I don’t think it’s “all” Chase or even a better Mixon lately …

I think the OLine is playing VERY well giving the RB’s the ability to find and hit holes.

Jake has been upright as well.

Not to take from Chase (who looks great); but even Barry Sanders can’t run through a brick wall.

Kudos to them for elevating their game and at the right time.

This is coming from someone who has been highly critical of them all year.

The burst of Chase has helped but he’s not running that much. Mixon is doing better too … it’s not worrying about Chase. But the OL is playing much better. I’m sure that their continuity has benefitted.

Sunday was the first time since Week 3 of the 2021 season that the Bengals did not surrender a sack in a game, per ESPN Stats & Info.

— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) December 11, 2023

Better play calling.

The he play calling helps. O line is playing much better and today you see how they should use the backs. Mixon is a tough runner but they need to mix Brown in more. He has the jets to take it all the way like we saw today. Mixon does not. It will also keep Mixon fresher (and maybe a little extra motivated?)

The o-line was getting stood up today on short situations. But that Colts front is very good. It’s a mixture of the line and Mixon

They go from under 10 carries 3 weeks ago in the last loss to 30 plus carries during the last 2 wins. That's how you establish a run attack; by committing to it. It makes the line and rb's look much better, helps them get into a groove, softens the defense, and forces the opposing DC to guess more. I've been wanting them to do this more for 2 years. It's also great seeing Brown used, and I suspect we will be seeing more of him henceforth. I think he's the future of the Cincy running attack.

When Mixon is in you don’t really have to guarantee edge because Mixon never cuts back.


When Chase comes in teams are so used to defending Mixon they are lax on the edge and he’s able to make 1 guy miss and get yardage.

Chase Brown better enjoy this easy “We don’t know who the hell you are” defense because he’s about to be featured in a lot of scouting reports.

Probably biggest thing is not being in shotgun 97% of the time.

The run blocking has improved allowing ZT to call more running plays. Mixon is an under appreciated work horse RB, Chase is the fast change of pace back I did not think we had on the roster until last week.

The running game keeps us in 3rd and shorter situations so teams can't just tee off on our OL, they have to respect the running game all of a sudden.

I really think Chase Brown is making the run game look good. Mixon is averaging 3.7 ypc the last 2 games. So he still isn’t good

(12-10-2023, 11:51 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: I really think Chase Brown is making the run game look good. Mixon is averaging 3.7 ypc the last 2 games. So he still isn’t good

Great article on Brown in the Athletic by Paul Dehner

RBs were great in pass catching, but the offense still finished at 3.5 ypc on the ground. 3.5ypc over a season would be tied for last in the NFL this year.

We don't have to be great at running the ball, we just need teams to know we are capable of running the ball. I think this is why our pass-blocking has been better.

(12-10-2023, 11:05 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Probably biggest thing is not being in shotgun 97% of the time.

This for sure! Also running the ball more than 2-3 times per quarter helps the linemen. It keeps the defense on their heels and no just rushing every down. It also gives our defense some rest. Being one dimensional is never good. We need to keep this offensive strategy even when Joe get back.

Depends on the defense. You just are not going to line up and run it down Pitsburgh's throat or any other team in our division. You are going to have to throw it more. Right now where we are in our schedule, I think it's a combo of the line and the backs hitting the holes fast and strong

(12-11-2023, 01:48 AM)sandwedge Wrote: Depends on the defense. You just are not going to line up and run it down Pitsburgh's throat or any other team in our division. You are going to have to throw it more. Right now where we are in our schedule, I think it's a combo of the line and the backs hitting the holes fast and strong

Actually Pissburgh is well down the list of good run D's - 21st

It's pass rush where they excel. But they still give up a good bit of passing yards. It's just weird how they don't give up a lot of points. 

(12-10-2023, 11:51 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: I really think Chase Brown is making the run game look good. Mixon is averaging 3.7 ypc the last 2 games. So he still isn’t good

I really think Mixon is undervalued by us alot it's hard being the only back a team leans on. I also think the run game was better than we were giving credit to it this year. We all seem to want to remember the Pitt game and think that's what we were running the ball. I also think yesterday is a perfect example at why you can't just trust the end game stat line. Mixon didn't go under 4 ypc until the end of the game and that was with multiple goal line runs where he didn't get much. I do certainly think Brown has helped and hopefully continues to help. I don't necessarily agree with the thinking that Chase Brown being in there has lit a fire under Mixon. But I will say it certainly felt like on Mixons screen pass that he was really trying to find his own way to score and answer the rookie.

(12-11-2023, 03:44 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Actually Pissburgh is well down the list of good run D's - 21st

It's pass rush where they excel. But they still give up a good bit of passing yards. It's just weird how they don't give up a lot of points. 

Pittsburgh was really bringing an extra defender into the box. I heard on Twitter every time we went under center. Not sure if we only ran from under center that game? But they appeared to commit to the idea of making Browning beat them. Unfortunately for us this was still in the Browning run Burrows offense time. Browning really struggled in particular with post snap reads and left alot out there. 

Who has stats for under center vs shotgun? I've been trying to watch but my kids have sports on Sundays and be sporadically watching. I know with Joe we're in shotgun 100 percent of the time. Under center probably is helping the linemen with their weight being more forward, always a plus in the run game

Related...the effectiveness of our RB screens is fairly unprecedented with Browning. How many times do we see Burrow have to just throw the ball into the ground or the RB get hit almost immediately. Browning really sells it well and of course the OL is doing it's part.