A Blessing in Disguise ???

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-10-2023, 06:25 PM)Science Friction Wrote: Call me crazy, but could Joe's injury turn out to be a blessing in disguise in the long run? What I mean is that, without Burrow, the coaches were forced to redesign the offense around what best fits Browning's strengths. And that redesign could serve as a blueprint for the offense moving forward into 2024 and the impetus for a Superbowl run when Joe returns next season. I doubt we would have won the Jacksonville game with Joe at QB because we would have been running the same old stagnant sets that just weren't working. Also, this new offensive design has allowed a guy like Chase Brown to display his explosive offensive talents, which , in turn, has allowed Mixon to be more effective. The newfound running game has been huge in keeping defenses honest and allowing for us to hit some big plays downfield. None of this would have happened without the Burrow injury. Not only that, but the Bengals' defense seems to be re-energized with the resurgence of the offense.

It seems to me that he Burrow injury has had a domino effect which has made the team better prepared for a playoff run this season and poised to be a dominant force in the AFC , again, next season when Joe returns. Am I crazy for thinking this way?

I noted this in Weezy's thread. I think it's been good for the coaches, and I think it's good for Joe to see this offense operate without throwing it all over the yard. Last week, especially, the RPOs were mixed up nicely. Joe has a tendency to pass more on them, whereas Jake was doing both. I don't have the stats, but it seemed like he was almost half run/half pass on them at JAX. 

To your point about Brown, he hasn't been available much this year. Four weeks on IR, and I think he was limited two weeks prior. He's definitely a difference maker.