Watching the game they said he got hurt before the missed kick. That he hit his head making a tackle on a kickoff earlier, and after he missed the kick they took him out.

 

I wasn't paying that close attention to it, but you are correct. They said the tackle was on the opening kickoff. Made things interesting for the rest of the game. I think teams should go for the 2 more often. That would be a cool rule, all xp's have to be 2 point conversions.

 

FWIW, I think they should have kept Elliott too. If you are going to spend a draft choice on him, give him a chance. But this board would be blowing up if they kept him and he missed 3 xp's and 2 fg's under 40 yards.

Keep winning these games and Marvin gets a new contract.

Keep winning these games and Marvin gets a new contract.

 

Biggest fear. And they draft somewhere in the middle of the pack. And please don't squeak into a wildcard spot.

What is amazing to me is this: the Packers and Titans' games could have easily been wins, with 3 straight home games coming up, the Bengals should probably be 6-4 and looking at a first round bye in the playoffs. Man, the margin in the NFL is so razor-thin.

 

4-6, and looking at 3 straight home games. Take them one at a time, get to 5-6 this week, and then do your best against the Steelers to try and hold-serve at home.

 

What a weird season.

What is amazing to me is this: the Packers and Titans' games could have easily been wins, with 3 straight home games coming up, the Bengals should probably be 6-4 and looking at a first round bye in the playoffs. Man, the margin in the NFL is so razor-thin.

 

4-6, and looking at 3 straight home games. Take them one at a time, get to 5-6 this week, and then do your best against the Steelers to try and hold-serve at home.

 

What a weird season.

 

Agreed even the Texans game they probably should have won. The defense dominated that game besides for one play and that one play was the difference allowing Watson to scramble for a 55 yard td on third down right before half.

The last 2 weeks the line while still not good, has done a better job than before since Fisher has been out. I know Ced O. Always gets most of the heat from fans. But if Andre Smith being the RT again has made it a little better. Than maybe Fisher was a bigger problem than we realized too.

The last 2 weeks the line while still not good, has done a better job than before since Fisher has been out. I know Ced O. Always gets most of the heat from fans. But if Andre Smith being the RT again has made it a little better. Than maybe Fisher was a bigger problem than we realized too.

 

I saw Dalton almost had a perfect QB rating on long balls this week (over 20 yards). The better line play definitely helps.

I saw Dalton almost had a perfect QB rating on long balls this week (over 20 yards). The better line play definitely helps.

 

Eh Dalton has had plays all year that he has struggled to complete passes down field on even when he has had time. This was the first game really all year on plays where when he had a chance to make a big play he capitalized on it. Which is why I have no complaints on him. Most of my complaints this year on him are on the plays he has missed when he did have an opportunity to make a play with time. With a bad line you have to make the throws when you have a chance too, and for the most part he made the throws when they mattered yesterday. Im happy with him yesterday.

Eh Dalton has had plays all year that he has struggled to complete passes down field on even when he has had time. This was the first game really all year on plays where when he had a chance to make a big play he capitalized on it. Which is why I have no complaints on him. Most of my complaints this year on him are on the plays he has missed when he did have an opportunity to make a play with time. With a bad line you have to make the throws when you have a chance too, and for the most part he made the throws when they mattered yesterday. Im happy with him yesterday.

 

I agree, but he has taken so many hits this year, even when he has time, I would think you would always be expecting to get hit. I think that would affect performance. If you keep getting hit in the face, I would think you would be a little gun shy even the few times you have a clean pocket expecting to get hit in the face.

 

Hopefully, with the last two games where the OL has played decent, he is starting to trust them a little more.

I give the Bengals D A LOT of credit for literally "sucking it up" in the 4th quarter in the high altitude after the Bengals O could not sustain drives.

 

The immediate thought I had after the game was that even two bad teams can play a close game....

I agree, but he has taken so many hits this year, even when he has time, I would think you would always be expecting to get hit. I think that would affect performance. If you keep getting hit in the face, I would think you would be a little gun shy even the few times you have a clean pocket expecting to get hit in the face.

 

Hopefully, with the last two games where the OL has played decent, he is starting to trust them a little more.

 

I agree. Trust me I know it's not all Dalton for why this offense has struggled. The line very bad lol. As stated I don't think Dalton is the guy who could make plays in big games even with all good things around him. However I was happy with his play this game.

 

With that said Tony Pike made a great point on the radio today. Dalton is not the first qb to play with a bad line. Good qbs can still at least move the ball and score points behind a bad line. He talked about while the line is bad he doesn't do much to help himself any with his pocket presence or lack there of. Or how when other qbs get out of the pocket they are looking down field and big plays happen. While Dalton if he gets out of the pocket it's almost 80 percent of the time just look to the sideline and throw it away even if he has more time to extend the play. Which Dalton is athletic enough to extend plays more without giving up on plays as quick especially out of the pocket.

 

Dalton for most of this year hasn't made the throws that were there that could have been major difference makers in games. There were 2 such plays in the Green Bay and Texans game that he missed that may have made the difference. That's why I was very impressed with him this game because he actually made the plays when they were available. Hopefully as you said they can build off this.