Game Thread: Coach Taylor bad calls ... er I mean Min/Cin game thread

[DanBengalfan]

we just left 4 points off the board by doing a stupid play call on 3rd and short.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Where’s our offense?

 

[alf8478]

Where’s our offense?

Out Christmas shopping

 

[DanBengalfan]

need to run the ball. can't send browning back 20 yards to get sacked

 

[DanBengalfan]

I say run the ball. he throws it into the ground.

 

[DanBengalfan]

throwing to boyd on 3rd down is ok. I give my blessing

 

[DanBengalfan]

lots of wr injuries this game.

lets finish it mc daddy.

 

[DanBengalfan]

done. we win. suck it NFL.

 

[DanBengalfan]

ok...

so, go titans
go colts

 

[cincygrad]

 

[cincygrad]

I didn't see that one coming..... I'm still not sure what happened because I drank too much at a holiday party starting right after the game. What I do know is that Jake Browning is somehow 3-1 and the Bengals are still in the playoff hunt. This doesn't feel like real life.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

That LaPorta dude is really good.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Everything went perfectly for us today.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Out Christmas shopping

at least they came back

 

[jbuck]

I love Tyler Boyde and germaine Pratt

 

[CrashDavisSports]

we just left 4 points off the board by doing a stupid play call on 3rd and short.

That was a bad play call, but I have overall been impressed with his play calling and game management outside a few plays here and there. Besides those WR throws, I think Taylor has actually improved in every area of game management and playcalling the last month.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I didn't see that one coming..... I'm still not sure what happened because I drank too much at a holiday party starting right after the game. What I do know is that Jake Browning is somehow 3-1 and the Bengals are still in the playoff hunt. This doesn't feel like real life.

The NFL has been tracking QB starts since the 1950 season. Just one QB in that time has 1,000+ passing yards and completed over 75% of his passes in his first four starts.


Jake. Browning.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Monday morning thoughts:

The game had a lot of twists and turns due to injuries on the defensive side. A team that already struggled to stop the run is now in defcon 5 mode without Reader. Lou is going to have his work cut out for him. My guess is, he's going to have to go against his nature and start using a bit more of the LB's in run blitzes to plug holes and keep from RB's just getting 5+ on any given run.

Offensively - Taylor couldn't help himself on that 1st drive, and it loomed as a big play all game long. Good job of getting it done in the 4th quarter, but really it was more about Browning making plays from nothing more than anything the coaches did. You do have to give credit to the Minn defense, because that defense is really hard to score on. So, to put up 27 and 21 in 1 quarter to tie....amazing. A game where I thought they really got away from the run game again a bit too soon, and too often. Now, down 14 a few times in the 4th quarter...obviously situation dictates...but through the first 30-35 minutes when the game was still working in a close realm...not a lot of leaning on the running game on a day where the OL was clearly hurting in pass-pro, and the Vikings were clearly pinning their ears back after the QB.

Higgins has had a terrible year. Terrible. That TD was something else, though. Can he use that to push himself back to where we know he can be? Especially as Chase is likely out a few weeks with a separated shoulder.

Some how, some way...this team won...and has won. 3-1 under Browning...I'm caught between wanting them to win and do well, and make a playoff push and realizing that I still don't think this team makes the playoffs...and is it worth it to win a bunch of games to not really have a chance at a SB when they could be taking advantage of a much higher position in the draft next April...but, for now...enjoying the wins as they come.

 

[cincygrad]

Monday morning thoughts:

The game had a lot of twists and turns due to injuries on the defensive side. A team that already struggled to stop the run is now in defcon 5 mode without Reader. Lou is going to have his work cut out for him. My guess is, he's going to have to go against his nature and start using a bit more of the LB's in run blitzes to plug holes and keep from RB's just getting 5+ on any given run.

Offensively - Taylor couldn't help himself on that 1st drive, and it loomed as a big play all game long. Good job of getting it done in the 4th quarter, but really it was more about Browning making plays from nothing more than anything the coaches did. You do have to give credit to the Minn defense, because that defense is really hard to score on. So, to put up 27 and 21 in 1 quarter to tie....amazing. A game where I thought they really got away from the run game again a bit too soon, and too often. Now, down 14 a few times in the 4th quarter...obviously situation dictates...but through the first 30-35 minutes when the game was still working in a close realm...not a lot of leaning on the running game on a day where the OL was clearly hurting in pass-pro, and the Vikings were clearly pinning their ears back after the QB.

Higgins has had a terrible year. Terrible. That TD was something else, though. Can he use that to push himself back to where we know he can be? Especially as Chase is likely out a few weeks with a separated shoulder.

Some how, some way...this team won...and has won. 3-1 under Browning...I'm caught between wanting them to win and do well, and make a playoff push and realizing that I still don't think this team makes the playoffs...and is it worth it to win a bunch of games to not really have a chance at a SB when they could be taking advantage of a much higher position in the draft next April...but, for now...enjoying the wins as they come.

My biggest hope is that they make the playoffs and somehow upset the Ravens.

 

[jbuck]

on reader,
glad it was a quad and not a knee