The Cincinnati Bengals may have thought that Jackson Carman was better suited for the interior line when they selected him in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but despite not playing at left tackle since college, Carman took the reins when starter Jonah Williams went down with injury and provided Cincinnati with an unexpected late-season boon.

Making his playoff debut against the Buffalo Bills this past Sunday, Carman rose to the occasion. He notched an impressive 76.0 Pass Block Grade from ProFootballFocus while allowing zero sacks, one QB hit, and three pressures. Moreover, his performance drew rave reviews from his teammates and opponents, with Joe Burrow and ex-Ravens safety Eric Weddle both praising Carman’s debut in no uncertain terms.

The storybook success of Carman’s first career start at left tackle cannot be overlooked; he faced adversity throughout the regular season, yet maintained a perfect ‘mindset’ and emerged with an unexpected playoff performance that has given Bengals fans cause for optimism. Now, as the AFC title game approaches, Cincinnati will look to carry the momentum forward and make another Super Bowl run.