15 p.m. ET. The game is available on NBC via fuboTV—start your free trial here.
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