Bengals vs Browns

[BigBlueNation111]

I think Gruden did an excellent job, though I think he got away from the run too much in the 2nd qtr, and we all saw the results it had on Dalton. When the Browns thought every play was a run (See:1st qtr) Dalton had a lot of 1-1 matchups and made some good throws. That throw to Gresham for the TD was great. Only JG was going to catch that ball.

The defense is good enough to keep this team in some games. However, the safeties have got to work on their back-end coverage. You simply can't allow a guy to get behind you when you are the last line of defense in coverage, and in the one TD where it looked like Hall got burned, there was no safety in sight. Looks like the safety over played the fake to the one side. The Browns did a good job of using the Bengals aggressive nature against them on a few plays. Got to stay disciplined.

Lets hope all that works out in time...and soooon!! morning 78!!

 

[flamingrey]

I think Gruden did an excellent job, though I think he got away from the run too much in the 2nd qtr, and we all saw the results it had on Dalton. When the Browns thought every play was a run (See:1st qtr) Dalton had a lot of 1-1 matchups and made some good throws. That throw to Gresham for the TD was great. Only JG was going to catch that ball.

The defense is good enough to keep this team in some games. However, the safeties have got to work on their back-end coverage. You simply can't allow a guy to get behind you when you are the last line of defense in coverage, and in the one TD where it looked like Hall got burned, there was no safety in sight. Looks like the safety over played the fake to the one side. The Browns did a good job of using the Bengals aggressive nature against them on a few plays. Got to stay disciplined.

1) We didn't get away from the run. It just wasn't working. Benson and Scott together were averaging probably close to 2 ypc. When that happens, at some put you have to start airing out the ball more to 1) keep the chains moving and 2) open lanes back up for the RBs. So, the problem wasn't in the scheme, the problem was Dalton making better reads and receivers running better routes and hanging onto the ball.

This is going to happen every game. We're going to come out running. Maybe have some success. But after 3-4 series, teams are going to take it away pretty fast and it'll but up to Dalton and the receivers to open the running lanes back up. That's just the way it is, you can't just keep running, running, running.

2) Unfortunately, we don't have any big time play makers on defense, guys that will force fumbles up front or guys that will grab interceptions in the back. It's a classic bend, but don't break defense (once the new guys get used to the scheme). It sucks because the offense needs all the help it can get. Otherwise the defense will always keep it close at least for the first half of the season.

 

[DanBengalfan]

The defense was looking for the run most of the time. I believe. The run opens things up for the pass of course, we didn't expect to run up the score, so 27 points is better than the 14 points the odds makers expected from us.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Bengals had 11 runs in the 1st qtr, 5 in the 2nd, and 6 in the 3rd....They ran the ball twice as much in the 1st qtr as they did in the 2nd qtr and 3rd qtr combined, and then nearly ran it twice as much in the 4th (minus 2). So, yes, they did get away from the run.

I agree that the run wasn't overtly effective, but that isn't really the point. Sometimes you have to do things just so the other team knows you are going to do them. It's like airing out a long pass. Sure, you're not always going to complete them, but if you don't do one every now and again the defense will never respect that. The Bengals were going to force Cleveland to come up and stop the run...when they did that, and stayed commited to it, we scored 27 points (first qtr 11 runs 4th qtr 9 runs). Wen the Bengals tended to get away from the run a bit (and compiled with the fact that it wasn't effective) they got shut down.

But I do agree with your point, take out the last run, and Benson was sitting at 3.4 (I think) on the day. Now, in the grand scheme of things, you can't take out that long run...but the point is still well taken...on average 24 of his runs were not very effective.

 

[flamingrey]

Bengals had 11 runs in the 1st qtr, 5 in the 2nd, and 6 in the 3rd....They ran the ball twice as much in the 1st qtr as they did in the 2nd qtr and 3rd qtr combined, and then nearly ran it twice as much in the 4th (minus 2). So, yes, they did get away from the run.

I agree that the run wasn't overtly effective, but that isn't really the point. Sometimes you have to do things just so the other team knows you are going to do them. It's like airing out a long pass. Sure, you're not always going to complete them, but if you don't do one every now and again the defense will never respect that. The Bengals were going to force Cleveland to come up and stop the run...when they did that, and stayed commited to it, we scored 27 points (first qtr 11 runs 4th qtr 9 runs). Wen the Bengals tended to get away from the run a bit (and compiled with the fact that it wasn't effective) they got shut down.

But I do agree with your point, take out the last run, and Benson was sitting at 3.4 (I think) on the day. Now, in the grand scheme of things, you can't take out that long run...but the point is still well taken...on average 24 of his runs were not very effective.

You're forgetting the fact that in the 2nd and 3rd quarter we had fallen behind. The Bengals were FORCED to leave the run, not by their fault. Ground had to be made up. You can't just keep running the ball just so the opposing team knows you're going to run. That doesn't make sense. 1) Our run game doesn't strike fear in anyone. 2) You run to set up the pass, which is exactly what they tried to accomplish. Considering the circumstances (being down, ineffective run game), we ran more than enough in the 2nd and 3rd quarter. So, no, we didn't "get away from" the run, at least not in the negative connotation you're implying.

And your ppg stats are very misleading. Our first 13 points came off botched Cleveland plays. They gave us the ball in what was essentially FG range. And, to start the game Cleveland was not stacking the box like they did for much of the 2nd and 3rd quarter. Furthermore, our 2nd TD came off of a long pass on another botched play by Cleveland. I wouldn't credit that to the run game either. No points we put up (minus the last play) were a direct byproduct of the run game.

And, you can absolutely discount that last run. It had no bearing on how we should have played the game earlier. It was an anomaly. Cleveland had no safeties back, overloaded one side, and were desperate for a stop. Do or die. They took a chance and it didn't work. Entirely different circumstance than the other 58+ minutes of game play.

 

[BigBlueNation111]

Good day Bengal Nation!!!!!!!!

 

[DanBengalfan]

I was like, hey, do we actually have a decent looking cheerleader, and then I realized that was from 2007, lol.

 

[BigBlueNation111]

Don't forget 09 as well!!!

I was like, hey, do we actually have a decent looking cheerleader, and then I realized that was from 2007, lol.

 

[BigBlueNation111]

I hope this team surprises everyone!!If we can stay somewhat healthy and Dalton can get more reps in and become more vocal with the team,who knows what this team could do! GO BENGALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!