Why the 49ers Will be Able to Contain Joe Mixon

Joe Mixon has been stellar this season, but the 49ers have the ability to stonewall him.

Five more games remain of the 2021 regular season.

That means time is running out for the 49ers to lock themselves into a playoff spot. Despite them holding a spot right now, they ran into a bit of a wall when they fell to the Seahawks.

Now the 49ers are walking the fine line of a must win game against the Bengals. What looked like an easy outing before the season is now going to be a challenge for the 49ers. The Bengals are no pushovers. All of their power stems from the offense.

“Yeah, I think the Bengals are very talented, just as a group,” said DeMeco Ryans about Cincinnati’s offense. “Probably one of the most talented groups we'll see, starting with the running back, Mixon, and you go to the quarterback, young quarterback, Burrow. Who's smart, very talented, great arm strength.

“So all around, those skill positions, they've done a really good job of acquiring talent there and adding true playmakers.”

The Bengals are a well-oiled machine top to bottom on offense. However, it is running back Joe Mixon who is the most threatening. Mixon is a dual threat player. He can impact both run and pass games, which is troubling. The guy is just a monster with the ball in his hands and can juke a defender out of their cleats. The 49ers need to be able to slow him down to make the Bengals predictable on offense. No team has really managed to stop Mixon this season. But that will end this Sunday.

The 49ers will be able to contain Mixon.

San Francisco’s run defense is stout. Mixon is going to go up against a defensive front that excels mightily against the run like he never has before this season. I do not think the Bengals have the offensive linemen capable of pushing around the 49ers consistently. It is going to demand more of Mixon to make something out of nothing or maximize short windows for running lanes.

Even if he can find the seam on the line, he is going to get snuffed out by one of the 49ers valiant linebackers. Mixon has not had to go up against a fantastic tandem like Fred Warner and Azeez Al-Shaair. Looking at who Mixon has done the most damage against proves that. He’s exploded the most against Baltimore, Detroit, Las Vegas, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Those are average at best defenses with average to putrid linebackers.

Warner and Al-Shaair will give Mixon a defensive battle he hasn’t experienced yet this season, especially as a receiver. Then you also have to factor in Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt who can act as run or pass support. Once the 49ers bottle him up early, it’s going to throw off Mixon and especially Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. I do not envision a scenario where he can find ways to make Mixon efficient against all that talent.

Now, some of you may think Ja’Marr Chase is the most threatening, especially with Emmanuel Moseley out. But the pass rush can supplement that lack of coverage. And as unattractive as the cornerback spot has been, it hasn’t been that detrimental. The 49ers defense has been strong all year.

If they can focus on taking Mixon out of the game early, then they will put themselves in cakewalk position to win.