Cedric Bensons Carries

[Kazkal]

After the Steelers we can split his carrys until then ride him HARD

[TJJackson]

If I told you Cedric Benson will get another 37 carries this week against the Steelers....would that news make you happy or sad?

Happy, because it would almost certainly mean we won

But I'd still be asking for the other two backs to take some of the load in later weeks in games where we are well ahead, assuming such situations occur

I want to win, sure, but I also want to keep Cedric healthy for the increasing probable playoffs. The Steelers game will probably not be the type of game where we can afford to take a load off Cedric

[ArmyBengal]

But I'd still be asking for the other two backs to take some of the load

I don't know if either Scott or Leonard would be willing to take Benson's load, but I guess it never hurts to ask...

[TJJackson]

Don't ask, don't tell, Army......

[ArmyBengal]

Don't ask, don't tell, Army......

You can just tell them to take one for the team !!!

[HairOnFire]

If I told you Cedric Benson will get another 37 carries this week against the Steelers....would that news make you happy or sad?

Happy, because it would almost certainly mean we won

But I'd still be asking for the other two backs to take some of the load in later weeks in games where we are well ahead, assuming such situations occur

Which sorta begs the question, how do you share the load when your backups have been mostly unproductive or after only a few plays....injured.

It's sorta funny how quickly some of you want to take the ball out of the hands of a player who is beginning to get some mention for MVP.

[TJJackson]

It's sorta funny how quickly some of you want to take the ball out of the hands of a player who is beginning to get some mention for MVP.

Err.....is it wrong that I'd rather he helped us win a playoff game or three rather than earn MVP honors?

[HairOnFire]

Err.....is it wrong that I'd rather he helped us win a playoff game or three rather than earn MVP honors?

Without Benson grinding opposing teams into tiny bits none of you would be in the mood to even mention the playoffs, let alone fantasizing about winning a couple.

[Ickey44]

Err.....is it wrong that I'd rather he helped us win a playoff game or three rather than earn MVP honors?

Without Benson grinding opposing teams into tiny bits none of you would be in the mood to even mention the playoffs, let alone fantasizing about winning a couple.

Nobody's saying to take him completely out of the game. But in some of the easier games coming up, give Scott and Leonard a few carries to try to keep him fresh. I don't see anything wrong with this logic. 30+ carries a game is a LOT of carries and then you still have the playoffs, which it looks like we'll be in.

[TJJackson]

Err.....is it wrong that I'd rather he helped us win a playoff game or three rather than earn MVP honors?

Without Benson grinding opposing teams into tiny bits none of you would be in the mood to even mention the playoffs, let alone fantasizing about winning a couple.

Thats irrelevant, sweetie

Talking about upcoming games when the situation is we are up late by 3 or more scores

He'd still be grinding up said opponents early. He'd still start.

and then, comfortably ahead, or at least thats the plan :-), you rest the guy

[HairOnFire]

Talking about upcoming games when the situation is we are up late by 3 or more scores

He'd still be grinding up said opponents early. He'd still start.

and then, comfortably ahead, or at least thats the plan :-), you rest the guy

Yeah, I get that. In fact, I've understood the point about reducing his carries everytime it's been made, which is about a half dozen times already.

I just don't agree.

Mostly because the Bengals haven't won anything yet.

[kingwilly]

Talking about upcoming games when the situation is we are up late by 3 or more scores

He'd still be grinding up said opponents early. He'd still start.

and then, comfortably ahead, or at least thats the plan :-), you rest the guy

Yeah, I get that. In fact, I've understood the point about reducing his carries everytime it's been made, which is about a half dozen times already.

I just don't agree.

Mostly because the Bengals haven't won anything yet.

Let's run him as much as necessary to win at Pitt, and to win the division. He can take a breather late in games that are well in hand. If it lowers his carries by 6-10 a game, so be it.

If the division is locked up by the game @ SD, when GB also goes to Pitt, then i think Cedric will gt more rest in the final two games.

All in all, they will use Scott and Leonard more, simply to keep the defenses guessing, rather than giving Benson a lighter load. More looks, more mismatched, better balance.

If Benson's tires fall off by 2012, and this team has a couple of SB rings, no one will complain.

[semiotter]

Ok, just saw that Larry Johnson is going to be released by the Chiefs. Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard are decent players, but Benson is on pace for 396 carries and we all know what happens to runningbacks the years after they carry for more than 375!!

No one's gonna' pay Larry Johnsons' salary, and he'll become a free agent, but SOMEBODY has to start getting more carries and effective carries or Bensons' going to be running on tired legs in December when we play 3 games of the four on the road!

The offense has looked far better, but Bensons' carries are too high, so a change of offensive philosophy has to happen to make a playoff run. We have 4 guaranteed wins coming up. Oakland, Detroit, Cleveland, Chiefs, that's 10 wins with another win out of the games against Vikings, Jets, Squeelers, and Chargers 11 Wins gets us into the playoffs and maybe the division.

* Either way, Benson is here for 2 years, and hard to see Mikey and company paying a 28 year old running back top dollar, so better start thinking about the backs in the '2010 draft.

Oh hell theirs guaranteed wins in the NFL? Oh snap somebody didn't tell the Eagles that when Oakland beat them a few weeks ago. Dude don't count your chickens till their hatched. They need to play one game at a time and take everyone serious!!!

[Stripes]

Let 'em carry it as many times as it takes to get us a division championship. If that means he finishes the regular season at 430, so be it. I don't think the problems would begin to surface until next year. Next year is important too, of course, but we'll have plenty of time to address it.

[derekshank]

Consult the famous Herschel Walker quote:

Herschel, don't you get tired carrying the football so many times? "No sir, the ball ain't heavy."

[TJJackson]

the Bengals haven't won anything yet.

You take it one game at a time, sweetie

You win one game at a time (feels like that could be a old TV sitcom title, eh?)

They've won 6 of them, in fact

They could have rested him vs Chicago, but there was the whole "I wanna kick my old team in the teeth a few more times" thing going on, plus the possibility of a 200 yard game, so he stayed in. But they could have taken him out, just as they did Carson.

[membengal]

No, there was the whole Scott AND Leonard were hurt thing that kept him in the game.

Damn, TJ, please stop ignoring facts.

[Ickey44]

the Bengals haven't won anything yet.

You take it one game at a time, sweetie

You win one game at a time (feels like that could be a old TV sitcom title, eh?)

They've won 6 of them, in fact

They could have rested him vs Chicago, but there was the whole "I wanna kick my old team in the teeth a few more times" thing going on, plus the possibility of a 200 yard game, so he stayed in. But they could have taken him out, just as they did Carson.

TJ, Leonard was inactive that game. They took Ced out with 9 minutes to go. Then Scott and JJ got hurt and Ced was the only active RB on the sideline, so he had to go back in.

I think they're aware of the issue. Marvin said Monday that the reason Scott didn't play is because he wasn't part of the game plan because they didn't know if he'd be available to play.

[TJJackson]

*duplicate post*

[TJJackson]

I am not explaining myself well

I should not have mentioned the Chicago game, since all I was referring to was the disparity in the score and not the special circumstances.

Certainly, not having your backup RB available puts a damper on things, and certainly it was not expected that in addition to that, your fullback and your 3rd stringer also get hurt. All of these in combination essentially made it impossible to pull Cedric. I understand.

so, forget the Chicago game, and instead -- consider an upcoming game, and the possibility you're up say 30-10 very late third quarter or early 4th, and the defense is playing well. Assume both of your backup RBs and fullback are available and healthy.

so

Rest your star RB

Rest your star QB

Maybe even give some of your backup lineman some snaps, put Andre in there, as you never know when you will need them

Yeah, I know this scenario might not happen. But it might, particularly with games against several weaker teams coming up after Pittsburgh, and if so, why not rest your star players? You'll need them healthy in the playoffs.

The reps you give the backups will be valuable too if one of your stars get hurt later.

[Ickey44]

I agree with you, I was just saying they tried in the Bears game and it backfired on them. At least, as far as Ced goes it did.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Lance posted some alarming stats as well:

Carrying a heavy load

At the midway point of the season Cedric Benson has 198 carries for 837 yards.

He's averaging 4.2 yards per carry and 104.6 yards per game.

At his current pace Benson would carry 396 times for 1674 yards.

396 carries would rank 6th most attempts in a season in NFL history.

He leads the NFL in carries by 33 carries. (Stephen Jackson, Rams, 165)

His career high for carries in a season is 214 (2008)

Most rushing attempts since 2002:

416 Larry Johnson (2006)

392 Ricky Williams (2003)

387 Jamal Lewis (2003)

383 Ricky Williams (2002)

376 Michael Turner (2008)

372 LaDainian Tomlinson (2002)

371 Curtis Martin (2004)

370 Shaun Alexander (2005)

363 Adrian Peterson (2008)

361 Rudi Johnson (2004)

360 Edgerrin James (2005)

Most rushing attempts in a season, All-Time

416 Larry Johnson (2006)

410 Jamal Anderson (1998)

407 James Wilder (1984)

404 Eric Dickerson (1986)

403 Eddie George (2000)

397 Gerald Riggs (1985)

393 Terrell Davis (1998)

392 Ricky Williams (2003)

390 Eric Dickerson (1983)

390 Barry Foster (1992)

Here's to hoping they work Scott and Leonard in more from now on. If they can't stay healthy, find someone else.

[TJJackson]

they tried in the Bears game and it backfired on them

Yeah, agreed, they tried.

Then again, thats maybe the one game where it may have been good to let Cedric finish as a favor to him personally, ie the whole "kick the team that let me go in the teeth' thing. He had to be savoring every moment of that, you know?

Builds loyalty when you give a player that kind of opportunity

[derekshank]

Lance posted some alarming stats as well:

Carrying a heavy load

At the midway point of the season Cedric Benson has 198 carries for 837 yards.

He's averaging 4.2 yards per carry and 104.6 yards per game.

At his current pace Benson would carry 396 times for 1674 yards.

396 carries would rank 6th most attempts in a season in NFL history.

He leads the NFL in carries by 33 carries. (Stephen Jackson, Rams, 165)

His career high for carries in a season is 214 (2008)

Most rushing attempts since 2002:

416 Larry Johnson (2006)

392 Ricky Williams (2003)

387 Jamal Lewis (2003)

383 Ricky Williams (2002)

376 Michael Turner (2008)

372 LaDainian Tomlinson (2002)

371 Curtis Martin (2004)

370 Shaun Alexander (2005)

363 Adrian Peterson (2008)

361 Rudi Johnson (2004)

360 Edgerrin James (2005)

Most rushing attempts in a season, All-Time

416 Larry Johnson (2006)

410 Jamal Anderson (1998)

407 James Wilder (1984)

404 Eric Dickerson (1986)

403 Eddie George (2000)

397 Gerald Riggs (1985)

393 Terrell Davis (1998)

392 Ricky Williams (2003)

390 Eric Dickerson (1983)

390 Barry Foster (1992)

Here's to hoping they work Scott and Leonard in more from now on. If they can't stay healthy, find someone else.

What surprised me the most about that list was the number of RBs on that list whose team appeared in the Super Bowl in the same year of their alleged abuse.

I also wouldn't want to go to the trouble of looking this up... but it would be my guess that all but 2 or 3 on that list led their team to the playoffs in the same year they had so many carries.

I'm just saying...

[Ickey44]

Lance posted some alarming stats as well:

Carrying a heavy load

At the midway point of the season Cedric Benson has 198 carries for 837 yards.

He's averaging 4.2 yards per carry and 104.6 yards per game.

At his current pace Benson would carry 396 times for 1674 yards.

396 carries would rank 6th most attempts in a season in NFL history.

He leads the NFL in carries by 33 carries. (Stephen Jackson, Rams, 165)

His career high for carries in a season is 214 (2008)

Most rushing attempts since 2002:

416 Larry Johnson (2006)

392 Ricky Williams (2003)

387 Jamal Lewis (2003)

383 Ricky Williams (2002)

376 Michael Turner (2008)

372 LaDainian Tomlinson (2002)

371 Curtis Martin (2004)

370 Shaun Alexander (2005)

363 Adrian Peterson (2008)

361 Rudi Johnson (2004)

360 Edgerrin James (2005)

Most rushing attempts in a season, All-Time

416 Larry Johnson (2006)

410 Jamal Anderson (1998)

407 James Wilder (1984)

404 Eric Dickerson (1986)

403 Eddie George (2000)

397 Gerald Riggs (1985)

393 Terrell Davis (1998)

392 Ricky Williams (2003)

390 Eric Dickerson (1983)

390 Barry Foster (1992)

Here's to hoping they work Scott and Leonard in more from now on. If they can't stay healthy, find someone else.

What surprised me the most about that list was the number of RBs on that list whose team appeared in the Super Bowl in the same year of their alleged abuse.

I also wouldn't want to go to the trouble of looking this up... but it would be my guess that all but 2 or 3 on that list led their team to the playoffs in the same year they had so many carries.

I'm just saying...

You're right, most of those teams did go to the playoffs. Also, each one of those running backs on the top 10 list were never the same after that season. I want to get to the Superbowl as badly as anyone here, but I also don't want Ced to be a one year wonder here. But I guess if I had to choose, I'd take the Superbowl and I imagine Ced would, too.