Bengals rookie applying the pressure

By foxsports
Published

By Marc Hardin
FOX Sports Ohio | Bengals Insider
Friday, December 10th, 2010



Now that rookie Carlos Dunlap appears to be hitting his stride after a slow start to his NFL career, the Bengals are hoping that the talented but inconsistent pass-rusher is the real deal at defensive end.

The team could use some edge pressure this Sunday in Pittsburgh against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern. Roethlisberger has been sacked 22 times. Cincinnati ranks dead last in the NFL with 14 sacks.

But the Bengals' overall sack total has been picking up lately, thanks to Dunlap, who has been on a sack spree since injuries opened up an opportunity for increased playing time in base packages beginning Week 10 at Indianapolis.

All 4.5 of Dunlap's sacks this season have come in the past four games. He's coming off his second straight multiple-sack effort. He had 1.5 sacks against the Saints on Sunday and two against the Jets on Thanksgiving.
 
Dunlap has bolted to second in the league in sacks among rookies, trailing only Detroit's Ndamukong Suh, who has eight. Suh, this year's No. 2 overall NFL draft choice, has played all 12 games. Dunlap, selected 54th overall with some questions surrounding his ability to play up to his immense potential, did not compile any statistics until Week 7 at Atlanta.

Despite coming out of preseason with a knee strain, missing the first two regular-season games and being inactive for the Bengals' fourth and fifth games, Dunlap leads the Bengals in sacks and is on pace to become the first rookie to lead them in the category since 1990 when James Francis had eight.