Since becoming the head coach of the Bengals in 2019, Zac Taylor has been the offensive play caller, while Brian Callahan’s role as offensive coordinator included other duties, more so behind the scenes. But with Callahan now the head coach in Tennessee, and Dan Pitcher being promoted to offensive coordinator in Cincinnati, we may be seeing a shift in how things are done.
Taylor has said that he will be taking a step back from some things this spring, allowing Dan Pitcher to take more command of the offence. In the short while that the offseason activities have been going on, some schematic changes have been noticeable, with a lot more snaps coming from under centre, and more play action being implemented.
The Bengals have typically been a shotgun heavy offence since Burrow was drafted, but we did see more plays from under centre when Jake Browning took over this past season, after Burrow got hurt. Now, it seems as though the Bengals are intent on maintaining this part of their offence, regardless of who is in at QB.
As for Pitcher calling the plays, we’ll see if this is something that sticks beyond OTA’s. Taylor has had his ups and downs as a play caller, and it is good to see him giving Pitcher a go at it, early in the offseason. Even if Taylor continues calling the plays once the season begins, this should allow for more input from Pitcher, who can bring some fresh ideas to the game plan.
Modified Featured Image Via: Erik Drost (CC)