The Cincinnati Bengals front office made key decisions this past offseason including drafting star tackle Myles Murphy, re-signing linebacker Germaine Pratt, and remodeling their secondary. The Bengals ended the 2022 season as the fifth-best team against the run, only giving up 103.5 yards per game.
Let’s take a look at some of the most potent rushing attacks, and how the Bengals might fare against them.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
Travis Etienne’s sophomore campaign served him well, breaking out for 1,120 yards. He is joined by his college running mate, quarterback Trevor Lawerence, who added 625 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground in the past two years.
Although solid in recent memory, the Bengals can struggle against dual-threat quarterbacks and pass-catching running backs. The Jaguars have both of these with the 1-2 punch of Etienne and Lawerence.
While T-Law had modest numbers in his sole game against Cincinnati, he nearly beat the Bengals. The orange and black defensive line stuffed Lawerence who kept the ball on 4th-and-Goal that would have seen the Jags go up 21-0.
Hopefully, the buffed defensive line can get to him earlier in the game, and prevent such a situation. Third-round pick Tank Brigsby also joins a Jaguars running back room that saw the trade of James Robinson in 2022. While his snap count is not known, he could be a powerful runner to punch it in the end zone.