The biggest game of the season for the Cincinnati Bengals so far is this week against the Buffalo Bills. The defense played extremely well against the Ravens, but they will need to maintain this level of performance against the Bills if they want a shot at winning. While the defensive line and safeties have picked up their play a bit over the last two weeks, they need another group to step up as well, and that is the linebackers.
Can the Bengals’ Linebackers Step Up This Week?
It’s no secret that for much of the year, the Bengals’ defense has been subpar, and at the center of that underperformance are the linebackers. Rookies Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter have just not performed at the level the Bengals had expected, and this has significantly impacted the defense in both the running and passing games. Against a team like the Bills, they are going to need the linebackers to step it up.
According to PFSN’s LB Impact Scores, Demetrius Knight has scored a 71.9 impact score on the season, which ranks 49th in the league. His 10 splash plays on the year rank him 30th among linebackers, but his missed tackle % of 15.6 ranks him 69th. Knight has been the better of the two linebackers, and the Bengals could really use him adding to that splash play total this week.
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Barrett Carter, on the other hand, has been one of the worst linebackers in the league so far this year. Carter has a PFSN LB Impact Score of 64 on the season with just two splash plays on the season and a missed tackle rate of 14.7%, which is ranked 67th in the NFL.
The Bills are one of the best rushing teams in the NFL. They are 2nd in run EPA per play and have one of the best running backs in the NFL in James Cook. Cook is currently second in the NFL in rushing with 1,228 yards. His 5.3 yards per carry is good for fourth in the NFL among players with at least 100 carries.
On top of Cook, the Bills also have another major rushing threat in Josh Allen. Allen has over 400 yards on the year and is averaging 5.2 yards per carry, which is good for sixth among players with at least 70 carries. The Bengals’ linebackers will have to spy him and keep him from scrambling and making big plays.
Bengals linebackers have also struggled in coverage this year, and the Bills have the weapons to attack that. Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox are both solid tight ends that can do damage in the passing game, and James Cook is a weapon out of the backfield. If the Bengals’ linebackers can’t keep up in coverage, Allen will pick them apart.
The Bengals’ defense as a whole played well against the Ravens, but five turnovers can’t be expected each week. The Bengals’ defense is going to have to step up big again this week, and the linebackers are going to have to be a big part of that.
