It’s looking like the Cincinnati Bengals are going to be without two of their backup running backs going into their Thursday night football game against the Baltimore Ravens. Both of the Bengals’ backup running backs, Samaje Perine and Tahj Brooks, are likely to miss the game this week, and that will put their running back depth to the test in a big division game.
How Will the Bengals RB Depth Impact Ravens Game?
Chase Brown has been outstanding the last five weeks of the season, after an extremely slow start. Brown has accumulated over 100 total yards in each of his past five games and has carried the bulk of the work for the Bengals’ backfield, except in the Jets game, where Perine had nine carries for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Brown has been one of the bright spots for the Bengals’ offense, even in the games where Flacco wasn’t looking as sharp as he first did when he got traded from the Browns. According to the PFSN running back impact scores, Brown hasn’t had a game under 73.5 since Week 5 against the Detroit Lions and two games over 80 in the last four, not counting the Patriots game, which isn’t back yet.
Perine went down with an injury against the Bears, and Brooks had to step in and take over his role. Brooks was highly thought of as a rookie by the Bengals coaching staff and was going to step into Perine’s role until he returned. A concussion against the Patriots, however, will likely keep him out of the game against the Ravens. Now the Bengals are down their second and third running backs.
Stepping into that running back two role will now be Gary Brightwell. Brightwell was elevated from the practice squad for the Patriots game, but didn’t play a single offensive snap. Now, Brightwell will be thrust into the backup running back role and will have to spell Chase Brown when he needs a break. How will that impact the Bengals’ game plan?
One of the things that Perine did exceptionally well was pass blocking and catching the ball out of the backfield. He was a good third-down back, and Brooks showed several of those same traits in his game. Will the Bengals trust Brightwell to do those things? Will Chase Brown have to play far more than he usually does? These are big questions moving into the game Thursday.
With Joe Burrow likely returning this week, it’s not the ideal game to be missing your blocking running backs. However, that is reality for the Bengals this week. Perine and Brooks are out, and Brown and Brightwell will be tasked with protecting him.
