Embarrassing As Bengals’ deceptive move backfires horribly

The Bengals were the only ones that looked like fools on their trick play in the third quarter against the Jaguars on “Monday Night Football.”

With the score tied at 21, quarterback Jake Browning hit tight end Boyd with a backward lateral. Boyd tried to screen pass the ball to running back Joe Mixon across the field, but instead he hit linebacker Josh Allen of the Jaguars, who recovered it inside the Bengals’ 10-yard line.

Four plays later, on a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Jacksonville scored a touchdown to take a 28-21 lead.

This wasn’t the only inefficient pass in the game made by a wide receiver for the Bengals. Ja’Marr Chase had earlier thrown a pass to Browning that was short by seven yards. Cincinnati’s quarterback, Browning, was 20 of 23 for 260 yards and a touchdown through three quarters, so aside from those two mistakes, the team was throwing the ball brilliantly.

It would be wise for the Bengals to focus more on that and less on their attempts to work with Boyd and Chase.