3 things the Bengals must do in 2023 to return to the playoffs

2. Rush the passer more effectively 

The Cincinnati Bengals ranked near the bottom in team sack totals last year, according to StatMuse, and that cannot be a repetitive trend going into this season. 

Cincinnati needs to be able to make plays by rushing the passer. It starts by creating rushed passes, which then can lead to turnovers or miscues. The Bengals had 30.0 sacks last season in total. Compare that to the number one team, the Philadelphia Eagles, who had 70.0. 

That is a prominent difference, and the Bengals will not be able to win the Super Bowl or repeat as AFC North champions if they place in the bottom five of total sacks. 

Adding Myles Murphy with their first-round pick and that addition should be impactful from the get-go. But guys like Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample, and Zach Carter will need to find their roles, and Sam Hubbard and B.J. Hill need to be more effective from that facet. Trey Hendrickson has been the only consistent pass rusher the Bengals have had over the last two years. 

That needs to change if the team wants to get back to the postseason.