Joseph Ossai, the second-year edge player, is having a unique break-out season after his rookie year got wiped out by injury, and he’s been taking notes from a two-time Pro Bowler as Trey Hendrickson plans to return to the lineup for Saturday’s game (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Local 12) in New England.
Ossai, the third-rounder from Texas, has two sacks and one of them secured the Dec. 4 win over the Chiefs when his hustle, diving third-down sack was Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ last play of the game.
His one fumble recovery and one pass defensed came last week in back-to-back series bridging the third and fourth quarter of the Bengals’ second half assault in which they turned over walking Hall of Fame exhibit Tom Brady four straight times.
The pass defensed was the result of a successful stunt with defensive tackle B.J. Hill as Ossai took Brady to the ground to force linebacker Germaine Pratt’s interception.
Hendrickson didn’t play Sunday in Tampa Bay, but Ossai was using what he learned from him.
“Speed. Whatever you’re doing it, do it with speed,” Ossai said this week. “Know your move, have your rush plan, but at end of the day you have to execute that plan and that move as fast as you can.”
HENDRICKSON UP: A day after being named to his second straight Pro Bowl, Hendrickson told media after Thursday’s practice he plans to play after playing with a broken wrist late in the Dec. 11 win over the Browns in a game the other edge, Sam Hubbard, has been ruled out with the calf injury he suffered in the first half Sunday against the Bucs.
Head coach Zac Taylor said Hendrickson came to him early in the week and said he felt liked “he’d be up to it.” Hendrickson says he plans to play with a brace and that he can grab because he’s got movement in his fingers. With temperatures in Foxboro supposed to be in the 25-degree range, it won’t be a pleasant experience, but this is why he’s doing it:
“We’ve spent more time together than we have with our families and we are a family….
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