My NFL Performance of The Week for Week 9 was an easy choice. While Tua Tagovailoa & Patrick Mahomes had banner days, there’s no way I couldn’t give it Bengals Running Back Joe Mixon. Throughout the first 8 games of the year, Mixon (unfairly) caught lots of criticism. Coming off a year where he amassed over 1500 total yards & 16 total touchdowns, Bengals fans and NFL pundits alike had extremely high expectations. Admittedly, the season hasn’t been up to expectations or the heavy contract he was awarded. However, that’s not solely on Mixon. Offensive Line issue, questionable play calling, & facing some of the NFL’s best defense certainly contributed to the slower than usual start. Most of those concerns were alleviated with his incredible showing in the Cincinnati Bengals 42-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

With star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase out with a hip injury, many wondered how the offense would look. Would they struggle without their main guy? Would they lean on the ground game more? Joe Mixon answered the call. Mixon’s stat line was borderline gaudy. 22 attempts and 153 yards for FOUR TOUCHDOWNS on a 7.0 yards per attempt average. Oh yeah, he also added 4 catches for 58 yards and a touchdown on a 14.5 yards per reception average. 211 yards and 5 touchdowns? That’s a career day for anyone, but when you measure in the much-needed reaffirming that the fans, coaches, and maybe even Mixon needed, you cannot overstate how massive of a performance this was. You have to give a shout out to the offensive line as well. They gave a stellar performance against a very good Panthers defensive front. They’ve been under fire as much as anyone in the NFL, but they are improving every week as well.