Jump to content

Observations through two games


Recommended Posts

At random (feel free to add your own or respond to these):

---The start from Dalton is heartening to me - not because of the numbers per se but from the decision-making. He has done a much better job throwing the ball away rather than forcing it and has also done a decent job moving around in the pocket and still keeping his eyes downfield on a few occasions. And, not for noting, he has been delivering a really good ball. That bomb to Marvin Jones was perfect. As have many other throws. Maybe a corner turned? Dunno. But I like the package through two games. He needs to sustain. 

---The Boling/Bodine twosome that people have noted in other threads has been a genuine surprise to me. If those two can make a leap, this team's ceiling is legit high.

---The Geno resurgence is a thing of beauty. It was silly what he did to the Chargers. And the whole D-line has been really, really good, Maybe Michael Johnson just being here helps. Maybe. More likely the Geno being a beastmaster again thing though.

---The LBers are scaring me as much as I feared they would. Holding my breath about Burfict. They need him. Or need Dawson to force his way in. Or something - but the LB play will keep this defense from being legit special as opposed to maybe just good to very good.

---I will probably never fully trust Nugent. He makes it hard.

---Glad to see my faith in Eifert translate - like I mentioned in several training camp threads - it was easy to see at the practices I was at how much Dalton was already leaning on him. He really does appear to be a game changer. They missed him so very badly last year. Hope he can stay healthy because it's a whole new deal. That throw where the cover guy tried to muscle in front and Eifert used his body to hold him off and still made the contested catch? Last year that's a pick because Gresham would never have made that play.

---A healthy Marvin Jones opposite Green is delightful. Still haven't seen the best of this offense. 

---Still don't like Marvin's tendency to be conservative when things get tough. The tuck rule that averted disaster caused them to go turtle yesterday at the end of the first half and it carried over to start of second half. Be better than that, Marvin. 

---I still think what they are paying Leon Hall is ridiculous, but, man, he does seem back to 100% effective. He's been really good as the nickel corner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

---Still don't like Marvin's tendency to be conservative when things get tough. The tuck rule that averted disaster caused them to go turtle yesterday at the end of the first half and it carried over to start of second half. Be better than that, Marvin.

Good stuff.

The minutes leading up to the half looked like a battle to see which of the two head coaches could be more conservative.

I'm guessing Marvin Lewis wins most of those battles.

FWIW Charger fans were just as livid with McCoy for not attempting anything with 40 seconds left, a timeout, and Capt. Comeback at QB.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At random (feel free to add your own or respond to these):

---The start from Dalton is heartening to me - not because of the numbers per se but from the decision-making. He has done a much better job throwing the ball away rather than forcing it and has also done a decent job moving around in the pocket and still keeping his eyes downfield on a few occasions. And, not for noting, he has been delivering a really good ball. That bomb to Marvin Jones was perfect. As have many other throws. Maybe a corner turned? Dunno. But I like the package through two games. He needs to sustain. 

---The Boling/Bodine twosome that people have noted in other threads has been a genuine surprise to me. If those two can make a leap, this team's ceiling is legit high.

---The Geno resurgence is a thing of beauty. It was silly what he did to the Chargers. And the whole D-line has been really, really good, Maybe Michael Johnson just being here helps. Maybe. More likely the Geno being a beastmaster again thing though.

---The LBers are scaring me as much as I feared they would. Holding my breath about Burfict. They need him. Or need Dawson to force his way in. Or something - but the LB play will keep this defense from being legit special as opposed to maybe just good to very good.

---I will probably never fully trust Nugent. He makes it hard.

---Glad to see my faith in Eifert translate - like I mentioned in several training camp threads - it was easy to see at the practices I was at how much Dalton was already leaning on him. He really does appear to be a game changer. They missed him so very badly last year. Hope he can stay healthy because it's a whole new deal. That throw where the cover guy tried to muscle in front and Eifert used his body to hold him off and still made the contested catch? Last year that's a pick because Gresham would never have made that play.

---A healthy Marvin Jones opposite Green is delightful. Still haven't seen the best of this offense. 

---Still don't like Marvin's tendency to be conservative when things get tough. The tuck rule that averted disaster caused them to go turtle yesterday at the end of the first half and it carried over to start of second half. Be better than that, Marvin. 

---I still think what they are paying Leon Hall is ridiculous, but, man, he does seem back to 100% effective. He's been really good as the nickel corner.

Agree all around. P

I likened the current LBs without Tez to traffic cones in the preseason. That may have been too kind.

Also, it would be great if they targeted Eifert and Green more often (see Brady to Edeleman over and over again). With all the weapons on offense I might like Hue to keep the Burkehead and Hewitt plays in his box

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, it would be great if they targeted Eifert and Green more often (see Brady to Edeleman over and over again). With all the weapons on offense I might like Hue to keep the Burkehead and Hewitt plays in his box

I think I prefer to target defenders rather than receivers.

All three of Dalton's TD passes (Green, Jones, Eifert) targeted the same defender, Brandon Flowers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About this time last year, I posted something about this possibly being the most talented Bengals team of all time.  

The only hesitation I have about making the same pronouncement this year is the linebackers.  They're in "chase mode" way too often.

 Vinny Rey is OK weaving through traffic to find a ball carrier... unless he's engaged by a blocker.  Then it's over.  He can't ever seem to get off a block.  Maualuga is a step behind everything - all the time.  Run, pass... It doesn't matter.  I have a feeling whichever of them gets nicked first will get Wally Pipped by Paul Dawson.

Someone else asked the right question in another thread.  How much worse could he be?

All that said, it's nice to have nothing else to complain about.  This is a good 2-0 - one on the road, tenge other at home against a playoff-caliber team.  This team is gonna be a lot of fun to watch!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Linebacker is definitely the weak link of our defense, ray could not cover Danny Woodhead out of the backfield to save his life, I would like to see a lineup of burfict at mike, Dawson at will and lamur or Carter at sam,also Nugent is a liability he can't be trusted and his kickoffs are weak,get a new kicker or its gonna come back to bite them in the ass

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About this time last year, I posted something about this possibly being the most talented Bengals team of all time.  

The only hesitation I have about making the same pronouncement this year is the linebackers.  They're in "chase mode" way too often.

 Vinny Rey is OK weaving through traffic to find a ball carrier... unless he's engaged by a blocker.  Then it's over.  He can't ever seem to get off a block.  Maualuga is a step behind everything - all the time.  Run, pass... It doesn't matter.  I have a feeling whichever of them gets nicked first will get Wally Pipped by Paul Dawson.

Someone else asked the right question in another thread.  How much worse could he be?

All that said, it's nice to have nothing else to complain about.  This is a good 2-0 - one on the road, tenge other at home against a playoff-caliber team.  This team is gonna be a lot of fun to watch!

Yeah - I struggle here. Surely Marvin of all people knows the issue - but he also spends all of his spare time praising Vinny Rey - and I am having trouble with the disconnect. Vinny Rey seems like a superb back-up. He is miscast in his current role. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vinny Rey is OK weaving through traffic to find a ball carrier... unless he's engaged by a blocker.  Then it's over.  He can't ever seem to get off a block.  

That's it right there. I am not a huge X's and O's guy but it seems when Rey is attacking the play, he's great. When the play is coming at him...yikes. He can't seem to get off blocks and he always seems to go the wrong way when the ball carrier cuts. As good as Atkins is, I felt two years ago Burfict was our defense's MVP and his absence is magnified with Vinnie Rey starting. Rey made a great INT, holding on to that ball after getting up there to get it but, overall he's a liability.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I usually dont like doing this type of thing after 2 games because you cant really see trends imo that early, I like to wait till about 4-6 games in.

That said...

Dalton so far has been solid to good, he's making the right calls on the line and even getting his guys in place (there was a running play where AJ was out of position that you could hear him tell AJ to come back closer to the line) his decision making on where to go with the ball has been much better and even his throws are solid. I hope he keeps it up.

Eiffert, so long as he stays healthy he is a weapon and a big saftey blanket for Dalton. I just happen to think we can use other guys to do that too if Effert is hurt.

Marvin Jones - when AJ is being double teamed Jones takes the top off the D with his speed. Something we missed last year.

Hue - much more creative when he has a full toolbox to work with...sometimes almost too cute though.

Paul G - he just seems to be a very average coordinator to me, I think the D can be great with the combination of talent and scheme, but Paul's schemes seem very average to me.

LBs - This unit will be the reason we lose games. We need Taz back and healthy, and we need to start increasing Dawson's snaps. Because outside of Vinnie Ray's INT the unit looks God awful.

DBs - Dre has really come on as a coverage corner, he for the most part shut down his guy this week, needs work in the running game though. Adam Jones is having a really good 2 game year, really has earned the starting spot. And Leon is playing right where he should be in the slot and playing that spot pretty well.

RBs - Jeremey needs to fix the fumbling problem otherwise the starting spot needs to go back to Gio who had a hell of a game this week.

Oline - extreamly good in week 1 and solid in week 2, Fisher for a guy with 2 real games in has played pretty damned well.

Geno - a completely healthy Geno makes this Dline run, watching him just manhandle Olinemen is a thing of beauty.

Things I still want to see....

Mo Sanu do anything... guy has disappeared

Our rookie TEs get some balls

More unexpected routes for Burkhead - when he has gotten in as a slot WR he has shown he can do that. Potentially the replacement for what Hawkins was doing?

I alluded to it above but more creativity from Paul G. One of the strengths of Zimmer was he was creative with his schemes and would confuse O's with what he was doing. Paul needs to do better with that.

And of course...... how we preform in prime time. I'm sorry, not really, but it matters.

So far so good....but it's only been 2 games.... I need a bigger sample size.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saw that Mo only played 27 snaps last week on cincyjungle. They are running Hewitt out there pretty frequently in addition to Eifert. Not a lot of three receiver sets and Marvin is clearly superior.  

 

I'm a little surprised Burkhead isn't getting more playing time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dalton looks great so far.  Props to him. The Online doing great job as well.  

 

Dalton looked great the first 3 games last year.  He wasn't sacked and didn't throw an interception.

After that great start, he became very average the rest of the year. 

That's why I'm not getting excited yet.

debbie-downer.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dalton has been good so far.  I will reserve judgement until we see him in a tough game.  Next week against Baltimore may be that game.

It's going to take an injury to get Dawson any playing time.  Lewis sticks with vets until the bitter end.  Didn't it take an injury to get Burfict serious playing time?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2nd half of the season:

MLB Burfict / Rey

SLB Carter / Lemur

WLB Dawson / (Waiver or FA Pickup)  - Too bad Flowers was injured

Hawk & Maualuga?  Lovely parting gifts

Don't see Maualuga going anywhere.He just got a new deal last year.Lewis,Zimmer,and the current D-coordinator,think him and Peko are good.Must be the hair.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the LB's and in particular Dawson who hasn't shown a lot just yet.  It is interesting that sometimes a player will do much better when he is working in Tandem with another player.  We see Mau and Rey together 90% of the time.  Hawk and Lemur come in on certain packages.  Carter is more of a Hybrid DE/LB.  If you watched the pre-season games where Dawson played,  he excelled when he played with which Linebacker at Mike?   I like all the LB's, I think they play their hearts out, but I cringe when I see a LB who weigh 250(+) lbs. trying to cover speedy scat RB's or athletic TE's.  This wears on a LB at some point.  Mau was pulled last week in the fourth quarter, probably because he had nothing left.   As for over-shooting gaps and missing assignments, there is no reason for this with the tenure we have at the LB position.  By the way, Roach is still with the team on the PS. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dalton looked great the first 3 games last year.  He wasn't sacked and didn't throw an interception.

After that great start, he became very average the rest of the year. 

That's why I'm not getting excited yet.

debbie-downer.jpg

Yeah I remember that he looked so good at the beginning of last year [redacted] came in here pounding his chest about how all the Dalton Doubters know nothing and can go back in their holes...only to have him regress over the course of the whole season. [redacted] looked pretty foolish, kind of tucked his tail and never said he was wrong either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have no idea, none, if Dalton can sustain or not. But to use last year as an example for anything is hard. That team was pulled apart in terms of passing game by the end of Game 2, as that was the point where Green injured his foot, it because apparent Jones wasn't coming back, and Eifert was gone (it should be painfully clear to all now just how bad the loss of Eifert in particular was - he is actually really good and Gresham was...not). It is what it is. I have been as hard on Lewis and Dalton as most people on here, but there is a view of last year that states it is remarkable to they found way to playoffs with all those injuries. Dalton really did not have much to throw to much of the year. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can always tell when autumn arrives.

The leaves begin to turn colors, the air gets a little more crisp, and Bengal haters attempt to out do each other by bragging about how unimpressed they are.

Fuck 'em.

 

 

What's worse, the "Bengal haters" that are constantly unimpressed or the people who continually complain about them?  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...