The Bengals offensive line...now we get to see the warts

[mexitucky]

The Bengals OLine has been overrated for the past two seasons. Almost every game against a good D-Line, the Bengals interior has struggled, particularly Bodine. W/ Dalton being out, the Bengals will have to focus much more on running the ball. I do not believe that they can consistently do it due to the weakness at center and guard. Even with Dalton, I felt like they were the weak link heading into the playoffs.

[theguru]

The Bengals OLine has been overrated for the past two seasons. Almost every game against a good D-Line, the Bengals interior has struggled, particularly Bodine. W/ Dalton being out, the Bengals will have to focus much more on running the ball. I do not believe that they can consistently do it due to the weakness at center and guard. Even with Dalton, I felt like they were the weak link heading into the playoffs.

 

I have talked about it all year long and was even talking about it before I realized Dalton was hurt, we don't run the ball well in short yardage. It was evident in the preseason and nothing has changed.

[futurecoach]

The Bengals OLine has been overrated for the past two seasons. Almost every game against a good D-Line, the Bengals interior has struggled, particularly Bodine. W/ Dalton being out, the Bengals will have to focus much more on running the ball. I do not believe that they can consistently do it due to the weakness at center and guard. Even with Dalton, I felt like they were the weak link heading into the playoffs.

 

I have talked about it all year long and was even talking about it before I realized Dalton was hurt, we don't run the ball well in short yardage. It was evident in the preseason and nothing has changed.

 

It comes down to practice and types of plays they are running imo. They had the exact same line last year and were the number 6 rushing team in the NFL. However last year they had all the injuries to skill guys that they went more I formation with a fullback and did a lot of power running plays. Which worked really well for them. This year they have mainly been a gun team with very few power runs, and mostly zone types of runs. Which is why Gio had looked better than Hill most of the year.

 

With Daltons injury, I think you will see the team start focusing more on the power run game again. In fact I think we will see our offense look very similar now to what Bama did when McCarron was there. A lot more power stuff and play action type passes.

[futurecoach]

Pass blocking wise they are weak imo and have benefitted from Dalton having a quick release. That is why teams like the Steelers get more pressure because with their zone blitzing, it seems to take take the qb more time to diagnose where to throw it and it allows more time to get pressured.

[theguru]

Good observations fc.

[footmaster]

Pass blocking wise they are weak imo and have benefitted from Dalton having a quick release. That is why teams like the Steelers get more pressure because with their zone blitzing, it seems to take take the qb more time to diagnose where to throw it and it allows more time to get pressured.

 

Agree, Dalton has one of the quickest releases in football... He and McCarron seem to have a solid relationship though, so I look for that quick release to rub off some.. Just don't release it quick without knowing where to go as he did with the pick 6 yesterday...

[plantmanky]

Isnt this why they drafted to Tackles this year?

[Bengal Maniac]

Isnt this why they drafted to Tackles this year?

 

They drafted tackles because they felt they were the best available players and both Whit and Andre were in their last year of contracts. Whit has signed an extension since the draft. Nothing was certain at that time. My guess is Andre is in his last season in Cincy,unless he give a hometown discount. Doubt he would and who could blame him.

 

He will get $$ as a FA.

[futurecoach]

Agree, Dalton has one of the quickest releases in football... He and McCarron seem to have a solid relationship though, so I look for that quick release to rub off some.. Just don't release it quick without knowing where to go as he did with the pick 6 yesterday...

 

Agreed! That is something that I think will come with more reps, and honestly may not be a play they run much with him. It was basically a zone read bubble they ran there, and he even admitted he made the wrong decision and should have handed the ball off on that one.

[MentschTrachtGottLacht]

Dalton has also run for 3 TD's and 13 first downs this year, by all accounts, that is gone with AJ. There was a play yesterday where it looked like AJ could have possibly got the 1st down with his legs, but he threw an off-balance throw to Marvin Jones out of bounds.

 

Those drive-extenders are going to need to be completed passes on 3rd down now, which is worrisome.

[spindoc]

Dalton has also run for 3 TD's and 13 first downs this year, by all accounts, that is gone with AJ. There was a play yesterday where it looked like AJ could have possibly got the 1st down with his legs, but he threw an off-balance throw to Marvin Jones out of bounds.

 

Those drive-extenders are going to need to be completed passes on 3rd down now, which is worrisome.

He had a half acre of real estate and made a poor decision. Brady or Ben could have run for a first there.

[ColonelCrazy]

Dalton has also run for 3 TD's and 13 first downs this year, by all accounts, that is gone with AJ. There was a play yesterday where it looked like AJ could have possibly got the 1st down with his legs, but he threw an off-balance throw to Marvin Jones out of bounds.

 

Those drive-extenders are going to need to be completed passes on 3rd down now, which is worrisome.

 

Yup, 3rd and 9 and he launched a pass to Marvin Jones. I didn't think it was a bad pass, but he had plenty of open space and needed to run for the 1st.

[Bengal Maniac]

Dalton has also run for 3 TD's and 13 first downs this year, by all accounts, that is gone with AJ. There was a play yesterday where it looked like AJ could have possibly got the 1st down with his legs, but he threw an off-balance throw to Marvin Jones out of bounds.

 

Those drive-extenders are going to need to be completed passes on 3rd down now, which is worrisome.

 

There are just so many things that AD can do that AJ can't. However, the biggest is just experience. The Steelers started out blitzing and pressuring AJ. He held up well , didn't get happy feet and threw it.

 

Once he threw the pick 6 with Harrison bearing down, the Steelers then went into safeties deep and let's confuse him with coverage. He just isn't ready for that. He probably will be some day, but not in the next few weeks.

 

AJ is about as good as you are going to get for a back up. Maybe not as good as Ozweiler or Hasselback, but good. He still is an inexperienced backup that will get NO sympathy from anyone.

 

They need to just let the game come to him. They only lose against SF and Baltimore if he throws a bunch of picks. He was 21-32 for 280 yards against a defense that was giving underneath stuff, but he did move them. That is not shabby at all, however, the picks were killers, as was AD's.

[mexitucky]

Isnt this why they drafted to Tackles this year?

 

Tackles aren't the issue besides Smith being hurt too much. The issue starts with the Center. He just can't handle the bull rush.

[NKY Bandit]

This OL doesn't produce many rushing yards because your TB thinks he's AP and wants to juke guys in the hole and get's tackled going horizontally instead of vertically.

 

Someone tell Hill to go north/south and get yards. This team can win with defense/specials if he gets 30 carries and 150 yards.