Bengals Line Holds Pressure Rate to Top 10 as Mims, Karras Anchor Protection

The Cincinnati Bengals offensive line has kept Joe Burrow upright through six games, holding opposing defenses to the tenth-lowest quarterback pressure rate in the NFL and the seventh-lowest sack rate. The Bengals enter Sunday's game against Tennessee with a 4-2 record, and the line's play has coincided with Burrow posting the league's top completion percentage while Cincinnati throws the ball at the fifth-highest rate in the NFL.

Right tackle Amarius Mims, the 2024 first-round pick now in his third NFL season, has been the unit's most visible contributor. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said Mims' work against Baltimore was so clean that the tackle barely appeared on the screen, because he was blocking edge rushers so far from the quarterback. "Amarius Mims continues to be the best tackle I've put my eyes on this year," coach Zac Taylor said. "He has been dominant out there." Pitcher said Mims' development has become routine: "It's just kind of becoming commonplace for him."

Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. handled former Cincinnati defensive end Trey Hendrickson last week. Hendrickson recorded no sacks and hit Burrow twice. Brown called the outing good and said he expects the same result against any opponent. At center, Ted Karras is in his 11th NFL season and has allowed one sack, which came in Week 2 against Houston when All-Pro edge rusher Will Anderson lined up over the center and won an unorthodox rush. Karras rates his own play as "very solid." He also said, "We're playing pretty good ball. We've got good rapport with each other, and we play hard."

The line's interior is where Cincinnati has changed most. The Bengals previously leaned on untested younger players and journeymen at guard. This season, 2025 third-round pick Dylan Fairchild has held down a starting role alongside re-signed veteran Dalton Risner. Fairchild, in his second year, has removed the individual breakdowns that produced sacks and turnovers as a rookie. "Being able to really break down from camp until now, the usage of my hands has grown," Fairchild said, adding that coaches told him hand placement would be necessary at this level. Risner credited offensive line coach Scott Peters, saying, "He's one of my favorite offensive line coaches I've had."

Cincinnati's passing output rests on that protection. The Bengals rank fifth in pass-attempt rate, and Burrow leads the NFL in completion percentage. The Bengals play Tennessee on Sunday.