Vincent Frank
Cincinnati Bengals rookie running back Joe Mixon put up seven rushes for 48 yards in the first half of Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He did not see a single rush attempt in the second half of that loss.
The absurdity of this makes us really wonder whether Cincinnati’s offensive issues were a product of recently fired coordinator Ken Zampese.
For his part, Mixon questioned the team’s game plan after its latest loss.
“It’s frustrating. I feel like I’m seeing (Le’Veon Bell) got the ball 35 times, and I got it seven in the first half and then don’t touch the ball again,” Mixon said, via ESPN. “(Jeremy) Hill only got one touch in the second half. It’s frustrating to us running backs.”
It’s a perfectly reasonable stance to take, even if it should not be made public. Showing frustration over his rookie running back, head coach Marvin Lewis sought to put Mixon on blast after these words were made public. It didn’t go too well.
“You should show maturity just like everybody else. Everybody wants to be out there all the time,” Lewis said, via the team’s official website. “But we’re not going to create a run when we are down by 12 or 15 (points). We’re not going to create it. I saw a ball go on the ground when he received two balls thrown to him, which are the same situation.”
Cincinnati selected Mixon in the second round of April’s draft after multiple teams had taken him off their draft board. This came following an incident in which the then Oklahoma running back was seen punching a woman.
But maturity.
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict has now been suspended multiple times for questionable on-field tactics, which showed themselves again on Sunday against the Steelers.
But maturity.
Bengals cornerback Adam Jones was suspended one game this season for yet another off-field incident. His rap sheet is about as long as a Stephen King novel.
But maturity.
How in the world does Lewis not get the irony of his own words here? It truly is stunning that he would speak to maturity when a youngster is simply talking football. There’s a lot more in Cincinnati that shows a lack of maturity from the team. Maybe Lewis should be let in on this little secret.
