The Cincinnati Bengals’ passing volume goes beyond what the scoreboard has required.
Citing research from Paul Hembekides, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky posted Tuesday that Cincinnati has thrown on 71% of its plays with the game within one score. Orlovsky said that would be the highest rate for any team in the data Hembekides has tracked.
The @Bengals pass-happiness isn't just a reflection of time and score.
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) October 6, 2026
They're throwing the ball 71% of the time when the game is within one score, which would be the highest rate of any team we've ever tracked.@PaulHembo
Sunday’s 22-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars offered a vivid example of the imbalance. Joe Burrow attempted 54 passes and threw for 428 yards, while the Bengals finished with 23 rushing yards on 15
attempts. Chase Brown gained 10 yards on nine carries.
Coach Zac Taylor said the Jaguars’ defensive looks and Cincinnati’s success through the air influenced the calls. He acknowledged that the Bengals want more from their rushing attack, but said he didn't believe simply calling 15 additional runs would have fixed Sunday’s offense.
Burrow sounded comfortable leaning further into the pass, telling reporters, “Let’s throw it more.” He pointed to Cincinnati’s passing ability and protection, though he did concede the run game needs improvement.
Can an offense this reliant on Burrow keep producing when opponents know where the ball is going?
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals’ 71% pass rate in close games draws attention
