{"id":155532,"date":"2022-12-12T13:28:14","date_gmt":"2022-12-12T13:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/burrow-finds-a-way-flea-flicker-td-case-in-point-offense-salutes-defense\/"},"modified":"2022-12-12T13:28:14","modified_gmt":"2022-12-12T13:28:14","slug":"burrow-finds-a-way-flea-flicker-td-case-in-point-offense-salutes-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/burrow-finds-a-way-flea-flicker-td-case-in-point-offense-salutes-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"Burrow Finds A Way; Flea-Flicker TD Case in Point; Offense salutes Defense"},"content":{"rendered":"
It was an AFC North Game all the way ruled by the Bengals’ relentless defense in Sunday’s 23-10 win over the Browns at Paycor Stadium. But it was also a game won with help from the Trents as well as won in the Trenches.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
With starting wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) and slot receiver Tyler Boyd (dislocated finger), playing a combined three snaps, backup wide receiver Trenton Irwin and backup slot receiver Trent Taylor grabbed quarterback Joe Burrow’s two longest throws of the game for the longest catches of their careers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
And the only starter left, Ja’Marr Chase, had ten catches for 119 yards to lead all offensive players while playing all three receiver spots in just his second game back from his own injury.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
This had been the fans’ fear, right, in the spring and training camp? Maybe not enough depth behind the best trio of receivers in the game?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
“I’ve got so much faith in the guys that come in for those guys,” Burrow said. “Trent and Trenton are guys that work really hard and know their stuff and are going to be right where I expect them to. That’s really what it comes down to.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Chase also drew a huge 33-yard pass interference penalty on cornerback Denzel Ward on a go ball that set up first touchdown and extended the Bengals record to 7-0 when they score first<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
“Once I knew (Higgins) was out, I knew there was going to be a couple of switches in the game plan,” Chase said. “But, not really, because I knew pretty much everything.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
“Tee goes down, then I want to take his reps. He has good routes. I’m not being shiesty, but I want some of his plays and he wants some of mine. I just had to take some of his reps.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Taylor’s 34-yard catch-and-run off a missed tackle converted a third-and-10 and set up the touchdown that gave them a 13-3 half-time lead with 24 seconds left in the half. Irwin’s 45-yard touchdown catch off a flea flicker from running back Joe Mixon, back to Burrow, gave them a 20-3 lead midway through the third quarter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
“Offensive staff meeting at 12 o’clock on the dot because we went into the game with (only) two tight ends, and that affects us and things you’re going to do with multiple receivers,” said head coach Zac Taylor of the scrambling that had to take place even before Boyd went down. “To lose two receivers right out of the gate, third down became a challenge.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Zac Taylor convened the meeting after pre pregame warmups, when Higgins appeared to tweak a hamstring issue that limited him last week in practice, which was before Taylor put in his inactive list. Higgins wanted to play so badly that he still made it to the field for the first snap before the coaches pulled him and told him they didn’t want to risk anything long term.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In their hastily called meeting, offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher tweaked third down and wide receivers coach Troy Walters handled the red-zone response as tight ends coach James Casey and running backs coach Justin Hill helped with both.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Basically, some calls were moved up and some were moved down, but Trent Taylor pretty much stepped into Boyd’s spot in the slot while Irwin took a lot of Higgins’ snaps while Chase got a little bit of everything. Burrow indicated there was no adjustment because they simply plugged players into those spots.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
“We didn’t have to make an adjustment. That’s what’s great about those guys that come in for them,” Burrow said. “We have all the faith in the world that they’re going to do the job. There can’t be any drop off and there wasn’t today.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
As Trent Taylor said about any adjustments, “You can do whatever you want when you’ve got Nine back there.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It was an AFC North Game all the way ruled by the Bengals’ relentless defense in Sunday’s 23-10 win over the Browns at Paycor Stadium. But it was also a game won with help from the Trents as well as won in the Trenches. With starting wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) and slot receiver Tyler …<\/p>\n