The Buffalo Bills went into Pittsburgh without their starting offensive tackles and managed to keep Josh Allen upright en route to a 26-7 victory over the Steelers. As they turn their attention to the Cincinnati Bengals, it’s the Bills that got some favorable news in the trenches.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said on Monday that star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson is doubtful to play in Sunday’s matchup between Buffalo and Cincinnati. Hendrickson hasn’t played since Week 8 due to an abdominal injury.
While Bills fans await updates on the availability of Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown at tackle, it’s a small advantage for a struggling Bengals pass defense to be without its most impactful player once again. Still, if Alec Anderson and Ryan Van Demark are called upon again, they provided plenty of confidence in their abilities to answer the call last Sunday against the Steelers.
No Trey Hendrickson gives Josh Allen and the Bills a clear opening against Bengals' struggling defense
The Bengals carry the league’s worst passing defense, and being without Hendrickson has played a role in their struggles. Cincinnati has just 18 sacks on the season, second-worst in the NFL, and Hendrickson accounted for four of them. Only Joseph Ossai has more for Cincinnati with five.
Of course, despite Anderson and Van Demark filling in well for Dawkins and Brown, the Bills only threw for 123 yards against Pittsburgh in a cold, windy environment. Instead, Buffalo found success on the ground, totalling 249 yards rushing to set a new record for opponents at Acrisure Stadium.
But the Steelers’ inconsistent run defense still ranks 17th in the NFL. Cincinnati carries the 31st-ranked rushing defense into Week 14. They’ve allowed 100+ yards rushing in all but one game this season, six times allowing more than 150 yards on the ground.
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While the Bengals are riding high with the return of Joe Burrow on offense, their defensive issues are the biggest reason Cincinnati’s slim playoff hopes are awfully close to none. Without Hendrickson in the lineup, the Bengals lack leadership and playmaking ability on the defensive side. They’ve struggled with and without him all season, so Buffalo should be poised to run up the scoreboard at home. The real challenge is containing Burrow and his receivers on the other side of the ball.