Le'Veon Bell, Joe Mixon trade jabs, first-down moves
You come at the king, you best not fumble.
The Cincinnati Bengals‘ Joe Mixon complained last week that he wasn’t getting enough touches, and he threw Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell, a rival AFC North running back, under the wheels to make his point.
“Me personally, I feel like I can do way more than [Bell] did,” Mixon said last week. “Like I said, I only had seven carries. I can’t showcase nothing if I don’t get the ball. There’s nothing else I can say.”
Fast-forward to Sunday, when Mixon and the Bengals were facing off against the Colts. Mixon didn’t have a particularly spectacular ground game, toting the rock only 11 times for 18 yards with one lost fumble. But Mixon did pull off an impressive, broken-field, 67-yard catch-and-gallop play that ended with Mixon doing a first-down point-and-drop move exactly like Bell’s.
And guess who was in the viewing audience: a very interested, and very tweet-happy, Le’Veon Bell:
for someone who feels they can do “way more” than I can, sure seems like u wanna be me! tryin to mimic my run style, my 1st down celebration
— Le'Veon Bell (@L_Bell26) October 29, 2017
now u wear an arm sleeve on your left arm AND went to the mismatch gloves too?! lol just change your number from 28 to 26 while your at it..
— Le'Veon Bell (@L_Bell26) October 29, 2017
Mixon didn’t get anywhere close to his desired 30 to 35 carries. But he did help the Bengals hold on for a win, and he kept the flame war going with Bell. After the game, he said he wasn’t imitating Bell, but rather Adrian Peterson:
#Bengals Joe Mixon is not worried about Le'Veon Bell's comments. He tries to imitate Adrian Peterson. Says he's just going to keep working. pic.twitter.com/7LNj364Jg8
— Elise Jesse (@Elise_JesseWLWT) October 29, 2017
When asked about Bell, Mixon played it tight. “It’s unfortunate he feels that way,” Mixon said. “I’m not worried about what he’s talking about.”
All in all, a good effort from the rookie, if not a transcendent one. Yet.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION, on sale now at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.
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