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Jeremy Hill anticipates 'balanced' opportunities with Giovani Bernard


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Jeremy Hill anticipates 'balanced' opportunities with Giovani Bernard

 

CINCINNATI -- How will the Cincinnati Bengals' rushing attack look this season?

That's one of the more intriguing offseason questions considering how well Jeremy Hill played as a rookie last year.

As 2014 wore on and the injuries mounted in the Bengals' pass-catching ranks, more and more responsibility was placed on Hill's shoulders. Giovani Bernard's health issues contributed to Hill's increased opportunities too. Hill responded well to the expanded role, pacing the NFL in yards gained on the ground the final nine weeks of the season.

In May, in the middle of his first true NFL offseason, Hill is optimistic he will perform even better this year. But with a fully healthy Bernard and a passing attack that's now significantly healthier, he may not be the workhorse back many in Who Dey Nation want him to be.  "Obviously there's going to be a balanced attack," Hill said, referencing what he thought offensive coordinator Hue Jackson's plans were for the running game. "I don't think he's got to wear either one of us out, so that way we can make it through all 16 games for a playoff push."

Jackson began last season placing a heavier emphasis on Bernard. Hill was still in his first couple of months on the job as an NFL player, and the coach wanted to bring him along slowly. As well as Hill might have played in training camp, Jackson knew he needed him in peak form by the middle of the season.

Before injuries sidelined Bernard for three games starting in Week 9, he got the bulk of the snaps, carries and passes out of the backfield. According to ESPN Stats & Information, he had 296 snaps through the first eight weeks compared to Hill's 135. Bernard also ran the ball 109 times compared to Hill's 50.

Bernard averaged 15.6 carries and 42.3 snaps per game before Week 9. Hill averaged 7.1 carries and 19.3 snaps. Starting in Week 9, that totally changed.

Hampered by a series of injuries, Bernard only appeared in six games during the last half of the regular season. Across the final nine weeks, Bernard's rushing and participation averages plummeted. He had only 9.8 carries and 30.8 snaps per game in the last half of the year. Hill, meanwhile, nearly tripled the number of times per game he carried the football, and doubled his average snap counts.

"As the year went on, [Jackson] learned our strengths and our weaknesses," Hill said.

Hill's strengths late last season involved breaking timely long runs for touchdowns. Bernard's included playing cleanly. While Hill had five fumbles last season, Bernard had none.

In the latter half of last season, three games best exemplified the balance Jackson may be seeking: Week 13 at Tampa Bay, Week 15 at Cleveland and Week 16 versus Denver.

During those games, Hill and Bernard combined for 5.06 yards per carry. In two of them, the Browns game and the Broncos game, Hill rushed for more than 140 yards. It was also in the 30-0 win over the Browns that Bernard had 79 yards on the ground.

When one running back struggled in those games, the other typically picked up the offense some other way. For example, in the 14-13 win at Tampa Bay, Hill barely hit the 40-yard rushing mark. He ultimately caught four passes to make up for it. In that same game, Bernard only had one catch but averaged 4.9 yards per carry.

"We want to lift ourselves to the next level and earn the respect of this league," Hill said. "We have the guys in the [running back] room to do that."

Almost three more months to see just how balanced that attack will be.

 

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/cincinnati-bengals/post/_/id/17388/bengals-jeremy-hill-giovani-bernard-running-backs-balanced-opportunities-anticipated

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Back in the dark ages of NFL Offensive Football - 1988. The Bengals gained 6,057 yards. 3 backs (Ickey, Brooks, Wilson) accounted for 49% of it.


Certainly in this day and age of offensive explosion football Hue and Marvin can figure out a way to get those two enough balls to improve the entire unit's out put of 5,568.
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Gio is lethal coming out of the back field.  Don't be surprised to see both of them back there from time to time.

 

 

I know we did that a bit last season, too.  I think the problem with that was defenses stacking the LOS because once they bracketed AJ there wasn't a WR/TE that scared them.

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Back in the dark ages of NFL Offensive Football - 1988. The Bengals gained 6,057 yards. 3 backs (Ickey, Brooks, Wilson) accounted for 49% of it.


Certainly in this day and age of offensive explosion football Hue and Marvin can figure out a way to get those two enough balls to improve the entire unit's out put of 5,568.

 

 

i know you think it's just an excuse sharm, but injuries played a large part in that low output. last year was almost unprecedented in the number of injuries we had to key offensive players, and far beyond the norm. i'm not overly concerned with our offensive potential this year. i think we're stacked.

 

it's the defense, especially the pass rush, that concerns me. i expect some growing pains for what's likely to be a much younger group of cornerbacks... which is only natural. if we can somehow see a marked improvement in our pass rush, we'll be in good shape, but that's a tall order considering their lack of attention to that problem area from last year. we have a lot riding on the return of geno to his old self. burfict's condition will also undoubtedly play a big role.

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i know you think it's just an excuse sharm, but injuries played a large part in that low output. last year was almost unprecedented in the number of injuries we had to key offensive players, and far beyond the norm. i'm not overly concerned with our offensive potential this year. i think we're stacked.
 
it's the defense, especially the pass rush, that concerns me. i expect some growing pains for what's likely to be a much younger group of cornerbacks... which is only natural. if we can somehow see a marked improvement in our pass rush, we'll be in good shape, but that's a tall order considering their lack of attention to that problem area from last year. we have a lot riding on the return of geno to his old self. burfict's condition will also undoubtedly play a big role.

I think their ability to defend the run plays into the pass rush and so the Linebackers and front seven overall would also be a concern.

However, in regards with Gio and Hill and the offense overall. To this point all we have are "NAMES". Gruden for 1 season got production to a top 10 level. For the most part all the "NAMES" haven't translated into overall greater production.

My overall point in referencing 1988 was just showing that it doesn't have to be Hill vs. Gio. There are plenty of ways to let both dogs eat and overall ways to allow alot of different skill guys to produce. IMO, they've struggled with that, recently for 1 guy to produce it has to come at an expense of another guys numbers.
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I think their ability to defend the run plays into the pass rush and so the Linebackers and front seven overall would also be a concern.

However, in regards with Gio and Hill and the offense overall. To this point all we have are "NAMES". Gruden for 1 season got production to a top 10 level. For the most part all the "NAMES" haven't translated into overall greater production.

My overall point in referencing 1988 was just showing that it doesn't have to be Hill vs. Gio. There are plenty of ways to let both dogs eat and overall ways to allow alot of different skill guys to produce. IMO, they've struggled with that, recently for 1 guy to produce it has to come at an expense of another guys numbers.

 

 

totally agree, though it's natural to assume the big dogs, AJ & hill, will always be at the top of the food chain. having the multitude of weapons should allow them to become even that much more effective, if utilized wisely....that's the key.

 

keeping everyone healthy on offense is priority #1. if that happens i have no concerns about their talent level.

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Gio and Hill will not be in the backfield at the same time on any sort of regular basis.  We may see it a few times a game, but it is really not the best use of personnel.  Since only one of them can carry the ball at a time it is better to have an extra blocker or an extra receiver instead of two RBs.  But there are a few plays where they could be effective in the game at the same time.  Both are pretty good receivers out of the backfield, but there is a HUGE difference between catching a pass out of the backfield and getting open by route running like a slot receiver has to do.

 

I predict about 300 carries for Hill and 150 by Gio.  I also think Hill will catch more passes than a lot of people think.

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I predict about 300 carries for Hill and 150 by Gio.  I also think Hill will catch more passes than a lot of people think.

 

I agree.

 

Gio is quick but Hill is patient, and from what I've seen thus far, patience tends to beat quickness.

 

Because of that, I'd like to see Gio hit on more crossing routes and quick slants ala Sproles in his NOLA heyday. 

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