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This year’s Cincinnati Bengals have been labeled a sexy pick as one of the unlikeliest NFL teams to reach the Super Bowl, much like the Arizona Cardinals in 2008.
But if the Bengals are to live up to the expectations of being the league’s surprise team, their makeshift offensive line will have to play a major role.
The success of the offensive line will undoubtedly determine the effectiveness of quarterback Carson Palmer through the air and running back Cedric Benson on the ground. The unit has shown some solidarity during training camp and second-year center Kyle Cook appears to be the guy who sets the tone.
Bengals assistant head coach/offensive line Coach Paul Alexander is confident that what Cook brings to the field will improve the team’s maligned offensive line.
“Kyle has really given us a lift this year,” Alexander said. “He is so smart, almost brilliant, as a football player. He’s tough and is an intellectual and emotional leader as well as being physical. He’s everything we want.”
Cook replaces Eric Ghiaciuc who started 42 games at center for the Bengals before moving on to Kansas City as a free agent. According to his coach, Cook has made unbelievable progress since stepping into his new role.
“Some people step up and want to accept the challenge and Kyle has done that,” Alexander said. “He wants to be the leader and wants to be the guy in there battling. I’m very comfortable with him and there’s no competition. He is the guy.”
Alexander added that the guys on the O-line are filled with effort and are a bunch of throwback players.
Cook earned the confidence of the coaching staff this offseason with his leadership, ability to call plays and direct the line. Being physical is just one aspect of playing center. The other is being prepared mentally.
“If I can continue with my mental assets and bring those into the game, things will go well,” Cook said. “It’s important for me to keep learning as the season goes on. I have to get off to a fast start by making plays and get some games under my belt. I want to roll right through the preseason into the regular season and get to looking good.”
Cook had a pretty good tutor to learn from his rookie year while with the Minnesota Vikings in six-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk.
“I learned a lot from Birk with his smarts and approach to the game,” he said. “It is guys like him that I try to pattern my game after. It’s really hard to pinpoint yourself on how you play because you kind of want to be and individual in the league. But you learn a little bit from everyone along the way and hopefully you can pick some things up and learn a lot.”
Cook signed with Minnesota as college free agent in 2007 and played in all four Vikings preseason games. He was waived by the club after the last game and spent the entire 2007 season on the Bengals practice squad.
The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Cook plays the game with a lot of tenacity and attitude. He has the strength to handle bigger defensive tackles and the ability to chip and stay on the inside linebacker. He’s consistent snapping the ball and demonstrates quick hands from stance and snap. Cook anchors well and has a quick first step. He shows good mobility and is nasty and relentless in the trenches. It is important for Cook to unleash his complete repertoire as a first-year starter.
The Bengals offensive line will face three of the league’s premier defensive tackles in Shaun Rogers, Casey Hampton and Haloti Ngata, a total of six times this season.
This will be the ultimate test for Cook and his development. Preparation for the match ups has already begun.
“You have to watch film on everybody you play against,” he said. “I attribute my study habits to where I am right now. When you watch film you see guys who do it the right way and guys who do it the wrong way. I think if you’re a good player you watch that. You have to watch how other people block them.
“We’ve had the opportunity to watch some great centers block these guys. We also had the opportunity to watch some guys get exposed by what these powerful defensive tackles in the AFC North were able to do. We watched film on former Bengals center Rich Braham to see how he was able to neutralize the big nose guards. You learn from it and put it in your back pocket until game day.”
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