Stat of the Jay: Bengals Offense Ranks Among League's Best In a Category They Try to Avoid

Jay Morrison | Oct 17, 2024

Oct 13, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) runs the ball against the New York Giants during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – Two plays in the Cincinnati Bengals’ 17-7 win against the New York Giants on Sunday sent me diving into the databases.

The first was Joe Burrow’s 47-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

The second was Burrow’s 29-yard pass to Andrei Iosivas in the fourth.

What did they have in common? Both came on third and long.

Burrow’s touchdown was a third-and-18 play, while Iosivas drive-extending reception was third and 12.

“Those two plays are the quarterback being a ball player, seeing an opportunity based on the coverage they're in and they don't have anyone devoted to him and they were out of their rush lanes, and he just went,” offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said. “And then the second one is him and Andrei being on the same page on an extended situation. "

Sneaky Joe was movin'

Performance of The Game | #GuinnessUS pic.twitter.com/mGKqMwYHPc

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 14, 2024

During Zac Taylor’s first five years as head coach, the Bengals prioritized efficiency in an effort to avoid those sort of third-and-long situations as much as possible.

This season they’ve been a little less risk-adverse because of how explosive they’ve been, particularly in the running game. But they’ve still managed to avoid the especially long third downs.

The Bengals have faced third and 12 or longer only 10 times this season. That’s tied for the seventh fewest. Sunday’s opponent, the Cleveland Browns, have the most with 21.

Cincinnati ranks first in yards per play in those situations at 15.0, thanks in large part to gaining 71 yards on their two chances Sunday night.

Only two other teams are above 10 yards per play – the Commanders (13.4) and Colts (12.4).

The Bengals also lead the league in success rate on third and 12+, converting 30 percent of their chances. The league average is 10.6 percent.

They’ve already converted on third and 12+ more times in six games this season they did in all of 2023, when they were 2 for 33 (6 percent).

In 2022, they were 4 of 32 (12.5 percent).

The fewer third-and-long situations a team faces, the better, obviously.

But the ability to overcome them when they arise is a huge boost for the offense and crushing blow for the defense.

“We try out best to call plays that are gonna work on third and 14,” Pitcher said with a wry grin. “There's not a ton of them. You just try to call something that gives you a chance. And then you're gonna need your guys to go make plays, and they did.”

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