Late within the third quarter of Sunday night time’s recreation between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens, the visiting Bengals had an opportunity to take the lead. Cincinnati confronted a 1st and purpose on the Ravens’ 2-yard line, trailing 13-10. It was an incredible alternative for the Bengals to take management of the sport.
The scenario led head coach Zac Taylor to dig deep into the Bengals’ bag of tips. Sadly for Cincinnati, the search got here up brief.
Following an incompletion on first down, Taylor dialed up Cincinnati’s model of the “Philly Particular.” Not solely was the play lined properly by the Ravens, with quarterback Joe Burrow lined as he launched into the tip zone, however Marcus Peters blew up the play, attending to extensive receiver Tyler Boyd for a sack:
It is a large learn from Peters, who diagnoses the play after which explodes into the backfield, attending to Boyd earlier than the receiver could make a throw downfield, or just throw the soccer away. The sack pushed the Bengals again 12 yards, and touched off an enormous celebration each within the stands, and on the sector from Peters himself:
The Bengals gained these 12 yards again on third down, as Burrow related with Ja’Marr Chase over the center for a 12-yard acquire, setting the Bengals up with a fourth-down determination from the 2-yard line. With the Bengals trailing by three, Taylor stored his offense on the sector.
And known as for a shovel move to extensive receiver Stanley Morgan.
The Ravens sniffed it out for the cease:
Baltimore took over on downs, and put collectively a 15-play, 91-yard drive that ended with a Justin Tucker area purpose to increase their result in 16-10. Whereas the Bengals responded with a landing drive of their very own to take a 17-16 lead with two minutes remaining, Baltimore answered with one other Tucker area purpose on the final play of the sport for the 19-17 ultimate rating.
Whereas hindsight would possibly make the choice from Taylor to depart his offense on the sector appear like a poor selection, a landing in that scenario was in all probability a greater consequence for Cincinnati, when it comes to rising their win likelihood:
Actually, the three factors the Bengals might have added with a area purpose loomed giant later within the recreation. Had Cincinnati loved a 20-16 lead previous to Baltimore’s ultimate drive, then the Ravens would have been pressured to play for a landing, leaving Tucker — the sport’s finest kicker — a spectator.
As an alternative, the slim lead opened the door, and Tucker slammed it shut.
However in the meanwhile, the choice to go for the landing on fourth down was backed up by the numbers.
The playcalls, nevertheless, weren’t.
The choice to dial up a trick play, after which a shovel move, on two vital snaps might be the larger query that Taylor wants to deal with. After 15 performs and 71 yards, the Bengals got here away empty-handed, setting the stage for the heroics within the ultimate minutes.
However it didn’t should be that means.
After the sport, Taylor addressed the media, and mentioned the playcalling on the finish. He talked about that working towards the Baltimore entrance was “robust” and talked about a sack on a “speciality” play. However he said that he felt “comfy” with the package deal going into that sequence of performs:
With respect to the shovel move on fourth down, Taylor outlined that one thing the coaches noticed on tape led them to that playcall:
Bengals coach Zac Taylor stated what the crew noticed on tape led to the shovel move on the failed fourth-down try.
— Ben Child (@Ben_Baby) October 10, 2022
As was identified throughout his session with the media, maybe Taylor realized one thing from how that sequence ended, given the playcalling on Cincinnati’s subsequent drive. After the Bengals bought into the purple zone, they confronted a 1st and purpose from the Baltimore 5-yard line. They ran Joe Mixon to the left edge for 4 yards.
On the subsequent play, Burrow barreled in on the quarterback sneak from a yard out for the landing.
So maybe Taylor did be taught one thing.
Bengals followers now hope that gained data didn’t arrive too late of their season.
