What’s that song?.. “I’ll be home for Christmas,..You can count on me”..I’d have to look up who sings it. But that’ll be the story of the 2024 Bengals. It appears for the second straight year. Cincinnati’s season will end the night of January 5 after the Pittsburg Steeler game. Speaking of the Pittsburg Steelers, this past weekend the Bengals lost to them for the 71st time in team history. A final 44-38 score likely put a clamp on any post season the Bengals had hoped to be a part of.
The Bengal offense has not been the problem. The Bengal offense, led by quarterback Joe Burrow, has had no problem scoring on any other team. The line has been anchored by offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Brown has been solid when healthy. The big Bengal tackle has missed three games due to injury.
This time of year in Brown’s career he has had, for the most part, the playoffs to look forward to shining in. Brown started his career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2018. For three season, Brown Jr. spent time protecting two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson. He then went west to spend time protecting another MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion in Patrick Mahomes. At that time the Bengals needed a piece they could count on to protect QB Joe Burrow. Brown Jr. and the Bengals came to terms on a contract and the rest has been history. The problem is Brown has yet to taste the playoff success with the Bengals that he did with Baltimore and with Kansas City. As a matter of fact,..he has yet to reach the playoffs period in a Cincinnati uniform.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone Brown Jr. has had this much success. In the late 1990s Brown’s father, Orlando Brown, spent time blocking Bengal defenders for the Cleveland Browns. Brown Sr. was involved in one of the most bizarre and tragic situations ever on a football field. As a referee threw a flag, the flag went right into the helmet and eye of Brown senior. The Browns lineman would have problems the rest o f his life with his eye. He would ultimately sue and win millions from the NFL over the incident.
As for Brown Jr. He has carried on the legacy of his father. Brown was the two-time Big 12 offensive lineman of the year in college at Oklahoma. He has been a four-time pro bowler since coming to the NFL. Unfortunately, none of the accolades have come with the Cincinnati Bengals. Until the Bengals once again stand amongst the NFL’s best teams, players like Brown Jr. will be overlooked. Until then, all the mammoth 6’8,” 345-pound lineman can do is keep his man from tackling Joe Burrow, which for the most part he has done.
Feature Image: Bengals offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. has been solid. He is shown blocking a Steelers’ player in Sunday’s game here against the Pittsburgh team. Photo by Michael Mitchell, The Cincinnati Herald