Random 2023 Bengals related stuff

[Jamie_B]

1 hour ago, High School Harry said:

Son and I said the same thing.

Told my blond lady friend that it was subtitled.

She asked what language it was in.

No 

Did I mention she's a blond?

 

 

 

[texbengal]

On 12/27/2023 at 10:42 AM, Montana Bengal said:

 

Too bad… was looking forward to seeing what they had with a full trading camp. But good for him, getting more coin. 

 

[T-Dub]

On 1/2/2024 at 12:39 PM, UncleEarl said:

 

You must be young. 

 

Dan Ross

Rodney Holman

Tony McGee

Bob Trumpy

 

All better.  These guys could catch AND block. 

 

 

Eifert literally had one good season in 2015.  He never came close to that level of production again.

[I_C_Deadpeople]

Article in the Athletic on the Bengals D (Dehner article):

 

CINCINNATI — Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo used to talk about Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell playing safety at a 400 level.

In 2022, when Bates returned from sitting out the offseason and half of training camp before signing his franchise tag, Anarumo marveled how his first day of camp included advanced-level route pass-offs on the fly despite not being on the field in 11 months.

For a defensive coordinator leaning into versatile game plans and coverages that change week to week, Bates and Bell were the perfect paisans.

Anarumo knew exactly what life without them would mean.

“I choose not to think about that dark day,” he prophetically said last February at the scouting combine.

Dark days include those like this past Sunday in Kansas City. With the season on the line, clinging to a one-point lead late in the third quarter, he didn’t opt for a 400-level call with his young secondary.

No, this was more like Intro to Defense from the first semester of freshman year.

“I’ve called that probably 400 times the last three years,” Anarumo said.

Yet, there was Rashee Rice running free behind Cam Taylor-Britt for 67 yards with no help in sight.

“Dax Hill. Go over the top, we’re playing cloud. He went the wrong way,” Anarumo said, before repeating in an even more defeated tone, adding sad emphasis. “He went the wrong way.”

Welcome to the story of the exasperating 2023 Bengals defense. And one of the most critical questions about its future.

“I think the structure of it in the meeting rooms and sometimes in practice — we’re there, we’re functioning, we’re talking on the right levels,” Anarumo said. “But when push comes to shove and it’s Patrick Mahomes over there, all of a sudden we short circuit for some reason.”

That’s how you lead the league in explosive plays allowed.

“That’s just one of those miscommunications I’ve been talking about this whole year,” nickel cornerback Mike Hilton said. “Our communication has to get a lot better. We brought in two new safeties and just throughout the whole year you could just tell there was just something missing. That chemistry was missing. It’s been a learning curve for them.”

No NFL player from the last two draft classes logged as many snaps as first-year starter Hill this year (1,032). He’s been matched with rookies Jordan Battle (481), DJ Turner (774) and DJ Ivey (21) to account for 2,312 snaps. Toss in another 620 snaps for Cam Taylor-Britt in his second season and you have a whopping 2,932 snaps by players in their first or second NFL seasons. That’s not even taking into account 561 snaps from Nick Scott, adjusting to a new system after signing in free agency.

It’s crazy to think, considering Anarumo was previously notorious for resistance to playing rookies at all.

“A lot of firsts,” Anarumo said about this season.

Only the Bears and Colts match the Bengals’ level of inexperience in the defensive backfield.

Take into account that three of the four Chicago qualifiers are in their second year. One of the two for the Colts (Rodney Thomas II) is a second-year starter. The top four on the list for the Chiefs and Rams are in their second seasons. Kansas City specifically serves as an example of a young secondary that took lumps early before rising to top billing this season.

There’s a cavernous difference in expectation between the first year as a starter and the second, specifically in the defensive backfield.

Eleven-year veteran safety Michael Thomas extends both his arms and index fingers in the direction Cam Taylor-Britt.

“Case in point,” he said.

Taylor-Britt took a solid rookie season that featured a fair share of growing pains and was ascending to a Pro Bowl level before sustaining a hamstring injury and landing on injured reserve.

The bet the Bengals are banking on is this collection of first-year starters following a similar path to a much higher level of play next year. The mantra throughout this frustrating run for Anarumo has been they will be better in the future for all these growing pains.

 

They must. They can’t survive another season of short circuits like this one.

“That’s just who we are right now,” Anarumo said. “And that’s not an excuse, that’s just the facts. We give up big plays and that’s never been a trademark of us, but it is for this year. Youth has something to do with it, but it’s not the only thing. We’ve got to get it fixed, for sure. This will bode well for the future. We are going to grow we are just taking some lumps along the way with these guys.”

Anarumo projects growth because he’s seen it. He clearly remembers the growth of Xavien Howard from a rookie to his breakout second season while in Miami. Thomas was there, too, and he recalls the exact moment. He’s been sure to relay that to all the young players in his secondary.

“We were getting ready to play Thursday Night Football against the Patriots,” Thomas said, recalling the conversation with Howard that week. Howard was complaining about Anarumo being on him about not giving up deep balls in Cover 4 but kept giving up passes underneath because of that top-shoulder technique. He knew he could make a play if he played it differently.

“I said, ‘X, Coach Lou is telling you Day 1 football that in Cover 4 it is a corner’s job to stay on top of the post, on top of the go route,'” Thomas said. “But they drafted you in the second round for a reason. If Xavien Howard feels like he can be low-hip and make the play, then go make the play. Just know if they throw a go, it’s on you.”

On the first drive that day, Howard picked off a dig route by Brandin Cooks. He later picked off a pass by Tom Brady over the top.

“It just clicked for him,” Thomas said. “I know the blueprint. I know the game plan. End of the day, all right, myself, Xavien Howard, I have to use my skill set within that to make it work. Once these guys realize, be yourself, be who they brought you to be. Dax, you are a great athlete. DJ, you are fast as s—. Play our defense by using your skill set. Once they figure that part out you will see a lot of plays made. It just takes time.”

This goes beyond anecdotes to years of evidence. They hope to join a long list of defensive backs to take a jump from Year 1 to Year 2.

 

PFF grades and engaging stories sound nice and serve as a foundation for hope. All involved acknowledge it needs to feel different because these inconsistencies and errors didn’t just affect those making them. It leaked into the minds of veteran players wondering if the guy behind him or next to him will be doing his job correctly this time.

Hilton cited this feeling as a reason he struggled early in the year. He was too often worrying about Hill, Scott, Battle, and Turner carrying out the job.

Anarumo pointed to a play even last week where he saw linebacker Logan Wilson turning his head backward to see if the defensive back was where he was supposed to be.

“You can see him turning around looking and they hit Rice in the seam,” Anarumo said. “You can’t operate that way in the NFL.”

One head twist illustrates a specific example at the heart of the issue.

“A lot of the stuff we do on defense is predicated on the checks the safeties are making,” Wilson said. “That has to be communicated to us. Young guys are still trying to understand what their voice is, meaning that literally and figuratively. You have to be loud enough we can hear you. I think there has been some growth with that. It’s just part of the process. You are young and put into a new role. You are just trying to figure everything out. You aren’t sure or confident in some things. The more you play, the more you do it the more confident you get. We obviously have to do better.”

Call it communication. Call it a lack of confidence. Call it trust.

Just call it a problem.

It will undeniably land on the table of the personnel staff and coaches as they evaluate a path forward in the coming months. It could require a veteran free agent added to the mix to add stability. It could require another draft pick or extra work during the offseason program. Or, they will opt to plow forward believing fully in multiple Year 2 leaps.

All these young players will be on notice, though. The first-year starter excuse disappears along with the ugly 2023 stats.

 

“I personally feel like the Year 1 to Year 2 jump is big to determine a lot of people’s careers,” Hilton said. “The game slows down. The coaches are getting comfortable with what works for you. How they can put you in position to make plays. Year 1 you are just getting used to the speed of the game, you see guys you grew up watching, but once that Year 2 comes around it’s all about how you evolve as a player.”

Expecting Hill and Battle to be Bell and Bates was unfair. That was never going to happen, a fact Anarumo knew well. As Bates lands in his first Pro Bowl with a case as the best safety in football this year for Atlanta, the Bengals are still searching for answers and trying to believe in the errors paving the way for progress.

“There’s proof,” Thomas said. “They are going to have to continue to put in the work and make those strides, but I have no doubt. It happens all the time.”

Thomas then stops and steps to the right, doing an impression of one of the many conversations he had as the season went sideways.  As unbearable as the litany of mistakes were to endure, he knows, they were necessary.

“You can’t skip this part of the process,” he said. “They say, ‘Mike, how do we fast forward?’ You don’t.”

[Jamie_B]

I do expect the defense to not be as bad next year with some experience in the back end, the question is how much better?

[Bleeds Orange]

Bengals games were among the most-watched sporting events of calendar year 2023. The entire top 50 sporting events were all NFL games.

 

  2. AFC Championship

  6. Divisional Game

22. Wildcard Game

24. Last Sunday

27. At San Francisco

38. Hamlin Game

 

Our friends in Cleveland and Pittsburgh did not appear in any of the top 50 games, and the team in Baltimore's only appearance was their playoff game against the Bengals. With no playoff games in calendar year 2024, the Bengals won't be on the list six times. The game at Kansas City will probably make it, and the rest will depend on how good we are and what prime time matchups we get.

 

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/01/most-watched-sports-2023-nfl-sweeps-top-50-college-football-nba-mlb/

 

 

[Shebengal]

The latest from Cincy Magazine:

 

https://www.cincymagazine.com/o-captain-my-captain/?mc_cid=963d3674b1&mc_eid=471ba5c27b
 

 

[Arkansas Bengal]

[claptonrocks]

2 hours ago, Arkansas Bengal said:

Trey stands a good chance of making the All-Pro 1st or 2nd team.

He's deserving.

[Jamie_B]

 

[claptonrocks]

5 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

 

Good stuff by Lap.

Alot of inexperience  showed this season.

 

I'm a big fan of CTB, Turner and 

Jordan Battle ..even Ivey..

Not sure Dax Hill is the answer at FS..

See him as a slot but that's me.

 

Experience is the best teacher .

Future looks good back there once they figure it all .out 

 

 

[Jamie_B]

 

[|BlackJesus|]

[Cat]

26 minutes ago, BlackJesus said:

That game is hard as shit. 

[spicoli]

 

[New Jersey Bengal]

41 minutes ago, spicoli said:

 

Do we get draft pick compensation if he leaves?

[Le Tigre]

1 hour ago, New Jersey Bengal said:

Do we get draft pick compensation if he leaves?

Unless it’s in his contract with a non-compete clause, he can go where he wants (if the contract has expired) 

[Cricket]

1 hour ago, New Jersey Bengal said:

Do we get draft pick compensation if he leaves?

He is black, so the answer is YES.

 

[Le Tigre]

Why would that make a difference? 
 

Contracts are legal condition agreements. Does the NFL have some overriding component? 

[BBR]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2020/11/10/nfl-minority-coach-general-manager-hiring-proposal-approved/6234064002/

 

I don't know 100% if they have to currently be under contract and thus getting the raise or not though.  My guess is if his contract with the Bengals is expired then no compensation for the Bengals.  If he is still under contract for next year, or hired before this league year is concluded then the Bengals would get the compensation.

[Griever]

Sorry if already posted previously

 

 

[Griever]

Alright now I'm confused. The Panthers say Callahan but used a picture of Pitcher...wtf

 

 

[I_C_Deadpeople]

Panthers may have difficulty getting a Grade A candidiate given the dysfunction. So they will get a lesser candidate who thinks they can chnage how ownership operates. 

[sparky151]

18 hours ago, BBR said:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2020/11/10/nfl-minority-coach-general-manager-hiring-proposal-approved/6234064002/

 

I don't know 100% if they have to currently be under contract and thus getting the raise or not though.  My guess is if his contract with the Bengals is expired then no compensation for the Bengals.  If he is still under contract for next year, or hired before this league year is concluded then the Bengals would get the compensation.

 

Front office contracts usually expire in May, after the draft. So if a team hires Brown as GM now, we'd be due a 2025 3rd round comp pick. 

[dex]

16 hours ago, Griever said:

Alright now I'm confused. The Panthers say Callahan but used a picture of Pitcher...wtf

 

 

That mistake pretty much sums up the Carolina Panthers overall dysfunction. No part of their organization seems to ever have a clue what's going on.