Running Mixon Is The Key To Victory!

[BFritz21]

(11-07-2022, 12:18 PM)LebanonFan Wrote: Mixon looked like he was running harder and more decisively.  He looked like he was shot out of a cannon on some plays.  Really, the jet sweeps looked like that too…like the play had already gained yardage before it could even be diagnosed.  Not sure that can happen every week, but it looked well planned.  Also plenty of Stanley Morgan blocks on the edge to spring 5 yard gains to 8-12 yards

Yeah and hopefully we see that version of Mixon for the rest of the year because he sees that he runs better that way.

That's why I always wanted Burrow under center- because Mixon looked like he hit the line faster and harder when he started towards the line at the snap when Burrow was under center (and even hit the hole faster when it was a slightly delayed handoff with Burrow under center).

Like I said, if we see that version of Mixon for the rest of the year, we'll be tough to stop.

(11-07-2022, 12:21 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Maybe Mixon has been tentative because there’s been no room to run. He’s bad about that but the blocking hasn’t been good. It’s been awful. Maybe they came together but the OL hasn’t come close to this previously

I think Mixon hitting the holes faster also helped the line but, yes, I did like the way they played.

Sometimes, it was like a few of them just stayed shoulder-to-shoulder and slanted one way, which then Mixon cut-back off opposite of where they were slanting and the defenders' momentum took them out of the play.

(11-07-2022, 01:10 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I think showing to have at least the ability to run the ball is the key to success.

Should we pound the rock 30 plus times a game? No. Do we need to show we CAN run the ball to take advantage and get teams out of these two high shells? Yes.

That will be even HUGE and even more beneficial when Chase comes back because it will be defensive coordinators picking the way they want us to beat them.

Hell, we don't NEED to pound it 30x a game, but, if it's working, why there hell not? Like I said, Mixon didn't carry in the 4th and still had that many carries. Moving the chains is what's important and a run game is very important to that, especially when our pass defense isn't too good. 

(11-07-2022, 01:22 PM)Gdale_Bengal Wrote: The key to success is the offensive line. If they play at a high level, the offense will play at a higher level because Burrow should be more effective. Mixon shedding tackles and making good cuts is a part of that.

I agree.

Mixon running north/south is key because he naturally sheds tackles and makes cuts off of instincts.

I PRAY that Zac sees all this and sticks with it because sometimes it's like he tries too hard and gets too complicated.

The AFCN is a power division, especially when it gets colder.

(11-07-2022, 01:43 PM)Go Cards Wrote: This ^^^^^^^^^^

Mixon ran much more decisively and even looked faster yesterday and hope this Joe is what Bengals get the rest of the season.

But overlooked is how well the O-line played and Zac overriding Joe's preference to always be in the shotgun by mixing it up with runs out of both and keeping the defense guessing. 

Liked the change of pace in the passing game with Burrow looking like Brady in his prime by getting the ball out quickly and on target as well. 

Heck the ST's looked awesome as well except we need Evan to regain his confidence. 

But yes, everybody looked like different players yesterday including Mixon, nice to see.

I think Joe will go with whatever works and hopefully Zac points out in films today how much better we were under center and Burrow goes with it.

Play action will also be a lot better with a good run game.

(11-07-2022, 01:43 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: He was hitting holes like he had something to prove.  I haven't seen him playing that hard in quite some time.  I wonder if someone called him out on effort?

No clue but, whatever it was, I'm glad that it happened!

I loved the sideline shots of him showing that spin move to Burrow and just loving playing because you know him enjoying the game will keep him running hard and will let him have a better second half of the season!

(11-07-2022, 01:44 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Well said, Brad.

It is definitely exciting given that Carolina is actually (statistically) a really good run defense team.  Frustrating as hell they couldn't get that together the previous week against the Browns, but I am very encouraged with how the line blocked and how both RBs were punishing tacklers.  That looked like an angry Mixon and Perine and I will take that.

Burrow's quote is eerily similar to the one last year he said on the sidelines before the first Baltimore game.  He said something to the effect of "If we can win our division, we can win the whole thing...".  And I remember seeing Higgins nodding like "Yeah, you're probably right".  Well, if they can have that kind of run blocking and rushing attack, along with getting Chase back, they just might go on another late season run.

Sure, I wish they had Chido, but I thought CTB stepped up and played really well.  He got downgraded on PFF for a penalty that he didn't need to commit (even though it was really ticky-tack) and the amazing TD grab by Marshall.  He was in place to defend it and tried to rip it out, but the bigger Marshall boxed him out and made the play.  That happens.  He was really solid in run defense, and if you think how that will matter down the stretch playing the Browns again, the steelers, the ratbirds, as well as teams like Tennessee and the Bucs, that could be a nice boost.  

Run defense is often overlooked for a CB, but CTB is a very tough and solid tackler.  He will need to be against the steelers.  

I think one of the things that worked, and I hope that Zac noticed it, was getting the line going in one direction and, even if they're not blowing them back, since the d-linemen are all going in one direction, there was nothing they could do when Mixon cuts back and then he's in the secondary/open field, and he's tough to tackle (or even get hands on) out there.

It sounds Burrow isn't going to be the Palmer-type that wanted to throw no matter what and realizes that his game will be a lot better with Mixon eating!

(11-07-2022, 01:47 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Heck if the Bengals did not need to get healthy ? Would rather to keep playing and ride this momentum for a few more games.

Yet we need to get healthy and have no choice in the matter. Hopefully they're just as hungry and much more healthier when they emerge from the Bye.

I'm glad that we have a bye this late and that we got this convincing of a win going into it because the players have two weeks to be on mental highs and work even harder in practice and the weight room because they're anxious to get back at it.

We'll need that momentum and health going into Pittsburgh, which is always a tough place for us to win, regardless of records, and then a win in Pitt will give us even more momentum because this end stretch of games is a rough one.

(11-07-2022, 01:48 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: True, and he didn't get to run the unbalanced line at the end of the Jets game like Perine did.  I was glad to see some of that, and as I alluded to in another post, they actually threw the ball once from the unbalanced line.  Great trend breaker.  

But you are correct.  It was a running GAME and not just a couple plays to give Joe a carry here and there.  They had purpose and punched Carolina in the mouth.  I would LOVE to see that kind of tenacity against pitt in two weeks on National TV. 

We need to come out and punch every team in the mouth!

(11-07-2022, 01:49 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Panthers have the 28th ranked rushing defense.
They have allowed over 100 rushing yards in all but 2 games this season. Over 150 yards on the ground 4 times including the Bengals game.
Mixon did rush for 6.95 YPC, but that's been the highest of the season by over 1 YPC. He's rushed for under 4.0 in all but 3 games including yesterday's game.

So did Mixon run great? Absolutely.
But this is probably going to be the high mark this season, and he'll come back to earth (3.5-4.0) for most of the remaining games.

Not trying to be a hater, just realistic.

They were 7th in terms of YPC, which is most important.

(11-07-2022, 02:17 PM)J24 Wrote: According  to Paul Dehner the Panthers were #1 in run defense DOVA coming into the game. 

It was definitely an impressive performance by our offense!

(11-07-2022, 02:32 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: Using total yards isn’t very informative, though. Yes, the Panthers have allowed the 28th most yards because they have faced a lot of rushing attempts…because they are often losing. They were 7th in yards per carry allowed going into yesterday. They weren’t/aren’t a bad rushing defense.

Exactly.

It was a solid performance by our run offense and by Pollack because a lot of those blocking schemes were perfect/

(11-07-2022, 04:30 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: Well, yes and no. The problem with using the standard ranking is that it is a volume stat. Teams run often on the Panthers, but they haven't ran well on the Panthers. The Panthers have given up a lot of yards because they have faced a lot of attempts. Teams generally don't run that well on them, though. The ways that they are finding is just to run often because the Panthers are often down, so clock is being killed. 

It's a bit like me telling you that Mahomes threw for over 400 yards last night. Does that tell you how well he played? No, not really. It took him 72 dropbacks to get there. He didn't play very well at all, but he threw for a lot of yards...because the threw the ball a lot. 

That's why I was impressed with yesterday.

I hope we keep it going!