Bengals' protection, deep passing game take steps

DENVER -- Nobody will mistake the 2017 Bengals for the 1988 Bengals. This group runs the ball at a historically inefficient level and endure seemingly never-ending stretches of three-and-outs that hamstring their defense.

Yet, the last two weeks the Bengals passing game re-discovered the big play. In Tennessee, the 37-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell and 70-yard strike to A.J. Green nearly set up a win.

On Sunday, they did prove enough. This time it was Alex Erickson sprinting behind the Broncos coverage for a 29-yard touchdown and Green’s 18-yarder over the helmet of Bradley Roby clinching the game, both on third down.

“It’s hard to keep driving and getting three yards, three yards, we have to get some shots in there,” Green said after catching four passes for 50 yards and the touchdown. “That’s what we did coming out in the second half."

The Broncos offered an opportunity to take them. With a stable of quality corners, they live in man coverage and allow their talented pass rushers to do their thing. Half of the equation starts with the receivers beating the man coverage when given the chance. That hasn’t happened nearly enough this year.

But the last two weeks, it happened in opportune moments.

Through the first eight games of the year the Bengals completed three touchdown passes of 18 yards or more. Against Tennessee and Denver, they have four.

“Last week we had the big one to A.J. and another one down the middle to (LaFell),” Dalton said. “Today, when we had those chances, we hit them. I think that’s what this comes down to.”

Erickson continued to build trust in Dalton as he felt the coverage push up on him and took the third-and-2 route deep. It resulted in his first career touchdown.

With increased snaps, Erickson contributing in a different fashion than his typical underneath routes as a possession receiver makes a difference for a team in need of playmaking. The call for players other than Green to win those matchups has been a consistent theme of the season.

“It’s man-to-man coverage, as a receiver your antenna has to go up,” Erickson said. “It’s our time. It’s me versus this guy. If I beat him Andy will find us. It’s a matter of getting the separation, having trust in Andy back there and making the plays.”

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Teams enter with the scouting report on the Bengals' willingness to embrace the short passing game and using this counter could pay dividends down the road to open up more of the offense.

LaFell caught a 29-yard pass on the first touchdown drive of the game, and the third-and-5 pass interference call against Bradley Roby in the fourth quarter proved a critical shot down the field as well.

“The whole first half we were running stop routes and comebacks and they were sitting underneath us,” LaFell said. “A.J. came in and told coach we need to take our shots down the field. Came out and we did it. A.J. came up with the big touchdown for us.”

The other half of the equation involves the offensive line protecting long enough to even get these throws off. The maligned unit which has deserved the criticism thrown its way, however, quietly put together a couple decent pass pro games the last two weeks.

Denver’s pass rush is as good as any in football, and even though Von Miller enjoyed a few moments running around Andre Smith, Dalton only went down twice and had time to make throws more consistently.

Play actions made a difference as did playing from ahead and creatively using the silent count against Denver.

Cedric Ogbuehi didn't allow a pressure for the first time since the Cleveland game, according to Pro Football Focus.

"Well you like to think guys gain momentum," offensive coordinator Bill Lazor said. "Different guys figure certain things out. Technique, or how to play the game, or how to prepare. And so hopefully it's a step forward for him that can be built upon. That's what you like to see. There's no excuses for anyone, but he's still at the younger end of his career, so let's make it not a spike, but a stepping stone. I hope."

Dalton was sacked at least three times in all but one of the first seven games of the year. The last three weeks, he's only been sacked five times. Not bad, especially considering they came on the road only allowing two apiece to the prolific pass rushers in Denver and Jacksonville.

“Even the couple sacks that may have happened today, some of that was my fault,” Dalton said. “I was just holding onto the ball and trying to get out and make a play happen. If you keep taking the deeper shots down the field, you have to protect a little longer. I thought our guys did a great job today, and hopefully we can carry that going forward.”

Again, this isn’t an offense near where it needs to be. They didn’t crack 200 yards of offense Sunday. They punted on six consecutive possessions, mustering only three first downs. In the last three weeks, they have run 101 fewer plays than their opponents. Of the plays they ran, nine went for negative yardage. Oh yeah, and they averaged 1.9 yards per carry, somehow coming in well below their already measly season average.

But progress in pass protection and playmaking by Green – and, more importantly, a few of his receiver teammates – provides a glimmer of hope for positive offensive trends.

“You get big plays like that, it really sets the tone,” guard Clint Boling said.

Lazor admits he fights human nature by calling deep drops in certain situations but cares most about his players knowing he believes in their ability to get the job done no matter the play call. It's allowed for the string of plays that earned a win in Denver, and nearly one in Tennessee.

"I feel like it's trending positively," Lazor said. "I just think our guys know this is what you need to do to win. I think our linemen know we have good receivers. You can’t always throw a hitch. Sometimes you have to throw it down the field. To do it, it sounds obvious, but when we call this in the huddle his is what it is going to take. And everyone is trying to win, everyone wants to do it right. I think they are working at it."