Let’s Talk About Throwing Deep

[Fan_in_Kettering]

The Bengals can’t throw deep and here’s why: There’s not enough time.

Next time you watch a Bengals game, take notice of how long it takes for a wide receiver to arrive at the spot 40 yards down the field where the ball will arrive; it’s usually about 5 to 6 seconds allowing for a “bump” from the opposing cornerback.

Now grab your mobile phone and use the stopwatch feature to time the quarterback. Depending on the trajectory the 40 yard pass has to be thrown 3 to 4 seconds ahead of the receiver’s anticipated time to arrive at the point where the ball will drop which means a quarterback needs to release the ball 2 to 3 seconds after receiving the snap.

This is the ideal case where the receiver going 40 yards is the quarterback’s only option on the play. If he’s not first in the list of progressions, then the play may extend much longer than six seconds.

Can the Cincinnati offensive line keep a quarterback clean with open throwing lanes for 6 seconds? Use your stopwatch and you’ll find Andy Dalton or Jeff Driskel running for their lives about two or three seconds after the snap. By then the routes have broken down and finding an open receiver is a total crapshoot.