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Let's compare for a moment.
The Cincinnati Bengals finished the first half of the 2012 season winning three games, largely disappointing the fanbase who have reciprocated those feelings in black outs and empty seats. Offensively the Bengals weren't very consistent with depressing mediocrity.
They ranked 17th in the NFL after eight games, averaging 355.5 yards per game and 26th with 95.5 yards rushing. Cincinnati only converted 29 percent of their third down opportunities and Andy Dalton was sacked once every 14 drop backs.
Yet the bubble-gum chewing Cincinnati Bengals offense grew a pair.
During the team's current four-game winning streak, they've improved their points per game average by 1.2 points and their third down conversions by six percent. Instead of a depressing 3.8 yard/rush average during the first eight games, Cincinnati's rushing offense has averaged averaging 4.7 yards/rush and 153.3 yards rushing against the Giants, Chiefs, Raiders and Chargers combined. Andy Dalton's drops-per-sack ratio has nearly doubled to 26.6.
Yep. The Bengals grew a pair.
And his name is Trevor Robinson.
Prior to Cincinnati's win over the New York Giants, Robinson had taken part of a series against Cleveland and a half against the Pittsburgh Steelers and another against the Denver Broncos, totaling 71 snaps. During the Bengals four-game winning streak, he's played every snap since, including a dominating performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11.
According to Pro Football Focus, Robinson hasn't allowed a sack, only three hits on the quarterback and three additional pressures, complimenting a positive pass blocking score.
Though the rookie center out of Notre Dame isn't thrashing the league with barbed wire shots and songs of Folklore by the Men of Dale, he's stabilized an otherwise erratic situation at center. Simply put, Robinson is to Jeff Faine what Kyle Cook was to Eric Ghiaciuc. And that's all we needed right now.