Mixon severely underutilized in passing game

[*ochocincos*]

(10-17-2019, 11:11 AM)Au165 Wrote: I'd rather have WR's running routes if the idea is just to have people run routes. Just having a HB run routes for the sake of it doesn't really provide a lot of value, especially compared to a guy who all they do is run routes. The value of a back in game that can catch is a mismatch because the other team has to match personnel. Since we can't run they can go lighter personnel nullifying the value of a pass catching back. If you have two backs in and you are three wide you lose your TE who you probably need attached to one of our bad tackles for a chip. A back coming to help from space isn't as effective as an attached TE. If you keep the TE then you have two wide, but with has bad as our run game has been you can still run nickel personnel and let the slot corner take the back out to the strong side which loses you that mismatch.

I'm just saying this all sounds cool, but it comes back to the fact that our line is bad. We need them to pass block in general so that limits you but we also can't run therefor we can't demand the mismatches that makes this whole thing valuable. Gurley for example usually runs a flat route of a PA outside zone leaving him in the flat while the LB's get sucked into the wash to fill gaps. If you don't have to fill gaps because the run game isn't a threat you scrape with depth and get out wide. 

I think Mixon and Bernard are better receivers than the back-end WRs the Bengals have.