Joe Burrow and the Bengals lost another key piece to their offensive line in Week 18 when right guard Alex Cappa suffered an ankle injury. His absence could further weaken a Cincinnati line that is already without La’el Collins.
In a news conference Monday, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said it would be tough for Cappa to return against the Ravens for Sunday's wild-card playoff game in Cincinnati.
Zac Taylor: It will be tough for Alex Cappa to play this week. https://t.co/UN4hs5dS19
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 9, 2023
With the Bengals hurting and Lamar Jackson’s potential return looming, the pressure is on Cincinnati.
Cappa's impact on the offense cannot be understated. In the offseason, the former Buccaneer joined an O-line that was in dire need of help. In his first year with the team, Cappa stepped up in a big way, allowing only three sacks in 1,086 offensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
Burrow and fellow lineman Ted Karras are confident in second-stringer Max Scharping's ability, but the loss of Cappa clearly hurts.
Ted Karras says Bengals need to look forward to eliminating Baltimore in a week and that's where the focus will be. Also praises Alex Cappa pic.twitter.com/iBtM92orZP
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) January 8, 2023
Joe Burrow talks about loss of Alex Cappa and Max Scharping stepping up. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/rwk4bA2CAR
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) January 8, 2023
With Cincinnati missing two starters, count on Baltimore's recharged pass rush, led by Calais Campbell, Justin Houston and Jason Pierre-Paul, to go after Burrow.
The acquisition of linebacker Roquan Smith from Chicago bolstered Baltimore's run and pass defense, and rookie Kyle Hamilton continues to grow at safety.
The return of Jackson at quarterback would be enormous for the Ravens. They went 8-4 with him and 2-3 without him. Jackson's return coupled with an offensive line in flux could make life difficult for Burrow and Cincy and potentially lead to more hits the Bengals don't like.
Following the Week 18 win over Baltimore, Bengals players complained to The Athletic reporter Jay Morrison about the Ravens playing dirty.
#Bengals players rip Ravens, set stage for contentious week leading to rematch.
— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) January 9, 2023
“There was a lot of cheap shit going on. Just know that we owe them.”https://t.co/abEgZ7haWS pic.twitter.com/OjLsZj3ufm
With an important O-lineman out, the defending AFC champs could face a much stiffer test than many expect.
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