09-24-2021, 09:49 AM
The Bengals moved on from Andy Dalton and drafted Joe Burrow #1OA in the 2020 NFL Draft. This was a logical move to make considering Dalton wasn’t the best deep ball thrower out there and the Bengals needed someone who could accurately throw over the top of a defense — and Joe Burrow was a perfect fit. Andy Dalton was much better suited to throwing quick slants and throws to the sidelines.
Now the Bengals are in year 2 AD — After Dalton — and things aren’t going so well on offense. It’s obvious Joe Burrow has talent but is it being used correctly? So far I say no. Why would Cincinnati draft Joe, only slightly improve the offensive line, and expect miracles to magically appear?
The offense is trapped in a vicious cycle. Joe Burrow was drafted to throw deep but Zac Taylor has him throwing on short routes to protect him from further injury but he’s still getting hit and sacked at an alarming rate. If the offensive line keeps Joe clean but everyone is covered downfield he takes a sack anyway; the line can’t keep the pocket intact forever. Now Joe has to either take a sack, run with the ball which is not recommended because he is less mobile than before his surgery, or throw the ball away.
The Zac Taylor/Brian Callahan “solution” seems to be getting Joe to get rid of the ball faster, throw shorter passes, and check down a lot. If that’s their plan then why draft Joe Burrow? If the Bengals wanted a mobile quarterback who can throw accurate short passes and throw the ball away then they should have kept Andy Dalton.
My advice, for what it’s worth, is to have Joe Burrow be Joe Burrow. Throw deep often even if balls fall incomplete or get picked off. Why is Zac Taylor so focused on turning Greg Cook into Virgil Carter? If Joe takes a sack, so be it. If he gets picked off on occasion, that’s okay. If he finally learns to throw the ball away that’s progress too.
You don’t buy a Ferrari and only drive it in third gear.
Now the Bengals are in year 2 AD — After Dalton — and things aren’t going so well on offense. It’s obvious Joe Burrow has talent but is it being used correctly? So far I say no. Why would Cincinnati draft Joe, only slightly improve the offensive line, and expect miracles to magically appear?
The offense is trapped in a vicious cycle. Joe Burrow was drafted to throw deep but Zac Taylor has him throwing on short routes to protect him from further injury but he’s still getting hit and sacked at an alarming rate. If the offensive line keeps Joe clean but everyone is covered downfield he takes a sack anyway; the line can’t keep the pocket intact forever. Now Joe has to either take a sack, run with the ball which is not recommended because he is less mobile than before his surgery, or throw the ball away.
The Zac Taylor/Brian Callahan “solution” seems to be getting Joe to get rid of the ball faster, throw shorter passes, and check down a lot. If that’s their plan then why draft Joe Burrow? If the Bengals wanted a mobile quarterback who can throw accurate short passes and throw the ball away then they should have kept Andy Dalton.
My advice, for what it’s worth, is to have Joe Burrow be Joe Burrow. Throw deep often even if balls fall incomplete or get picked off. Why is Zac Taylor so focused on turning Greg Cook into Virgil Carter? If Joe takes a sack, so be it. If he gets picked off on occasion, that’s okay. If he finally learns to throw the ball away that’s progress too.
You don’t buy a Ferrari and only drive it in third gear.
![[Image: 4CV0TeR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4CV0TeR.png)
