A little over a year ago, one of the principal criticisms of the Cincinnati Bengals was its inability to run the ball.
That 2025 Bengals team had other serious issues in the form of losing quarterback Joe Burrow to injury in Week 2, so this isn't necessarily a fair comparison to this year's Bengals. Also, the 2025 team eventually found some late-season success in the running game, and running back Chase Brown finished with the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career.
It is noticeable and concerning, however, that the 2026 Bengals find their running game in a similar place.
Behind an offensive line that's supposed to be stronger and more cohesive than it was this time a year ago, this year's rushing attack is in a similar statistical ballpark
as last year's: 297 rushing yards through the first four games versus 200 rushing yards through four games in 2025.
The 2025 season was the worst rushing output through four games in Bengals head coach Zac Taylor's tenure. The 2026 Bengals have the third-worst rushing output through four games in Burrow's seven seasons with the franchise, and only 2023 (280 rushing yards) and 2025 were worse.
The latest on-field performance to cause alarm was Cincinnati's 23-yard rushing output in the Oct. 4 home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was the worst of Taylor's Bengals tenure, which started in 2019.
"It just wasn’t good enough in any area," Taylor said. "A lot of different things play into it, but it was not a good enough performance. We got to be better. ... Especially after watching the tape, it’s disappointing some of the plays we left out there. ... We will be better moving forward."
Bengals coaches went away from the run game early against the Jaguars, and Cincinnati finished with just 15 running plays. Burrow rushed three times, including once on a quarterback keeper near the goal line for the team's only rushing score. Brown and Semaje Perine combined for just 12 carries − and 17 yards.
By the time Jacksonville led 22-10 with less than seven minutes to play, running the ball wasn't a viable option because the Bengals needed multiple scores with time running down.
But passing 54 times? That strategy developed well before the Bengals were down by two scores. It turned out that Burrow finished with 428 passing yards, and without star receiver Ja'Marr Chase for most of the game (concussion) and star receiver Tee Higgins on the final drive (adductor), Cincinnati still almost pulled off an improbable comeback on the strength and depth of its tight ends and wide receivers.
At the end of the game, Burrow's primary targets were Dohnte Meyers, a former Bengals player signed off the Texans practice squad earlier in the week in Mitchell Tinsley, plus tight ends Mike Gesicki and Tanner Hudson (Hudson was elevated from the practice squad two games ago).
The aeriel strategy materialized out of perceived necessity, offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said Oct. 5. Pitcher also said everyone involved played a part in the run-game issues.
"I don’t think the way we played the game is a sustainable strategy for long-term success," Pitcher said. "I do think we chose to play the game yesterday in a way that gave us the best chance to win yesterday."
Next up for Cincinnati is an Oct. 11 game against the winless Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium (1 p.m. EDT). After that is the Bengals Week 6 bye week.
The Miami defense is allowing just under 100 rushing yards per game and over 4 yards per carry.
"I would say that game (against Jacksonville) was well below our standard as an offensive line," center Ted Karras said. "Gotta learn from it and get better and win in Miami here going into the bye week."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What the Bengals are saying about their ineffective run game this season
