Sun, Nov 26, 1:00 PM EST on CBS - Pitt @ Cin

[DanBengalfan]

Who Dey?

Does it matter?

 

[DanBengalfan]

Browning will make it interesting, he won't totally suck, but the idiots will be crying for McCarron next week. we're just too banged up.

 

[cincygrad]

Find a Steelers fan that feels good about this game or any game for that matter. It's really not a high bar to ask any offense in this league (except for the Zach Wilson Jets maybe) to be better than the Steelers have been on offense. There are two things that worry me about this game. First, who knows what sort of mindset the Bengals players will have after losing Burrow for the year? Are they checked out or motivated to perform without him? We've heard all sorts of stuff about the leadership qualities on this team beyond Burrow, but it hasn't been tested recently. This will show on Sunday. I honestly could see it going either way. Second, even if the motivation is there, can we win the turnover battle? Pittsburgh can win games by forcing mistakes - They've made a habit out of it. Aside from a pedestrian arm, one of the biggest red flags for Jake Browning is his propensity for making dumb mistakes. Not the best opponent for his first game.

I like the Bengals in an ugly, but inspired performance. The dialogue coming out of this game will be that the Steelers lost to DTR and Jake Browning in back-to-back division games with the playoffs and the division on the line. The fire Canada protest will be at an all-time high and he might lose his job after the game.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Going with the Bengals.

Why?

AFCN - that's why...try and figure it out...you can't. Only surety at this point is Ravens wining the North. That, or Jackson will end up getting injured and join Burrow, Watson and Pickett...Yes, I know Pickett isn't injured....but he plays like it, so...yeah.

 

[jbuck]

I am a chase brown fan. this kid should be good

 

[DanBengalfan]

I am a chase brown fan. this kid should be good

all that work and yards he ran for Illinois, he can't be that bad.

will be looking forward to him finding his groove.

 

[cincygrad]

Well, I can't say today's action was surprising. Browning looked like an inexperienced, limited QB. Mixon and Boyd are both done. No Higgins. Limited athleticism at tight end and back-up receiver. All of this is bad enough, but the offensive line play is horrendous and a major disappointment. It is now one of the higher paid lines in the league and there are no injuries. But, they've been consistently terrible for much fo the year. Frank Pollack is the line coach and run game coordinator. Our run game scheme is horrendous and we aren't developing any talent through the draft. Pollack absolutely needs to go.

The D is also disappointing. Nothing like the last couple of years where we could stop the run and limit explosives.

A few positives - I thought Murphy played pretty well at DE at spots today. Turner is getting some good experience at corner. The Steelers are probably feeling okay about Picket, so hopefully they decide to keep him. That's about all I got.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I continue to hammer this...and I realize it probably had very little impact yesterday...

Only twice have had the Bengals had fewer rushing yards than today. Only once did they have fewer attempts.

A backup QB. A real need to lean on the running game. Taylor calls for just 8 runs with Mixon. Eight. I mean...you can't make this shit up.

Browning played OK. Like a backup. Held the ball way too long on sacks, and has that propensity of all backups to wait until the WR is open before making the throw, rather than anticipating the route (which is what led to the opening 3rd quarter drive INT to Chase).

I will continue state, IMO, the very obvious: This offense will NEVER reach full potential until Taylor gives up play calling. The lack of any kind of actual run game/scheme will always prevent this offense from excelling at peak. You simply cannot run the ball between the 20's under 20% of the time on offense. I realize it's Burrow and it's a passing league....but the run game, even if RB's are devalued, still has tremendous value. Even more so in how it impacts the passing game and the defensive approach from other teams.

 

[cincygrad]

I'm not really sure playcalling would fix anything at this point. The offense is broken when Burrow doesn't play, because the offense doesn't make any sense. We have a running back that can't make people miss, a scheme that doesn't disguise anything, and no reliable deep threat beyond Chase (with Higgins out). Our receiving tight end is a journeyman that does an okay job but isn't stretching the field, and our slot receiver has lost two steps at this point. A good coordinator could presumably use Chase to mask things and then scheme a few plays that could open up the field some, but that doesn't happen. So, what you get is a D that is not scared about the run, can sit back in zone and jump routes with no fear of the long ball, and no real issues protecting the middle of the field because there are no athletes that can exploit the tight spaces.

I agree we need different coaching. We need an offensive coordinator that can create a more unified offensive system and use the assets that are available.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I'm not really sure playcalling would fix anything at this point. The offense is broken when Burrow doesn't play, because the offense doesn't make any sense. We have a running back that can't make people miss, a scheme that doesn't disguise anything, and no reliable deep threat beyond Chase (with Higgins out). Our receiving tight end is a journeyman that does an okay job but isn't stretching the field, and our slot receiver has lost two steps at this point. A good coordinator could presumably use Chase to mask things and then scheme a few plays that could open up the field some, but that doesn't happen. So, what you get is a D that is not scared about the run, can sit back in zone and jump routes with no fear of the long ball, and no real issues protecting the middle of the field because there are no athletes that can exploit the tight spaces.

I agree we need different coaching. We need an offensive coordinator that can create a more unified offensive system and use the assets that are available.

The issue, for me, is that the process is broken. Devoid of RB talent, and other issues, I understand, but the approach is broken.

And to make it worse - we've seen games where the scheme gets changed up and it works...only to get mothballed for 5-6 more weeks to see daylight again.

10 personnel? Gone.

Chase in constant motion pre-snap? Gone.

Burrow injured calf, throw it 75 times the 1st 2 games.

A 80/20 pass/run split between the 20's on non-short yardage plays.

I mean, you have to try real hard to be this bad with the talent available.


I think Taylor is a hell of a HC - He sucks at offense and got the golden goose laid in his lap with Burrow at QB, which covers a ton of bad coaching/scheme/play-calling.

 

[jbuck]

time to think outside the box......how about we pursue Jim Harbaugh? I hate the guy but sometimes you need to make a deal with the devil.

 

[Cincyfan78]

time to think outside the box......how about we pursue Jim Harbaugh? I hate the guy but sometimes you need to make a deal with the devil.

I don't think it's time for a new HC...but I do think Cincinnati is getting into a perilous stretch where it is very possible that Burrow is going to be wasted. Burrow will be going into year 5 next year.

The talent is here. I can forgive a rough year on defense. Lou has earned it. Lots of new faces where old ones cleaned up a lot of messes (Bates, Bell, even...Apple). But, I keep saying that there is no one that gets less out of more on offense than Taylor. His offense is unimaginative, and lacks creativity. It has for 4 years. It would be one thing if this offense were missing talent...but the are not...do they have issues? Sure, lots of offenses do. It's the coordinators job to find a way to scheme around weakness and enhance the strengths. That doesn't happen here.

Taylor wants to out talent everyone and line up straight up and play ball. His acumen for scheming around negatives are poor, and have been sine his U of Cincinnati days.

 

[cincygrad]

time to think outside the box......how about we pursue Jim Harbaugh? I hate the guy but sometimes you need to make a deal with the devil.

It's funny because one of Jim Harbaugh's biggest issues when he first started at Michigan was that he was not adapting to the modern college game. He was trying to play a lot of the same schemes he grew up with. His teams started to get much better when he started hiring serious talent at the coordinator positions - Particularly on D.

 

[Cincyfan78]

It's funny because one of Jim Harbaugh's biggest issues when he first started at Michigan was that he was not adapting to the modern college game. He was trying to play a lot of the same schemes he grew up with. His teams started to get much better when he started stealing signs

FIFY...LOL

Couldn't resist...

 

[DanBengalfan]

this is Taylors chance to prove his worth.

yea, Joe Burrow can bail you out, but then what?

 

[cincygrad]

FIFY...LOL

Couldn't resist...

I was hoping after Michigan won we could stop talking about Michigan 'cheating.' It's absurd that the NCAA finds in-person scouting to be a competitive disadvantage for some programs, but private jets, billion dollar football facilities, and NIL discrepancies are just fine. I mean, high schools in Cincinnati scout their opponents in person. But this is a problem in a multi-billion dollar industry?

OSU fans will cry about anything.

 

[cincygrad]

this is Taylors chance to prove his worth.

yea, Joe Burrow can bail you out, but then what?

Taylor isn't going anywhere. I realize he doesn't want to lose his team so he is keeping up with the idea that they are still in it. But, they've been given a nice opportunity here to really see where guys are in terms of development. There is no reason to put as much wear and tear on guys like Hendrickson or Logan Wilson. If they're banged up, let them sit out. Get Ossai out there (where was he on Sunday?), get Murphy out there. Play Battle as much as possible. Sit Boyd some and let Charlie Jones play. Let Yoshi play more. Chase Brown. You get the idea..... Hell, isn't now a good time to get Jackson Carman more reps? You have 6 games that you aren't worried about getting your QB killed.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Taylor isn't going anywhere. I realize he doesn't want to lose his team so he is keeping up with the idea that they are still in it. But, they've been given a nice opportunity here to really see where guys are in terms of development. There is no reason to put as much wear and tear on guys like Hendrickson or Logan Wilson. If they're banged up, let them sit out. Get Ossai out there (where was he on Sunday?), get Murphy out there. Play Battle as much as possible. Sit Boyd some and let Charlie Jones play. Let Yoshi play more. Chase Brown. You get the idea..... Hell, isn't now a good time to get Jackson Carman more reps? You have 6 games that you aren't worried about getting your QB killed.

Yoshi and Brown are dealing with some injuries though, higgins too. Jones had some issues with injuries.

it's the Irwin show now, and it's a shit show.

our roll now is to make Jacksonville look like they might challenge KC