Joe Burrow had yet another Week 1 to forget for the Cincinnati Bengals. Even though his team prevailed 17-16 in Cleveland, Burrow didn't play anywhere near his elite standard.
Much of the credit for that goes to a havoc-wreaking Browns defense, who only clamped down harder in the second half in hopes of gutting out a victory. Thankfully, the Bengals managed to avoid turnovers and secured two takeaways to get the dub on the road.
The offensive game plan seemed uninspired and unimaginative. Or maybe that's just life when you play a divisional opponent so often. Whatever the case, Burrow went from a legit MVP favorite to being an also-ran in a short time.
What can Burrow and the Bengals do to bounce back on offense against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and reignite his MVP campaign? Let's dive into some possibilities.
Joe Burrow can exploit Jaguars' clear coverage tendencies
Thanks to Fantasy Points Data (via Football Insights), we have access to every team's coverage splits from Week 1. There's only so much you can do schematically before you get too in the weeds, and against a quarterback like Burrow, Jacksonville has its work cut out.
The Jags deployed either Cover 3 (35%) or Cover 4 (20%) on over half their defensive snaps in their 26-10 pounding of Carolina. We'll see how they adjust to Cincinnati, but it'd be a shock if Jacksonville suddenly starting running a ton of man coverage against the likes of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Co.
Both those coverages are usually beatable with an effective quick game. That's where Burrow is often at his best. However, I'd love to see the Bengals deploy the screen game more often. They didn't try a single screen to Chase Brown this past Sunday, and arrow/perimeter screens to Chase have proven effective in the past.
There's also the option to integrate athletic tight ends Mike Gesicki and Noah Fant in the screen game. For an offense whose rushing attack struggled mightily in Week 1, screens can serve as glorified handoffs to keep the defense honest.
It'd also be nice to see more downfield shots, particularly in the seams. That's a classic Cover 3 zone beater, and the Bengals have the dudes at tight end in Gesicki and Fant to make explosive plays in those areas. Look out, too, for some monster posts on alert if Burrow diagnoses Cover 4 aka Quarters coverage.
Bengals should vary tempo to get Joe Burrow back on track
For whatever reason, Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor loves to move at a glacial pace in and out of the huddle. Seldom to you see Burrow pushing the pace in no-huddle situations, even though a cerebral QB like him flourishes under those circumstances.
I'm not holding my breath, as it's been an initiative I've longed for the Bengals to take for years running now. But would it devastate Taylor to, you know, at least vary the tempo every now and then? Keep the defense on their heels, rather than simply reacting to what they're throwing at you?
A faster tempo can wear out the opposing pass rush, too, and while it's a demand on the offensive line, as long as Burrow gets the ball out efficiently as he always does, it should lead to raging success. The Bengals ranked 16th in seconds per play last week. I'd love to see them jump in the top 10 after this Jaguars matchup. Have a feeling it'd produce major results.
Of course, there's a balance to strike between giving your defense enough of a rest with longer intervals between plays, and letting Burrow see what the opponent presents pre-snap. I know this: It'd fire up Paycor Stadium if the Bengals came out with a fast-break offense and scored touchdowns on their first couple of possessions.
Joe Burrow should make Jaguars pay with his legs
As reported by Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson, Burrow has expressed a desire to get out and run more in Week 2:
"I think I'm going to be a little more aggressive to maybe get out of pocket and make some plays. [...] I'm going to be ready to adapt for whatever we see."
It didn't strike me that the Bengals adapted well enough against the Browns. They were more so protecting a lead. When Cleveland's front seven destroyed Cincinnati's plans to run the ball and shut down the passing attack's go-to route concepts, Taylor didn't have any notable adjustments to counter.
Time for Burrow to put his plan into action. Like Thanos taking up the Infinity Gauntlet, he's just going to have to do it himself if the Bengals can't get a robust run game to complement him. Burrow used his wheels to race for a 47-yard TD versus the Giants last season, so he's more than capable.
Nobody will confuse Burrow as a dual-threat QB on par with the likes of Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, or even Patrick Mahomes. That said, this is the healthiest Burrow has been to start a season in quite some time. Experimenting with a little more of that style of play will only help Burrow's all-around stats and strengthen his MVP resume.
Not to say I'm calling for legit designed QB runs. But shoot, maybe a draw play for Burrow, or a one-off read-option keeper where the defense isn't accounting for him, like what JJ McCarthy did on Monday Night Football? I wouldn't hate it! In fact, Burrow's first NFL TD came on a red zone QB draw play.
Zac Taylor doesn't read as some mastermind or adjustment-maker. However, if he wants Burrow to return to form in Week 2, he should make life easier on his best player with some schemed-up completions, a specific plan of attack for the Jags' base coverages, an openness to operating faster, and let Burrow cook by moving the launch point or at least doing something to change up these straight dropback, true pass sets that take such a toll on the offensive line.
I'm optimistic that some or all of these changes will be implemented — and lead to a monster Week 2 performance from Joe Burrow. We'll all find out together in about 24 hours if I'm right or wrong. I have a feeling in the bigger-picture view, Burrow will reestablish himself as a top MVP contender in short order.