It's the dawning of the Age of Amarius in Bengaldom when first-round pick Amarius Mims makes his first NFL start at right tackle Sunday in Carolina Sunday (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Fox 19) against the Andy Dalton Panthers.
After a spring and summer as hugely impressive as the 6-8, 350-pound Mims, one of the more anticipated rookie starts in recent Bengals' history is spiced by the appearance across from him of ubiquitous veteran pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
"Nine-and-a-half sacks last year," said Mims Wednesday of Clowney's work for the Ravens. "I definitely remember him playing at South Carolina. It's the NFL. Everyone has a dog, great players, on their team. It's a little early to break down stuff. I've watched (Sunday's) game and now it's a matter of preparing for this week."
If Mims sounds like a vet rather than the youngest Bengal who turns 22 in two weeks, he does. Just ask the man around here who has known him the longest, practice squad running back Kendall Milton, his teammate at Georgia.
"He makes you excited to get the ball," Milton says. "He's going to do everything in his power to make sure you do everything in your power. He stays after practice. Takes those extra reps. Willing to put it all on the line. He watches the technical film so he can do his job on Mondays or on Thursdays. It makes you excited to play with him."
No need to worry about composure. After a six-week stint dealing with an injured pectoral muscle, Mims had prepared to make his NFL debut last Monday night with a handful of snaps as the extra tackle. His first full practice since the Aug. 10 preseason opener had come only on Saturday.
But when right tackle Trent Brown went down in the second quarter with what is feared to be a season-ending knee injury, five snaps suddenly became 39 prime-time plays.
"We have really high expectations for him. In really a lot of ways kind of picked up where he left off from training camp and for a rookie that was really impressive to see from Amarius," said head coach Zac Taylor Wednesday before the Bengals started their week of work.
"I think he did a good job. Difficult circumstances for him, because he'd really just gotten back into full speed practice work, and so you've got the full scope of the game plan plays that he gets bits and pieces of, because Trent had been starting. I was really proud of the way he came in."
Mims says he's near how he felt last month before the injury. But he knows it doesn't matter.
"Next man up. I hate to see Trent go down," Mims said. "That's the league. Your teammates are counting on you to step in and finish the game."
Mims may have been the only guy in Hamilton County who could have helped the trainers lift the 6-8, 380-pound Brown on the cart. But Brown never really left the field Monday because Mims was out there trying to put his advice into action.
"He's told me to play my game. Don't change. Do your stuff. And play big. Play 6-8, 350 pounds," Mims says of Brown's playbook.
If anyone knows Mims' game, it is Milton.
"Whoever lines up against him, you always know he's going to displace him," Milton says. "You know Mms is going to get movement on him. Mims always is going to get movement. Always going to displace him. That was something very consistent."
Mims knows the challenge. He's never faced a guy like the 6-5, 266-pound Clowney. Ten years older. An overall No. 1 pick. Now 11 seasons into a career with 53.5 sacks and 130 hits on the quarterback.
"Tremendous player. Gives great effort. Just such a long, athletic body type," Taylor said. "He really creates a challenge because he can rush and attack you so many different ways. He's got length, quickness and power. First overall pick. Still plays like it. That still shows up on tape."
It seems to Taylor and Bengals fans that all of Clowney's stats have come against Cincinnati. His career highs of 11 games and six sacks against teams have come with the Bengals as the foe. Last season in Baltimore, Clowney's hit led to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury.
Taylor saw Clowney long before that. Such as in his first game as Bengals head coach in 2019.
"I think I've played against him 84 times since I've been in the NFL. Many different teams," Taylor said. "Nothing like Seattle acquiring him three days before the season starts and you have no earthly idea how they are going to play him, where they are going to play him, what their structure is going to be. (Tight end) Drew Sample got him on the first snap of his career on a duo (block). That was fun."
Mims knows Clowney won't make Sunday fun. He's trying to attack his first NFL start like all his other starts. "I have to treat it like another game." He's watching Monday's tape and breaking down his mistakes, replaying the sack he allowed on an inside move to fellow rookie Javontae Jean-Baptiste.
"I'm looking at how I can improve on my set," Mims says. "Just snap that inside hand in faster to prevent him from making that inside move. There's always room for improvement. I'm tough on grading myself. I've got to hone in on those small mistakes and have a better game. There are going to be mistakes. No game is perfect.
"As a young guy, you have to know that. You have to know what you're doing and the guys you're going against. That's where the film comes in and it helps you play faster and more confident."
Mims got a taste of the big time Monday night and exhaled on Wednesday.
"Whew. The game goes fast," Mims says. Not a lot of possessions. You've got to make them count."
Mims starts counting Sunday.
