How will the Cincinnati Bengals handle their backfield with return of Joe Mixon?

The Cincinnati Bengals are getting healthy at the right time.

Last week, the team welcomed back wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who had a game-high seven catches for 97 yards in a 27-24 win over Kansas City. This week, the offense could get a bump with the return of Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon.

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Mixon, who missed the last two games with a concussion, was a full participant in practice Wednesday and has now cleared concussion protocol.

The Bengals host the Cleveland Browns this week at Paycor Stadium in a pivotal AFC North matchup packed with playoff implications. The Browns rely heavily on the run game as the AFC's only team with two running backs with more than 100 carries on the year. Could the Bengals mimic that approach and turn to a two-headed monster in the backfield with Mixon and Samaje Perine?

In his last full game, Mixon set a franchise record with five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) in the team's 42-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Week 9. Two weeks later, Mixon suffered the concussion after only seven carries in the win over Pittsburgh.

"I definitely started getting into a groove," Mixon said Thursday about his performance before the injury. "I thought I was getting started. I felt it coming, but it's just a little setback. But I'm going to be there. I know I'm going to be there, and I know what I'm capable of doing."

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed Wednesday that Mixon would return as the starter once he cleared concussion protocol.

"Joe Mixon is our starting running back," Taylor said. "In the last (full) game he played in, he had five touchdowns, tremendous effort."

Samaje Perine excelled for Bengals while Joe Mixon was out with a concussion

With Mixon sidelined for the last two-plus games, Perine has shined as a dual-threat back. Perine had three touchdown receptions against Pittsburgh, 93 scrimmage yards and a score in the win over Tennessee and ran for 106 yards last week against Kansas City, his first 100-yard effort since his rookie year in 2017.

"Perine came in and did everything I knew he was capable of doing," said Mixon, who was teammates with Perine at Oklahoma. "He's always been solid and he's forever going to be that. I've been his teammate for about, like, eight years now. So, it's nothing new to me, to be honest.

"He definitely picked up where I left off and I'm glad to see him do his thing."

Mixon's return leaves the Bengals offense with an abundance of weapons, though there's only one football to go around. Backfield duties could be divided, but prior to Mixon's injury, Perine was used more as a third-down back and for pass protection. His previous high for carries in a game this season was nine (Week 3 against the Jets) when Mixon was healthy.

Taylor applauded Perine's professionalism in whichever role he's asked to do.

"You talk about consistency, it's so critical to have guys like that on the team that whatever you ask them to do, you know that they're gonna understand what you're asking and they're gonna do it to their full potential," Taylor said.

Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said he expects both to see time in the backfield over the final stretch of the regular season.

"You know, they're both going to get their chances and opportunities," Callahan said. "There's still a lot of football to be played. You know, we've got five weeks left, plus hopefully a handful of games in January, February. We're going to need both of those guys to play well."

Rushing attack has been vital in the Bengals' four-game winning streak

Success in the run game has fueled the Bengals' current four-game winning streak. In its first eight games, Cincinnati ran for 100-plus total yards just twice (Week 1 vs. Pittsburgh, Week 5 vs. Baltimore). In the last four contests, the Bengals have collectively hit the century mark three times and have averaged nearly a full yard more on the ground per carry (4.50 vs. 3.54).

More commitment to − and success − on the ground could lead to more opportunities for a balanced 1-2 punch between Mixon and Perine.

"We've been really efficient in the run game," Taylor said. "To have two guys that we know that we can trust that count on to get hard yards and run the ball downhill and be physical, that helps us, especially as you get down late in these games and as weather starts to get kind of crappy. You're able to rotate guys, keep them fresh and keep them healthy."

The Browns rank 22nd in the NFL against the run this season, giving up 127.4 yards per game. Cleveland has allowed six running backs to average at least 4.1 yards per carry in just four games since beating the Bengals on Halloween.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Joe Mixon back for Bengals vs. Browns. What that means going forward.