Bengals have an edge in opposition to Chiefs with their floor recreation
The Bengals have an edge in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
No, I’m not speaking concerning the passing recreation with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. All of us are conscious of the Bengals high-flying passing offense. However their effectiveness within the run recreation is simply as spectacular. We noticed how they managed the sport on the bottom with the Payments final week within the divisional spherical, however that wasn’t the identical offense from the start of the season.
Joe Mixon didn’t see his first 100+ yard speeding recreation till week 9 of the common season. In opposition to the Carolina Panthers in Week 9, Mixon scored a Bengals franchise document of 5 touchdowns; it was additionally a Panthers document for many scored by a single participant in opposition to them.
Earlier than the Panthers recreation, the Bengals have been solely speeding for 81 yards per recreation which was 30st within the NFL.
One thing modified.
“We got here out firing, we have been bodily, and you’ll simply inform from the way in which the backs have been enjoying, the way in which the linemen and tight ends and in addition receivers — they have been blocking their (butts) off at the moment,” Mixon stated after the Panthers recreation. “And I’m simply very excited that we’ve a balanced assault at the moment. (Head coach) Zac (Taylor) saved calling the runs, and we principally have been attempting to be as bodily as potential. … I’m simply principally very pleased for my crew.”
The Bengals have been lastly wholesome and enjoying with physicality. That was their mission in opposition to the Buffalo Payments as effectively, to out-physical the crew on the opposite facet in each single side, from the working to the blocking.
The Bengals out performed the Payments within the trenches, and so they solely had two of their beginning offensive linemen obtainable, left guard Cordell Volson and middle Ted Karras. So, their plan was to direct the run recreation via them.
They ran duo blocks, counters, and wham blocks, all directed in direction of the defensive tackles, pushing the ball proper up the intestine.
On the fourth run play of the sport, they’d these two offensive linemen take out the defensive sort out after which proper sort out Hakeem Adeniji {No. 77), pull throughout the road and lead block for Mixon.
They used a puller a number of alternative ways to get open lanes up entrance. Even utilizing a good finish to return throughout the road of scrimmage and choose up the sting defender whereas the left sort out works his approach upfield.
Count on these similar kind of blocks in opposition to the Chiefs this upcoming week within the AFC Championship recreation.
The Bengals used a wham block with tight finish Mitchell Wilcox of their final matchup as effectively, again in December, permitting Samaje Perine to achieve six yards on the play.
Even the Jacksonville Jaguars discovered some success utilizing Wham blocking scheme in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs final week. Tight finish Evan Engram got here throughout the road and took out the sting defender permitting Travis Etienne to punch it up the intestine.
The Chiefs’ weakest a part of their line of defense is the center and the appropriate sort out gaps, in line with Soccer Outsiders. They’re twenty seventh when defending runs to the ‘Mid/Guard’ and twenty second ranked when the offense runs towards their ‘Proper sort out’:
After all, it’s nice if the Bengals backfield can bounce performs outdoors stepping into open area, however their finest guess is to assault the within.
Ultimately, an important factor for the Bengals offensive line is to play in unison and they need to be simply fantastic.
“You bought three new guys that haven’t performed collectively an entire lot. It’s a loud surroundings which already makes it tough with guys who’re on the identical web page,” proper sort out Hakeem Adeniji stated. “That was primary, clearly there’s different issues however that was the most important factor. I really feel like we have been in a position to nail that and we have been in unison on plenty of the stuff that we have been doing and it pays dividends.”
Though the passing recreation for the Bengals is their bread-and-butter, this recreation will likely be received via the bottom recreation, and may very well be the distinction maker between these two groups.