Bengals RB Giovani Bernard's biggest goal for Year 2? To break bigger runs.
"If you're a running back, you always want to be able to have explosive runs," Bernard said. "Maybe not so much just the 10-yard runs or 15-yard runs or the 20.
"I want to be able to break the 50s, 60s and 70s. And who knows? Maybe the 80s and 90s. Things like that take hard work and dedication. That's really where your skills come into play is on those explosive runs."
No longer a first-year player, he has no doubts that he will be able to create more opportunities for explosive plays this fall.
"Your rookie year you don't want to take too many chances, so you get what you can, you get the yardage you can and you live on the next play," Bernard said. "This year, I'll take a few more chances. A lot of people talk about the Miami run [last season]. That was a chance that I took. But that was a run where, I don't do that often."
Bernard was the #16 RB in 2013, but his touches weren’t truly consistent until Week 9. Jay Gruden is gone, so the Bengals have turned to Hue Jackson, who was the team’s RB coach last season. Jackson likes to run the ball, so the team's total carries should increase. BenJarvus Green-Ellis was serviceable as a between-the-tackles grinder and the team picked Jeremy Hill to be the Law Firm’s eventual (or immediate?) replacement. Bernard’s carries are still under pressure, but it sounds like he’ll see an increased role in the passing game. 300 touches are not out of the question.
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