Bengals’ Mixon leads NFL in rushing yards following Week 1
Prior to the Cincinnati Bengals' season opener against the Minnesota Vikings, there were two storylines discussed more than any others.
How would the Bengals slow down running back Dalvin Cook? And would Cincinnati's offense with a healthy Joe Burrow and his wide receiving corps be too much for Minnesota's secondary?
It was almost as if running back Joe Mixon was forgotten. But as the game unfolded at Paul Brown Stadium, it wasn't Cook who left as the best running back on the field. It was Mixon.
"It was fun to watch,” head coach Zac Taylor said Monday. “(He's) just such a great weapon to have.”
With all the Week 1 games now complete, Mixon leads the NFL in rushing yards with 127. Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon ranks No. 2 behind Mixon with 101 yards. Only four other running backs in the league rushed for 100 yards or more.
While it's only a one-week sample size, it's noteworthy for a couple of reasons. One, Mixon's longest run was 19 yards, so what he showed was consistency. Second, 78 of his 127 yards came after contact.
As Mixon and the Bengals kept chipping away on offense, Minnesota's coaching staff had to make a choice: Sell out to stop the run or focus on allocating enough resources in the secondary to make sure they don't get beat over the top.
This is the debate opposing defensive coordinators will be having all season when game-planning for the Bengals.
Mixon was also challenged to become a better pass-catcher by his coaches this offseason. He proved he did so by catching four passes for 23 yards in the 27-24 win over the Vikings, so he will be given more opportunities to stay on the field.
He was the highest-graded offensive player (80.6) for the Bengals in Week 1, according to Pro Football Focus.
“By me being the best (version of myself) out there, that's what our team needs,” Mixon said. “I just have to keep leading by example, keep getting those yards and keep helping out the run. And our receivers, because they're going to deliver for me, I've got to deliver for them.”