First Preseason Game

[cincygrad]

I didn't watch the game, but watched some highlights and read some articles. Sounds like the consensus is that Jackson Carman still can't block. It also sounds like it remains a miracle/mystery how a team starting Hakeem Adeniji and Isaiah Prince played in a 1-score game in the Super Bowl. We need the new guys to stay healthy.

On the plus side, it looks like some of those young defensive players looked pretty good in their first action. Oh, and Evan McPhereson is good.

 

[Picklerick 2.0]

I didn't watch the game, but watched some highlights and read some articles. Sounds like the consensus is that Jackson Carman still can't block. It also sounds like it remains a miracle/mystery how a team starting Hakeem Adeniji and Isaiah Prince played in a 1-score game in the Super Bowl. We need the new guys to stay healthy.

On the plus side, it looks like some of those young defensive players looked pretty good in their first action. Oh, and Evan McPhereson is good.

An unbelievable qb covers alot of team warts.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

We also didn't play any starters on offense the whole night. Might be a little difference with the mega talent offense on the field.

Our backup oline is terrible still. The backup defense and young guys got exploited, but there were some flashes of good from our draft picks and the young guys.

All in all, it was a very vanilla everything. We didn't show a dang thing. It was just man on man and see if you can beat your guy. No real varied fronts or anything to make the opposing QB's question any play calls or have to change to audibles.

It is preseason, our only goal in this period is to see what guys can do who are fighting for the last spots on the depth chart, and to get out of this healthy as possible.

I don't really care about score or results.

 

[Picklerick 2.0]

We also didn't play any starters on offense the whole night. Might be a little difference with the mega talent offense on the field.

Our backup oline is terrible still. The backup defense and young guys got exploited, but there were some flashes of good from our draft picks and the young guys.

All in all, it was a very vanilla everything. We didn't show a dang thing. It was just man on man and see if you can beat your guy. No real varied fronts or anything to make the opposing QB's question any play calls or have to change to audibles.

It is preseason, our only goal in this period is to see what guys can do who are fighting for the last spots on the depth chart, and to get out of this healthy as possible.

I don't really care about score or results.

Preseason is preseason

 

[cincygrad]

We also didn't play any starters on offense the whole night. Might be a little difference with the mega talent offense on the field.

Our backup oline is terrible still. The backup defense and young guys got exploited, but there were some flashes of good from our draft picks and the young guys.

All in all, it was a very vanilla everything. We didn't show a dang thing. It was just man on man and see if you can beat your guy. No real varied fronts or anything to make the opposing QB's question any play calls or have to change to audibles.

It is preseason, our only goal in this period is to see what guys can do who are fighting for the last spots on the depth chart, and to get out of this healthy as possible.

I don't really care about score or results.

I agree.... But preseason is where you want to see guys win some one-on-ones and flash some talent. Some of the young D guys really did that.... Even if it was against other players that might not be in the NFL. You'd figure at least one of our young lineman would improve from year to year.... But the jury is definitely still out on that one.

Should be more of the same this weekend. Taylor is clearly using preseason games to determine the final 1 or 2 starters and the guys that will make the team. It actually makes the preseason more fun seeing some of these roster battles play out.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I agree.... But preseason is where you want to see guys win some one-on-ones and flash some talent. Some of the young D guys really did that.... Even if it was against other players that might not be in the NFL. You'd figure at least one of our young lineman would improve from year to year.... But the jury is definitely still out on that one.

Should be more of the same this weekend. Taylor is clearly using preseason games to determine the final 1 or 2 starters and the guys that will make the team. It actually makes the preseason more fun seeing some of these roster battles play out.

Yeah, the starting 21 of 22 is pretty much set. What the Bengals need to figure out is LG - and backups across the board. Need guys to at least flash enough to think "OK, if X goes down, and Y steps up with other 1's around him, they can get it done". It's one thing that I do kind of wish we would see with LG.

I think having Williams and Karras around that LG spot is important, because up to now - that's exactly how it's been run in practice, and then suddenly in the game Carmen is out there with guys who are 2's, or worse, and no real communication or practice reps with...not to say Carmen doesn't need to flash (he does) but throwing out 1 starter in a position that requires so much communication and reps with those around you doesn't help matters at all. No wonder he looks "better" in practice, and then struggles in the pre-season to this point...

 

[cincygrad]

Yeah, the starting 21 of 22 is pretty much set. What the Bengals need to figure out is LG - and backups across the board. Need guys to at least flash enough to think "OK, if X goes down, and Y steps up with other 1's around him, they can get it done". It's one thing that I do kind of wish we would see with LG.

I think having Williams and Karras around that LG spot is important, because up to now - that's exactly how it's been run in practice, and then suddenly in the game Carmen is out there with guys who are 2's, or worse, and no real communication or practice reps with...not to say Carmen doesn't need to flash (he does) but throwing out 1 starter in a position that requires so much communication and reps with those around you doesn't help matters at all. No wonder he looks "better" in practice, and then struggles in the pre-season to this point...

Carmen got beat like a drum on a stunt - It was hard to watch. Volston handled the same stunt with textbook execution..... I think he's just more comfortable as an interior lineman. I think I can live with some of Volston's physical limitations - But assuming he continues to do his job and he can provide a strong baseline level of play, I think they need to go with him. It's clear that Carman has talent but the dude is a mess.... Looks ready to dominate one minute and looks like he is asleep the next. Mistakes cause turnovers and injuries..... Until he stops making so damn many of them, he needs to ride the pine. I'm sad that Ben Brown got injured - I was hoping to see more of him as a potential interior back-up.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Carmen got beat like a drum on a stunt - It was hard to watch. Volston handled the same stunt with textbook execution..... I think he's just more comfortable as an interior lineman. I think I can live with some of Volston's physical limitations - But assuming he continues to do his job and he can provide a strong baseline level of play, I think they need to go with him. It's clear that Carman has talent but the dude is a mess.... Looks ready to dominate one minute and looks like he is asleep the next. Mistakes cause turnovers and injuries..... Until he stops making so damn many of them, he needs to ride the pine. I'm sad that Ben Brown got injured - I was hoping to see more of him as a potential interior back-up.

Agreed.

None of what I said was meant to excuse the poor play. Just, knowing how intricate the OL can be, I don't like that you don't start the LT/C around the LG who has taken nearly all their reps with those guys - especially in a competition like this as well...clearly both guys would benefit from having Williams/Karras next to them.

 

[alf8478]

Carmen got beat like a drum on a stunt - It was hard to watch. Volston handled the same stunt with textbook execution..... I think he's just more comfortable as an interior lineman. I think I can live with some of Volston's physical limitations - But assuming he continues to do his job and he can provide a strong baseline level of play, I think they need to go with him. It's clear that Carman has talent but the dude is a mess.... Looks ready to dominate one minute and looks like he is asleep the next. Mistakes cause turnovers and injuries..... Until he stops making so damn many of them, he needs to ride the pine. I'm sad that Ben Brown got injured - I was hoping to see more of him as a potential interior back-up.

It would be nice to see someone on the interior line actually block a stunt for a change.