During the middle of last season, Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon said he understood why he wasn’t getting more than 20 rushing attempts per game.
“Definitely it can get frustrating at times, but also you have to know the situation,” Mixon said Sept. 24. “It's been kind of tough playing from behind, but we can't put ourselves in that position. That's the consequence when you're playing from behind."
As simple as it sounds, if the Bengals have the lead more often in 2021 than they did in 2020, Mixon’s role in the offense will naturally change.