Dexter Lawrence was always supposed to change things for the Bengals’ defense. What Ja’Marr Chase says he’s doing to Cincinnati’s offense is the part few people saw coming.
On a Tuesday appearance on the Up & Adams Show, Chase broke down how the star defensive tackle is affecting the Bengals on a daily basis. The obvious effect is up front, where Lawrence is making life harder on the offensive line. But Chase said the ripple effect goes well beyond that.
“[Lawrence] is making us better, he’s making our o-line better, he’s making the receivers faster. When we're running our routes, cause sometimes we can't run against the DBs, we gotta run against Dexter Lawrence.
Just helping us get our timing down with Joe [Burrow], never know when we gotta be ready for a hot answer or anything. ”
That’s the kind of detail that tells you how disruptive Lawrence really is. If a defense can threaten quick pressure, the offense has to move with urgency. The Bengals are getting that kind of work every day, and Chase says it’s sharpening the group without throwing it out of rhythm.
Lawrence helping the offensive line was the easy part to see. The idea that he’d also help the receivers get faster is less obvious, but Chase’s explanation makes the point clear: the Bengals are being forced to play with speed, awareness and timing because they have to be ready for pressure before it arrives.
That matters for a group already operating at a high level. If Cincinnati can get even cleaner and quicker because of the work it’s getting against Lawrence, that only adds to what the offense can do once the season starts.
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