Cincinnati Bengals: 4 key takeaways from their 49-13 loss vs Ravens

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CINCINNATI, OHIO – OCTOBER 20: Joe Mixon #28 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs with the ball during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paul Brown Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The lone bright spot in Week10 was Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon. Mixon, who had his best day in 2019, accounted for 114 yards on 30 carries. While he didn’t find the end zone, it is something fans hope to see more of.

But, will the fans see more of Mixon and 100 plus yard rushing days? If the Bengals have ANY chance this season of breaking into the win column, it will be because the running game gives defenses something else to key on offensively.

Zac Taylor worked Mixon on Sunday. While it didn’t lead to a victory or even points from the Bengals rushing game, it could be a sign that Taylor is experimenting with something beyond what hasn’t worked from an Andy Dalton led offense.

Mixon has been missing in action this season. In fact, the running game as a whole has been in hibernation. Perhaps the switch to Ryan Finley is a sign that the Taylor offensive game plan is beginning to mature after relying on Dalton to do everything. If some balance can finally be achieved, Cincinnati might not necessarily win games, but progress might be achieved.

The 157 yards of rushing was actually more than what the Ravens did on the ground. It’s an insignificant victory on the stat sheet, but given an 0-9 record, it’s worth noting.