The tight end position is always interesting, but I did not pick Cody Ford with a 21-yard reception on my prop bet bingo card this weekend when the Cincinnati Bengals manhandled the Arizona Cardinals.
With the team repeatedly running six and seven-man offensive linemen sets this week, Lucas Patrick played four snaps as an extra tight end, and Ford played seven snaps as a tight end, fullback, or, yes, outside receiver.
The Bengals lined Ford up wide, and when the defense dropped off, quarterback Joe Burrow delivered him the ball.
Of course, no one expected him to pick up so many yards after the catch, bulldozing his way to a 21-yard pickup.
For May, here out-gained Drew Sample, but Sample’s 50 snaps led the group. Tanner Hudson (20), Mike Gesicki (18), and Noah Fant (17) all played a role as well.
Ford also got in at right tackle, but that is burying the lede. Amarius Mims left the game with an injury, but came back after a couple of series. This is big for a player who has been criticized for not playing through pain.
Defensively, it was interesting that Jalen Davis out-snapped the field. His 52 snaps were more than anyone else, largely because when other defensive starters left late in the game, Davis stayed on the field.
Davis, being promoted from the practice squad, was a huge part of this team’s late-season defensive improvement. He has locked down the slot corner spot and freed up Dax Hill to play on the outside where he belongs.
Evidently, he is so important that they wanted him to be out there with the young backups, even when Bralyn Lux was playing a lot of corner.
The final drive was 16 plays and had the coaching staff some good film on Lux, safeties Tycen Anderson and Daijahn Anthony, linebackers Joe Giles-Harris and Shaka Hayward, and defensive linemen Howard Cross and Isaiah Foskey.
Of all these players, the one who stood out was Foskey. He has some juice on the edge as a pass rusher. When he played for Al Golden in college, he became Notre Dame’s all-time leader in sacks with 26.5. That is 25.5 more than Rudy.
Through the game, the team gave substantial reps to other young players with something to prove.
DJ Ivy took 27 reps, and McKinnley Jackson played 24, both continuing their recent trend of increased involvement.
Shemar Stewart led defensive ends with 40 snaps, and Cedric Johnson was second with 36. Both need the reps after missing time due to injury this season.
Bengals vs. Cardinals Snap Counts
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