I don't know what it is about the Bengals defense covering TE's. It seems like they have had challenges in that area for years. Allowed another TD to one yesterday (Chandler). Who can forget what Bennett (Bears) and Cameron (Browns) did to them? They get another one next Sunday for the Lions, Joseph Fauria, who had 3 TD's yesterday. I hope Zimmer covers him and Johnson and rushes 4 instead of blitz.

I don't know what it is about the Bengals defense covering TE's. It seems like they have had challenges in that area for years. Allowed another TD to one yesterday (Chandler). Who can forget what Bennett (Bears) and Cameron (Browns) did to them? They get another one next Sunday for the Lions, Joseph Fauria, who had 3 TD's yesterday. I hope Zimmer covers him and Johnson and rushes 4 instead of blitz.

 

Agreed. Seems like they've always done very poorly against TE's in the past. It seems like it's the same way with first-time starters at QB. You'd think most teams would relish having some newbie have his first start against them. But, it's almost like the Bengals need some tape of the guy to come up with a plan of attack.

Couple questions I have:

 

1) Why does Jermaine Gresham play so much? He has stone hands, and when he does catch it, he's likely to fumble. I'd have Eifert out there over him at all times.

 

2) Did Gruden get his backs mixed up yesterday? He was trying to run BGE on sweeps and to the outside, and Gio up the gut. On 3rd and 1, late in the 4th, he opted to run tiny Gio up the middle instead of the Law-Firm who has converted something like 30 of 32 attempts on 3rd or 4th and 1 in his career.

 

3) Why does the offense continuously get a couple score lead, and call off the dogs? It's like they decided okay, we're up 14, let's run the clock out.

 

The more I watch them play, the more I realize that Gruden is completely overwhelmed as the OC of an NFL team.

 

It could be just Gruden. However you also have to realize he has a defensive minded head coach, who most likely is also telling him to be conservative after they get a big lead. Marvin is a big believer at taking the air out of the ball and running and trusting your defense with a lead. So its probably a combination of Gruden and Marvin.

That's just it, he is safe...he throws to his primary receiver wether he is covered or not 99.9% of the time. That is Dalton, he is safe which means he isn't one that will be known for come from behind wins because it just isn't in his makeup.

 

 

You say he only made 1 bad throw and that was the int. If you watrched the game you will also see aat the beginning of the game he made 3 throws right into the defenders that were dropped or knockeed down, people seem to forget about those throws. Dalton tends to throw into covereage a little too many times and that is because he doesn't look off his receiver a lot.

 

Being safe isnt a bad thing if you are n a team that has great running game and can go up several scoores on a team, but being safe (majority of his throws short, safe throws) isn't going to get a lot of come from behind wins.

 

I really wish Gruden could do what Zimmer has been able to do this year, and that is adjust. Zimmer hhas made great adjustments in several games this year, you are right about Gruden though, he has hhis plays and once the defense shuts them down he goes back to vanilla playcalling.

 

I completely agree with you on Dalton, and somewhat on Gruden. However people also have to realize, if we all are in agreement that Dalton really doesn't know how to go through all his reads besides his primary read, then we really don't know if the plays or adjustments Gruden makes are ineffective or not. Offensive Coordinators on passing plays having pass combinations that have routes that should have someone else open if say the primary is taken away. Some of his calls might be there but we never see it because of Dalton's lack of going through his progressions.

 

I have no idea about games on the road. However I sit in the end zone for home games so i see the whole play develop. There are a lot of plays where receivers are open that he never see's. Knowing this makes it hard for me to completely agree with people on Gruden. However yesterday not having BGE in for the 3rd and short was stupid!

That's just it, he is safe...he throws to his primary receiver wether he is covered or not 99.9% of the time. That is Dalton, he is safe which means he isn't one that will be known for come from behind wins because it just isn't in his makeup.

 

 

You say he only made 1 bad throw and that was the int. If you watrched the game you will also see aat the beginning of the game he made 3 throws right into the defenders that were dropped or knockeed down, people seem to forget about those throws. Dalton tends to throw into covereage a little too many times and that is because he doesn't look off his receiver a lot.

 

Being safe isnt a bad thing if you are n a team that has great running game and can go up several scoores on a team, but being safe (majority of his throws short, safe throws) isn't going to get a lot of come from behind wins.

 

My whole thing is, if you watched that game yesterday, and came away thinking, "Andy Dalton played poorly", you'll never be satisfied and you might as well quit watching the Bengals. They don't have a Brees, Rodgers, Manning, or Brady and they never will. Those are 4 all-time great QBs. If those are the guys we're wanting Dalton to be, he'll never measure up, but neither will any replacement they ever bring in.

 

He didn't play bad but it was not great. Now the thing was it was much better than how he has been playing. However he still leaves a lot of plays on the field, and many plays that we don't see. Which at home games you can see a lot of open receivers he misses if your at the game. That is why I am not as positive on him, because I see first hand now how is inability to go through his reads really stops this offense from being very explosive.

 

Now without a doubt they go conservative at the end of games. Which probably is a combination of not trusting Dalton, and having a head coach who believes in taking the air out of the ball and trusting his defense.

He didn't play bad but it was not great. Now the thing was it was much better than how he has been playing. However he still leaves a lot of plays on the field, and many plays that we don't see. Which at home games you can see a lot of open receivers he misses if your at the game. That is why I am not as positive on him, because I see first hand now how is inability to go through his reads really stops this offense from being very explosive.

 

Now without a doubt they go conservative at the end of games. Which probably is a combination of not trusting Dalton, and having a head coach who believes in taking the air out of the ball and trusting his defense.

 

I agree with your last statement. I am not certain he leaves as many plays as you make it seem. I have been at all home games for 33 years but 5. Now he is not in the upper echelon and everyone agrees with that. I do not sit in the end zone like you FC and you are right in seeing the separation I can't see from low on the sidelines. But I see other QB miss plays, also. I think he may believe he can force things in there when he shoudn't. Now is that not reading the defense or being macho. Playing great is a matter of opinion. Yesterday I thought he was outstanding. Over the year, he has been very good overall. You and I both know there is way more to this than we can see. We have no idea what he has been told, practiced, or really has the liberty to do. I would think by now he has the whole play book, but who knows. He does appear to play better in hurry up, though. I am not going to try and say he is our future, but we have been in much worse shape than this in my 33 years attending games. I do not believe QB is our issue and I know you haven't said that. Finding an identity and trusting it every game is the issue.

That's just it, he is safe...he throws to his primary receiver wether he is covered or not 99.9% of the time. That is Dalton, he is safe which means he isn't one that will be known for come from behind wins because it just isn't in his makeup.

 

 

You say he only made 1 bad throw and that was the int. If you watrched the game you will also see aat the beginning of the game he made 3 throws right into the defenders that were dropped or knockeed down, people seem to forget about those throws. Dalton tends to throw into covereage a little too many times and that is because he doesn't look off his receiver a lot.

 

Being safe isnt a bad thing if you are n a team that has great running game and can go up several scoores on a team, but being safe (majority of his throws short, safe throws) isn't going to get a lot of come from behind wins.

 

I agree with your last statement. I am not certain he leaves as many plays as you make it seem. I have been at all home games for 33 years but 5. Now he is not in the upper echelon and everyone agrees with that. I do not sit in the end zone like you FC and you are right in seeing the separation I can't see from low on the sidelines. But I see other QB miss plays, also. I think he may believe he can force things in there when he shoudn't. Now is that not reading the defense or being macho. Playing great is a matter of opinion. Yesterday I thought he was outstanding. Over the year, he has been very good overall. You and I both know there is way more to this than we can see. We have no idea what he has been told, practiced, or really has the liberty to do. I would think by now he has the whole play book, but who knows. He does appear to play better in hurry up, though. I am not going to try and say he is our future, but we have been in much worse shape than this in my 33 years attending games. I do not believe QB is our issue and I know you haven't said that. Finding an identity and trusting it every game is the issue.

 

I do believe QB is and can be a problem for this team. I said all off season how talented this team is, and that has showed. However I also have said just because there is talent it will come down to the play of Dalton. I have said for the last 2 years its to early to judge Dalton. However its year three and he has all the weapons around him now. However this year he has not really shown improvement in the areas he has needed to improve on. It was week 6 last year that he last had a 300 yard game. So he has done it in the past, but that does not mean things are fixed. Its a problem when you leave points on the field. Yesterday he left AT LEAST 6 points on the field, but throwing an interception in field goal range, and taking sacks that knocked them out of field goal range.

 

We know him being an average QB can get them into the playoffs, because he has done that already. However with him he does not need to be great, but does need to be good. Yesterday leaving those points on the field is the reason why they were in overtime. I am not saying he played bad, its one of the best games he has played. However he also did that a year ago in week 6 and then went back to just playing ok.

 

Its well known that I have high hopes for this team, but Dalton needs to play better at a consistent rate. Which that consistent thing has been his problem in the league. He does leave many plays on the field, you really will be surprised how many guys are open that he does not see because he locks on his primary receiver and then goes straight to the check down receiver if he doesn't force it to the primary guy. He has to get better at that, and in year 3 he has not. I am thinking long term for this season. Yesterday was fine, no doubt about that. However we need that consistently from him.

 

I want to see the Bengals do something that we have never seen them do before and that is win the Super Bowl. They have the players to do that, but it comes down to Dalton. He has been average since being in the league. He needs to play better at a consistent rate for that to happen, and I hope it does happen. :thumb:

I don't know why Hellbird's quote was in included in that last post by me? I guess BGP is use to my always replying to him, that it automatically did that haha.

Nugent missing a chip shot 34 yarder to extend the lead to 17 is why the game went to OT...

I do believe QB is and can be a problem for this team. I said all off season how talented this team is, and that has showed. However I also have said just because there is talent it will come down to the play of Dalton. I have said for the last 2 years its to early to judge Dalton. However its year three and he has all the weapons around him now. However this year he has not really shown improvement in the areas he has needed to improve on. It was week 6 last year that he last had a 300 yard game. So he has done it in the past, but that does not mean things are fixed. Its a problem when you leave points on the field. Yesterday he left AT LEAST 6 points on the field, but throwing an interception in field goal range, and taking sacks that knocked them out of field goal range.

 

We know him being an average QB can get them into the playoffs, because he has done that already. However with him he does not need to be great, but does need to be good. Yesterday leaving those points on the field is the reason why they were in overtime. I am not saying he played bad, its one of the best games he has played. However he also did that a year ago in week 6 and then went back to just playing ok.

 

Its well known that I have high hopes for this team, but Dalton needs to play better at a consistent rate. Which that consistent thing has been his problem in the league. He does leave many plays on the field, you really will be surprised how many guys are open that he does not see because he locks on his primary receiver and then goes straight to the check down receiver if he doesn't force it to the primary guy. He has to get better at that, and in year 3 he has not. I am thinking long term for this season. Yesterday was fine, no doubt about that. However we need that consistently from him.

 

I want to see the Bengals do something that we have never seen them do before and that is win the Super Bowl. They have the players to do that, but it comes down to Dalton. He has been average since being in the league. He needs to play better at a consistent rate for that to happen, and I hope it does happen. :thumb:

 

We all want him to be better, but what do we do? I mean that seriously. They will not have the cash to get a proven one even if one comes available and the only one that might is Cutler, but I doubt it, and would we be any better off? Then it is a crap shoot drafting one, how well we know that. They likely will draft between 20-30 the best will be gone and you can't give up too much to get to the Bridgewater's or whomever is rated high. Their best option is try and get him signed as low as possible (probably will have to franchise tag if they can't) and take another one in the 2nd or 3rd rounds and hope it turns out to be a Kaepernick or Wilson and develop them.

Nugent missing a chip shot 34 yarder to extend the lead to 17 is why the game went to OT...

 

True, and guess what if Dalton doesn't throw a pick in field goal range they probably don't go to overtime either. If Dalton doesn't take a sack they probably are still in field goal range and don't go to overtime either. Its plays like that, that we have seen Dalton do before and has cost them. I do realize you can take any play though and say what if.

 

I know in the NFL all that matters is winning, definitely understand that. Which I also understand that we probably won't have over 250 yards after catch in most games. Dalton played one of his best games yesterday, I am not arguing that. He has had games like this before, and then go right back to average. He still does the same things that has been problems in other games. He need to play consistently good, and that is what I am talking about. It was a good game for him though, no doubt about that. He just needs to do that consistently. Hopefully a game like this is something he can build off of.:thumb:

We all want him to be better, but what do we do? I mean that seriously. They will not have the cash to get a proven one even if one comes available and the only one that might is Cutler, but I doubt it, and would we be any better off? Then it is a crap shoot drafting one, how well we know that. They likely will draft between 20-30 the best will be gone and you can't give up too much to get to the Bridgewater's or whomever is rated high. Their best option is try and get him signed as low as possible (probably will have to franchise tag if they can't) and take another one in the 2nd or 3rd rounds and hope it turns out to be a Kaepernick or Wilson and develop them.

 

I am not saying they can do anything. That is why I keep saying this years team success depends on his play, because the other pieces are there. He will still be the starter next year, no doubt about that. However if they fail quickly in the playoffs again, then I would think about taking a QB in the 2nd or 3rd round. Which I hope Bridgewater is gone, because I wouldn't want them taking him.

 

Trust me I know he is what we got, and I hope Dalton goes out and gets it done. I have said it all along year 3 will be the year to make a true judgement on Dalton. I recognize that year 3 still has 10 games left in the regular season, so I hope he shows improvement more so in those areas than he has in the first 6. Because Dalton is what we have, and Dalton will determine the fate of this team.

I will continue doing this too if it means Dalton keeps going out there and throwing 300 yard games.

I don't know why Hellbird's quote was in included in that last post by me? I guess BGP is use to my always replying to him, that it automatically did that haha.

 

Good afternoon, futurecoach.

I didn't pay as close attention as I normally do to games but from what I did see Dalton looked really good yesterday. I don't think the Bears let Cutler go but if they do that's who the Gals could go after.