Super Bowl 2022: Bengals' atypical blueprint led to turnaround

By Bucky Brooks
FOX Sports NFL Writer

Who Dey?

The popular refrain from the Cincinnati Bengals’ chant also represents the million-dollar question buzzing around the league after a 2-14 squad in 2019 emerged as a title contender just two seasons later.

The rapid ascension of the downtrodden franchise to the top of the football world has prompted general managers, scouts and coaches to study the Bengals’ roster to learn about this collection of underdogs and how they found their way to Super Bowl LVI against all odds.

While Joe Burrow might bristle at the suggestion that the Bengals are underdogs after they dispatched the top two seeds on their side of the playoff bracket, the AFC champs were not expected to make a deep postseason run after finishing as cellar-dwellers in back-to-back seasons.

The Bengals’ quick turnaround, however, has given NFL team builders a new blueprint to construct a championship-caliber squad. Instead of following a traditional method that prioritizes the quarterback, offensive line, pass-rushers and cornerbacks, the Bengals subscribed to the principle of the Three P’s: passer, playmakers and pass-rushers.

As the NFL has transitioned into a passing league over the past decade, the need to have elite players at the marquee positions has become a priority. Although the auxiliary pieces are important, the championship blueprint begins with the quarterback. It is not a coincidence that the overwhelming majority of the teams in the playoff field featured five-star QBs, and the Bengals’ rise to prominence is certainly tied to Burrow’s arrival.

The No. 1 overall pick from the 2020 draft has injected championship swagger into a franchise that had been mired in mediocrity for years. Burrow’s moxie and unshakeable confidence have complemented a dynamic game that has sparked the Bengals’ offense. His ability to throw dimes with pinpoint precision has opened up the field for a unit loaded with playmakers on the perimeter.

Moreover, Burrow’s ability to improvise and play off the script has resulted in big plays on impromptu quarterback runs or scramble tosses. Throughout the playoffs, he has repeatedly converted key third downs with nifty runs after evading pass-rushers in the pocket. 

Despite his suffering a knee injury that prematurely ended his rookie campaign, Burrow’s mobility and athleticism have been a big part of the Bengals’ offensive success this season. The extended plays and improvisational runs have added a dimension to the offense that has made the unit more difficult to defend.

With a franchise QB in place, the Bengals made a concerted effort to upgrade the playmakers around him to maximize his talents. Although conventional wisdom suggests that teams should build a fortress around the quarterback by upgrading the offensive line, the Bengals decided to surround Burrow with a fleet of dynamic pass-catchers. That has enabled him to play like a pass-first point guard running a fast break in the open court. 

Tee Higgins was drafted 33rd overall in 2020 to give the Bengals a vertical playmaker on the outside, and the team selected Ja’Marr Chase with the fifth pick in the 2021 draft to add a true No. 1 receiver to the lineup. Cincinnati's decision to take a pass catcher over a pass protector last year — left tackle Penei Sewell went to Detroit at No. 7 — was met with criticism. 

The move, however, has paid off for Cincinnati. Chase finished his rookie season with the fourth-most receiving yards (1,455) and the third-most receiving touchdowns (13) in the league. He has added 20 catches, 279 yards and a TD in the postseason.

The Bengals added Higgins and Chase to a core that already featured a dominant running back, Joe Mixon, and a pair of chain movers in slot receiver Tyler Boyd and tight end C.J. Uzomah. Each member of that trio is capable of taking over the game when the Bengals opt to play ball-control football.

That said, Mixon is the straw that stirs the drink. He's a rare grinder with big-play ability as a runner and receiver, more than capable of posting a 100-yard effort against any opponent. That allows the Bengals to slow the game down when preserving a lead. More importantly, the presence of a five-star workhorse back gives Zac Taylor a reliable option to lean on in "gotta have it" situations.

In an ideal world, the Bengals would have complemented their electric corps of playmakers with a rock-solid offensive line featuring five bullies, but the offense has been able to thrive relying solely on Burrow and his perimeter firepower.

Defensively, the Bengals devoted their resources to the frontline, employing enough quality pass-rushers to harass quarterbacks with persistent pressure. While star power certainly works when assembling a pass rush, the Bengals opted to build a crew of blue-collar workers at the point of attack.

Last March, Cincinnati signed former Saints DE Trey Hendrickson to a blockbuster deal (four years, $60 million) to give the Bengals a dominant lead rusher. The Pro Bowler has certainly been worth every penny, posting 14 sacks and three forced fumbles in his first year with the team. 

In addition to Hendrickson, the Bengals acquired several other veteran free agents to upgrade the defense. The team added cornerbacks Mike Hilton, Chidobe Awuzie and Eli Apple and DT Larry Ogunjobi (now on IR) to a lineup that featured a small core of homegrown defenders. The veterans not only brought experience to the unit, but their winning pedigree also helped facilitate a culture change in the locker room.

Up front, Hendrickson sets the tone with his energy and effort, and the rest of the Bengals’ frontline ups the ante with disruptive skills at the point of attack.

Sam Hubbard has blossomed into an A-plus playmaker after entering the league as a third-round pick. The fourth-year pro has been an integral part of a resurgent defense that has stymied offenses throughout the playoffs. Hubbard finished the regular season with 7.5 sacks and has added another three QB takedowns in the postseason.

With Hubbard teaming with Hendrickson to provide consistent pressure on the passer, the Bengals have actually been able to close out games with the defense on the field.

After earning a spot in Super Bowl LVI with a talented passer and a core of five-star playmakers and pass-rushers, Cincinnati has become a model franchise that executives, coaches and scouts will emulate. Although the Bengals have taken a non-traditional team-building approach, their blueprint will certainly pique the interest of teams hoping to pull off quick turnarounds of their own.

Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports and regularly appears on "Speak For Yourself." He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and is a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast.