Yahoo! ranked every team's running back situation, and I was surprised to see us ranked 7th:

Quote:7. Cincinnati Bengals

Starter: Jeremy Hill/Joe Mixon

Third down: Mixon/Giovani Bernard

Backup: Cedric Peerman

The Bengals are a tough group to rank. Jeremy Hill averaged under four yards per carry for the second straight year, but he remains fantastic in the red zone. Bernard is a versatile weapon who has averaged nearly 50 catches per year but is coming off a torn ACL. And then there’s Mixon, whose skill set should translate very well to the pros, but he’s just a rookie and he’ll have off-field questions following him for the rest of his career. If things go well — Mixon becomes the lead back sooner rather than later, Bernard is close to 100 percent and Hill continues his short-yardage dominance — this is one of the league’s elite backfields. If things go poorly — Mixon struggles to adapt to a pro offense, Hill continues to struggle and Bernard isn’t the same player he once was — the Bengals are in trouble.

I keep saying that I don't see Hill even making the team, and I'm still very bitter over the fumble, but it even notes that he wasn't very good last season and that Bernard is coming off injury. This is weird because they don't talk-up Mixon much, but I guess that they're expecting him to come in and light the NFL on fire because otherwise this doesn't make any sense.

There's also the issue of the line, which is why Elliot and the Cowboys are ranked first, but I guess they're like me in that they're gaining confidence in our line.

Steelers are #2, which going off Bell's talent might make sense, but he can't stay healthy and they have nothing behind him that they can rely on.

(07-11-2017, 04:57 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Yahoo! ranked every team's running back situation, and I was surprised to see us ranked 7th:


I keep saying that I don't see Hill even making the team, and I'm still very bitter over the fumble, but it even notes that he wasn't very good last season and that Bernard is coming off injury.  This is weird because they don't talk-up Mixon much, but I guess that they're expecting him to come in and light the NFL on fire because otherwise this doesn't make any sense.

There's also the issue of the line, which is why Elliot and the Cowboys are ranked first, but I guess they're like me in that they're gaining confidence in our line.

Steelers are #2, which going off Bell's talent might make sense, but he can't stay healthy and they have nothing behind him that they can rely on.

I don't see them cutting Hill unless he looks just terrible in pre-season.  I see him making a bit of a comeback actually.  My big fear is that we'll expect Gio to be ready too soon, or that we'll decide to go with 3 running backs.

I think we'll have a good stable and that Mixon will be an excellent back.  My hope is that we'll keep Peerman but PUP Gio and keep one of the newer backs (I really like the kid out of KY) and give him a chance to prove himself while Gio fully mends.

The Bengals RB situation could well be in the top 5, or it could be very ho-hum ?

But that's why Hill won't be cut. Who knows how Gio's knee is gonna be under real game stress ? And Mixon is a rookie. I don't have a lot of faith that Hill can turn it around but if they'd cut him and Gio can't recover and Mixon struggles they would look like total fools.

I see Hill starting out getting a large % of the carries. But if he returns to 2 yard Jeremy form and Mixon is coming along I could see the tables turn a few games in.

It's going to be interesting huh ?

(07-11-2017, 05:44 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: The Bengals RB situation could well be in the top 5, or it could be very ho-hum ?

But that's why Hill won't be cut. Who knows how Gio's knee is gonna be under real game stress ? And Mixon is a rookie. I don't have a lot of faith that Hill can turn it around but if they'd cut him and Gio can't recover and Mixon struggles they would look like total fools.

I see Hill starting out getting a large % of the carries. But if he returns to 2 yard Jeremy form and Mixon is coming along I could see the tables turn a few games in.

It's going to be interesting huh ?

Be very interesting.

I'm starting to side with both of you about keeping Hill, especially since his salary is just over a million and he won't cost much.  I feel like Hill's too focused on his touchdown dances and not worried enough about just running hard.  I think that he and Mixon will split carries to start, with Hill getting all the goal-line carries.  

Might also be good on Mixon to not make him take a full load to start the season and just progressively give him more carries.

I haven't heard anything in a while, but Gio was progressing well in the spring, and no news is good news.

The Steelers did just draft James Connor, so I wouldn't say they have nothing behind Bell. Unknown, but not nothing.

I think talent-wise we have to be top 10. It's just a matter of whether or not we can get solid run blocking. We've ranked 20th or worse in YPC every year since 2006...with the exception of 2014. Mixon will be the latest 2nd round talent at RB and probably the most talented RB we've drafted since Dillon. If he struggles, again you have to look at the o-line.

Of course, Paul has a perma-job, so that situation is hopeless. We just have to hope that Andre makes a big difference and Mixon is the type of all-world talent that can produce in spite of everything.

Hmmm, hard to say the media is out to get us when we get 7th and our RB room features a rookie, an injured RB, and a RB we deem to be a garunteed loss if we hand him the ball. Wacky.

(07-11-2017, 04:57 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Steelers are #2, which going off Bell's talent might make sense, but he can't stay healthy and they have nothing behind him that they can rely on.

The Steelers are ranked that high because their offensive line run blocks exceptionally well no matter who their running back is.  Yes, they hold a lot but their line opens lots of holes.

(07-11-2017, 10:53 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: The Steelers are ranked that high because their offensive line run blocks exceptionally well no matter who their running back is.  Yes, they hold a lot but their line opens lots of holes.

Easy to do when you don't get called for holding.....

(07-11-2017, 08:14 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: The Steelers did just draft James Connor, so I wouldn't say they have nothing behind Bell. Unknown, but not nothing.

Well remember what potential means.. have not done "shit yet" lol... rookies can fall into this for many... so I would say they are very weak at this point overall with backups... 

(07-11-2017, 10:56 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Easy to do when you don't get called for holding.....

Just like New England.  

I simply can't see 7th for the Bengals. Hill is awful, Gio wasn't good last year and is coming off knee surgery, and Mixon has proven nothing. That's not even getting into the OL... anyway, other observations:

-Cleveland at 19th seems particularly odd to me. Crowell and Johnson Jr were a pretty darn effective combo, going 271 carries/1,310 yards (4.83 AVG)/8 TD and added 93 catches/833 yards (8.96 AVG)/0 TD through the air. Those numbers are likely only going to increase with the improved OL Cleveland will be trotting out there.

-Bears are at 11th is still too low. Jordan Howard ran for over 1,300 yards at 5.2 YPC last year despite only getting 12 carries in the first 3 weeks. He was also a decent if not overly-utilized pass catcher (29/298/1). They don't have anything proven behind him, but he was still 2nd in yards and 2nd in YPC (min 160 carries) last year.

-Dolphins at 10th I think is too high. I'm not 100% sold on Ajayi. He had a couple monster games (including two against the turrible Bills) but a lot of bad games. He went for 3.39 YPC in 5 games against top 10 rushing defenses. He also caught 27 passes for 151 yards (5.6 AVG) in 2016, which isn't good.

-Jags at 9th because of Fournette, but Panthers at 21st despite McCaffrey?

-At 8th, I would trade all three of the Bengals options in 2017 for McCoy in 2017.

-Steelers... I probably would have ranked them lower. Like.. 5th. Bell is better than Murray, for instance.. but not so much so that it outweighs how vastly much better Henry is than Fizgerald Toussaint's career 2.9 YPC.



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

My Tentative Top 10 Rankings:

1st: Cowboys
2nd: Titans
3rd: Falcons
4th: Cardinals
5th: Steelers
6th: Bills
7th: Bears
8th: Saints
9th: Patriots
10th: Browns

(I'm not really giving too much credit for rookies. Sure they can be Eliott, but they can also be Richardson. Prove it and then I will rank you higher.)

But Jeremy Hill said we have the best backfield in the league...

(07-11-2017, 08:14 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: The Steelers did just draft James Connor, so I wouldn't say they have nothing behind Bell. Unknown, but not nothing.

(07-11-2017, 10:53 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: The Steelers are ranked that high because their offensive line run blocks exceptionally well no matter who their running back is.  Yes, they hold a lot but their line opens lots of holes.

Sadly the stealers have a history of finding quality players, that is why they are normally in the Superbowl hunt.
Typing that makes me throw up a little in my mouth .

I stopped reading when I saw "Jeremy Hill is fantastic in the red zone".

(07-11-2017, 04:57 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Yahoo! ranked every team's running back situation, and I was surprised to see us ranked 7th:


I keep saying that I don't see Hill even making the team, and I'm still very bitter over the fumble, but it even notes that he wasn't very good last season and that Bernard is coming off injury.  This is weird because they don't talk-up Mixon much, but I guess that they're expecting him to come in and light the NFL on fire because otherwise this doesn't make any sense.

There's also the issue of the line, which is why Elliot and the Cowboys are ranked first, but I guess they're like me in that they're gaining confidence in our line.

Steelers are #2, which going off Bell's talent might make sense, but he can't stay healthy and they have nothing behind him that they can rely on.

Seriously, as I looked at the list, I could only see Jax as a team that may deserve to be ranked ahead of the Bengals.  The Bengals may have a question mark with Hill, but he has been very successful in the NFL for an entire season, and a lot of teams have rookies like Mixon that will be asked to contribute.

Jax having Fournette and TJ Yeldon is a potentially dominant duo.  If Bortles can stop throwing it to the other team, their offense could be very tough.

One other point as I looked through the list:  SF 49ers.  Carlos Hyde.  I thought that guy was going to be amazing, and he started very strong.  How much of it was that lost offensive system with Chip Kelly?  How much was no QB play?  I wouldn't write that guy off yet, and I am sure he sees the love Zeke Elliott is receiving and wants a piece of that action...albeit in a tougher division defensively and with much less of an offensive line.  Still, he averaged 4.6 ypc last year.  I would take that.

I think Hill will have a good year simply because he now knows if he doesn't Mixon is going to take his spot (which he probably will anyway). I think Hill is the type that has to be pushed. Gio, if he is not 100% and ready to go, is most closely matched in style by Boom Williams. I'd love to see Boom crack the roster, but that would mean unseating the Rev, and with Ced's ST contributions I don't know that I see that happening. But, with the youth movement and all, Williams may have a chance. I'd love to see it.....

(07-12-2017, 08:09 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I stopped reading when I saw "Jeremy Hill is fantastic in the red zone".

Agree. Hes great in his own mind.

(07-11-2017, 04:57 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Yahoo! ranked every team's running back situation, and I was surprised to see us ranked 7th:


I keep saying that I don't see Hill even making the team, and I'm still very bitter over the fumble, but it even notes that he wasn't very good last season and that Bernard is coming off injury.  This is weird because they don't talk-up Mixon much, but I guess that they're expecting him to come in and light the NFL on fire because otherwise this doesn't make any sense.

There's also the issue of the line, which is why Elliot and the Cowboys are ranked first, but I guess they're like me in that they're gaining confidence in our line.

Steelers are #2, which going off Bell's talent might make sense, but he can't stay healthy and they have nothing behind him that they can rely on.

The Steelers drafted James Conner to be the backup. Sure, he isn't necessarily Fournette, Mixon, or McCaffrey, but he's a big, tough RB that also demonstrated receiving skills last year.
His best rushing season was 2014 (1765 yds, 26 TDs) before being diagnosed with lymphoma in 2015. He came back with a vengeance last year though and put up 1092 rush yards with 16 rush TDs along with 302 receiving yards and 4 rec TDs.
He's a similar mold to Le'Veon Bell.

Their backfield isn't in as bad of shape as some may think.

(07-11-2017, 08:50 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I think talent-wise we have to be top 10. It's just a matter of whether or not we can get solid run blocking. We've ranked 20th or worse in YPC every year since 2006...with the exception of 2014. Mixon will be the latest 2nd round talent at RB and probably the most talented RB we've drafted since Dillon. If he struggles, again you have to look at the o-line.

Of course, Paul has a perma-job, so that situation is hopeless. We just have to hope that Andre makes a big difference and Mixon is the type of all-world talent that can produce in spite of everything.

Exactly right.....pretty much what I came here to post.  It all hinges on the o line.  Let's hope the offseason work Og and Fisher put in pays off big time.  According to our "well respected" o line tackling dummy, they can't be coached up during the season.  I'm starting to wonder if they can be coached up during camp or any other time they're not working with an outside consultant.