The Bengals are 2-0, Joe Burrow is rolling, and Cincinnati has already found a way to make life easier on its franchise quarterback: Samaje Perine.
That matters because everything in Cincinnati still flows through Burrow. If the Bengals are going to keep stacking wins and make a real push in the AFC North, they need him on his feet.
The offense is humming, and the defense finally looks capable of carrying its weight too, which only raises the stakes. This has the feel of the best Super Bowl shot the Zac Taylor era has produced, and that puts a premium on keeping Burrow upright.
The good news is the Bengals’ offensive line has done its part early. In Week 1, Burrow was the least-pressured quarterback in the NFL, a sentence that would have sounded almost impossible in past seasons. That doesn’t mean the hits won’t come eventually, but it does mean Cincinnati is starting from a much better place than usual.
There’s also a schematic answer here, and Taylor can lean into it by using running backs and tight ends to help in protection. That approach can buy Burrow time, but it only works if the right personnel is on the field. A smaller back or a lighter tight end can create a problem of its own when matched up with a powerful linebacker, so the choices matter.
That’s where Perine enters the picture.
To a lot of NFL fans, Samaje Perine is just another veteran backup running back. Bengals fans know better. He was part of some of the biggest moments from Cincinnati’s 2021 and 2022 runs to back-to-back AFC Championship games, and now he’s back in the mix behind Chase Brown.
And the numbers say he should have a real role. According to Opta Analyst, Perine is the NFL’s eighth-best pass-blocking back this season, with an average grade of 74.8.
That gives the Bengals something useful for the tougher matchups. Against more physical defenses, or against teams that consistently get after the quarterback, Perine looks like the cleanest answer.
It does mean fewer snaps for Brown and a little less of his explosiveness in the offense. But on passing downs, Perine offers something the Bengals can trust: protection, versatility, and the ability to shift from a receiving option into a blocker without changing the whole plan.
In Other News...
Aaron Rodgers Just Put Bengals Pass Rush In Steelers Spotlight
Cincinnatis 2-0 start has come with the kind of defensive edge that can travel, and it was on display again in the win over Houston. Now the Bengals turn their attention to Pittsburgh, where the matchup is already tilting toward their front seven after the Steelers have stumbled through two games on offense and enter a week that looks like a stress test for their blocking.
Aaron Rodgers added to the intrigue by praising Bengals defensive standout Dexter Lawrence ahead of the matchup, a nod to just how disruptive Cincinnati can be when its pass rush is rolling. For a Steelers line already dealing with pressure, that kind of recognition only sharpens the spotlight on what awaits Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Nearly Made A Rival AFC North Choice On Defense
When the Bengals went looking for a new defensive coordinator after firing their former one, they did not limit themselves to familiar names inside the building. Zac Taylor brought in Patrick Graham for an interview, a reminder that Cincinnati was weighing a coach with broad NFL experience and a rsum that stretches from the Patriots to the Giants and Raiders before the team ultimately chose Al Golden.
Graham now runs the Steelers defense, which only adds another layer to the AFC North backdrop around the decision. He also brings connections to players such as Maxx Crosby and Dexter Lawrence, and his current job in Pittsburgh gives the Bengals another face to track in a division where coaching moves can matter just as much as personnel ones. The interview itself did not change Cincinnatis hire, but it shows how close the team came to taking a different defensive path inside its biggest rivalry. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Already Look Right About Their Biggest Defensive Gamble
When the Bengals let Trey Hendrickson walk and brought in Boye Mafe on a three-year deal, it was one of the biggest defensive calls of their offseason. Cincinnati wanted a different kind of edge presence, one that could help replace Hendricksons production while also fitting the price tag, and early returns have been hard to miss.
Through two games, Mafe has already flashed the disruptive traits the Bengals were betting on, with a sack, a forced fumble and the most quarterback hurries in the league. Hendrickson has had his moments in Baltimore, but Cincinnati has to feel better about the way its new pass rusher is setting the tone, especially with the contract coming in below what Hendrickson landed with the Ravens. [Read more 🡒]