There's one very obvious move the Bengals need to make after the 2022 season
The Cincinnati Bengals' biggest issue this season in their 2-3 start has been offensive play calling. For whatever reason, the Bengals haven't been able to adjust to the soft coverages that defenses are throwing at them. Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor seems to be getting too "cute" with some of his play calls, which has […]
The Cincinnati Bengals' biggest issue this season in their 2-3 start has been offensive play calling.
For whatever reason, the Bengals haven't been able to adjust to the soft coverages that defenses are throwing at them.
Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor seems to be getting too "cute" with some of his play calls, which has just added to the frustration of Bengals fans.
Taylor's decision to call the "Philly special" near the goal line on Sunday night reeked of desperation. It seemed as though Taylor had no clue what else to go with there so he just went with a trick play.
And it failed. Badly.
The Bengals have the pieces to be a championship team. We saw how close they got last year. But the NFL figured out how to defend them and Cincinnati hasn't proven they can respond to those adjustments.
That's why I think there's an obvious move the Bengals need to make after the season so quarterback Joe Burrow won't be wasted.
Cincinnati needs to hire Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach Joe Brady as their offensive coordinator.
That won't help the issues this season, but it will ensure that Cincy doesn't waste Burrow going forward.
Brady was the passing game coordinator at LSU during Burrow's incredible 2019 season that put him in the national spotlight.
It was Brady's arrival to LSU after the 2018 season that seemingly unlocked Burrow's superstar abilities.
Brady was quickly hired by the Carolina Panthers to serve as Matt Rhule's offensive coordinator in 2020. He was fired, however, during the 2021 season.
But don't let that firing concern you. The Panthers' offense has seemingly been worse since Brady was let go. The problems in Carolina start with the head coach and until a change is made there, it doesn't matter who is calling plays.
Brady understands Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (Brady was Chase's position coach in 2019). He knows what works for them and what doesn't. And he knows how to make adjustments.
It seems like such an obvious move that I'm surprised it wasn't made before the 2021 season when Brady was available. If you're going to pair Burrow and Chase together, why not add Brady to the mix to get the most out of those guys?
If Taylor wants to stick around in Cincinnati beyond 2023, this is the move he has to make.
Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
