Bengals vs Ravens Part 3

[futballiscool]

Ravens playing both QBs tonight. Guess that means a lot of designed QB runs/option looks? Good strategy to keep this a secret...

Report: Ravens plan to play both Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown at QB tonight

The Ravens have not named their quarterback for tonight's playoff game against the Bengals.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

 

[cincygrad]

Hubbard, Reader and Hilton will be key. If those guys do the things we know they can against the run, we should be able to limit damage. I'm hoping the offense generates a few explosive plays to put this thing out of reach early.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Stack the line - take away the run, keep the passing in front, and force either QB to sustain long drives to score points. Pick you timing, and jump some of those shorter routes, but in general, I think they can play it pretty standard unless either QB shows they can force the issue.

 

[DanBengalfan]

they let the bengals defense get worn down, and now apple is injured.

bengals coaches need to learn how to adapt to the situation.

 

[DanBengalfan]

offense can't be coughing the ball up.

Ravens would get destroyed in Buffalo, can't let them win.

 

[DanBengalfan]

 

[DanBengalfan]

ravens f'd around at the goal line

 

[futballiscool]

Think that play was a momentum changer

 

[DanBengalfan]

our defense again man.

if we play like this in Buffalo, we gonna get killed tho. Buffalo ain't f'n around in the playoffs.

 

[alf8478]

our defense again man.

if we play like this in Buffalo, we gonna get killed tho. Buffalo ain't f'n around in the playoffs.

Buffalo would have lost today if miami had average quarterback play

 

[Duffman]

Buffalo would have lost today if miami had average quarterback play

So would you. Both of your teams didn’t look as good as usual.

 

[alf8478]

So would you. Both of your teams didn’t look as good as usual.

Completely agree. I didn’t like this matchup all week. I thought the ravens would win

 

[futballiscool]

Montana/Brees level surgical QB play out of Burrow last night. Moved the ball against arguably the best defense in the NFL while playing mistake free football behind a patchwork OL. Average looking box score but I thought he played as well as possible under the circumstances.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Thought the entire approach was one that was afraid to make a mistake - force the Ravens to make mistakes first, and capitalize.

Offensively, that simply did not work. Once again - very vanilla and predictable play calling by formation between what a run is and a pass. Bengals best plays are RPO with Burrow deciding to either hit quick passes, or hand it off, but the number of times they run the ball with 7+ defenders within 5 yards of the LOS is maddening with how poorly this OL blocks for the run. This offense is better as a spread 'em out, and the run game can directly benefit. Ravens spread the Bengals defense out - and then ran the shit out of them. If Roman wasn't a world class idiot - he would have called Dobbin's number 25 times last night....

All of that being said - sometimes better lucky than good - and playing a team the 3rd time sucks - especially in your own division. Survive and advance is the name of the game now. No pretty losses, just ugly wins.....

 

[cincygrad]

That was a good win for the Bengals. It wasn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but I think that is to be expected. The other two divisional re-matches this weekend were difficult as well. Though the final score doesn't show it, Seattle was giving SF some serious issues - They made a critical error near their own redzone and that changed the entire game. The Dolphins/Bills were the same..... The Dolphins were a play or two away from stealing that game outright. The Ravens had a great game plan and the personnel to execute it. If they had a better redzone offense, they could have won the game.

The Ravens had a good game plan. They were smart on offense to run out of so many jumbo formations - It basically put two of our best defenders (Hendrickson and Hilton) on the sideline until Lou made an adjustment to get Hilton in the game. I think the Ravens would have given any team trouble this weekend - They just didn't execute in the redzone. And that was a mostly self-inflicted wound as they probably would have been fine had they actually used Dobbins.

 

[DanBengalfan]

injuries are really our biggest problem.

if we don't win it all this year, Joe will give us another chance. I mean, if we win it this year (like we almost did last year) with all these injuries, who stands a chance against the Bengals when we're mostly all healthy?

 

[CrashDavisSports]

injuries are really our biggest problem.

if we don't win it all this year, Joe will give us another chance. I mean, if we win it this year (like we almost did last year) with all these injuries, who stands a chance against the Bengals when we're mostly all healthy?

It will be about the same Bengals team next year even healthy. We are going to start losing stars so we can pay for Joe, Ja'Marr and maybe Higgins if we are lucky.

I expect no Bates, Mixon, Boyd of Williams next year. Maybe not even Bell or Apple.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Yeah we will have to do some more scouting. Plus running backs take a lot of punishment. Can’t expect them to last forever

 

[Cincyfan78]

It will be about the same Bengals team next year even healthy. We are going to start losing stars so we can pay for Joe, Ja'Marr and maybe Higgins if we are lucky.

I expect no Bates, Mixon, Boyd of Williams next year. Maybe not even Bell or Apple.

Next years team faces losing the following players (there are a few more lower guys, not including here):

Bates, Bell, Pratt, Apple, Hurst, Flowers, Branden Allen, Perine, Sample, Trent Taylor, Scharping.

Of this list, I would expect the Bengals to make a solid run at keeping:

Bell, Hurst, Flowers, Sample, Scharping.

Bell likely gets a decent offer to return - Bates has a replacement in tow, Bell does not. Hurst - clear fit for the offense, though could still see Bengals drafting a young TE if one fits their slot at the time of picking somewhere. Flowers has been a solid cover guy on TE's, I think he's found a niche here. Sample is a solid backup and blocking TE. Scharping is a nice depth piece. He may decide to leave to try and "start" somewhere else, but I would expect the Bengals to make an offer, and they will also add via F/A and draft - which should be no surprise.

Of that list, I expect the Bengals to move on from:

Bates, Pratt, Apple, Allen, Perine, Taylor.

Bengals already drafted Hill to replace Bates. Apple is gone, replaced by CTB and Cheeto (Awuzie) returns to man the other spot, while the Bengals will likely look to add another CB in the draft, or in F/A for depth. Pratt wants to be a 3-down LB, and wants to be paid. Not sure the Bengals are going to pay him what he wants - and they still have Wilson coming due the next year - which one do they prefer to sign? Both a really good guys, but not many teams are going to pay 2 LB's top money. Allen is going to be replaced as the backup, most likely, Perine is older than Mixon - and this is a room that needs to get younger. Taylor is a fringe guy, nice backup WR/PR - but he fumbles a lot of punt returns (anyone else notice this?) and the Bengals need to get more talent in the wings behind Boyd and Higgins to prepare for any potential departure of these two.

 

[cincygrad]

Next years team faces losing the following players (there are a few more lower guys, not including here):

Bates, Bell, Pratt, Apple, Hurst, Flowers, Branden Allen, Perine, Sample, Trent Taylor, Scharping.

Of this list, I would expect the Bengals to make a solid run at keeping:

Bell, Hurst, Flowers, Sample, Scharping.

Bell likely gets a decent offer to return - Bates has a replacement in tow, Bell does not. Hurst - clear fit for the offense, though could still see Bengals drafting a young TE if one fits their slot at the time of picking somewhere. Flowers has been a solid cover guy on TE's, I think he's found a niche here. Sample is a solid backup and blocking TE. Scharping is a nice depth piece. He may decide to leave to try and "start" somewhere else, but I would expect the Bengals to make an offer, and they will also add via F/A and draft - which should be no surprise.

Of that list, I expect the Bengals to move on from:

Bates, Pratt, Apple, Allen, Perine, Taylor.

Bengals already drafted Hill to replace Bates. Apple is gone, replaced by CTB and Cheeto (Awuzie) returns to man the other spot, while the Bengals will likely look to add another CB in the draft, or in F/A for depth. Pratt wants to be a 3-down LB, and wants to be paid. Not sure the Bengals are going to pay him what he wants - and they still have Wilson coming due the next year - which one do they prefer to sign? Both a really good guys, but not many teams are going to pay 2 LB's top money. Allen is going to be replaced as the backup, most likely, Perine is older than Mixon - and this is a room that needs to get younger. Taylor is a fringe guy, nice backup WR/PR - but he fumbles a lot of punt returns (anyone else notice this?) and the Bengals need to get more talent in the wings behind Boyd and Higgins to prepare for any potential departure of these two.

The issue with moving on from Perine is that we'll need someone that can adequately fill in on third down. Mixon is an awful blocker - Highlighted again the other night. I simply can't understand how a talented athlete like Mixon can't block - I mean, the guy plays physical with the ball in his hands, so it doesn't seem like he is afraid of contact. But damn is he awful. Anyway, if Perine does move on, we need to identify someone reliable that can catch the ball and can provide pass protection.

I'm not sure Allen will go anywhere. Burrow likes having him as a caddy. He's more of a coach at this point. I suspect that they'll continue to keep a developmental guy around. I think Pratt is definitely gone and he'll take a piece of the D's soul with him. It's hard to find players that play their best games when the most is on the line. And that is exactly what Pratt does. But he'll also get paid more than he's worth given his position.

I agree that we keep Bell. Hurst might stick around on a team friend deal, but in a world where Uzomah gets 8 million per year as an FA, I think it's fair to say we will lose him.