The Cincinatti Bengals are under the Wizard of Boz’s spell
Running your finger down a page of the Pittsburgh Steelers roster you’re likely to come across a number of superstar players. Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, and others who are stars in the making jump off of the list.
But what if I told you that the player who has had the most success against a division rival was none of those names listed above? He’s a vital part of the team, and while he doesn’t play offense, he’s still a weapon.
Heck, some might even call him one of the “Killer B’s”.
The player I’m talking about is Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell; a name that doesn’t come up often unless it’s in hindsight when the “Wizard of Boz” bails the team out of a tight spot. That spot could become tighter on Monday night when the Steelers travel to Cincinnati in a game online betting sites have as another close one. The Steelers are five-point favorites, just under two field goals worth of points, in the next chapter of their dominance over the Bengals, a team they have won the last five straight, including a Wild Card playoff game in which Pittsburgh won in the closing moments off of Boswell’s boot as well.
That’s why Boswell has the Bengals under a spell: in six career games against the division rival, Boz has converted on all 21 of his field goal attempts. Furthermore, 11 of those attempts were taken from 40 or more yards from the field goal posts.
21 field goals may not seem like a lot of kicks, especially over six games, but if you factor in that Boswell only made 21 field goal attempts in 15 total games over the entire 2016 season, the narrative comes full circle. In 2015, Boswell made 29 kicks on 32 attempts in 12 games, and in 11 games so far in 2017, he has made 25.
The bulk of his 21 field goals against the Bengals have been made in three games: five on December 13th, 2015, six on December 18th, 2016, and another five, all in a row, in the Steelers 29-14 victory this past October.
16 of 21 in three games, with two of those being back-to-back. And the previous December wins? They were all played at Paul Brown Stadium, the home of the Bengals.
Needless to say, Chris Boswell might be own Cincinnati more than any other Pittsburgh Steeler at this point. Le’Veon Bell has had big games but has gone scoreless in his last four against Cincy. Antonio Brown hasn’t eclipsed 100 yards receiving in his last five matchups with the Bengals.
Ben Roethlisberger: hasn’t gone over 300 yards passing in his last five games against them, throwing 7 touchdowns to 6 interceptions.
So when it really boils down to it, Boswell is the Killer B when the Steelers play the Bengals.
Actually, he’s the “B” killer: “B” as in “Bengals” killer. A stone cold, ice in his veins kicker who can be called upon to win games using only his leg.
Simply put, Boswell has Cincinnati under his spell.
