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Ironically, I think you beat cover 2 by doing some of what the Jets did in the good old Mike White game vs the Bengals last year. Use underneath short throws and utilize the RB in the passing game. It didn't net big gains, but it was death by a thousand cuts to a defense that was built to stop big plays.
Would it be criminal to take one of the most loaded skill groups in the league and have them run an offense designed for a 3rd string quarterback in near emergency scenario? In the long term, sure. However, the Bengals' offense needs to prove to teams that they can hurt defenses when they go all in to prevent big plays. They haven't yet and it's come at a steep price.
If you look at the seasons in New England when Brady was putting up all-time numbers, you'll see the Moss and Gronk type weapons getting big chinks of yards. What you'll also see is Wes Welker and Juilan Edelman making catches on underneath routes as consistently as clockwork. Defenses always had to pay, even when they managed to cover the downfield weapons because Brady had zero qualms about throwing to the possession guys all day long.
The positive thing is, I think Boyd can do that job as well as anyone. It's not a matter of lacking personnel.
The last 2 weeks are a hiccup in this skill group's development. I feel like they'll be forced to adapt. When they do, all of the issues we're nervous about today will seem like something that never even happened. When they do become proficient at it, they'll be that much harder for defenses to scheme against. You have to make them pick their poison.
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He's in the shotgun 70+% of the time. Oline is backing up on nearly every snap to protect him and defenses know that so they're teeing off on it..
In the immortal words of my old man, "Wait'll you get to be my age!"
Chicago sounds rough to the maker of verse, but the one comfort we have is Cincinnati sounds worse. ~Oliver Wendal Holmes Sr.
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