The Cincinnati Bengals’ most intriguing red-zone packages for 2020

Cincinnati Bengals’ ideal red-zone packages: Route Running Technicians

11 Personnel

• A.J. Green
• Tyler Boyd
• John Ross
• Drew Sample
• Joe Mixon

This package features some of the smoothest operators the Bengals’ roster has to offer. Making things even better is the fact that each of the three wideouts has unique skillsets from one another, making them more difficult to defend.

Green is the typical WR1, with the ability to do a little bit of everything. Boyd brings toughness and operates out of the slot mostly. Ross uses his sharp cuts to create separation.

Speaking of Ross, he’s the X-factor among this group. While the former ninth overall pick has failed to live up to his draft billing thus far, many are overlooking just how dangerous he’s become in the red-zone. In 2018, when the speedy wideout was targeted within the 20, he turned 41.7% of those touches into touchdowns. When the ball came his way within the 10, he reached pay dirt 71.4% of the time.

Those are impeccable numbers and signals that offensive coordinator Brian Callahan needs to center his red-zone gameplan around Ross. Green, Boyd, and Mixon will take the attention off of him and force mismatches. They can even utilize presnap shifts to get him in favorable situations.

If the team can keep Ross going in the red-zone, there’s a good chance it will give him the confidence to perform in other aspects, causing him to finally live up to the potential everyone saw when he came out of Washington.