When he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020, defensive tackle D.J. Reader wasn’t expecting to spend so much of the game-planning process talking about the detailed process of “formation recognition.”
Reader had a reputation as one of the best run stoppers in the NFL when the Bengals signed him. With what he has learned with the Bengals, Reader has elevated his game.
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s goal is for the Bengals’ run defense to know what they’re doing before the play. The Bengals’ defensive coaching staff spends the week showing examples of the types of runs that the next team on the schedule uses out of each formation.