Wednesday, December 08, 1999
'O' line 'good working unit'
Bengals improve scoring, yardage
BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The 1999 Bengals offensive line is hardly the Munoz-Reimers-Kozerski-Montoya-Walter unit of 1988 Super Bowl yore. But there are also no Tom Rayams or Melvin Tutens on this job.
The '99 line has fueled across-the-board improvement over last year's offensive numbers. Despite the team's 3-10 record, Bengals President Mike Brown hopes to see the group return intact for 2000.
“Lately, we've been able to move the ball a little more,” Brown said. “It's become a good working unit.”
Sunday, the line helped produce 44 points, the most by the Bengals in 10 years. The 476 total yards were a season high, and the two-game winning streak was last seen in 1997.
Overall, the team ranks ahead of its 1998 averages in scoring, total offense, rushing yardage and passing yardage. In total yardage, the statistic that somehow gets more publicity than scoring, the Bengals have improved from 17th last year to 10th.
“Have we had our moments where we've struggled? Sure,” Brown said. “But I think we've done a good job overall.”
The starting five are left tackle Rod Jones, left guard Matt O'Dwyer, center Rich Braham, right guard Jay Leeuwenburg and right tackle Willie Anderson. You can include tight end Tony McGee, whose main job is to block.
O'Dwyer, Braham and Jones have started every game this year. Anderson missed one game with a foot injury, after a streak of 52 straight starts. Leeuwenburg has started six straight games in place of Brian DeMarco, who remains sidelined after surgery on both elbows.
Anderson, the No.1 draft choice in 1996, is considered the best player on the unit. An early-season problem was that he was the only starter to return from 1998 at the same position, as Braham switched spots, O'Dwyer and DeMarco arrived as free agents and Jones became a new starter.
The Bengals had counted on left tackle Kevin Sargent and right guard Ken Blackman to return as starters. Instead, both were cut when the team deemed them insufficiently recovered from injuries.
“Neither could play, so we had to scramble,” Brown said.
The Bengals long have been criticized for subpar offensive lines, after having the NFL's best in the late 1980s with Pro Bowlers Munoz and Montoya.
After those two left, then-offensive line coach Jim McNally would tell reporters:“You're not gonna get another Munoz, you know? You're not gonna get another Montoya.”
And, the Bengals haven't. But Brown said it's not for lack of trying.
“In free agency, one of the things hardest to maintain is a cohesive offensive line,” he said.
The Bengals' only potential offensive line free agent this offseason is Jones, and the team hopes to re-sign him.
Anderson, the leader and a team spokesman, said the '99 evolution has been just a matter of time.
“You had Matt and Brian, they come in from other teams and have to learn a new system,” Anderson said. “And if (quarterback) Jeff Blake had stayed in there all season, maybe this all would have happened sooner.”
The line has allowed only five sacks the past three games and is on pace to better its numbers there.
It is on pace to allow 48 sacks, but that would be down from last year's 53.
Braham, the center, said he has a good way to measure the progress.
“The last few weeks,” he said, “Jeff hasn't come in here on Mondays all banged up. So we must not be doing too bad.”
GREGG GONE: Rookie nose tackle Kelly Gregg was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles off the Bengals' practice squad Tuesday.
Gregg was Cincinnati's No.6 pick in the 1999 draft. He will be replaced by Chad Pegues.
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