Is it the OLine or the RB’s

[Soonerpeace]

(12-11-2023, 11:45 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: He hurt his hamstring leading up to week 7 - they gave him like two carries leading up to that. It's still ridiculous they didn't use him at all before that. 

And with Joe hurt and Chase struggling in protection mostly due to experience? Gotcha.

[Whatever]

(12-11-2023, 11:45 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: He hurt his hamstring leading up to week 7 - they gave him like two carries leading up to that. It's still ridiculous they didn't use him at all before that. 

Why?  He didn't really have any positive reports out of TC and he had a poor showing in preseason.  The player you see today probably isn't the player you'd be seeing if you gave him significant touches in week one.  He needed time to get comfortable and up to speed.  

[WeezyBengal]

(12-11-2023, 11:50 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: And with Joe hurt and Chase struggling in protection mostly due to inexperience? Gotcha.

How do you know he was "struggling with protection"? 

There is zero reason they couldn't scheme a package up for him. Runs, screens etc. Those don't even require blocking. Take advantage of some of his speed and spell Mixon.

Im not saying to put him in there on every 3rd down or give him 10 carries a game. But there is no reason that they couldnt have sprinkled him in 4-5 times a game.

[jj22]

It's Burrow. His offense just isn't good for the run game / pass protection. Maybe they need to take back some power over playcalling.

[Soonerpeace]

(12-11-2023, 12:09 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: How do you know he was "struggling with protection"? 

There is zero reason they couldn't scheme a package up for him. Runs, screens etc. Those don't even require blocking. Take advantage of some of his speed and spell Mixon.

Im not saying to put him in there on every 3rd down or give him 10 carries a game. But there is no reason that they couldnt have sprinkled him in 4-5 times a game.

Justin Hill has Zac’s support in every way. If he told Zac that Chase needed more touches he’d do it. Zac relies on his staff to determine who is ready.

[Sled21]

(12-11-2023, 12:24 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: Wait...you’re the Mixon fan boy, right? Am I remembering correctly? If so, LOL

And what’s with Mixon saying Brown’s playing well because “he’s been studying me”

The ego on that guy. Mixon is only good at receiving. Mixon s a bad runner of the football.

95% of NFL players have huge egos...

[Frank Booth]

(12-11-2023, 12:37 PM)Sled21 Wrote: 95% of NFL players have huge egos...

Idk. It’s like if Tyrod took credit for baker mayfield playing well during his rookie year

Mixon might’ve said it half jokingly, I haven’t even seen the footage of him saying it. I’ll just drop it lol

[Sled21]

(12-11-2023, 12:43 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: Idk. It’s like if Tyrod took credit for baker mayfield playing well during his rookie year

Mixon might’ve said it half jokingly, I haven’t even seen the footage of him saying it. I’ll just drop it lol

I mean, you are right, Mixon has a huge ego. But that makes him like most of the rest of the league. 

[WeezyBengal]

(12-11-2023, 12:29 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Justin Hill has Zac’s support in every way. If he told Zac that Chase needed more touches he’d do it. Zac relies on his staff to determine who is ready.

So you've never criticized or thought a coach was wrong about anything? 

[Soonerpeace]

(12-11-2023, 12:53 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: So you've never criticized or thought a coach was wrong about anything? 

Absolutely. I think Pollack is not good at scheming. I wanted Browning over Allen last year but that was Callahan’s call mostly. I thought they should have got the run game going the first few games to protect Burrow. I’ve been criticizing the lack of run game emphasis for the last several years. I think it’s held the offense back. And I actually agree that Chase’s speed should have dictated more touches but I’m not there to see the pluses and minuses of Brown. But they could have sure used him on a few screens here and there in spot duty.

[NUGDUKWE]

(12-11-2023, 11:20 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: He struggled on the protection calls. After Pitt They brought in an extra TE and allowed him to think about his reads and the coverages. With the protection calls to worry about plus reads and coverages he was overwhelmed.

I'm sure protection is part of the equation. But he seemed to really struggle to read the safeties in particular post snap against Pitt. They gave him more plays with 1 or 2 reads to lower his need for post snap reads which has seemed to help him.

[NUGDUKWE]

(12-11-2023, 11:45 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: He hurt his hamstring leading up to week 7 - they gave him like two carries leading up to that. It's still ridiculous they didn't use him at all before that. 

Ridiculous they didn't get any of the other RBs involved.  I know Evans got dinged up early as well and apparently had some miscues and I am probably letting my Fandom speak that he should have some touches. But dude had 2 carries against the Browns week 1. 1 for 7 and 1 for 5 and then never saw another touch ever. 

[NUGDUKWE]

(12-11-2023, 11:51 AM)Whatever Wrote: Why?  He didn't really have any positive reports out of TC and he had a poor showing in preseason.  The player you see today probably isn't the player you'd be seeing if you gave him significant touches in week one.  He needed time to get comfortable and up to speed.  

He did flash in the preseason. I get his runs weren't great but he had a long catch and run showing his speed. There is some truth to what your saying though. Things are good right now and feel like we are doing a good job of getting the balls into our playmakers hands and letting them make a play. We just need to continue to do this in the future. 

I had thought this is in the past with Boyd and wondering about his lack of targets at times. That we had the mindset that Chase and Higgins were are truly explosive players so those are were are targets need to go. Which there is truth to this. But I wonder if our whole offensive mindset is this. Let Burrow see the whole play so cut out play action cut out misdirection roll outs because you are limiting the field for Burrow. I get this thinking because you want to give Burrow the whole field with a healthy target share to Chase and Higginsand essentially maximizeour potential each play. But hurt the RBs and the line as well as some other players who might have an easier time getting open in these situations. 

[Sled21]

(12-11-2023, 12:29 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Justin Hill has Zac’s support in every way. If he told Zac that Chase needed more touches he’d do it. Zac relies on his staff to determine who is ready.

Exactly. There's a good chance if they played Brown from the beginning, without this extra time from Hill teaching him, he would not have been as successful as  he has been the last two weeks. He's a rookie for crying out loud.

[WeezyBengal]

(12-11-2023, 01:38 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Exactly. There's a good chance if they played Brown from the beginning, without this extra time from Hill teaching him, he would not have been as successful as  he has been the last two weeks. He's a rookie for crying out loud.

There have been hundreds of players that have come in and played well as rookies, especially at running back. That is such a weak excuse. Mixon split 50% of the snap count when he was a rookie. 

[*Synric*]

(12-11-2023, 02:01 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: There have been hundreds of players that have come in and played well as rookies, especially at running back. That is such a weak excuse. Mixon split 50% of the snap count when he was a rookie. 

Chase Brown was technically 4th on the depth chart through training camp and 3rd after Chris Evans was injured. TreVeyon Williams was the guy they wanted to get going at the beginning of the year but they ended up leaning harder into Mixon and using Drew Sample as a 3rd down back.

[Soonerpeace]

(12-11-2023, 02:01 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: There have been hundreds of players that have come in and played well as rookies, especially at running back. That is such a weak excuse. Mixon split 50% of the snap count when he was a rookie. 

It depends on the player. Chase a 5th rounder. Isiah Pacheco had 44 vs 29 from Brown his first 8 games. Everybody’s different

[ezekiel23]

(12-10-2023, 10:23 PM)Whacked Wrote: 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.

It’s ALWAYS the OL first.It also doesn’t hurt to have a RB who runs fearless,and has breakaway speed.I think we have a good combo with Chase Brown and Joe Mixon.

[*SHRacerX*]

(12-10-2023, 10:23 PM)Whacked Wrote: 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.

I’ve been saying it since week 1: they needed to have more balance. The run game doesn’t have to be 8 YPC to be effective and slow down pass rushers.

The four games they broke 30 points, they were balanced in offense

[*psychdoctor*]

(12-10-2023, 11:17 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: 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.

In a way, the Bengals with Browning seem more balanced on offense.  I think ZT feels the need to rely on Burrow to win the games.  With Browning, ZT is leaning on others to help the green QB.  Maybe next year, coaching staff should play Burrow under center more.