- 10.09.25
- Caden Lockhart
- 0
Chase Brown starts fast, and the Bengals follow
On a night when the Bengals broke from habit and let core players get some preseason work, Chase Brown made the most of it. The second-year running back powered in the game’s opening touchdown against the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football, finishing with five carries for 22 yards and an early statement score.
It was more than a tidy box score. Cincinnati has built a reputation for easing into Septembers during the Joe Burrow era, a byproduct of limiting risk in August. Head coach Zac Taylor tweaked that script, giving the offense live snaps to sharpen timing, protection calls, and the run-game fits that are tough to replicate in practice. Brown turned those reps into points, which is exactly the feedback loop coaches want to see in Week 0 football.
His touchdown showcased what’s made him a quick study as a pro: decisive footwork, a low center of gravity through contact, and the burst to finish runs before linebackers can rally. Even in a light preseason workload, those traits translate. Cincinnati mixed in early down looks and kept the calls simple, but the execution—tight double teams up front, Brown’s patient press, then the cut—suggested the run game is further along than it usually is in mid-August.
Why it matters to Cincinnati’s bigger picture is straightforward. Getting real hits and full-speed reads helps a young back lock in pass protection rules and tempo—two areas that often separate promising runners from every-down fixtures. If Taylor’s staff keeps this pattern—controlled reps for top contributors—the offense could open September with fewer three-and-outs and more manageable third downs.
Monday also hinted at how the Bengals might distribute touches. Brown’s comfort on wide zone and duo concepts gives the play-caller flexibility, particularly when pairing him with quick-game passes and play-action shot plays. He’s also a useful safety valve in the screen game, which helps the line set an early rhythm. Even without a full starter’s snap count, you could see the outline of how Cincinnati plans to lean on him to steady drives.
From Illini workhorse to Bengals value pick
Brown’s climb didn’t come out of nowhere. At Illinois, he spent four seasons piling up production and respect—three-time All-Big Ten, a 2022 All-American nod, and more than 3,200 rushing yards with 18 touchdowns. He carried a heavy load for the Illini and rarely looked gassed in fourth quarters, a tell for coaches who care as much about durability and decision-making as they do about long speed.
Plenty of productive college backs get overlooked on draft weekend. Brown was one of them, lasting until the fifth round despite testing and tape that suggested he could contribute early. That value looks better now. After easing into the rotation as a rookie, he took on more responsibility as last season wore on—especially after Week 6—earning trust with his ball security, attention in blitz pickup, and yards after contact.
The touchdown against Washington fits the same arc. It wasn’t a highlight-reel sprint so much as an efficient, on-schedule finish to a drive. That’s what offensive coordinators obsess over in August: can you keep the call sheet ahead of the sticks? Brown helped do that, picking up clean yardage on first down, then finishing when the line created a crease near the goal line.
There’s also the intangible piece. Brown runs like every carry matters, and teammates notice. It sets a tone in a locker room that expects to contend. When your backfield can grind out the boring yards, the explosive plays arrive without forcing them. That’s the balance Cincinnati has chased during the Burrow years: explosive enough to flip games in two plays, sturdy enough to close them in the fourth quarter.
Project it forward and the stakes are obvious. If Brown holds onto the top role he carved out and maintains efficiency, he’ll sit in the leaguewide conversation for a Pro Bowl nod next year. That’s not hype for hype’s sake—it’s the way coaches and scouts talk when a player pairs college volume with pro-level consistency. The Bengals don’t need him to be a 25-carry hammer every week. They need him to be reliable, dangerous in space, and sound in protections. Monday checked those boxes.
For now, the preseason lens stays small: more drives, more situational work, and a few third-and-mediums where Brown has to read a twist and stonewall a blitzer. Those snaps are gold in August. Cincinnati gambled that letting its offense feel a little heat would pay off a month from now. Brown turned that bet into an early touchdown—and a reminder that the Bengals’ ground game might hit stride sooner rather than later.
What to watch as August rolls on:
- Short-yardage identity: Are the Bengals leaning more on downhill duo or sticking with wider zone tracks when they need two yards?
- Backfield rotation: How the staff balances Brown’s early-down work with change-of-pace looks and third-down assignments.
- Screen game timing: If Brown keeps churning out clean yards on screens, it’s a cheap way to steal explosives and slow pass rushes.
Preseason scores fade fast. The tape doesn’t. Brown’s touchdown, the way the line fit the run, and the calm pace of the first series are the kind of small August wins that tend to show up again in Week 1.
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