Chase Brown finding his way

Brown and Zach Moss help Bengals’ offense find consistency

It took a while, but it looks like the Cincinnati Bengals running attack is finally clicking on all cylinders. And that could spell trouble for the rest of the NFL.

“If we can do that all year, we’re going to be one of the best offenses in the league consistently,” Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said after Cincinnati’s victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

“Credit to the offensive line and those running backs. Hopefully, we can keep that going.”

“Those running backs” Burrow was referring to are Zack Moss, who has rushed for 187 yards on 48 carries (an average of 3.9 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns and has caught 12 passes for 96 yards and another score, and second-year running back Chase Brown.

Brown rushed for his first touchdown of the year Sunday and finished as the Bengals’ leading rusher with 80 yards on 15 attempts and two scores.

“We’re confident in our run game, and we’re going to keep showing it off,” Brown said in a recent interview for Bengals.com.

For the season, Brown has amassed 184 yards rushing on only 29 carries (an average of 6.3 yards per carry) while contributing seven receptions for an additional 31 yards. Through the first four weeks of the season, Chase has earned a rushing grade of 86.4 from Pro Football Focus, while his receiving mark sits at 57.8.

“It feels good,” Brown said. “[Getting more attempts] allows me to get into a rhythm. But I mean, no matter how many times I get the ball, not really counting carries or counting opportunities. I’m just ready whenever my name is called, and that’s the goal. To run the ball, catch the ball, block, whatever.”

Brown was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and appeared in 12 games for Cincinnati in 2023. He carried the ball 44 times for 179 yards and no touchdowns. He did, however, score his first career touchdown on a 54-yard screen pass against the Indianapolis Colts.

Where the Bengals stand now, considered by some to be among the most efficient rushing attacks in the league, is a far cry from where they were last year, when they ranked 31 out of 32 teams in generating only 1,527 yards rushing across an entire 17-game season. The reason for the change?

“Obviously, new faces, number one,” Brown said. “I think that would be the most obvious thing. The O-line is killing it. They’re crushing up front. Not saying that it was any different last year, but we’re just making plays when there are plays to be made, and we’re consistently doing that, and I think that shows a reflection of the whole offseason and training camp and emphasizing things like breaking tackles and making people miss in space and being extremely strong up front. It’s just coming full circle now.”

While Moss and Brown might be the new faces in the backfield, the Bengals also boast a pair of new tight ends in free agent pickup Mick Gesicki and rookie Eric All, Jr.

While Brown and Moss may not exactly be thunder and lightning in the backfield, they each boast a unique combination of speed and toughness that adds that extra dimension to a Bengals’ offense that, despite a slow start, is currently the league’s No. 13 unit.

Brown showed off his speed against the Panthers, as reflected by his average yards-per-rush of 6.3, while Moss highlighted his toughness when he took a swing pass from Burrow into the end zone on a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with six seconds left in the first half.

Just like it showed the kind of confidence that Burrow has in Brown when he handed him the ball on a third and goal from the Carolina 3 late in the first quarter with the Bengals down by a score.

“That’s what it is,” Brown said. “Especially as a younger player in year two. Just building confidence, getting the feel for the game, and just trying to get better. Continue this trend that we’re doing right now. Keep on building up confidence every single week and continue this success.”

Cincinnati is going to need more of the same this week against the Baltimore Ravens, and every week thereafter if it hopes for a return trip to the playoffs, and beyond.