[jwplayer H1GrZT6a]
The Cincinnati Bengals might end up hoping they could have the Carlos Dunlap situation back for a do-over.
Cincinnati traded one of its franchise greats before the trade deadline after the two parties couldn’t see eye-to-eye on his usage and fit.
The man formerly known as employee 96 is now employee 43 and putting on a show for a contender.
Thursday night, Dunlap ripped through the Arizona Cardinals, including a sack of Kyler Murray that ended the game.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says Dunlap is only just getting comfortable, per Liz Mathews of Seahawks Wire:
“Yeah, he’s really been a boost. He really helps us and we desperately needed him. The first week he barely knew what was going on. Week 2 he’s getting it going and he really is comfortable now and fits right in, and it was really thrilling to see him come up with a game-winner like that.”
In a scheme he excels in, let’s just say Dunlap has performed about as everyone seemed to expect:
Carlos Dunlap has as many pressures in the first half (4) as the rest of the Seahawks combined.
Dunlap already has more pressures (11) on half the pass rushes (77) with the Seahawks, than he did with the Bengals in 2020 (10 pressures, 162 pass rushes).#ARIvsSEA | #Seahawks
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 20, 2020
After hardly seeing playing time for a Bengals coaching staff that wanted him in a different role in a new scheme, Dunlap is back in his comfort zone and on his way to the playoffs for a contender after taking a pay cut to get there.
While this won’t demonize the coaching staff too much for wanting to go in a different direction (and Dunlap could’ve handled things better), one has to wonder why there wasn’t better communication before the season about his role and how he’d fit so all parties could’ve avoided the drama and the team could’ve gotten a better return for his departure — instead of telling fans he was part of the plan on that big contract.
Instead, a reported Taylor-Dunlap confrontation soured things, coaches like Mike Tomlin publicly talked about how they were happy to avoid Dunlap and now he’s off potentially contending for a Lombardi Trophy while the Bengals sit at 2-6-1.
.@Carlos_Dunlap SACK ON KYLER MURRAY TO END THE GAME!!!#AZvsSEA: https://t.co/2cxHPcAjwx pic.twitter.com/QKGyn24UJz
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 20, 2020
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