Bob Levey - Getty Images
4 months ago: HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 07: (L-R) Andy Dalton #14 and Cedric Benson #32 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrate after Benson scored a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter against the Houston Texans during their 2012 AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Reliant Stadium on January 7, 2012 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Heading into the 2011 season on the heals of a quarterback change, an offensive coordinator change and coming out of the league's longest work stoppage, most Bengals fans expected the team to run the ball constantly to help set up a rookie quarterback for success. Turns out, that rookie quarterback, Andy Dalton, didn't really need a running game to find success as he and A.J. Green led the offense to the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the running game struggled. The team brought Cedric Benson back for his fourth season and even though he ran for over 1,000 yards for the third season in a row, he struggled through the majority of the season, which was highlighted by a 14-yard performance in the team's wildcard game. Bernard Scott carried the ball more times this season than any year before but he was unable to give the running game a significant shot in the arm.
Cedric Benson was the team's feature back. He carried the ball 280 times for a total of 1,090 yards on the season. He averaged 3.9 yards per carry throughout the season, scored seven touchdowns and fumbled five times (in a two game stretch). He only had three 100-yard games and had more than 60 yards in less than half of the team's games (seven). Benson earned a PFF score of 5.4 when it came to running the ball but he was terrible at catching the ball out of the backfield, earning a score of -5.1. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Benson's game was his inability to pick up first downs on third- and fourth-and-short. Of course it wasn't all his fault, his offensive line didn't help much, but it's clear that Benson didn't have the ability to make plays on his own.
Bernard Scott carried the ball a career high 118 times for a total of 399 yards. He averaged 3.4 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns on the season. The coaches, mainly Jay Gruden, felt it was important to split carries between Benson and Scott, which at times seemed to work but in general, the running game struggled. Scott had a PFF rushing score of 3.4 but like Benson, he had a negative score when it came to catching the ball out of the backfield, earning a grade of -4.3. He had an overall score of -2.6.
Brian Leonard was the only Bengals running back to have a high grade in 2011. Once again he served as the team's third-down back and once again he made some exciting plays. Leonard carried the ball 20 times for 119 yards, which adds up to six yards per carry. He also caught 28 passes for a total of 246 yards. He's by far the best receiver out of the backfield and he consistently seems to make plays when the Bengals need him to. He earned a PFF grade of 6.9 with a rushing grade of 2.2 and a receiving grade of 4.0.
Cedric Peerman was used more on special teams than he was at running the ball in 2011. In fact, he only carried the ball three times in Weeks 15 and 16 and those three carried went for 15 yards and he didn't catch any passes out of the backfield. He earned a overall grade of 0.4 on the season but he had a special teams grade of 3.9.
The offensive line struggled in 2011. The guards struggled as did the team's best offensive lineman, Andrew Whitworth, at run blocking. That combined with Benson's inability to break tackles and make plays on his own gave the Bengals the 19th-ranked running game.
Considering how much a solid running game could have helped the Bengals in 2011, the team's running backs earned a grade of "D" for their performances this past season. There is no question that the Bengals front office needs to bring a new running back, either acquired in the draft or in free agency, to Cincinnati for the 2012 season.
What grade would you give them?
0 recs | 14 comments
Leonard is the man I'd give peerman another chance. Not sold on Scott and benson had better saving his money or he will be roller skating at Sonic
njbengalstat - January 19, 2012
A big fat f___ing F
bnglsfan - January 19, 2012 via mobile
+1
indesignkat - January 19, 2012
I hope bengals draft Lamar Miller and Denard in 1st rd. If we can at least get that and a guard in second rd I’ll be thrilled!
Bengalsredsvictim - January 19, 2012 via mobile
I hope bengals draft Lamar Miller and Denard in 1st rd. If we can at least get that and a guard in second rd I’ll be thrilled!
Bengalsredsvictim - January 19, 2012 via mobile
Leonard was the only one making plays at RB
Especially early. Unfortunately, later in the year when teams began to catch on to the Bengals’ vanilla offense, pass protection frequently broke down and they had to use Leonard as a blocker and not a receiver, where he excels.
Anthony Cosenza - January 19, 2012
This tells me
leonard needs a bigger role than a 3rd down back…
Hes there best blitz pickup guy the best receiver out of the back field. and the best runner from the looks of it.
I say we sign a guy A big bruiser like a Hillis
Draft a lamarr miller
and then have Hillis/Leonard./Millar as our 3 headed monster
Starting i’d rotate hillis and leonard as we work millar into the line up as a 3rd down back (for his first year)
(this works with and big back doesnt have to be hillis)
Bengalsfan024 - January 19, 2012
Totally agree with ya
njbengalstat - January 19, 2012
Leonard wouldn't be able to do that on a consistant baisis if he started
I wouldn’t mind giving him a chance but I have a feeling if you were to start him and there was a lot of film on him. You would be able to stop him and he wouldn’t have the same type plays
AMAS85 - January 19, 2012
Would have been nice to see what Peerman could do
but, fortunately, we were in a playoff hunt. Would like to see Peerman stick around b/c of ST contributions and maybe get 5 touches/game on offense. I don’t like having a feature back next year at all – don’t like FA choices and don’t want to give a rookie 20+ carries for 16 games. Would be nice to see a 3 back rotation play out fairly even based on field position and yardage situations. Wouldn’t mind a goal line back that is used for 3rd/4th short, but not if we give him 20+ carries b/c he’s a bell cow. Shoot the damn cow already.
UIsteve - January 19, 2012
Leonard
The only big plays I remember from him are the times when he gets it on a draw at the end of the first half and they’re 80 yards from paydirt with 30 seconds to go. The receivers go deep, Leonard picks up 18 or so, then it’s halftime. I don’t dislike Leonard, but I think his stats are padded by at least 3 of those runs.
indesignkat - January 19, 2012
He had some pretty good gains on screen passes too.
He had around 3-5 that produced 15+ yard gains that I can remember at least.
ItsAlwaysSunnyInDayton - January 19, 2012
that could have been contributed to good blocking as well
i like leonard as a 3rd back thats his specialty
AMAS85 - January 19, 2012
I dont want BENSON!
With that said,this offensive line was pathetic this year,i keep saying thats part of what caused the
conservative play calling,Gruden done one hell of a job disguising and hiding what was IMO even a
worse line than the year before,we had a more athletic QB,and had to call a bunch of quick
hitting plays,they continued to run in a attempt to set up play-action,and limit possessions the best they
could with what we had to work with.
keithp - January 19, 2012
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