Joe Burrow is working on under-center play-action drops during the Bengals' offseason program. On June 24, 2026, the team is exploring ways to become more explosive.
What happened?
The Bengals ranked 22nd in explosive play rate last season, despite having a strong passing game with Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins.
The team posted 0.16 EPA per play on plays with Burrow, Higgins, and Chase on the field over the last two seasons, the best in the NFL.
Why it matters for Joe Burrow
Burrow has produced only one under-center play action completion in the last three seasons, sparking an interesting debate about the team's offense.
Dan Pitcher, the Bengals' offensive coordinator, said the top five teams in usage of under-center and under-center play action last year all finished in the top quarter of the NFL in explosive-play rate.
What comes next?
The Bengals are trying to find ways to be explosive in the run game and then try to find some things off of that that can get them a couple of easy explosives, according to Burrow.
The team is committed to making changes to their offense, with Burrow on board with tinkering in this realm, and the coaching staff has done a great job this offseason of putting a plan together.
Burrow worked on under-center play-action drops during the Bengals' offseason program, and he sees the same numbers everyone else does, he knows the trends, and he wants the explosives.
The Bengals' superpower in the passing game has been effective, but the team wants to improve their explosive play rate, which has been in the bottom third of the league for four consecutive seasons.
On June 24, 2026, the Bengals are investigating ways to unlock explosive plays, with Burrow at the center of the team's plans.
The team's offense has always had portions of the playbook that involve under-center plays, but they've just typically stayed there rather than reaching gameday.
Burrow outlined his view of the journey, saying the team was heavy under center in 2020 and 2021, and that worked out well for them.
But then the team was so explosive that they stopped using under-center plays as much, according to Burrow.
The Bengals are now trying to find a balance between their passing game and their run game, with Burrow leading the charge.
The team's coaching staff has done a great job this offseason of putting a plan together to try to execute their new offense, and Burrow is excited to see how it works out.
The Bengals' offense is evolving, and Burrow is at the center of the team's plans, with the team investigating ways to unlock explosive plays and improve their explosive play rate.
The team's fans are eager to see how the new offense will work out, and Burrow is ready to lead the charge.
The Bengals will start their new season soon, and Burrow is excited to see how the team's new offense will perform.
The team's offense has the potential to be one of the best in the NFL, with Burrow, Chase, and Higgins leading the charge.
The Bengals are committed to making changes to their offense, and Burrow is on board with tinkering in this realm.
The team's coaching staff has done a great job this offseason of putting a plan together, and Burrow is excited to see how it works out.
The Bengals' new offense will be on display soon, and Burrow is ready to lead the charge.
The team's fans are eager to see how the new offense will work out, and Burrow is excited to see how it will perform.
The Bengals are investigating ways to unlock explosive plays, with Burrow at the center of the team's plans.
The team's offense has the potential to be one of the best in the NFL, with Burrow leading the charge.
The Bengals are committed to making changes to their offense, and Burrow is on board with tinkering in this realm.
The team's coaching staff has done a great job this offseason of putting a plan together, and Burrow is excited to see how it works out.