Cincinnati Needs Both Sides Of Run Game Against Jacksonville
Syndication: The Enquirer
For the first time since Week 3, Cincinnati will find themselves under the Monday Night lights. The Bengals will be traveling to Duval County to take on the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars. It will likely be a very tough challenge, but with the possible return of several key players including Tee Higgins and Cam Taylor-Britt, it could be a much more competitive game than many would expect.
Here are our keys for an upset against Jacksonville.
Treat Travis Etienne the same way you treated CMC in Week 8
Travis Etienne has been one of the better running backs in the NFL in the 2023 season. Much like Christian McCaffrey, he’s a running back who is both effective in the ground game and a legit receiving threat out of the backfield.
TRAVIS ETIENNE 56-YARD RECEIVING TD pic.twitter.com/yFYcmxiR8i
— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) October 29, 2023
That said, the Bengals couldn’t completely stifle CMC in their Week 8 win over San Francisco, as he had 118 all-purpose yards and two TDs (which is another day at the office for him). However, they did an effective job at making sure he couldn’t take over the game like he’s very much capable of doing. In this game, he only had 18 touches, mostly due to game flow.
The Bengals need to make sure that Etienne is treated in a similar way, and it is possible. Over the last three games, the Jags’ running back has regressed from his early season tear; he has yet to find the end zone, and he’s been limited to a combined 46 receiving yards over that span.
Stopping the 2021 first round selection will require all hands on deck from the Bengals’ defense, who has given up the fifth most rushing yards in the NFL this season.
Take control of the Jags’ front seven
If Zac Taylor wants to get the run game going like he’s insisted he wants to, it has to start with making sure Jacksonville’s front seven can’t stifle Joe Mixon.
It will be no easy task. Cincinnati, who has the fewest rushing yards of any NFL team this year, will be facing off against the Jaguars’ fourth-ranked rush defense. However, if history is taken into consideration, it’s a sign for optimism. Joe Mixon has enjoyed a decent career against the Jaguars, including one particular Sunday in 2020 where he absolutely went off.
Just a reminder what happened the last time Joe Mixon played the Jaguars
– 31 touches
– 181 yards
– 3 TDs
– 42 fantasy points— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) September 29, 2021
Another part of controlling the front seven is keeping an eye on one Jaguars’ defensive lineman in particular, who has a very familiar name and is having a season for the ages.
#Jaguars Josh Allen set a career-high 12 pressures vs the #Texans, per @NextGenStats
pic.twitter.com/qr9NFAxbCv— Daniel Griffis (@DanDGriffis) November 26, 2023
That’s Jaguars’ defensive end Josh Allen, who has already eclipsed his career high in sacks, and it’s not even December. He has an astounding four games this season with at least 2.0 sacks; in two of those games, he had 3.0 sacks. Both the o-line and Jake Browning, who has had his struggles under pressure this season, will have their work cut out for them every time number 41 lines up in the trenches.
Limit the Jags’ passing attack
Life might get easier with the Bengals’ pass defense, as Cam Taylor-Britt may be on track to return this Monday night. It would come in handy to help contain Trevor Lawrence, who has been relatively inconsistent all season.
Their passing game for the Jags has picked up of late, as Trevor Lawrence has thrown for 262 and 364 yards. This has been assisted by Trevor Lawrence’s steady group of weapons stepping up their game of late. Over the past two weeks, the Jags’ number one receiver, Calvin Ridley, has 12 receptions, 192 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Since Week Two, number two receiver Christian Kirk has had no fewer than 46 receiving yards in a game.
On top of Ridley and Kirk, Evan Engram has quietly had a consistent year. Even though he has yet to find paydirt in 2023, he has 524 receiving yards on the year and he’s had at least four receptions in every game this season. For a team like the Bengals that’s struggled to cover tight ends all year, Engram could be in for another nice game unless the Bengals change up their defensive gameplan.
The uptick in momentum for Jacksonville’s passing attack comes at a tough time for Cincinnati. Over the last three games, they’ve allowed 278 passing yards to Kenny Pickett, 264 passing yards to Lamar Jackson, and 356 passing yards to CJ Stroud.
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