The key to this years offense will simply be if they can get a running game. The less the team has to lean on Daltons arm the better they will be. IF they can get a running game going then that will open up the passing game and also help Dalton out.

 

Agreed! I said the same thing a few.post earlier. The offense got better each year with gruden. However since dalton struggles so much in big games having a good running game will help with that.

What's Jackson's history with the run vs pass?

What's Jackson's history with the run vs pass?

 

More run oriented, coming off a pass oriented Gruden.

Every team in the NFL would like to run the ball more. Only a few are successful in this regard, and the Bengals likely won't succeed either, given their mediocre offensive line and lack of a star running back. A better option might be to throw more swing passes to the running backs.

Every team in the NFL would like to run the ball more. Only a few are successful in this regard, and the Bengals likely won't succeed either, given their mediocre offensive line and lack of a star running back. A better option might be to throw more swing passes to the running backs.

 

Their offensive line is solid, not the best, but better than average. the only position that is a concern is center and hopefully they addressed that in the draft. They should be able to run the ball effectively with this line. The issue usually is with teams when they get behind 7-10 points early they get away from it. You have to stay with it if you are wanting to run.

 

I am not worried at all that they can run it if they want to.

Their offensive line is solid, not the best, but better than average. the only position that is a concern is center and hopefully they addressed that in the draft. They should be able to run the ball effectively with this line. The issue usually is with teams when they get behind 7-10 points early they get away from it. You have to stay with it if you are wanting to run.

 

I am not worried at all that they can run it if they want to.

Disagree. Bengals' O line is the weak link on the team. Not sure that Whit can play left tackle effectively anymore. (If not him, then who?) As you pointed out, there will be a change at center as well. So with all this uncertainty, why do Hue and Marvin say they're going to run the ball more this year? Makes zero sense. You've got one of the top five wide-outs in NFL in Green, two tight ends who were first-round draft picks and terrific talent in Marvin Jones. So the idea is to put the ball more in the hands of your second-tier playmakers?

Disagree. Bengals' O line is the weak link on the team. Not sure that Whit can play left tackle effectively anymore. (If not him, then who?) As you pointed out, there will be a change at center as well. So with all this uncertainty, why do Hue and Marvin say they're going to run the ball more this year? Makes zero sense. You've got one of the top five wide-outs in NFL in Green, two tight ends who were first-round draft picks and terrific talent in Marvin Jones. So the idea is to put the ball more in the hands of your second-tier playmakers?

 

Whit is solid, as well as Smith. Most teams do not have two tackles this good. They like any team will be hurting if a starting tackle goes down. This team cannot win consistently throwing the ball, or at least haven't with Dalton at QB, yet.

 

I like Dalton and do think he can be effective if he doesn't have to win many games with his arm. Besides Green, their receiving corps is good but not great. Jones showed improvement but disappeared in some games, Sanu hasn't developed as much as I think he should have. Gresham is not dependable and Eifert played like a rookie last year. This team can and should run the ball. Their weak link is at tight end IMO, but they really aren't awful in any area.

Whit is solid, as well as Smith. Most teams do not have two tackles this good. They like any team will be hurting if a starting tackle goes down. This team cannot win consistently throwing the ball, or at least haven't with Dalton at QB, yet.

 

I like Dalton and do think he can be effective if he doesn't have to win many games with his arm. Besides Green, their receiving corps is good but not great. Jones showed improvement but disappeared in some games, Sanu hasn't developed as much as I think he should have. Gresham is not dependable and Eifert played like a rookie last year. This team can and should run the ball. Their weak link is at tight end IMO, but they really aren't awful in any area.

Bengals haven't had a legit running game since Rudi Johnson ran between the tackles 10 or so years ago. So now Marvin and Hue yearn to return to the days of Ced Benson gaining 95 yards on 31 carries? Who knows, maybe Jeremy Hill is the next Icky Woods, and maybe James Wilder Jr. will be as good as his father.

 

Good NFL running games just don't happen because a coach wishes it so. Which seems to be the case here.

Whit is solid, as well as Smith. Most teams do not have two tackles this good. They like any team will be hurting if a starting tackle goes down. This team cannot win consistently throwing the ball, or at least haven't with Dalton at QB, yet.

 

I like Dalton and do think he can be effective if he doesn't have to win many games with his arm. Besides Green, their receiving corps is good but not great. Jones showed improvement but disappeared in some games, Sanu hasn't developed as much as I think he should have. Gresham is not dependable and Eifert played like a rookie last year. This team can and should run the ball. Their weak link is at tight end IMO, but they really aren't awful in any area.

 

Their weak link is te? Huh? Gresham as frustrating as he can be has also been a pro bowler and a good blocker and eifert if used more probably will be a stud. The wr group as a whole is solid and we have a legit number two in jones and became more consistent the last month after they finally basically gave him the starter reps that they gave sanu most of the year.

 

The weak link of the offense is definitely the line because is so many question marks. At center we have a rookie who also has to make all the right calls. Zeitler struggled some last year but he was playing hurt so hopefully that was the main reason. At left guard its still a queation on who will even start. Whit if his knees stay healthy can get the job done but not as good as he use to. So this line is average at best until they prove otherwise. I will say this though the line is better suited to run the ball than pass. So I am not sure why the other poster on here thinks they cant run and should pass more.

Bengals haven't had a legit running game since Rudi Johnson ran between the tackles 10 or so years ago. So now Marvin and Hue yearn to return to the days of Ced Benson gaining 95 yards on 31 carries? Who knows, maybe Jeremy Hill is the next Icky Woods, and maybe James Wilder Jr. will be as good as his father.

 

Good NFL running games just don't happen because a coach wishes it so. Which seems to be the case here.

 

I am pretty sure they finished in the top ten in rushing in 2009 and swept the division that year by running the ball. They did that even though teams knew they were going to run it because they had no real pass game. So not sure how you can say they had no real running game in ten years.

I am pretty sure they finished in the top ten in rushing in 2009 and swept the division that year by running the ball. They did that even though teams knew they were going to run it because they had no real pass game. So not sure how you can say they had no real running game in ten years.

Exceptional athletes on defense are the reason no NFL team can play smash-mouth rushing football anymore. I just checked the 2009 stats and Bengals were 9th in rushing yards that year but in the bottom third with only 4.1 yards per attempt. The team's run-first philosophy will go bye-bye by game two if it's obvious they don't have the O line to push people around or if Jeremy Hill falls short of expectations. Bernard isn't an every-down back. Bengals have the ability to make big-time plays with passing game. Not sure same is true with running game.

This whole run-first emphasis reminds me too much of when Jets announced similar ... because the coaches lost confidence in Mark Sanchez.

Exceptional athletes on defense are the reason no NFL team can play smash-mouth rushing football anymore. I just checked the 2009 stats and Bengals were 9th in rushing yards that year but in the bottom third with only 4.1 yards per attempt. The team's run-first philosophy will go bye-bye by game two if it's obvious they don't have the O line to push people around or if Jeremy Hill falls short of expectations. Bernard isn't an every-down back. Bengals have the ability to make big-time plays with passing game. Not sure same is true with running game.

 

You do realize the bengals offensive line is best suited for running the ball dont you? Whit smith zeitler and the centrt they drafted are more known for their run blocking than pass blocking with their big bodies.

This whole run-first emphasis reminds me too much of when Jets announced similar ... because the coaches lost confidence in Mark Sanchez.

 

Huh? The jets had success with their smashmouth philosophy and won with it during marks first few years. It was when they started going away from the smash mouth style they started to see mark struggle and then they tried to go back to that in his fourth year after going away from it in his third year.

 

The bengals have been much more of a pass team during daltons first few years. While the jets were a run first team during marks first two seasons.

You do realize the bengals offensive line is best suited for running the ball dont you? Whit smith zeitler and the centrt they drafted are more known for their run blocking than pass blocking with their big bodies.

What stands out from last year is the number of times the Bengals had to punt after running Green-Ellis up the middle on third and one.