Some Bengals want to expand offensive attack heading into Steelers game

As the Cincinnati Bengals get ready for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, it sounds like a few of their young offensive skill position players weren’t exactly thrilled with last week’s play calling. The Bengals (1-1) will come to Heinz Field fresh off a 20-17 loss to the Chicago Bears.

The game plan called for a lot of quick, short passes in order to protect quarterback Joe Burrow against a stout Bears pass rush featuring Khalil Mack.

In other words, release the ball as fast as possible to aid an offensive line that may struggle in pass protection.

Sound familiar, Steelers fans?

According to The Athletic, some of the Bengals offensive players wanted to see a few more deep shots early in the contest.

“We tried to get it out quick and knew they had a good pass rush and were going to get it out quick. They just started sitting on all of our routes,” Burrow said via Paul Dehner Jr. The second-year quarterback was then asked how to best negate that.

“You’ve got to throw the ball over their head. At least make them feel like you are going to be able to do that and call some plays that go over their head,” Burrow responded.

In Week 1, Burrow and rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase had a 50-yard hook-up in the win over the Vikings.

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But it wasn’t until the fourth quarter in the game against the Bears that Burrow hit Chase for another deep shot — a 42-yard touchdown. The score was 20-3 in favor of Chicago at that point.

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Chase seemed less than pleased that coach Zac Taylor’s offense took so long to push the ball downfield.

“We should have been (doing) that, bro, to be honest,” Chase said. “We waited until the last minute to take shots. We knew they (were) sitting the whole game. I was telling Joe. Tee (Higgins) knew. We just got to capitalize on the stuff we see early in the game.”

Aside from the touchdown, Chase only had one other catch and four total targets. Pitt product Tyler Boyd was the team’s leading receiver with seven catches and 73 yards.

Burrow still ended up taking four sacks and was hit five times more, despite the efforts to throw the ball quickly. That’s after being dropped five times the previous week by the Minnesota Vikings. The Bears also intercepted him three times.

If Steelers cornerback Joe Haden and pass rusher T.J. Watt can’t play due to groin injuries suffered last week, maybe Taylor will listen to Chase and Burrow. He might be more inclined to have Burrow go up top after what Raiders quarterback Derek Carr did to the Steelers defense in their absence last Sunday.

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That toss went for 61 yards and a score on a third-and-10. Carr ended up with 382 yards passing on the day.