This Bengals X-Factor Will Determine How Far Cincy Can Go
When Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow scanned the field in their preseason opener, his first two reads — Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins — were covered. So, he dumped the ball off to running back Chase Brown.
Brown took what could have been a neutral play and turned it into a gain, stiff-arming a defender before scooting down the sideline for nine yards. On the surface, it was a routine preseason snap. In reality, it was a reminder of how important Brown and the Bengals’ running backs will be to the offense this year.
According to ESPN’s Ben Baby, running backs coach Justin Hill tells his players before the summer break:
“Obviously we’re going to run the ball when we can, but we’re going to throw the ball and win games. And if you can’t protect and if you’re not a viable option in the pass game, you’re going to have a hard time being successful in this offense as a running back.”
That approach puts a premium on versatility — and it’s why Brown, entering his third season, could be the offense’s true X-factor.
Building Around Brown
The Bengals were 14th in running back receiving yards last year, well behind Detroit’s league-leading 904. But when Zack Moss went down with a season-ending neck injury, Brown stepped up as the featured back.
Now entrenched in that role, Cincinnati added rookie Tahj Brooks from Texas Tech and brought back veteran Samaje Perine — valued for his receiving skills and pass protection during past playoff runs.
Brown spent the offseason refining his pass-catching ability in Atlanta with trainer Drew Lieberman, going head-to-head with NFL defenders like Jets cornerback Michael Carter II.
“I’m just always keeping my eyes on [Burrow] and being ready for anything,” Brown said. “I mean, he’s the best in the world at what he does. He’s going to figure out a way to get you the ball.”
More Than First-and-10
Hill said evaluating a back goes beyond rushing ability:
“What else do you do if it’s not first-and-10? If it’s third-and-5, can we count on you in pass protection? That’s one of the first things I watch — is he a liability or can he do it? Can he take on a big role on third down?”
For Brooks, Cincinnati’s sixth-round pick, that’s already a point of pride. The Red Raiders’ all-time leading rusher, he also excelled in pass protection in college.
“I love breaking linebackers off in pass protection and then not afraid to gash them whenever that time is presented,” Brooks said.
With Burrow’s elite arm and the Bengals’ loaded receiver corps, the offense will always be pass-first. But the backs’ ability to protect, catch, and create yards after contact could be the detail that determines how far Cincinnati goes in 2025.
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