At the Cincinnati Bengals’ media availability prior to Super Bowl 56, Tyler Boyd discussed what has made the Bengals’ offense click this season. He spoke about what Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins bring to the field, as well as his role in the offense. Boyd also gave insight into how defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has helped this offense get to this point.
The Cincinnati Bengals’ passing game is at a peak, according to Tyler Boyd
During his media availability, Tyler Boyd was asked a lot of questions about the passing game and his teammates. When asked about the chemistry between the receivers and Burrow, Boyd discussed how in sync the offense is right now.
“It is kind of at its peak. We got a great rhythm with what we want to do. I believe we have a great understanding of each other. We just have great feel to go and execute plays. When Joe feels comfortable giving us chances to throw the ball up and allowing us to make plays, we always make them plays. I just think that we’re young, hungry, and ready to go.”
Burrow really helps to bring the best out of the receivers with his knowledge of the game
A common story during the playoffs has been how Burrow has made those around him better. When Boyd was asked about how Burrow does that, he was effusive in his praise of the second-year quarterback.
“With Joey B’s help making things easier because he is so smart and he understands football, and he knows exactly what he wants when we call plays. So for him to tell us how we want to run routes and us understand how to find voids in zone coverage is spot on. He’s like a magician out there when he is commanding us and telling us what is going on and what he’s feeling when he is going against defenses. So he makes our job easier when we are in the huddle and we’re calling plays and we’re against a certain look and he knows what we need to exploit and he does a real great job of doing that.”
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have taken the Bengals’ offense to a new level this year
The combination of rookie receiver Chase and second-year receiver Higgins has been potent for the Bengals. Chase has immediately settled into a key role with the Bengals, and his skill set was something Boyd spoke highly about.
“His athleticism brings so much firepower to the offense. He’s so understanding of his role, he knows his ability, and we can use him outside, inside, we can do whatever we want. Just him coming in and exceeding his expectations allows us to not have to worry about how we call plays, about how we call plays. Me, Chase, and Tee [Higgins], we can just go out there and lineup in our position and play.
“Chase, you know, he missed a year. He came in draft day, missed a year, he didn’t play his last year at college. Just being able to come in and fulfill a big role, like he did, is at an all-time high. For him to control the negative stuff that was going on through the preseason. For him to just ball once the season hit. It took our offense to a whole ‘nother level.”
Boyd was also quick to play up Higgins’ role in his second year
“Tee did a real great job of coming in, especially as when he came in it was COVID, so we didn’t really have too much time together as a full team to get with each other and scheme up plays. Him coming in in the second year, I think it don’t get no better than that.
“Every time we call his number and throw it to him, he catches it. He just got to 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, and I feel like he will continue to do that. All three of us are complementary to each other. We are all good at certain things, and we feed off each other perfectly.”
Boyd elaborates on his role in the offense when the defense blitzes and getting reads right
When a team is blitzing, the role of a WR is important. If he does not recognize the play and make the necessary adjustments on a hot route, it could leave the QB with nowhere to go. That is Boyd’s role in the offense, and he addressed it on Monday.
“I think it is very important because me maneuvering the slot determines a lot of his hot reads and allows him to get rid of the football quickly. The good thing about that is I understand a lot of what defenses are trying to do to us. I understand coverages and things like that. And just preparation. We always practice through our assignments. No matter what coverage we get, we always go through all the looks we believe teams are going to throw at us.
“So we’re very prepared and the player I am, I am very, very detailed and I was always want to be that guy that is the safety blanket or whatever the case might be. I think I do a good job of understanding football and knowing when it is hot. When I know the quarterback needs to get the ball out of his hands fast or I have time to run routes. We got that great chemistry, me and Burrow.”
Why is the Bengals’ offense so effective in the last two minutes of the half?
The Bengals have moved the ball in the final two minutes of the half consistently this year. Boyd was asked how the team has had so much success in those crucial late-in-the-half situations.
“I think because first and formerly we are protecting the football. We are not creating any turnovers, and we are just letting the game come to us. At the end of the day, no matter how the drives look or how we get in the end zone, I think every guy from the lineman to the quarterback to the receivers to the running back, every guy is doing a great job of fulfilling their role in the offense.
“Being able to go out there and do what we have to do to win. Because if every guy plays his part and we do all the fundamental things from when we are kids, we will always drive on guys, we will always score, and we will have success.”
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo deserves credit for how prepared the Bengals’ offense is
It is not often a defensive coordinator gets credited for the offense’s performance. However, Boyd spoke about how what Anarumo threw at the team in training camp and the role he plays overall has helped the offense perform well this season.
“Lou is a great guy first of all and a great coach. Everything he brings schematically to prevent us from doing things while we were competing against the starting defense during camp because he knows what he needs to do to eliminate things.
“When I go out there and run my routes, me specifically, I always watch coverage and look at pre-snap coverage and figure out what the defense is trying to do to me, or us, and figure out how they’re rolling and whatnot. But everything I see a look that I’m not familiar with, I always go over there and chop it up with him, and we talk about it a lot.
“And I think that is good for the offense to know when the defense is throwing different schemes and stuff at them, because when that happens in a game, then we are very prepared for it. So I believe he does a really good job allowing us to pick his brain a little bit and diagnose different coverages. So I think it is an advantage to us.”