The Cincinnati Bengals have Joe Burrow as their starting quarterback, so it's logical to think the team only goes as far as he does.

And while that's largely true, the Bengals need their additions on the offensive line to come through in 2022, more than anything.

It's mostly because there's no way Burrow survives another 55-sack regular season and another record-setting 19 sacks in the postseason. Every hit Burrow takes is another risk the Bengals take in losing their franchise quarterback for an extended period of time.

If that happens in 2022, it's pretty easy to see why the Bengals' Super Bowl hopes are all but diminished.

A good offensive line is always a necessity in the NFL, but it's even more so for the Bengals.

And that's what's led CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani to predict the Bengals offensive line as the MVP for the 2022 season:

"Joe Burrow or Ja'Marr Chase are easy candidates for "team MVP," but if the Bengals make another Super Bowl run in 2022, it will be because of the upgraded offensive line. Burrow had to win in 2021 despite his protection. That group allowed 19 sacks in the playoffs, which is the most a quarterback has been sacked in a single postseason. The nine sacks taken against the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round tied a record as well. Cincy wasted no time in free agency revamping the unit, stealing Alex Cappa from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ted Karras from the New England Patriots and also signed right tackle La'el Collins. Those three new starters should help the Bengals in a big way in 2022."

The Bengals won't make the playoffs if the offensive line doesn't improve in 2022

This is a must for Cincinnati. People forget this was a 10-win team in the regular season before the remarkable playoff run. And even though the Bengals pulled off impressive wins against the Chiefs, Ravens, and Steelers – things won't be the same in 2022.

For starters, the Bengals have a target on their back as the defending AFC champs. A big one. Teams are going to be gunning for the Bengals and will be giving them everything they have. They also know the offensive line is in transition and while upgrades have been made on paper, we've yet to see them have an effect on the field. You better believe teams are going to attack, attack, attack the offensive line early and often -and probably relentlessly- to see if the additions have panned out or if it's essentially the same unit performance-wise from last year.

The AFC North -even with Deshaun Watson's troubles- has also improved and the Bengals' 2022 schedule is really, really tough. Cincinnati has the seventh-hardest strength of schedule when basing the schedule off Vegas' expected win total for 2022.

It's clear an improved offensive line helps the Bengals stay atop the AFC North and in the running for another Super Bowl appearance, but a stagnant one -or one that somehow gets worse- will keep the Bengals out of the postseason, entirely.

You can check out Dajani's full column, here.

Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK