The Cincinnati Bengals are rarely breathed in the same air as the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts when it comes to discussing the NFL's best offenses heading into 2015.
Despite boasting the likes of A.J. Green, Jeremy Hill, Giovani Bernard, Tyler Eifert and others, the Bengals' weapons are mainly ignored because of their quarterback, Andy Dalton.
"I'm not concerned with Andy as much as everybody else is," offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said Tuesday, via the team's official website. "I understand that we haven't won a playoff game and that falls at his feet, and mine, too, and the rest of the offensive staff and players, as well. But he's done everything -- and I mean this -- he's invested everything that he can into preparing himself to be the best he can be for this season. And I'm totally behind him 100 percent, and I think he's going to have a great year -- not a good year, a great year."
Last season the Bengals' offense was hampered by injuries to Green, Eifert and Marvin Jones. With all his weapons back and two dyanamic running backs, Jackson plans to be more creative with his formations and plays in 2015.
"We're going to open Pandora's box more," Jackson said. "We tickled it a little bit last year. We're going to open it up a little bit more this year and be who I think we can be...But I tell you what, the defenses are so good, the defensive players are so good and they disguise all the time, why can't we? It's a chess match, and whoever is not afraid to pull the trigger, pull the trigger. And I'm not afraid, so let's go."
Jackson isn't afraid and believes Dalton can handle whatever comes out of Pandora's box. The rest of the football world will wait for the quarterback to prove it in a big game.
*The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses which coaches are on the hot seat heading into 2015. *
