Cincinnati Bengals: 3 who need a big game in Seattle for Week 1
By Steve Rivera
If Joe Mixon has been right all preseason, the resemblance between what he can do and what running back Todd Gurley does in Los Angeles will show itself Week 1 in Seattle. Gurley for the Rams was the straw that stirs the drink in Sean McVay’s offense. Having said that, Mixon will need to be the same for the Bengals.
First off, he can. Mixon is video game-like and one gets the impression that in Zac Taylor’s offense, it’s akin to “plug and play.”
Taylor will need that in Week 1 through Week 17 from Mixon. Gurley has been particularly effective catching the ball out of the backfield for the Rams. In Cincinnati, Mixon can find himself equally so against the Seahawks.
Mixon is versatile. One suspects he could find himself the centerpiece of a Bengals offense before the sun sets on the 2019 season.
One thing to look for is how he is used in relation to the passing game. Los Angeles uses a lot of motion, and Taylor could do that with a running back like Mixon. It would go a long way in keeping pressure off of Dalton and force the Seahawks to defend against quick passes.
2019 could be huge for a Mixon. In Week 1 at Seattle, he’ll need to be a central figure in a Bengals win.