They’ll continue to operate in that fashion as long as it works. It establishes the kind of tone they want to set as a run-first team. With those looks — especially their 13 personnel packages with two tight ends and an extra offensive lineman — they’re stating their intentions to run, and they showed against the Bengals they could run it anyway. There’s an element of overwhelming someone physically, with no deception as to what their plans are, that can wear on an opponent mentally over time.
The numbers would suggest, at least through Week 1, that those heavier formations were effective. They led the league, by far, with those types of “13” attempts. They ran 12 times in those packages (the next-closest team was Buffalo with five), picking up 56 yards (4.7 yards per attempt) and three first downs. Half of those attempts generated a positive EPA per play figure, per Sports Info Solutions.
