The Bengals failed to score more than three points until the fourth quarter of their loss to the Lions on Sunday.
Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase seemed to indicate the team’s offense is too predictable after their loss to the Lions. / Cara Owsley/ The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Another week, another underwhelming offensive showing from the Bengals.
The Bengals put up over 300 yards of offense in their 37-24 loss to the Lions on Sunday, but the majority of their offensive production came after Detroit held firm control of the game. Bengals backup Jake Browning threw three interceptions, and the Lions outscored Cincinnati 28-3 through three quarters, leading to a third straight loss for the Bengals.
The lone bright spot for the Bengals offense came in the fourth quarter, when receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined for three touchdown catches.
Chase said after the game that he thinks the Bengals have been trying to get him and Higgins the football as much as they can, but he said, “I think it’s just a tough task when everybody know what the hell we doing, you know what I’m sayin’?”
Ja’Marr Chase says the offensive struggles come from predictable gameplans.
Chase, who emphasized that they need to get “more explosives” in the first half, added that the blame does not solely fall on their play-caller, head coach Zac Taylor, but the players as well. Chase was complimentary of the play-call that led to his 64-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, but the game was out of hand by that point.
“Could be the execution with the players also,” Chase said. “Coaches just gotta call it, but at the end of the day players got to go out there and make it work. It’s on both of us, not just Zac.”
Chase has not been shy to point out the team’s offensive shortcomings this season, and Taylor has expressed appreciation for his leadership.
While the Bengals of course will try to get the football to Chase and Higgins, and defenses will naturally game-plan for that, Chase is right that the offense is often too predictable.
The Bengals are far from the only team with a star player or two on offense, but many other teams are able to consistently get their top weapons the ball when the game still counts. Yes, Joe Burrow is out, but that wouldn’t stop a play-caller like Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay from getting their guys the football more. Between the lack of creativity and lack of a run game, the Bengals are too reliant on their trio of Burrow, Chase and Higgins, and it’s costing them big-time.
