12-06-2022, 09:50 PM
I’ll ‘fess up: I wanted Zac Taylor gone from the middle of 2019 even into the beginning of 2021. Except for good draft picks he didn’t show me anything and I’m not too proud to admit I was wrong. However, it only hit me recently as to WHY I was wrong.
It’s the offensive line. The change from zone blocking to gap blocking made the difference.
Philosophically, zone blocking is built upon the idea that every offensive lineman is responsible for an area rather than an individual defender. That’s why we saw some Bengal linemen seemingly in blocking position with nobody to block. In zone blocking steps are taken in unison which gives the play away early. Also, each lineman must use the same technique.
Conversely, a gap blocking scheme is built around the principle that linemen will block down to use their leverage on a defender. Steps are not taken in unison which makes the defense hesitate. In gap, linemen are not obliged to use the same technique. Ted Karras uses his leverage differently, say, than La’el Collins and in gap this is perfectly acceptable.
Sorry for the tangent; back to Zac. His play calling appeared random and uninformed because his line, prior to the change to gap, could not sustain blocks in zone and Andy Dalton, Joe Mixon, and especially Joe Burrow paid the price.
Remember this mnemonic: “The more the line stinks the more the playbook shrinks.”
Zac had, at the worst, maybe five plays he could call. Even in 2021 the Bengals went to the Super Bowl with about ten plays in the offensive playbook — along with the occasional big play. The offense was handcuffed by crap line play, period.
The Bengals first switched to gap blocking against the Saints in 2022. That was the beginning of what has become an offensive explosion in Cincinnati and all of a sudden Zac “became” a good play caller almost overnight but the explanation is simple: The playbook is now wide open.
Keep Zac. Please.
It’s the offensive line. The change from zone blocking to gap blocking made the difference.
Philosophically, zone blocking is built upon the idea that every offensive lineman is responsible for an area rather than an individual defender. That’s why we saw some Bengal linemen seemingly in blocking position with nobody to block. In zone blocking steps are taken in unison which gives the play away early. Also, each lineman must use the same technique.
Conversely, a gap blocking scheme is built around the principle that linemen will block down to use their leverage on a defender. Steps are not taken in unison which makes the defense hesitate. In gap, linemen are not obliged to use the same technique. Ted Karras uses his leverage differently, say, than La’el Collins and in gap this is perfectly acceptable.
Sorry for the tangent; back to Zac. His play calling appeared random and uninformed because his line, prior to the change to gap, could not sustain blocks in zone and Andy Dalton, Joe Mixon, and especially Joe Burrow paid the price.
Remember this mnemonic: “The more the line stinks the more the playbook shrinks.”
Zac had, at the worst, maybe five plays he could call. Even in 2021 the Bengals went to the Super Bowl with about ten plays in the offensive playbook — along with the occasional big play. The offense was handcuffed by crap line play, period.
The Bengals first switched to gap blocking against the Saints in 2022. That was the beginning of what has become an offensive explosion in Cincinnati and all of a sudden Zac “became” a good play caller almost overnight but the explanation is simple: The playbook is now wide open.
Keep Zac. Please.
![[Image: 4CV0TeR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4CV0TeR.png)
