This Sunday Is The First Test For This Defense

[Fan_in_Kettering]

(10-06-2021, 08:48 PM)Nately120 Wrote: So yea, this game should be quite the step up from the first 4 games.  And yes, it should be a test for the offense, too.  If Mixon isn't playing or is limited that's going to add to the pressure for Burrow to throw the ball 50+ times to keep up with Rodgers.

I can’t believe I am about to give props to Zac Taylor but this year has been far different than the previous two with respect to play calling. He’s still not where he needs to be but I give Zac his due credit for being much more balanced than he has been in the past. The most passes Joe Burrow has attempted this year is 32 which is awesome. Like it or not, the run game will have to be there on Sunday to beat Green Bay which means Chris Evans and Samaje Perine have to put on their big boy pads and carry the load. The offensive line is run blocking better than in the past so it’s not like Evans and Perine won’t get opportunities to excel.

Throwing the ball 50+ times per game resulted into embarrassingly bad seasons for Zac Taylor and the Bengals. It didn’t even matter who was doing the passing because neither Andy Dalton nor Joe Burrow succeeded without a run game to complement their passing ability. Passing less has resulted in an impressive 3-1 start which I freely admit I did not see coming.