Zac Taylor: We don’t have to force the ball to anyone because our receivers are unselfish

The headliner of the Bengals’ receiving group is rookie Ja’Marr Chase, who tallied 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.

But It’s really a dynamic trio that also includes 2020 second-round pick Tee Higgins and veteran Tyler Boyd.

Higgins finished his second season with 74 catches for 1,091 yards with six touchdowns in 14 games. Boyd had 67 receptions for 828 yards with five TDs.

And while Chase has 14 receptions for 225 yards in the postseason, Higgins was plenty effective in the 19-16 victory over Tennessee with seven catches for 96 yards.

Part of what makes the group so dynamic is its unselfishness. Where many times receivers carry a diva reputation, Cincinnati does not seem to have that within its room. But as head coach Zac Taylor put it this week, it’s also about how quarterback Joe Burrow functions within the offense.

“We don’t feel like we have to force the ball to anybody,” Taylor said, via Jake Rice of Bengals.com. “The ball goes to where the coverage dictates with the concept. Over the course of the year, each of those guys have had their big games and their big moments and there’s been games maybe they’ve had two or three catches, but they were critical for us.

“That’s why it’s key to have such an unselfish group of receivers, where they all know they’re going to have their moment. There can be days where one guy maybe gets 15 targets, the other guys don’t, but when the balls do come their way, they’ve got to make the most of it. That’s just kind of a great picture of an entire locker room. It’s just that receiver room and how unselfish those guys are and how much they pull for each other.”

Burrow concurred with Taylor’s assessment, saying that dynamic is what makes Cincinnati’s receivers great.

“Not only is every single person in that room able to have a game like that, but they don’t get upset if they’re not the guy with that game,” Burrow said. “Ja’Marr can go for zero yards and Tee and TB combine for 300 and Ja’Marr will be just as happy as if he had a 250-yard game. That’s very unique to us, and I don’t know if a lot of receiving rooms in the league have that.”

When the Bengals and Chiefs met in Week 17, Chase had the big day with 11 receptions for 226 yards and three TDs. This matchup might mean more targets, catches, and yards for Higgins and Boyd.

Zac Taylor: We don’t have to force the ball to anyone because our receivers are unselfish originally appeared on Pro Football Talk