Colts Week Notes

[Bengals1181]

Bengals-Talk.com ‏@BengalsTalk7h

The #Bengals will wear black jerseys and white pants during Sunday's game. #Cincinnati is 22-25-0 in that uniform combination since 2004.

[Bengals1181]

Updated: 6:40 p.m.

The two quarterbacks who helped usher in the era of instant quarterbacking and put the Bengals and Colts immediately into the playoff mix by taking the first snap of their careers and have yet to look back are on display Sunday (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 12) at sold-out Paul Brown Stadium.

With a win, Cincinnati's Andy Dalton guarantees a winning season in all three of his years, takes another step closer to his first AFC North title, and jacks his career winning percentage to .614.

With a win, Indianapolis' Andrew Luck wins his first AFC South title with his 20th win in his 29th game.

Five years ago it was unthinkable. The NFL was still in the hold-clipboard-and-watch phase for young quarterbacks, but guys like Dalton and Luck have helped obliterate that template forever.

"Teams have started to figure out a guy develops a little more rapidly by playing. Taking some shots on the chin. Live bullets," says Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden. "Learning from the mistakes they make and gaining more confidence with each success they have."

As head coach Marvin Lewis says, the offenses and defenses in college more and more are merging into the NFL, making the transition markedly easier.

"I think colleges are a lot further along now. Like Andy at TCU, a lot of the schemes they run are similar (to the NFL). The protection schemes are similar," Gruden says. "They're further along than back in the old days and (teams) are also doing a better job of catering to the quarterback they have instead of shoving a system down a quarterback's throat."

Two reasons Gruden was attracted to Dalton during the 2011 draft and was the guy he wanted in the second round: Dalton's makeup and the similarity of TCU's system to what Gruden was implementing in Cincinnati. Colin Kaepernick, who was the better athlete but seen by the Bengals as more of a project, went the next pick to San Francisco after Dalton went 35th to Cincinnati. Ryan Mallett, who went in the third round to New England, maybe had a bigger pocket presence.

"We thought he was the most mentally ready to play," Gruden says. "Not the most physically-gifted. Colin was gifted. Ryan Mallett maybe had a stronger arm. But Andy won a ton of games at TCU. Started as a freshman. I don't think we could have gone wrong with any of those guys."

All Dalton is lacking on his rèsumè is a playoff win. As Gruden says, "In three years he's accomplished so much." If Dalton was Player of the Month in October and then suddenly the scourge of Twitter in November, Gruden looks at the occasional lapses of the best. Drew Brees. Tom Brady. Peyton Manning. And says it's unfair to compare a third-year QB to the best.

Dalton and Luck win. Head coach Marvin Lewis appreciates that. That's why he did it the complete opposite way in 2003 when the Bengals took Carson Palmer No. 1 overall. Lewis installed respected veteran Jon Kitna as the starter and Palmer watched Kitna win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award in directing the biggest turnaround in the league before taking the reins of a settled 8-8 team in 2004 instead of a retooling 2-14 team in 2003.

Lewis says teams can still go either way: sit or start.

"Whatever you think is best for your team. I don't think a lot depends on the player. It depends on what you need as a team," Lewis says. "You've got to adjust. You get the player ready to go whenever he's ready to go. ... We were trying to get the (2003) team to believe. Not to have excuses."

UP IN ARMS: Gruden doesn't buy that Dalton doesn't have an arm strong enough to cut through the AFC North elements. Sunday should be a good test but, then again, the running game figures to be front and center and if Dalton is doing his job he won't risk putting his defense and special teams in bad situations with passes all over a wintry lot.

"His arm is strong enough; he throws a good ball for the wind," Gruden says. "He spins it pretty good. He's got a great torso (spin). He throws a hard ball that knifes through the wind."

NO ID CRISIS: For the first time all season, the Bengals seem comfortable in their own skin after the 17-10 beat-the-clock job last Sunday on The Coast. They're at their best when they mash the clock in a running game that also gives Dalton space while they let their relentless defense and special teams rest. And you get the sense with bad weather descending on a stadium where the Bengals are 5-0 this season, they can't wait to play because everything points to their strengths.

"They understand as a football team that winning is what we're here for. You keep looking at the time graph as you get closer to your ultimate goals," Lewis says. "They understand their identity and that's not going to vary very much whether we have to run it, or throw it; we're prepared to do it. We know we have to play good defense and special teams and if we run it 40 times or pass it 40 times I'm not going to have the other guy sitting in my office sucking his thumb or upset about something. We're not going to have a reaction."

KUBIAK GONE: How about Lewis's reaction to this? The man that knocked his Bengals out of the playoffs the past two seasons, Texans coach Gary Kubiak, got fired on Friday. But Lewis didn't follow a playoff run with a club that is looking at picking first in May. Instead, he's now on the verge of a franchise-first three straight playoff berths.

"The amazing thing is I thought they had built a good program there," Lewis said after Friday's practice. "Very similar in what they had in Indianapolis. Very quickly it goes away. It's not necessarily one person's fault. Now ownership gets an opportunity to do what it has to do."

BOLING RESOLVED: Left guard Clint Boling, leaning on crutches Friday, is still making plans on where to have his ACL reconstructed. He says it will be a Christmas-time surgery and, "I think my goal starting out has to be back by the start of training camp."

He says the injury that occurred on the fifth play in San Diego last Sunday was nothing out of the ordinary. It was a running play, he planted normally, got hit, and the knee twisted, tearing the ACL.

SLANTS AND SCREENS

» As sleet pelted downtown Cincinnati on Friday morning the Bengals retreated indoors for the first time this season and held their last full-scale workout before Sunday under the University of Cincinnati bubble.

With right guard Kevin Zeitler (foot) working again after being limited Thursday, the roster looked to be intact for the 10-minute ride up the hill to Clifton.

But since Zeitler went limited again and was listed as questionable, that would indicate the offensive line is going to start Sunday like it ended in San Diego last week with Andrew Whitworth at left guard and Mike Pollak at right guard.

Everyone else on the active roster was probable. Whitworth (calf) and wide receiver Andrew Hawkins (hamstring) went full Friday for the first time this week. The only player who didn't work Friday was long snapper Clark Harriswith an illness.

» Sunday's conditions won't be as pristine. The National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio is calling for pretty much the same weather system that unloaded on Cincinnati on Friday. Expect freezing rain and snow all game in temperatures hovering near 32 degrees with a north wind of about eight miles per hour.

The forecast should favor the Bengals with the Colts an indoor team, but that's not always the case. Dalton has played only two more games than Luck in 35-degree temperatures or colder. Dalton is 2-1. Luck won his only encounter in freezing temperatures last year in a 20-13 win at Kansas City on Dec. 22 in which he had a passer rating of 76.5 with one touchdown and no interceptions.

» The Marvin Lewis Community Fund strikes again. This time at Dick's Sporting Goods in Sycamore Plaza on Monday.

Carlos Dunlap, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham plan to assist approximately 35 children, selected by the MLCF as they shop for winter essentials and Christmas gifts.  The children are from the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, Cincinnati Public Schools, Covington Independent Public Schools, and North College Hill Schools.

 

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Update-Instant-QBs-on-display-ID-criss-solved-Luck-in-rare-cold-start-Zeitler-questionable/c9bcab3e-0a3e-455b-9ee2-e05efbb16042

[Bengals1181]

 

 

"His arm is strong enough; he throws a good ball for the wind," Gruden says. "He spins it pretty good. He's got a great torso (spin). He throws a hard ball that knifes through the wind."

 

 

made me think of this video.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h6D4Tq4YK0

[Bengals1181]

VS.

 

GAME PREVIEW
DECEMBER 8, 2013

 

TIME: 1 p.m. Sunday

PLACE: Paul Brown Stadium (Synthetic)

LOCAL RADIO: Play-by-play Dan Hoard and analyst Dave Lapham led by Triple Cast of WLW 700 AM, ESPN AM 1530 and WEBN FM 102.7 on the 25-station Bengals radio network.

NATIONAL RADIO: Play-by-play Sean McDonough, analyst Anthony Muñoz, Ian Fitzsimmons sideline reporter

TV: CBS broadcast team of play-by-play Greg Gumbel and analyst Dan Dierdorf on Cincinnati's Channel 12, Channel 7 in Dayton, Ohio, Channel 27 in Lexington, Ky.

 

INJURIES
CIN: Starting RG Kevin Zeitler (foot) returned to practice this week for the first time since his Nov. 10 injury when he was limited Thursday and Friday and was the only player listed as questionable. Everyone else on the active roster was probable. LGAndrew Whitworth (calf) and wide receiver Andrew Hawkins (hamstring) went full Friday for the first time this week. The only player who didn't work Friday was long snapper Clark Harriswith an illness.

IND: OUT: Starting DT Ricky Jean Francois (foot) and starting RG Jeff Linkenbach (quad); Starting LG Hugh Thornton (neck) was limited Thursday and Friday and is questionable. Starting LCB Greg Toler (groin), out the last five games, was limited all week and is questionable. Backup MLBKavell Conner (ankle) had practiced full all week until Friday and was called questionable.

THE SERIES
Colts lead regular season series 16-9, postseason series 1-0; 8-3 in Cincinnati, 1-1 at PBS; 10-6 at home

NOTEWORTHY
» The Bengals were 4-5 against the Baltimore Colts and in the first meeting of the series on the day after Christmas in 1970 the Bengals appeared in their first postseason game and lost, 17-0, on the road. The Colts went on to win the Super Bowl after quarterback Johnny Unitas completed just six of 17 passes. But two went for long touchdowns to his wide receivers, one a 45-yarder to Roy Jefferson and the other a 53-yarder to Eddie Hinton.

» The Bengals are 5-12 against the Indianapolis Colts and were 0-7 against Peyton Manning.

» In his rookie year of 2011 Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton broke Cincinnati's seven-game losing streak against Indy when a 27-17 victory over Curtis Painter marked Cincinnati's first win against the Colts sinceBoomer Esiason came off the bench in relief of Jeff Blake to beat Kelly Holcomb in 1997.

» Colts linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald, who worked for the Bengals for four seasons, returns where current Bengals linebackers coach Paul Guenther assisted him for three of those seasons.

» Bengals wide receiver Ryan Whalen may be inactive, but it is still a Stanford reunion with his college quarterback, the Colts' Andrew Luck, and position coach, Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton.

» For the second time in three home games, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis tries to beat a fellow former Ravens defensive coordinator. Colts head coach Chuck Pagano and Jets head coach Rex Ryan both led the Baltimore defense.

» With a win the Colts win their first AFC South title since Manning's last season in 2010.

NFL RANKINGS
CIN: 12th in scoring, 12th in offense (18th rushing, 11th passing); 5th in scoring defense, 6th in defense (8h rushing, 8th passing), T-16th in turnover margin at minus-1.

IND: T-14th in scoring, 20th in offense (20th rushing, 20th passing); 12th in scoring defense, 22nd in defense (28th rushing, 77th passing), T-10th in turnover margin at plus-6.

COACHES
CIN: Marvin Lewis 87-84-1 regular season, 0-4 postseason in his 11th season; 1-4 vs. Colts.

IND: Chuck Pagano 19-10 in second season, 0-1 in postseason; 0-0 vs. Bengals and Lewis.

WEATHER
The National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio is calling for snow and freezing rain throughout the game with temperatures around 32 degrees and winds out of the east at about eight miles per hour.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
» 50 - Home career wins for Lewis if Bengals win Sunday
» .576 - Regular-season home winning percentage (49-35-1) for Lewis
» .625 - Regular-season home winning percentage (35-21) for Paul Brown
» .593 - Regular-season home winning percentage (38-26) for Sam Wyche
» 25-23 - Lewis record in December
» 14-7 - Lewis record in last five Decembers
» 8-4 - Lewis record at home in last five Decembers
» 17 - Regular-season games Lewis has coached in 35 degrees or less as Bengals coach
» 5 - Regular-season games Colts have played in 35 degrees or less in last 11 seasons
» 10-7 - Regular-season record for Lewis in 35 degrees or less
» 3-2 - Colts regular-season record in 35 degrees or less
» 2-1 - Bengals QB Andy Dalton's record in 35 degrees or less
» 1-0 - Colts QB Andrew Luck's record in 35 degrees or less
» 37.7 - Colts offense's third-down percentage, 16th in league
» 26 - Bengals defense's third-down percentage at home
» 23.5 - Points Colts average on the road
» 31.4 - Points Bengals average at home
» 15 - Average points Bengals allow at home
» 56 - Passer rating of foes at PBS this season
» 82.4 - Luck's passer rating this season
» 16-12 - Dalton's record in first 28 games
» 19-9 - Luck's record in first 28 games
» 44-26 - Dalton's TDs-INTs in first 28 games
» 38-26 - Luck's TDs-INTs in first 28 games
» 10 - Luck's career winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime
» 9 - NFL starts by Oilers QB Oliver Luck, Andrew's father
» 2-3 - TDs-INTs for Oliver Luck in two games in Cincinnati
» 24 - Turnovers by Bengals this season
» 13 - Turnovers by Colts this season
» 3.4 - Colts RB Trent Richardson's career average on 406 rushes
» 4.4 - Bengals RB Giovani Bernard's career average on 119 rushes

GAME DAY ENTERTAINMENT
» JungleZone: My Sister Sarah
» Giveaway: Eye Black for the first 15,000 fans
» Halftime: NFL Punt, Pass & Kick winners plus Around the League in 180 Seconds

TOYS FOR TOTS
U.S. Marine Corps Reserves will collect new unwrapped toys and cash donations for disadvantaged children in our community and distribute the toys just before Christmas. Every contribution makes a huge difference. We hope every Bengals fan will support this year's Toys for Tots collection by bringing a new unwrapped toy or cash donation to this Sunday's game.

 

 

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Colts-Bengals-Preview/da2aeade-f15d-4d90-8161-24d11a34e2e5

[Bgal]

Is it bad that I'm kinda happy Zeitler is still hurt? I'm afraid if he is healthy some more shuffling happens and Whit ends up at LT. I really like Whit at guard so far and don't trust the coaches to play the hot hand or make the right call on who should start where.

[Bengals1181]

Is it bad that I'm kinda happy Zeitler is still hurt? I'm afraid if he is healthy some more shuffling happens and Whit ends up at LT. I really like Whit at guard so far and don't trust the coaches to play the hot hand or make the right call on who should start where.

 

 

I actually expect Zeitler to dress tomorrow, but he'll be the 6th man when they go jumbo.

[bengaled]

per Coley Harvey, Pressley has practiced all week.

 

 

let's see, pressley's due to come off the DL. to do so he has to be placed on the 53 active roster. pressley has practiced all week. marvin and gruden have addressed the bad weather and said we'll need a functional running game. bad weather is in the forecast for sunday.

 

ok, i think i have all i need to know.

[bubba]

Playbook

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-playbook/0ap2000000293461/Playbook-Colts-vs-Bengals

[T-Dub]

 
 
let's see, pressley's due to come off the DL. to do so he has to be placed on the 53 active roster. pressley has practiced all week. marvin and gruden have addressed the bad weather and said we'll need a functional running game. bad weather is in the forecast for sunday.
 
ok, i think i have all i need to know.

40+ pass attempts and lots of shotgun/pistol formations.

Very little faith in Gruden right now, sorry.

[|High School Harry|]

Two Clots starters not making trip...

 

 

Toler, 2 other Colts don't make trip to Cincinnati

1 hour agoAP - Sports

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Colts will be missing two starters Sunday at Cincinnati.

Left guard Hugh Thornton and cornerback Greg Toler did not make Saturday's short trip south on I-74. Backup linebacker Kavell Conneralso stayed home.

Thornton had been considered questionable with a neck injury. Toler has missed five straight games with a groin injury. Conner is out with an ankle injury.

Indy (8-4) can clinch the AFC South with a win over the Bengals, a Tennessee loss at Denver or either team ties. The Bengals (8-4) lead the AFC North.

[Le Tigre]

Both guards out for them...plus a starting DT and corner. Don't know much about their depth...but this isn't small potatoes.

[Tigris]

🐍

[EnglishBengal]

Word of warning to all you optimists out there.....

 

It was about this time last year the Bengals were in the the midst of a playoff run, and had a big letdown against the Cowboys 20-19.

 

Roughly at this time in 2009, the Bengals had a big 20-17 letdown against the Raiders.

 

Both times we were in the driving seat and let the game slip away.

 

It's always at this time of the year we get one game like this.

 

I HOPE WE BUCK THE TREND TODAY AND FINISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[scharm]

Word of warning to all you optimists out there.....
 
It was about this time last year the Bengals were in the the midst of a playoff run, and had a big letdown against the Cowboys 20-19.
 
Roughly at this time in 2009, the Bengals had a big 20-17 letdown against the Raiders.
 
Both times we were in the driving seat and let the game slip away.
 
It's always at this time of the year we get one game like this.
 
I HOPE WE BUCK THE TREND TODAY AND FINISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah that sucked. Probably about a year ago. They dropped a ton Int and receptions

[alleycat]

Word of warning to all you optimists out there.....

 

It was about this time last year the Bengals were in the the midst of a playoff run, and had a big letdown against the Cowboys 20-19.

 

Roughly at this time in 2009, the Bengals had a big 20-17 letdown against the Raiders.

 

Both times we were in the driving seat and let the game slip away.

 

It's always at this time of the year we get one game like this.

 

I HOPE WE BUCK THE TREND TODAY AND FINISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Letdown?  Maybe from a fan perspective.  I'd hardly call your only loss in an 8 game stretch - and a one point loss at that - a letdown.  Yeah, we wanted them to win every game and all of that, but this is the NFL.  7-1 over the final 8 games is something I'd take every year, regardless of how we performed over the first 8.

 

What happened in that game, and the danger in any game in the NFL, is that two very good players caught on fire at the right time and we paid the price (I believe that was Dez Bryant's first big game after returning from injury, and he's been on the warpath ever since). Let's hope that Andrew Luck doesn't find that groove with someone today.  Or Big Ben next week, or the Vikes after that, or the Ravens after that.  Because lord knows anything can happen in the NFL.

 

That said I'd like to aim for a #2 seed or better and take the next 4.  But more than worrying about "letdowns" I'm worried about watching us begin to establish some consistency on offense, hopefully by continuing to run the ball well and spreading the ball around.

 

But yeah, any given sunday and all that...

[mongo]

Word of warning to all you optimists out there.....
 
It was about this time last year the Bengals were in the the midst of a playoff run, and had a big letdown against the Cowboys 20-19.
 
Roughly at this time in 2009, the Bengals had a big 20-17 letdown against the Raiders.
 
Both times we were in the driving seat and let the game slip away.
 
It's always at this time of the year we get one game like this.
 
I HOPE WE BUCK THE TREND TODAY AND FINISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heh. I'm not sure I've expected to win a game since the 80’s.... I think it's one of those 'the older I get, the less I know' sort of things. :)

[Phatcat]

Heh. I'm not sure I've expected to win a game since the 80’s.... I think it's one of those 'the older I get, the less I know' sort of things. :)

LOL... that is me.  My motto was expect the worst and hope for the best.  Over the last 20+ years it has been ingrained in us as a Bengal fan.  But I must say I am optimistic going into this game.  Don't let me down Bengals!   

[Bgal]

Pessimism is a sad way to live.

[Le Tigre]

A win today secures the third straight winning season for our Bengals.

These are great days we're living, bros.

[Phatcat]

Pessimism is a sad way to live.

Thanks for those words of wisdom....  I am just a miserable person and my whole outlook on life and happiness revolves around the Bengals.   I will take that too heart and hopefully will not live a sad life.    

[Oldcat]

Letdown?  Maybe from a fan perspective.  I'd hardly call your only loss in an 8 game stretch - and a one point loss at that - a letdown.  Yeah, we wanted them to win every game and all of that, but this is the NFL.  7-1 over the final 8 games is something I'd take every year, regardless of how we performed over the first 8.

 

What happened in that game, and the danger in any game in the NFL, is that two very good players caught on fire at the right time and we paid the price (I believe that was Dez Bryant's first big game after returning from injury, and he's been on the warpath ever since). Let's hope that Andrew Luck doesn't find that groove with someone today.  Or Big Ben next week, or the Vikes after that, or the Ravens after that.  Because lord knows anything can happen in the NFL.

 

That said I'd like to aim for a #2 seed or better and take the next 4.  But more than worrying about "letdowns" I'm worried about watching us begin to establish some consistency on offense, hopefully by continuing to run the ball well and spreading the ball around.

 

But yeah, any given sunday and all that...

 

That all happened AND we made some offensive mistakes (not converting TDs, dropped passes) and defensive mistakes (dropped INTs, final drive letdown).

 

I usually expect us to win games.  But to do that, we have to make plays all over the field, offense, defense, QB...so in a game where we don't, it isn't as big of a shock.

[alleycat]

 

That all happened AND we made some offensive mistakes (not converting TDs, dropped passes) and defensive mistakes (dropped INTs, final drive letdown).

 

I usually expect us to win games.  But to do that, we have to make plays all over the field, offense, defense, QB...so in a game where we don't, it isn't as big of a shock.

 

And if I could say the one thing I want to see most over the next 4 games it's reducing offensive mistakes, particularly turnovers. 

 

Mathis is probably going to give Andre Smith fits today, so I'm hoping Andy secures the football.

[Oldcat]

 

And if I could say the one thing I want to see most over the next 4 games it's reducing offensive mistakes, particularly turnovers. 

 

Mathis is probably going to give Andre Smith fits today, so I'm hoping Andy secures the football.

 

Hopefully he secures it by cramming it into BJGE's gut on the way to a six yard run.  

[mongo]

Pessimism is a sad way to live.

 

Oh I'm no pessimist. I don't believe the Bengals will win or lose any game, and I believe they can win any game. I've just gotten out of the prognostication business on Sundays... I have absolutely no idea what will happen each Sunday. :)

[alleycat]

 

Hopefully he secures it by cramming it into BJGE's gut on the way to a six yard run.  

Amen.