The Cincinnati Bengals’ pass rush has been nearly non-existent this year, and the only player responsible for it not being worse is Carl Lawson.
In his first contract season, Lawson has carried the Bengals’ defensive line in terms of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The fourth-year edge defender has just 3.5 sacks through eight games this year, but ESPN Sports Analytics writer Seth Walder knows Lawson’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.
ESPN began tracking a new stat called sacks created. Per Walder, it credits a sack to whichever defensive player wins as a pass-rusher first on a play that ends in a sack.