The Bengals’ offense finally got a little daylight at training camp, and it came after a long weather delay that kept fans waiting outside Paycor Stadium.
That pause only seemed to build the anticipation. Once the lightning and thunder passed and the gates opened, the crowd got its first real taste of the kind of action Cincinnati has been chasing through camp: Joe Burrow putting the ball where only his guys can get it, Ja’Marr Chase making the kind of plays that turn heads, and Chase Brown slipping through for a score.
For most of camp, the offense has been the side searching for answers. The defense has been the steadier group, with Dexter Lawrence making life difficult on his own and the unit as a whole doing enough to keep the big plays from showing up. That’s made the Bengals’ usual fireworks harder to find.
But this practice offered a reminder of what that attack can look like.
One of the best moments came on Chase’s deep catch, which safety Bryan Cook said was the first completed deep ball all camp. Burrow had time to work from a clean pocket, spotted Chase getting behind the defense, and connected.
Another standout was pure Burrow: Lawrence got into the pocket and knocked him down, but Burrow still managed to deliver a strong throw to Chase near the sideline. It was the kind of play plenty of quarterbacks simply can’t finish.
The other burst came on the ground. After offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said the running game had been showing explosive runs but was tough to evaluate without tackling, Brown and the offensive line made the point obvious. Brown broke free for a touchdown and was untouched on the play.
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