The Cincinnati Bengals have a rising star on their hands. The team drafted running back Giovani Bernard to backup BeJarvus Green-Ellis. The veteran was supposed to once again carry to load of the run game as Bernard became acquainted to the NFL game. While Green-Ellis is getting the most touches on the field, it is Bernard with the better stats.
Through two games, Green-Ellis has 100 yards and a touchdown off 36 carries. Bernard has 95 yards and two touchdowns off just 14 carries. The rookie continues to prove no NFL game is too big for him as he makes the most of what the Bengals are giving him. It is that amount of production that is leaving Cincinnati to increase his role with the team.
Bernard told Cincinnati.com that the run game is going to be more of a 50-50 split between he and Green-Ellis. The Bengals were not expecting Bernard to catch on so quickly and truly develop into a great back in just two games. Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden is having to re-work his playbook in favor of the rookie more.
"That's something I'm trying to figure out," Gruden said. "Sometimes I need to know when Gio is in there because there might be a different set of plays for Gio more so than Benny. But really, they complement each other and both can do similar things. Gio, obviously, out in space is more productive. I try not to alter my play-calling too much when one is in there."
Bernard is proving to be a star both running the ball and operating pass protection. When the Bengals faced a tough defensive front in the Pittsburgh Steelers, the rookie did not blink, holding his ground against some of the best defenders in the game looking to get after quarterback Andy Dalton. The two backs have created a strong one-two punch for the Bengals, something head coach Marvin Lewis has been searching for.
Gruden is thrilled to take some of the weight off Green-Ellis. Putting the same running back in for every play in all 16 games can cause injuries to stack up, something Cincinnati is trying to avoid. With Bernard up to speed, fresh legs will always be present in the backfield. Bernard is proving to be no joke and his fantasy stock is on the rise because of it.
"As a running back in a 16-game season if you can take some plays off of your starter or Gio then it is a good thing," Gruden said. "You want those guys fresh Week 14. You don't want to bang a guy into the ground. You are already worn down by playoff push time. You want them to be fresh and full tank of gas at that time. This will help both of them."
