Joe Mixon meets with offensive line amidst slow start to season

The Cincinnati Bengals have recovered from their slow start to the new season. After starting 0-2, the defending AFC champs are back to .500 with back-to-back wins and tied for first place in the AFC North.

However, the rushing attack’s struggles have continued.

Through play Monday, the Bengals’ rushing offense ranks 25th in the NFL, averaging just 89.5 yards per game.

Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon has rushed for just 224 yards, ranking tied for 20th in the NFL, with one touchdown and is averaging a mediocre 2.7 yards per attempt.

Amidst the early struggles for the Bengals’ run game, Mixon called a meeting with his offensive line.

“I called for a meeting with them to just see what they’re thinking on certain runs or what they think I should do on certain runs,” Mixon said in his latest press conference. “Just building that chemistry and having them see what I’m seeing on certain blocks or if they could just torque a guy a different way or if they can just cut somebody off backside or if I could just hit the hole a little faster or hit backside. It’s just little things that we’ve seen over the course of time.

Following the meeting, Mixon came away expecting the run game to soon improve.

“Like I said, I’m very optimistic,” Mixon said. “I haven’t lost confidence in the run game and what I’m capable of and what I know they’re capable of.”

Mixon and the Bengals’ run game will look to start showing improvement Sunday night when it takes on the Baltimore Ravens 15th ranked run defense.