The Bengals’ under-center offense has been a disaster

The Cincinnati Bengals have struggled mightily with their under-center offense, leading the team to question whether they should abandon it altogether. Despite spending much of training camp attempting to improve their under-center play, the Bengals have actually made the situation worse. They now rank last in the league in under-center performance, averaging a mere 3.3 yards per play – a significant drop from 5.1 yards per play last season.

This decline coincides with a 54% increase in under-center snaps compared to the previous year. The running game has also failed to make an impact, and quarterback Joe Burrow appears less comfortable executing play-action passes from under-center. The Bengals' reliance on under-center play has risen to a level that may be detrimental to their success, especially when trying to build an early lead.

The team's up-tempo offense, designed to work best with a lead, could benefit from more aggressive play-calling when under center. While theoretically under-center could enhance the offense by opening up play-action and reducing the number of passing attempts, the reality has proven otherwise. The Bengals will face the Miami Dolphins this week, and continuing to rely heavily on under-center could embolden Miami and potentially secure the Dolphins' first win of the season.

With a bye week ahead, the Bengals must self-scout their offensive strategy, as the current under-center approach is clearly not working.