If Burrow is out Zac will be exposed

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(11-30-2023, 04:57 PM)jj22 Wrote: Are they bad at running the ball or do they just not commit? I wouldn't say they've been bad this year. Get Mixon 20+ carries and holes will open in the 4th quarter. His average would improve. If they are only able to score 10 points, then some of those 3 and outs could be 2 running plays. Replace some of those wide receiver screens for -2 yards. Eventually runs will break through in the 4th quarter if you keep pounding the ball. 

Steelers were giving up 4.0 yards per carry to opposing rb's. They could have possibly won the game if they fed the rb's 20 caries. With a backup quarter back, I'd rather see a 3 and out's with run attempts then 3 pass attempts out of empty leading to a 30 second possession. 

They should take this opportunity to develop a run game for 2024. They might not win games, but to see the run game come alive would be something significant heading into 2024 given we'll have many of the same components outside of RT going into that year as it relates to the run game.

From the article I linked...

"The spread and shred identity of the Bengals will [most likely] always be what they look like as a team. There is a give and take with getting Burrow under center more often to try to get shot plays off of play action and a more effective run game, but overall that’s never going to be the identity of the offense. Burrow is not just a cog in the offensive machine. He is the machine.


Personnel wise this is also pretty much all they can do this season. Outside of the offensive line, they have one good blocker in Drew Sample. They cannot get heavy with multiple tight ends because Tanner Hudson, Mitchell Wilcox, Irv Smith, and every wide receiver lacks the ability to block. The run game design and personnel is for them to beat teams on the ground when they sell out to stop the passing game. We saw this work against the Ravens in the game Burrow got hurt.


In the seven carries that Mixon had before Burrow went down, he picked up 43 yards (6.14 yards per carry), with five of those plays being successful run plays (71.4%). They found a way to punish Baltimore on the ground for being in two-high (safety) shells the entire game. The Bengals had a 0% success rate against the Steelers and ran for 16 yards on eight carries (2-yards per carry). They are not built to deal with the extra man in the box with who they have on this team."