Ja’Marr gives his blunt thoughts on the play that really led to a huge turn in the loss against the Eagles.
It was right before the end of the third quarter. Zach Moss had just been stuffed at the Cincinnati Bengals’ 39-yard line on a 3rd-and-1, setting up a 4th-and-1. This came right after the Philadelphia Eagles had scored a touchdown on the previous drive to go up by seven points.
What happened next started an avalanche that only the final whistle could end. Head coach Zac Taylor opted to go for it, and the play amounted to wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase running back and forth in motion to eventually running out for a screen pass two yards behind the line of scrimmage. He was quickly tackled, leading to a hole the Bengals simply couldn’t climb out of.
Most fans question not only the idea of of going for it in the third quarter but also the play call that left a lot to be desired. Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase had this to say about the play following the game.
“Just one call I wish we could’ve took back and changed to something else,” Chase said following the game. “But we called it, and it happened. I don’t mind being aggressive, just they were on it.”
Chase has been known to take screens for more than it looks like they should go for. He is usually able to make the first man miss regularly. However, for such a point in the game, to simply rely on that in that situation is absurd, especially when you think about the play that Chase scored on in the first quarter, where they were able to get him isolated against an EDGE in the end zone.
It is clear there is some imagination to this offense, but more times than not it amounts to hoping Joe Burrow or Chase can just make something out of nothing.
