Seamus Carr brings you all the biggest storylines from Week 7, including the arrival of several young RB stars and the re-emergence of the NFL’s most powerful offenses.
AFC Fireworks From The Bengals, Chiefs
Last year’s AFC Championship game opponents put on exciting offensive displays, totaling 79 points and 904 passing yards between the two teams. Both teams are starting to find their offensive strides, possibly setting up for a championship rematch should they be able to find their way past Buffalo.
The New Bengals Are the Same as the Old Bengals (The Good Version)
In Cincinnati, the Bengals made quick work of the Atlanta Falcons. Joe Burrow got started early, finding a wide-open Tyler Boyd for a 60-yard bomb. He later got Ja’Marr Chase involved, hitting him down the right sideline in the end zone for what looked like an impossible grab. The icer was another long Chase score. Burrow hit him along the left sideline on a back-shoulder throw where Chase stopped on a dime, reversed direction, and beat everyone across the field for his second touchdown of the day.
The Bengals have once again started to open up their offense after relying heavily on the run game to start the year. Burrow lined up continuously in shotgun, picking apart the Falcons with Chase, Boyd, and Tee Higgins. The game was never particularly close, so it was encouraging to see Burrow attempt 42 passes and keep the pedal to the metal.
One of the bigger beneficiaries of this shotgun-heavy approach has been Boyd. Often an afterthought in the box score early in the season, Boyd has been more involved the past two weeks, posting a 6-66-0 line last week before exploding to a career-high 155 yards in this one. Going forward, alongside the stars, Chase and Higgins, Boyd will be a strong bye-week fill-in and have major contingent value with this pass-happy approach.
