Football Phrase pt. 2: Run it up the gut

Hello TDS fam and welcome to Monday Night Football where we will see one of the best and one of the worst RBs in the league to run it up the gut. Nick Chubb, obviously, is top 2 in the league at hitting the hole and gaining yards after contact. I believe in the first game against the Steelers this year he averaged 9 yards per carry. Joe Mixon, one of my favorite pros to follow on Instagram (@joemainmixon) hits his O-lineman in the back and falls forward for two yards if he's going up the middle. Hilarious that he somehow still manages 60+ yards a game.

Anywho, the phrase "run it up the gut" is very simply a handoff to the Runningback where the target hole is created in the A gaps on either side of the Center. It's one of the oldest terms and plays in the century-old game of football, even preceding the likes of "Tight End" (1950), "Safety" (1940), and "Forward Pass" (1906).

Running it up the gut is done effectively with larger, more experienced Centers and Gaurds that can see through the complex overload blitzes used by defenses to clog the trenches and slow down the run. Running the ball effectively is still a cornerstone of a successful NFL franchise, and it starts up front with the big men that can create holes and enter the second level of the defense.

I'm still taking Bengals -3.5, but Nick Chubb anytime TD is almost a guarantee.

See yinz on Thursday for part 3