Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow told reporters on Monday that he isn't concerned about how his vulnerable offensive line will fare against the Los Angeles Rams' formidable pass-rush in Super Bowl 56 on Sunday. He also expressed confidence in his unit, saying that the coaching staff has designed a strong gameplan for them to "go out and execute."
But the Bengals' pass protection will be tested for 60 minutes of play, as the Rams' defensive front features three players -- Aaron Donald, Leonard Floyd, and Von Miller -- who combined to record 31.5 sacks this season. In addition, Burrow has been sacked more than any other quarterback since September (51 times), and former NFL running back DeAngelo Williams has a rather bold prediction for how battles in the trenches will play out.
"It's going to all boil down to the Rams' defense versus their offense. And I'll go on record to say this right now: the Rams' defense will score more points than the Cincinnati Bengals' offense," Williams told The Zach Gelb Show on Thursday. "Yes, I'm saying it right now. Mark it down -- I said it. They may not score a touchdown. I'm just saying... I'm not a Cincinnati Bengals hater. What have I said that's not correct?..."
Los Angeles and Cincinnati are scheduled to kickoff at 6:30 ET on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. According to FiveThirtyEight's projections, the Rams currently have a 68-percent chance to celebrate their first championship since 1999.
The entire football conversation between Williams and Gelb can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The Zach Gelb Show on Twitter @ZachGelb and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.