Whereas the Bengals’ passing sport beneficial properties essentially the most discover, their prime working again, Joe Mixon, quietly put collectively his greatest 12 months in Cincinnati, the place he’s performed since 2017. Mixon ran for 1,205 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2021, each profession highs. He added 314 receiving yards (and three touchdowns), making him one among three working backs, with Austin Ekeler of the Chargers and Jonathan Taylor of the Colts, who had greater than 1,500 yards from scrimmage and a minimum of 15 touchdowns.
At 6-foot-1, 220 kilos, Mixon is just not Derrick Henry huge. However he’s had a career-high 292 carries — for a 4.1 yard common — as Cincinnati ramped up his utilization to guard Joe Burrow, the N.F.L.’s most steadily sacked quarterback.
Within the Bengals’ wild-card sport final weekend, the Raiders targeted on containing Mixon, who completed with a modest 48 yards dashing on 17 carries and 28 yards receiving. But when the Titans attempt to double-team any of the Bengals’ speedy receivers, Mixon might get a much bigger share of the motion on Saturday.