Bengals rank near NFL's bottom in play-action usage through Week 5

The Cincinnati Bengals have a supremely talented NFL passing attack, but they are an outlier in how rarely they use play action.

Per Sharp Football Analysis , Cincinnati has used play action on just 12.2% of its offensive snaps this season. That ranks 31st among 32 teams, ahead of only the Philadelphia Eagles at 10.4%.

The New Orleans Saints are next at 12.3%, while no other team sits below 12.9%.

It continues a trend from last season. Pro Football Focus noted that Cincinnati used play action at a 17.1% rate in 2025, well below the NFL average of 25.65%.

Despite that tendency, Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense have produced. Cincinnati comes into its Week 6 bye at 3-2 while averaging 25.6 points per game. Burrow threw four touchdown passes in a 31-24 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 5.

Regardless, the play-action number is an evident offensive tendency to evaluate during the bye before an AFC North matchup with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7.