Anatomy of Bengals gadget play and the methods wherein it made it enjoyable

CINCINNATI (WKRC) – With the Bengals planning to make use of six offensive linemen extensively Sunday towards the Arizona Cardinals, coach Zac Taylor and offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher knew there may be a possibility to catch the protection off guard. They did precisely that with veteran lineman Cody Ford.

Leading 30-7 late within the third quarter of a 37-14 victory, Cincinnati drove to a first-and-10 on the Arizona 23. Ford reported as an eligible receiver and lined up huge proper as a sixth offensive lineman. Quarterback Joe Burrow took the snap, seemed first to huge receiver Ja’Marr Chase after which tight finish Drew Sample earlier than throwing to Ford alongside the sideline. Ford secured the catch and rumbled 21 yards to the Arizona 2.

The play had been put in for the primary time throughout Wednesday’s follow — the primary indication most had that Ford might even catch a move.

“He caught it in walkthrough, he caught it in practice, and be damned, he caught it in the game and did the rest,” stated Pitcher. “It was fun.”

Pitcher stated the idea itself was easy, with the novelty coming from the place the 350-pound Ford lined up.

“It’s about as simple a play as you can run, but we just put him in a position you rarely see a big guy in,” stated Pitcher. “It’s so that when you put six o-linemen on the field and you go through the course of the game and they have their coaching staff tracking (plays) that they can’t say, ‘Everytime they put a sixth o-lineman on the field they run the ball.’ You have to do other things off of it. That was just a pretty standard quick game pass. If Ja’Marr had been open we were throwing the ball to Ja’Marr. It didn’t happen that way and the corner sloughed off late in the down, and it’s one of those throws you can take right away if he’s soft initially or as the down progresses and the corner loosens throw it late. Open early, open late, that’s what we say. You can take it late in the down, which Joe did, and Cody worked back to the ball, caught it off his body a little bit, then catch transition, stiff arm. It was memorable for sure.”

Ford stated he performed some tight finish in center faculty and early in his highschool profession, so he wasn’t shocked along with his catch and run.

“Yeah, I’m an athlete,” Ford said with a laugh.

Pitcher admitted he had no idea Ford could catch a pass when the play was first drawn up.

“I kind of told him, ‘hey, be ready,’ but I was half joking,” said Pitcher. “The first time I ever saw him catch a ball was Wednesday in practice.”

Burrow said he could see remnants of Ford’s past as a tight end.

“It was a long time ago – many moons ago – but I see it,” said Burrow. “I couldn’t believe what I was watching, but it was sick. I’m always for fun stuff like that. No. 1, it keeps the defense off balance. No. 2, it was just fun.”

While the Bengals don’t rely closely on gadget performs, Pitcher stated sprinkling them into follow can energize the group.

“Yesterday was most likely a reminder for me that (gadget performs) do have that secondary worth,” said Pitcher. “It lightens the temper a little bit bit and you place a man ready to do one thing he is not normally requested to do and all people can both snicker at him if he fails or snicker with him if he succeeds. Yesterday he succeeded.”