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The Bengals’ offensive scheme has been a big topic of conversation this offseason. While the health of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins gives many fans hope for what the season can be, there are reservations about the Bengals’ lack of snaps under center, as they largely rely on shotgun and pistol formations.
There have been rumors that the Bengals could incorporate more under-center snaps this upcoming season, with Zac Taylor essentially saying they will experiment with a lot of things to open up the offense. However, Cincinnati took just 17.3% of its snaps from under center last season, with a good chunk of those being taken by Joe Flacco.
Additionally, the lack of under-center snaps left the Bengals with the 31st-most play-action snaps in the league, limiting their ability to generate explosive plays. FOX NFL Radio host Mark Schlereth was asked for his opinion on the 2026 Bengals and listed their inability to play from under center as a reason he believes they won’t make the playoffs.
In another quote tweet, he said the offense is excellent at putting up numbers, but offenses that struggle to establish the run notoriously have trouble stringing together consistent success. Teams that don’t play from under center very often also struggle to run the ball effectively.
Schlereth pointed out that of the top 10 teams in under-center snaps last season, eight made the playoffs, while just one of the bottom 10 did. While many Bengals fans disagreed with Schlereth’s take that the Bengals won’t make the playoffs, and in all honesty I do too, it isn’t hard for me to see where he’s coming from. Teams that lean so heavily on the pass, in part because their running game is ineffective and unreliable, are on a slippery slope.
I really think Cincinnati should make implementing more under-center snaps for Joe Burrow a priority, not an experiment. It very well could be, and Zac Taylor, Dan Pitcher, and company could be keeping it under wraps. But incorporating more play-action concepts could open up a whole new level of explosiveness for the offense. The Bengals ranked 27th in the NFL in explosive plays in 2025.
And to no one’s surprise, when Joe Burrow was under center, Cincinnati’s explosive-play rate spiked. While it’s never a one-to-one comparison in the NFL when it comes to offensive scheme, it’d be smart for Taylor to put his superstar quarterback under center more often.
Continue reading...
There have been rumors that the Bengals could incorporate more under-center snaps this upcoming season, with Zac Taylor essentially saying they will experiment with a lot of things to open up the offense. However, Cincinnati took just 17.3% of its snaps from under center last season, with a good chunk of those being taken by Joe Flacco.
Additionally, the lack of under-center snaps left the Bengals with the 31st-most play-action snaps in the league, limiting their ability to generate explosive plays. FOX NFL Radio host Mark Schlereth was asked for his opinion on the 2026 Bengals and listed their inability to play from under center as a reason he believes they won’t make the playoffs.
In another quote tweet, he said the offense is excellent at putting up numbers, but offenses that struggle to establish the run notoriously have trouble stringing together consistent success. Teams that don’t play from under center very often also struggle to run the ball effectively.
Schlereth pointed out that of the top 10 teams in under-center snaps last season, eight made the playoffs, while just one of the bottom 10 did. While many Bengals fans disagreed with Schlereth’s take that the Bengals won’t make the playoffs, and in all honesty I do too, it isn’t hard for me to see where he’s coming from. Teams that lean so heavily on the pass, in part because their running game is ineffective and unreliable, are on a slippery slope.
I really think Cincinnati should make implementing more under-center snaps for Joe Burrow a priority, not an experiment. It very well could be, and Zac Taylor, Dan Pitcher, and company could be keeping it under wraps. But incorporating more play-action concepts could open up a whole new level of explosiveness for the offense. The Bengals ranked 27th in the NFL in explosive plays in 2025.
And to no one’s surprise, when Joe Burrow was under center, Cincinnati’s explosive-play rate spiked. While it’s never a one-to-one comparison in the NFL when it comes to offensive scheme, it’d be smart for Taylor to put his superstar quarterback under center more often.
Continue reading...
