PLAYER OF THE DAY
QB Joe Burrow
Or, it very easily could have been his backup, Joe Flacco. Each threw two touchdown passes in an unscripted scrimmage-like setting Sunday to restore some semblance of order on the Kettering Health Practice Fields, where the defense has dominated much of training camp.
Which you know can't sit well with No. 9.
But Burrow is a moment guy, and you could sense he's beginning to smell Thursday's preseason opener against the Lions at Paycor Stadium (7 p.m.-Cincinnati's FOX 19) on Friday night. That's when he stalked into Paycor in front of the fans and connected with wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase on one of those explosive plays the Bengals are looking to resurrect.
And so it was after Saturday's off-day that he commanded Sunday's scrimmage conditions. On five drives totaling about 35 plays, Burrow directed two 80-yard touchdown drives that he capped with a pair of third-down red-zone strikes.
The three stops didn't have him thrilled, though. If you asked him, he'd have probably said they've got to get better, particularly after the last drive was a three-and-out because it began with a false start. Another drive ended on a drop and another on a jail-break sack made possible by the defensive line setting what amounted to picks.
But, remember, the Bengals offense has a lot going on. Especially after an offseason of tinkering with the playbook. Much ink has been spilled and reams of video unspooled, and rightfully so about how the Bengals' revamped defense has made life miserable for the offense during this week-and-a-half.
Yet the offense has unveiled stressers of its own with new motions, a steady diet of multiple tight end formations mixed with the three- and four-receiver sets. And, on Sunday, it looked like Burrow had a 50-50 brew under center and in the shotgun as the Zac Taylor offense heads into an eighth year of what is seemingly limitless possibilities.
"The DBs never see the scripts, and if we do see the scripts, all we know are the formations," said safety Jordan Battle. "But nobody knew anything today. That's another thing that made it competitive. You've got to be more aware of run or pass or shots downfield.
"They're using all three tight ends, and that opens up Ja'Marr (Chase) and Tee (Higgins) downfield. You've got to understand situations, down and distance, personnel. Where their guys are. Where's One (Chase), Five (Higgins), sometimes 88 (tight end Mike Gesicki), where can 30 (running back Chase Brown) hurt you."
Taylor's offense has proven to be a scheme for all seasons. Not just the summer of Burrow. Flacco displayed that in his autumn last season at age 40 when he had been in this offense for only nine days and threw 16 passes to Chase in a win over the Steelers.
Bengals Ring of Honor member Ken Anderson, the prettiest passer of his day, has visited camp the past few days and told Bengals radio voice Dan Hoard Sunday how impressed he is watching Flacco spin it in person.
His two touchdown passes show you he's throwing it better than he did when he debuted against the Bengals on Paul Brown's 100th birthday in Baltimore in the way back machine of 2008.
On the first one, Flacco sliced the red zone between safeties P.J. Jules and Daijahn Anthony for tight end Tanner Hudson's touchdown.
"When I saw the coverage with (Jules) coming down to press and the corner off on the outside, I knew it was probably coming to me," said the always sure-handed Hudson.
Flacco: "It wasn't the best play against man, but I knew I had a corner route that could win with him on it. You know you can put it in a bunch of different places and he's going to get it to you."
Flacco really loved his run-and-catch touchdown pass to wide receiver Charlie Jones. He did a JoeyB-off-platform special when he scrambled, stepped up in the pocket, and threw it off his back foot when he saw Jones at the last instant breaking to the left sideline.
"I don't know if I got sacked, but that was a cool throw," Flacco said.
A good day for QBs and their playbook.
PLAY OF THE DAY
WR Tee Higgins
Vintage Burrow-to-Higgins on third down in the red zone at the 18. Burrow lays it up where only the 6-4 Higgins can get it with one of his Bill Russell Game 7 Rebounds. After catching it at the top of the jump, he turns to the goal line and keeps his Inspector Gadget arms extended over the goal line.
Seen one, seen them all.
Here's the play from the perspective of cornerback DJ Ivey. The 6-1 Ivey is highly-regarded in these parts (some believe he can start for many other clubs) and has taken over for Dax Hill in the starting lineup while Hill rests an unknown ailment.
"We were in a man call, so I knew I was one-on-one with him. I knew he was going to do one of three things. Go vertical into the end zone, or a deep dig, or a shallow route. When I saw him coming off the ball, I definitely knew it was going to the end zone.
"Tee does what he does. He's a great target for Joe Burrow, and they've got a great connection … It was like a little in between. It's in the 18 mark. Not much they could do vertically. It probably was a go ball, but Joe put it on his outside shoulder, so it more so turned into a fade.
"I should have played more underneath him. Challenged him more at the line. Maybe he had to throw it higher and it goes out of bounds. Challenge him at the line. He's going to be tough in the end zone. When he caught it, I was trying to knock it out. But elastic arms. Great throw. Great catch, Great play by them. You have to go on to the next play."
That won't come until Tuesday, their last session before the opener. They don't practice Monday, but have a couple of walkthroughs.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Absolutely he should be in. Right here next year at this time, I hope you're getting quotes from both of us about his induction."
Pro Football Hall-of-Fame tackle Anthony Munoz, the greatest who ever lived, on teammate Ken Anderson, the Bengals' four-time NFL passing champion still not yet in Canton.
Slants and Screens
Munoz, the Bengals preseason TV analyst heading into his 28th season, had an animated pre-practice greeting with the Bengals 6-8 bookend tackles Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims. Now is a good time to recall that Munoz was the first great big athlete in the league.
If there's one thing he can't stand, it's a big guy that can't get low.
"In baseball, I played third base at 275 pounds. In basketball, I guarded guys 170 pounds," Munoz said. "That helped me. You've got to be able to sit down." …
Ja'Marr Chase maybe didn't have an explosive day, but he had a good one dealing with the great DJ Turner II on the corner. He caught Burrow's lasers on a well-covered deep dig and out, and ran a whirlwind jet sweep for a first down …
First glance at the first Bengals depth chart of the season reveals no stunners. Maybe Ja'Sir Taylor backing up DJ Turner II at cornerback, but it goes chalk. Rookie cornerback Tacario Davis is behind Dax Hill, and DJ Ivey is backing up Jalen Davis in the slot ...
Ke'Shawn Williams is backing up Charlie Jones at punt return, and Samaje Perine is backing up Jones at kick return ...
CFL product and camp standout Dohnte Meyers behind Williams on punt return ...
Jones is backing up Andrei Iosivas at third receiver while Mitch Tinsley is behind Ja'Marr Chase, and rookie Colbie Young is behind Tee Higgins ..
