[jwplayer Ms1vBFZx]
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon is one of the NFL’s best running backs. Even Bill Belichick agrees.
And yet 2020 could still be something of a breakout for Mixon.
There’s no nice way to put it — Mixon’s surroundings have held him back since he joined the Bengals. He received less than 200 rushing attempts as a rookie, then had to play behind a bad offensive line with little threat from his passing attack over the next two seasons.
And yet, Mixon still put up 1,000-plus rushing yards in each of the past two seasons, totaling 13 rushing scores and keeping his average above the 4.0 mark.
Yet numbers and improving surroundings hint he could be even better.
Consider the following from Pro Football Focus:
Rushes gaining 5 or more yards 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 contact in 2019 (+ playoffs)
1. Derrick Henry – 85
2. Chris Carson – 67
3. Nick Chubb – 63
4. Ezekiel Elliott – 51
5. Joe Mixon – 50 pic.twitter.com/xUlM1VWIRH— PFF (@PFF) June 20, 2020
Now this: According to The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia, Mixon averaged 1.77 yards before contact last year. Terrible. How bad? That was 39th out of 50 running backs with 75 or more caries — the year before was 2.68. He still broke a tackle on 21.9 percent of his attempts.
Easy math, really — Mixon’s going to have a better offensive line in front of him in 2020. Jonah Williams will man left tackle. Fred Johnson could make a run at right tackle. The best men will win out at guard and the whole unit should merely be better going into Year 2 with a new coaching staff after showing signs of improvement down the stretch last season.
Now add in the arrival of Joe Burrow, return of A.J. Green, arrival of Tee Higgins and a coaching staff with lessons learned from a year ago.
It should all translate to the uber-talented Mixon having even more time to carefully pick and choose his spots before darting up the field. We know the vision, cutting ability and elusiveness are all there — now he might finally have the surrounding pieces to match.
Has anyone mentioned Mixon is all of 24 and has top-tier versatility, catching more than 70 passes over the past two seasons?
Simply put, if the flashes by Mixon previously hampered by his surroundings turn into consistency, he might be looking at competing for the outright rushing title in 2020.
[lawrence-related id=35036]