Here’s Why the Cincinnati Bengals’ Running Game Is a Disaster

The Bengals have had the best rushing offense in the entire NFL over the past four weeks based on expected points added per game and rushing success rate.

Rapid success rates over the last four weeks are 19.2%. New England comes in second with 30.5%.

The Bengals had to constantly play behind the sticks because they couldn’t run the ball. More than 80% of them put themselves in a worse situation after running the ball. Treating this as a crime is insane. The offense is still working and they are up 2-2 in this period because the point guard dominated his environment and saved them from confusion in the final minutes. Joe Burrow is ranked #4 in the EPA+CPOE composite rankings despite facing mostly complex situations over the last four weeks. Just last week, Burrow was a 99 percent performer on 3rd and 4 downs, converting 75% of them despite averaging over six yards of clearance. However, with all that said, any quarterback can use a functioning running game to help them out and keep the pass rush at bay.

Let’s take a look at the movie and understand why this running game is so bad:

Power Run Game

Over the past few seasons, the Bengals have moved more towards a power run game. They will use pullers on counter and power concepts with other linemen trying to gain vertical displacement. Let’s examine why this doesn’t work:

Contrary to what it seems, this game is almost a hit. Right tackle Amarius Mims has a great block and he knocks down the playside 3 technique and climbs to the second level. This allows right winger Alex Cappa to easily take over the ball. The goal is for left defender Cordell Volson to take the final shot and for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to pass through the space between Volson and Cappa. The problem is the hole is too small. Volson’s kick block didn’t create any movement, so the play didn’t work. They try to do their best by jumping around outside but it takes too long and security is there to back up.

It’s a similar concept, but this time they cut corners. The first game was the GT meter being read to hold it long enough for the backend to run. It didn’t work. Now the Bengals run the GY counter with the backside tackle covering the backside. It still doesn’t work for them.

Despite the odd timing, the double team on the play side does the job of creating some vertical movement. The left tackle can take a piece from defender Mike on this play as well. The kickout block is good enough to have a hole for the tight end to wrap up and run through. The problem here is that the tight end gets run over by the Will defender. Willpower not only fills this gap, but also stops it. Both games start with an orbital move that works on defenders in the first game, but here it does nothing.

The force was just as poorly handled as the counter against the Eagles. Again, it is very close to being a successfully blocked game. Everything at the point of attack actually works in this game. The double team was sufficient and the first shot at right back also worked. There’s a hole for the left guard to pass through. The problem in this game is the back block from the center. The worst thing that can happen when blocking from behind is a defender coming your way. Center Ted Karras was surprised by this play and it ruined everything. Aiming point, cap placement, and upfield hand were all exploited by the defender. He must pass his helmet to the other side with a strong upfield hand.

It’s not an easy block to make in 4i, but that’s why the left tackle helps start. Volson is breathing at the second level as well, so maybe that doesn’t matter in the end, but the back block is why this looks like a complete mess. It’s ruined the game beyond repair because it reads the back end puller. He doesn’t know the game is over until he sees the center being pushed back into the hole. Although there is room for a potential interruption that is not part of the backend’s reading.

This is power again. How is November approaching and are the kids still missing homework? There’s good blocking from Volson and decent double teams from Cody Ford and Drew Sample. Still, with the defensive end doubling up, the move doesn’t seem like tight end thinking. Instead of throwing the stand-up defender out, he takes on his own men. The right guard should pull in between the low block and double team to get forward, but instead he runs towards the tight end. An unblocked defender now sits in that hole. Finally the left jab comes out and he tries to get a piece of it but it’s a fruitless effort. All they needed on this play was two yards. If the pullers reach the right spots, they’ve made it.

Running Back Doesn’t Make the Most of His Opportunities

The offensive line has been terrible on all those counters and power plays, but those aren’t the only problems with this putrid running game. Runners also need to take some blame for missed opportunities.

This is an iso concept with Sample advancing towards linebacker Mike. His blocking isn’t outstanding, but there’s enough room there for the back to drop his shoulder and move to his right. Instead, Zack Moss makes a confusing jump that halts all his momentum and is tackled for no gain. ISO is not only a concept that goes downhill quickly, but also the low red zone. You need to play fast and finish forward. There is no explanation for this concept or, in this case, making a move that stops all momentum and jumps behind the line of scrimmage. There is one read in this game and that is to the left or right of the iso block.

This long trap concept is foiled well! Volson makes an effective shot, Sample makes an effective second-level block, and that should be one-on-one safety Chase Brown. Instead of going north and gaining yards, Brown bounces it and gains nothing. He had the opportunity to go one-on-one with safety and crashed into traffic instead. Sample’s strength tells him that jumping won’t work, but instead of relying on Brown’s blocks, he relies on his athleticism. It didn’t work.

The Bengals needed just two yards for a first down on this home play. The defensive line is leaning towards the play side and that will be cut as well. The problem is that Brown cut this too far back. His best bet on this play was the B gap to Volson’s left, but instead he tries to cut it all the way back. Back-to-back examples of too much East-West running and not enough North-South running away from it. There will likely be a linebacker against Brown who can make a play if he intercepts the play behind Volson, but those backs have to either make that guy miss or finish forward and pick up two yards. It’s not hard to see why both rushers averaged -1 rushing yards per carry worse than expectation.

General Thoughts

So what’s the problem? Does it block? Rears? Plan? I would say everything is a problem right now. In some games, the blocking is so terrible that there is nothing anyone can do as a ball carrier. They can improve interior offensive lines in terms of athleticism or their ability to move defenders. Most players only play for advantageous situations when blocking one-on-one, but you need to be athletic enough to get to those positions in time. They are working on many concepts that will leverage the strengths of these linemen. It’s not working and they need to play better.

The full-backs also need to play better because there are examples that have nothing to do with the offensive line. They don’t miss anyone, they miss openings and they don’t finish forward through contact. These are the three biggest parts of running back. If they’re not going to make anyone miss, they need to at least start moving forward by making contact and taking what’s there. There are runners on the street who can do this job.

The scheme was also a bit predictable in the running game. The only thing the Bengals do with tight end movement is kick blocking. 1-4 where the team is figuring out if this will work. This was fine for weeks but now it’s week 8. Now they need games where this look works. Split the inside zone to the opposite direction, a Y-slide RPO or Y-slide naked goaltender can bluff on this block and get the tight end in the open field, make a play off of that look, etc.

The idea is moving into sketchy territory, which is a shame because it was a really good idea earlier in the season. They never built anything out of it to attack defenses that cheated against the movement. Over the past four weeks the entire unit has become a laughing stock, and more and more of the burden has fallen on Burrow’s shoulders to save them. They don’t necessarily have one of the best running games in the entire NFL, but can they at least be functional?

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