Geno Atkins is Cincinnati Bengals X-Factor for Week 8

By Rick Stavig @rickstavig on October 23, 2014

The Cincinnati Bengals got off to a terrific start to the 2014 NFL season, going 3-0 with three very convincing wins. The team looked like it was firing on all cylinders. Following the week 4 bye, the team has floundered the past three weeks, going 0-2-1. A big reason for that has been the defense, which has given up an average of 35.6 points per game in that span. The rush defense particularly has been horrid, giving up more than 194 rushing yards per game in that span. This week the Bengals need star DT Geno Atkins to up his game, which is why he’s Cincy’s x-factor against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens may have lost a star RB in his prime due to beating his wife, but their ground game hasn’t suffered in the slightest. Through seven weeks the Ravens are 7th in the NFL in rushing yards per game with 131. Justin Forsett, Lorenzo Taliaferro and Bernard Pierce have formed an unlikely triumvirate spearheading a rushing attack that has produced 920 yards on 205 carries, good for a 4.5 yard average per carry.

Atkins is considered by many to be one of the best DT’s in the NFL. Prior to a devastating ACL injury last year, he racked up 12.5 sacks, 4 FF’s and 49 hurries in 2012; staggering numbers for an interior linemen. That kind of production is exactly why the Bengals rewarded him with a six-year, $56.4 million dollar contract with $31 million guaranteed.

So far in 2014, Atkins has struggled, tallying just 7 tackles and a half sack. He’s particularly struggled agains the run, where some stat sites have graded both he and fellow starter Domata Peko amongst the worst in the league this year. That can’t happen against the Ravens if the Bengals hope to win.

The Bengals need him to make the proper fits and get up field. He needs to penetrate the backfield, disrupt his rush lanes and pressure Ravens QB Joe Flacco. He’ll be going against Ravens OG Kelechi Osemele often this week, and he needs to take advantage of the fact that KO is coming off a hyperextended knee which forced him to miss the past two weeks. He’ll likely be a little rusty and Atkins needs to use that to his advantage. If Atkins and Bengals can shut down the run and make the Ravens one dimensional, they’ll find plenty of opportunities for turnovers as Flacco has shown a propensity at times to force throws into coverage.

The Bengals need to win this game to get back on track and stay in the hunt for the AFC North crown. But to do that they’ll need be stronger against the run, and for their star DT to play up to his ability.

Rick Stavig is an NFL Draft Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @rickstavig or add him to your network on Google+.