One reason the Bengals have made it to the AFC Championship game is the chemistry between their receivers.
While star rookie Ja’Marr Chase is the headliner, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are also essential to the offense functioning at a high level. Higgins was a second-round pick in the 2020 draft while Boyd has been with the club since 2016, registering a pair of 1,000-yard seasons.
Head coach Zac Taylor and quarterback Joe Burrow touted the group’s unselfishness earlier in the week. And on Thursday, Boyd said that attitude comes from the receivers knowing how good they can be as a collective.
“We all have great friendships and we all care for each other,” Boyd said, via Jake Rice of the team’s website. “We all know our value in the league and on this team. So some games every guy can’t get their rocks off when they want. Even when [there are] times where they probably have been open a few times and the ball is not coming their way.
“But at the end of the day, we all trust Joe to throw it to the guy that’s open or he feels like he has the best chance on that specific play. I’m all about winning now. I didn’t have a 1,000 yard receiving season. [I] did everything I could do early in my career. But now at this point, I just want to win. I’m trying to get to and achieve the milestones that I’ve been wanting to reach early in my career.”
In 2021, Boyd finished third on the Bengals with 67 catches and 828 yards with five touchdowns. Higgins had 74 reception for 1,091 yards with six TDs. And Chase caught 81 passes for 1,453 yards with 13 touchdowns.
Boyd had never even been in a position to play in a postseason game — let alone win one — until this season. Now he’s a step away from checking off another milestone with a Super Bowl berth on the line against the Chiefs on Sunday.
