Caleb Rogers vs. Dexter Lawrence
Caleb Rogers hasn’t looked too shabby in his four career starts at right guard.
While he admittedly isn’t a big fan of Pro Football Focus ratings, the site seems to be a fan of his. He holds a 74.1 pass blocking grade, the second-highest of any offensive lineman on the team (min. four games played). The rookie didn’t allow a single pressure against the Houston Texans, with quarterback Geno Smith having an average dropback time of 3.33 seconds, per Next Gen Stats.
“He’s been developing throughout the year,” Smith said, “and when he’s gotten his opportunities, he’s going out there and he’s played well. I know he can improve on some things, and I know he’ll be the first to say that, but I just love the way that he competes, the way that he goes out there. He gives us a chance to be a good offense, and for him, just go out there and play your game.”
While Rogers has already lined up against some formidable defensive tackles, arguably his biggest test to date will be against Dexter Lawrence. The three-time Pro Bowler, with 12 quarterback pressures this season, has demanded enough attention at nose tackle for his edge rushers to eat. Edge rushing duo Brian Burns and rookie Abdul Carter have combined for 18.5 sacks this season.
“It starts up front with their interior,” Smith said. “You talk about Dexter Lawrence, one of the better nose tackles in the game. I mean, just a big, strong, massive human being. So, we’ve got to have a plan for him.”