The Cincinnati Bengals rush offense hasn't seen much efficiency lately.
A pass heavy team that has leaned in on quarterback Joe Burrow's passing glamour, the Bengals haven't witnessed much efficiency from their run game. After Bengals' running backs Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine respectively bounced back in the middle of the season with respective top-notch performances, those seem like a distant memory again.
Mixon, who is averaging 3.9 yards per carry this season, and Perine, who's slightly north of him at 4.1 yards per carry, will need to find some sort of rhythm again after being mostly quiet since December. On top of the fact that the right side of the offensive line is hampered by injuries, the Bengals won't rely exclusively on Burrow who might be in for a long day against the Ravens this weekend.
Baltimore will likely have all of their defensive starters rested and healthy for Sunday night's wild card matchup in Cincinnati after losing to the Bengals less than a week ago. The Bengals enter this weekend with a franchise-record eight game win streak, while the six-seeded Ravens want to spoil the party as they'll be without starting quarterback Lamar Jackson for the sixth straight game.
What will the Bengals have to do in order to have an efficient run game this weekend? And how much will Burrow be safe from a ravenous Ravens pass rush?
The Strictly Stripes crew debates how much is necessary from Perine and Mixon and what their roles could and should look like against Baltimore. They're also joined by special guest Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic as they examine the role and significance of having momentum entering the playoffs.
This podcast features Mohammad Ahmad, Michael Niziolek and special guest Paul Dehner Jr.
Music: Starfields by Hallman
Music Link: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/nQ9ldbVF7D/
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