Bengals' Carl Lawson: 'It's Easier to Sack Aaron Rodgers Than Most Quarterbacks'

Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Carl Lawson said Monday the patient play style of the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers makes him an easier target for pass-rushers.

Lawson explained his take during an appearance on the NFL Network's Good Morning Football (via Dave Clark of the Cincinnati Enquirer):

"Honestly, I think it's easier to sack Aaron Rodgers than most quarterbacks. He sits there, and he pats the ball. At the same time, sacking him don't mean nothing if you don't do it for four quarters. You know, he came back against us. ... So, I mean, he's an easier quarterback for me to sack personally, because he sits there and he probably gets eight to 10 yards in the pocket. He's got a great left tackle (David Bakhtiari). So, he just sits there. He waits, he waits, getting that read. When he gets sacked, he doesn't get flustered. I only saw him get frustrated maybe one time when I did sack him."

Lawson has registered 9.5 sacks since the Bengals selected him in the fourth round of the 2017 draft. He tallied 2.5 of those against Rodgers in a September 2017 game.

The Auburn product does have some stats to back up his assessment.

Rodgers has been sacked 403 times since becoming Green Bay's full-time starter in 2008, which is 44 times more than any other quarterback (Philip Rivers, 359) during that span, per Pro Football Reference. He was sacked the fifth-most times during the 2018 season (49).

In December, then-interim head coach Joe Philbin said the superstar's desire to keep plays alive played a role in the sack numbers and noted there were numerous factors in play.

"I think it's a little bit of everything," Philbin told reporters. "There were just some opportunities where things weren't quite in rhythm. Some of the throws are extended plays and moving around, and I know he's made some great plays in that in the past. He has even this year."

Of course, the upside of Rodgers' playmaking ability far outweighs any negative impact of taking some extra sacks during the course of a season. His career passer rating (103.1) is the best in NFL history.