Cincinnati Bengals supporters have been fighting for increased recognition for their team greats for a very long time. Willie Anderson, a former right tackle and one of the greatest in NFL history, is the player currently on the roster.
Anderson is now on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Modern Era balloting list of finalists. He has reached this voting stage for the third season in a row.
Since there weren’t enough pass rushers to challenge the right tackle, most front offices prioritised right tackles who were more run-oriented, hence Anderson was ahead of his time. To get in the quarterback’s face rather than simply his blindside, teams began to switch to having pass rushers move around or get two pass rushers during Anderson’s career.
Towards the end of his playing career, Pro Football Focus became a more widely used analytical metric to try and quantify an offensive lineman’s skill. Of the right tackles they have charted, he remains one of the best players.
The Cincinnati Bengals are trying to get back into the playoff race with two games remaining. The team needs to come away with both wins if they hope to make it to Wild Card weekend.
However, a daunting task lies ahead in a road matchup with the Modern Era
If you’re looking for some good news, the Bengals drew a referee they have a winning record with.
This week, John Hussey will don the white hat, and the Bengals have a 5-3 record under him.
Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network tweeted out some stats this evening, including the winning record in games he has officiated. Those five wins also include a three-game winning streak, including this year’s win over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football.
If you are superstitious, this is a good sign. A must-win game and a record on your sign. Sign me up.
The kicker here is the Chiefs will be looking to respond after a tough loss this past weekend and have yet to clinch the AFC West.
Expect Sunday’s game at Arrowhead to have a playoff feel to it, one the Bengals need to come out on the right side of to make the actual postseason.
