For every big play in a football game, there’s usually a play that sets it up. It’s like how in baseball, setup men “set up” the closer to come in and throw gas to get the final three outs of the game.
In addition, football is also a game of hidden yards. It’s those yards that may not be talked about a whole lot, but they’re so important to the outcome of the game.
The Bengals’ 20-6 win over the Houston Texans in Week 2 was about big-time defensive stops and two timely offensive touchdowns. Joe Burrow’s
first touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase on Sunday was a timely kill shot. Their second touchdown connection was a backbreaker that broke the game open.
But those two touchdowns were set up by under-the-radar plays, and there were other hidden yards that kept the Bengals in control of the game for all four quarters on Sunday. From the opening kickoff, they were in control.
On the opening kickoff, Dohnte Meyers ran the ball back to the Bengals’ own 41-yard line. He came close to breaking it loose for a kick-return touchdown, but he still gave the Bengals excellent field position to start the game.
Although the Bengals punted on their first three drives, all of them starting at least at their own 40-yard line, they forced the Texans to start at their own 13, 8, and 8-yard line on their first three drives. That’s winning the field position battle. The Bengals won that battle early because of Meyers’ opening kick return.
Let’s go to the play before Chase’s ridiculous touchdown catch in the second quarter. The Bengals faced a 3rd&4 from their own 45-yard line, and Burrow converted by finding Tee Higgins for a 23-yard gain. It’s a play that may not have made the highlight shows, but it was important to set up the play that did make the highlights.
Meyers struck again early in the third quarter. After the Bengals’ defense forced the Texans to a three-and-out to start the second half, Meyers returned a punt 15 yards to the Bengals’ own 44-yard line. It was a good return to give the Bengals already good field position, and it was made better by an unnecessary roughness penalty that moved the Bengals to the Texans’ 41-yard line.
Although the Bengals only moved the ball eight yards, a 5-yard reception by Erick All Jr. and a seven-yard reception by Andrei Iosivas sandwiched a four-yard tackle for loss on a Chase Brown run. The eight yards moved the Bengals to the Texans’ 33-yard line, leading to a 51-yard field goal from Evan McPherson. Bengals 10 — Texans 3.
Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase executed a scramble drill to perfection on the Bengals’ second touchdown of the day. On that drive, though, Joe Burrow converted a much-needed 3rd&7 despite being grabbed around the legs by a Texans defender. Burrow kept his eyes downfield and found Samaje Perine for a 16-yard gain. The play kept the drive alive, and it led to a backbreaking touchdown for the Bengals to put them up 17-3.
Tee Higgins came up clutch again on the Bengals’ first drive of the fourth quarter. Facing a 3rd&5 from the Bengals’ 33-yard line, Burrow threw a masterful back-shoulder throw to Higgins for a 23-yard gain to the Texans’ 44-yard line. Chase Brown racked up five yards on the Bengals’ next two plays, both of them for runs, which led to a 57-yard banger by Evan McPherson.
It’s those under-the-radar plays by Tee Higgins and those hidden yards by Dohnte Meyers in the return game that led to the big plays the Bengals made on Sunday. The under-the-radar plays and hidden yards are why this Bengals team may be different than teams in the past.
When the game got clunky on Sunday, the Bengals found other ways to impact the game and control it from start to finish. Cincinnati is a team known for its big-play ability, but this Bengals team is also capable of finding other ways to dent the stat sheet and the final box score.
