Bengals’ OL scored record-low PFF grades against the Steelers

Many Bengals fans probably chose not to watch Monday night’s game against the Steelers after the first or second quarter. Those that stuck it out, though, witnessed history.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Bengals’ offensive line put together one of the worst games since PFF started collecting data.

“No team lost more matchups in a single game in the PFF era than the Bengals did [Monday] night,” said PFF’s Anthony Treash, “and they also gave up a franchise-record amount of pressures.”

Here’s what he wrote about the offensive line:

Bengals fans, it’s okay. We will get through this section together. The Steelers’ pass-rush was successful because of their known skill, but also because of Cincinnati’s JV squad on the offensive line. Of the seven offensive linemen to register a snap against Pittsburgh, none cracked a pass-blocking grade above 54.0. From top to bottom, this line was just flat out horrific.

In all seriousness, this was among the five worst offensive line performances we have seen in the PFF era with their offensive linemen taking home a PFF pass-block grade of 21.4, the fourth-worst in a single game since 2006 (by far the worst by a Bengals team – next worst came 2017 Week 9 at Jacksonville at 33.7). No team lost more matchups in a single game in the PFF era than the Bengals did last night, and they also gave up a franchise-record amount of pressures.

Right tackle Bobby Hart finished the nightmare with a 24.1 pass-block grade and allowed seven total pressures (15.2% pressure rate). Right guard John Miller (30.1 pass-block grade) and left guard Michael Jordan (15.1 pass-block grade) were just as guilty as Hart was with those two combining for seven pressures allowed. Oh, and let’s not forget 2018 first-round pick Billy Price’s brief appearance where he allowed a sack on one of his four pass-block snaps.

Even the least knowledgeable of fans probably noticed that the offensive line looked overwhelmed, even without the data. The Steelers recorded a season-high eight sacks and nine tackles for a loss on the night. The pass rush could do no wrong.

Games like this make us the injuries to Jonah Williams and Cordy Glenn all the more frustrating, but at this point not even they could help this offensive line. Alex Redmond is set to make his return, but based off of his play last year, he doesn’t seem like he can add all that much to this squad.

Things look like they are getting worse by the day in Cincinnati. If its not enough that Andy Dalton is getting no time to throw and being hit on every play, one of his best receivers is now on injured reserve.

The Bengals are going to get a lot worse before they get better.