Game Thread: AFC Title Game: Bengals AT Chiefs 3 PM EST

[DJ]

Yeah, Frank Clark has turned out to be not worth it. And Chris Jones, maybe not the sacks you guys would like but he was getting some pressures. Ingram had a couple of big plays but I give a little credit to A) that much maligned Bengal Oline for playing hard even though somewhat overmatched and B) Burrow for escaping and making just the right plays when needed. Again, the Chiefs D wasn't awful but they were on the field almost non stop the entire second half. Even good and great defenses need some help from the offense. Not talking scoring either. Just a few first downs and drives to even out the T.O.P.
And yes, I do agree partly on the scheme on offense but Mahomes admitted himself that he kept looking for home runs when checkdowns were open. And he inexplicably was holding onto the ball forever. I just have never seen him that rattled or indecisive in big games. I get not carrying the team part but he looked completely off after the end of first half blunder. At any rate, good luck next year @Clayton . Always a pleasure talking football with you brother.

Wife wants Clark gone.

 

[Clayton]

Surprised the spread isn't bigger...

With the number of tight games that have happened recently I've surprised Vegas hasn't made every line +/-3, tbh.

In the regular season, Rams were 6th in point differential and Bengals 8th. The line sounds right. As many advantages as the Rams have, the Bengals do have the year's highest graded QB and they are turning other teams over and Stafford is a guy who likes to have bad turnovers. So I think the line is fair even if all of my vCash will probably go on the Rams.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Wife wants Clark gone.

I'm even more happy now that Seattle got rid of him, even though the Seahawks have been crappy.

 

[Black Adam]

With the number of tight games that have happened recently I've surprised Vegas hasn't made every line +/-3, tbh.

In the regular season, Rams were 6th in point differential and Bengals 8th. The line sounds right. As many advantages as the Rams have, the Bengals do have the year's highest graded QB and they are turning other teams over and Stafford is a guy who likes to have bad turnovers. So I think the line is fair even if all of my vCash will probably go on the Rams.

I hear you. I was kind of taking the Bengals o-line into account. If they're as porous as they were against Tennessee I think these guys are done for...

 

[BigKen]

I wish I had laid $1000 on the Bengals straight up at 75:1. Wife hates it when I gamble and bitches at me when I don't.
After 48 years with her, all I can do is smile.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

 

[Southieinnc]

That is because you are insecure with yourself likely. If you can't look at him and say wow that is a good looking man that i want to have sex with that is on you, you can always lie to yourself tho when you see your ugly reflection in the mirror.

Are you one of those guys that would rather hear a fat boy fart than a pretty girl sing?

 

[jarntt]

 

[Hank Kingsley]

That game was outfuckingstanding.

 

[jayfan]

So, was Mahomes on the take yesterday? Or did he come down with a fever a halftime?

No shade intended towards Cincy. I actually had them yesterday, and they adjusted well. But still, his play in the 2nd half & down the stretch was bizarre.

 

[Cincyfan78]

So, was Mahomes on the take yesterday? Or did he come down with a fever a halftime?

No shade intended towards Cincy. I actually had them yesterday, and they adjusted well. But still, his play in the 2nd half & down the stretch was bizarre.

Bengals started dropping 8 and only rushing 3, keeping the DE's on the outside rather than crashing in. They effectively doubled Kelce and Hill every single snap, and still accounted for the other guys in coverage. When Mahomes would try to roll to one side of the field, the DE not crashing caused him to roll to the other side, but the DE from that side was sitting there waiting.

Against this alignment - PM was just 7/13 for 59 yards and an INT with 2 sacks. Much like Burrow, because of the weapons and ability to pre-snap read, blitzing PM is deadly - so the Bengals went all in on doing the opposite and forcing him to either check down, force throws, or take sacks.

Mahomes talked about it after the game and said that he should have checked down a lot more, but they were looking for the deep shot - those led to the issues. In short - a team built around the HR ball got tired of hitting singles and started pressing to force plays/throws that weren't there.

That is likely what the Bengals were counting on when they decided to go with this alignment.

 

[sonnyblack65]

I wish I had laid $1000 on the Bengals straight up at 75:1. Wife hates it when I gamble and bitches at me when I don't.
After 48 years with her, all I can do is smile.

It wasn't 75:1 your 1000 would have won you about 2800 off memory

 

[Battlelyon]

 

[sonnyblack65]

I wish I had laid $1000 on the Bengals straight up at 75:1. Wife hates it when I gamble and bitches at me when I don't.
After 48 years with her, all I can do is smile.

My bad Ken if you meant preseason, but would have taken massive balls after a 4 win season in 2020

 

[Center Ice]

That game was outfuckingstanding.

Yep, quite the entertaining time watching the Chief's melt down completely. Comparing Mahomes to Brady seems a bit pointless now.

 

[Montalban]

Anybody see that dildo Mahomes calling for a timeout on the boneheaded pass right before halftime? How can this fool not know he doesn't have a timeout left?

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Bengals started dropping 8 and only rushing 3, keeping the DE's on the outside rather than crashing in. They effectively doubled Kelce and Hill every single snap, and still accounted for the other guys in coverage. When Mahomes would try to roll to one side of the field, the DE not crashing caused him to roll to the other side, but the DE from that side was sitting there waiting.

Against this alignment - PM was just 7/13 for 59 yards and an INT with 2 sacks. Much like Burrow, because of the weapons and ability to pre-snap read, blitzing PM is deadly - so the Bengals went all in on doing the opposite and forcing him to either check down, force throws, or take sacks.

Mahomes talked about it after the game and said that he should have checked down a lot more, but they were looking for the deep shot - those led to the issues. In short - a team built around the HR ball got tired of hitting singles and started pressing to force plays/throws that weren't there.

That is likely what the Bengals were counting on when they decided to go with this alignment.

It wasn't just dropping 8 and rushing 3 with a spy late. They also changed to press man instead of zone which Mahomes picked them apart with in the 1st half. They also kept the pass rush more controlled and in front of Mahomes to keep him from getting easy lanes to step through. A really well schemed and well executed defensive game plan in the second half. And like you said, Mahomes kept looking for big plays when they simply weren't there. I think he was kinda chasing those points he left on the board at the end of the first half.

 

[cincygrad]

It wasn't just dropping 8 and rushing 3 with a spy late. They also changed to press man instead of zone which Mahomes picked them apart with in the 1st half. They also kept the pass rush more controlled and in front of Mahomes to keep him from getting easy lanes to step through. A really well schemed and well executed defensive game plan in the second half. And like you said, Mahomes kept looking for big plays when they simply weren't there. I think he was kinda chasing those points he left on the board at the end of the first half.

I thought the Chiefs could have won the ballgame by running it down the Bengals throat. They were getting big chunks every time they ran the ball, but again, the impatience of not hitting big pass plays really got them down.

 

[Battlelyon]

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

I thought the Chiefs could have won the ballgame by running it down the Bengals throat. They were getting big chunks every time they ran the ball, but again, the impatience of not hitting big pass plays really got them down.

Yep. Andy Reid. He abandons the run and won't adjust back to it to keep the defense honest.