Bengals' Offense Is Efficient, but One Major Flaw Could Hold It Back

The Cincinnati Bengals offense continues to look like it has in the last few seasons, according to Nate Tice of the Football 301 podcast. 

Over five weeks, the Bengals are a top-five passing offense, with Joe Burrow throwing for over 1,300 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions, while completing 71.4% of his passes and posting a 75.3 QBR, the fifth-best in the NFL. 

However, their run game is virtually nonexistent, and they rank outside the top 25 in nearly every significant rushing category in the NFL. Cincinnati is running the ball on 36.54% of plays, averaging 3.6 yards per carry and 82.8 yards per game. 

However, Tice is concerned specifically with the run game, but Cincinnati’s inability to pop explosive runs has been a consistent theme in the Bengals offense over multiple seasons. 

He says an emphasis on the RPO scheme, which has receivers running routes instead of blocking corners or safeties, prevents not only the Bengals but every team from consistently popping explosive runs. Tice says that to get those explosives, the safeties have to be blocked, and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are asked to do that sparingly. 

If you aren’t going to get explosive plays out of your run game, you have to get them through the pass game. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, they aren’t showing that consistently enough either. 

Cincinnati is #16 in yards per pass at 7.2 yards. According to PFF, Joe Burrow is tied for 32nd in the NFL in 20+ yard attempts, with just 17 attempts, which make up 9% of his throws. 

The Bengals have an efficient offense, and their quarterback can manage a pass-heavy scheme and takes pride in his ability to surgically dissect defenses. If he's honest, he likes it that way, even if he walked back his comments that they need to throw the ball more after a 54-attempt game in Cincinnati’s loss to Jacksonville. 

However, Cincinnati’s lack of explosiveness could keep them from competing for the Super Bowl. Facing the best teams in the NFL in the playoffs, making a deep run, and winning three straight playoff games will be difficult, as head coaches' schemes and approaches are magnified. 

The most concerning part is that this won’t change, and the Bengals will carry this approach for the rest of the season, continually shrinking their margin for error. This will ultimately be a major test in Zac Taylor's prove-it year.