- Thread starter
- #1
DanBengalfan
Raving lunatic
Bengals play in Tennessee
pretty much what we're all seeing.Taylor is going to get Burrow killed. Titans bringing pressure against a limited Burrow, and Taylor is dialing up 25 yard routes that have no shot of developing.
I know the Steelers hate Canada, but no coach gets less out of more talent than Taylor on offense. Fight me.
To be a glass half full kind of person if the wheels are falling off it happened the right season. A hyped QB class could mean 3 first Rd picks and change in a trade. Marvin Harrison Jr would look good in stripes. Not ready to throw the towel in on the season but I'm still only half joking on this.
My concern is Burrow's long-term and short-term health.
The issue is - his injury is likely worse than we all think it is, and it is 100% impacting everything. Teams are sending 6 guys on the regular and just pummeling the line. Burrow can't move, so he can't extend plays...and is a sitting duck. When you couple this with the lack of play calling creativity to get guys open quickly in space....the results are what they are.And while injuries happen. That can’t be the excuse to write off Joe Burrow’s performance. He flat out sucks right now. Just not making the throws he normally makes. Not seeing the field. Obviously the limited mobility hinders a lot of what he does.
They paid him to be the messiah. He needs to be better than Zach Wilson.
The continuity thing is good if guys are good...Lou is very good. They've got some new pieces on defense, and things are still up and down at times, but they are also getting zero help from the offense. Eventually dams break when they are beaten enough.This seems like the flip side to continuity. It was an advantage to have the same staff across the board for a few straight years as the team was growing. But, this team looks really stale. And its not just the Burrow injury. They have completely lost their identity on defense - Over the past two years, they've never had a team go on an offensive run like the Titans did yesterday. When have they ever gave up 3 touchdowns in a half? Maybe the Chargers game a couple years ago. Regardless, the D no longer can stop the run and it's the same front 7 that has always been in the building. Guys just aren't really bringing it and they look like they don't want to be there.
As for the offense..... I blame Taylor and Callahan, but I also realize that their hands are tied. Burrow wants to play so they let him play. But that results in us running everything out of the shotgun and the D has their ears pinned back on every snap. It's too easy to defend. And even on those rare plays where we do hold up up front, Burrow isn't accurate down the field.
It seems like the hunger is gone from this group. They need some new ideas and some new dynamics in the building.
I agree about Taylor, but disagree about the defense. Sure, the dam will break when you've been piled on. But yesterday, the dam broke way too early. The Bengals first drive was a good, time-consuming drive. They then had a 7 play drive and a punt and a 4 play drive and punt. And then the D fell apart, giving up big play after big play and ultimately giving up 3 touchdowns that ended the game in the first half. That is nothing like the D we have seen in the past, where they consistently limit damage even when the offense is ineffective. I think it's too easy to blame the loss of our safeties, which doesn't seem like much of an excuse given that Dax Hill has probably been our best, most consistent defender this year.The continuity thing is good if guys are good...Lou is very good. They've got some new pieces on defense, and things are still up and down at times, but they are also getting zero help from the offense. Eventually dams break when they are beaten enough.
The biggest issue with the continuity is that Taylor has NEVER been a good play caller. Sure, the SB year it worked because everything was clicking and it was new to everyone in the NFL. Now that it's on tape....they struggle. Now that it's on tape and Burrow is injured....they flat out stink. Offensively, this team is awful, and is only getting covered up at times because Burrow is Burrow and Chase is Chase, etc....but this is one area of continuity that has been bad...and I will toot my horn here a bit because I've been calling this out for 2 years now.
Taylor needs to hire a real offensive coordinator, and get out of the way. I think he's a fine HC and does a nice job of running the team overall...but his inability to adjust to in game situations on the fly or continue to create schemes/formations that get the best out of his players has been lacking since his days at U.Cincinnati when he had the exact same issues.
No one, and I mean no one, gets less out of more as an offensive coordinator than Taylor. Fight me. Pitt fans can say Canada sucks, and he does, but they don't have Burrow, Chase, Higgins and Mixon and have had 2 games this year where they scored ZERO touchdowns. It's just inexcusable.
You are right, but every unit is going to have one of those days. I think it was 2 years ago, they had one against the Jets and their backup QB throwing for 400 yards, or whatever...by and large, though, the defense has played well this year. They've given up some points, but their best stretches have been typically the 1st half when they are still fresh, and the STL game where the offense actually moved the ball in the 2nd half. Prior to that, the offense was going 3-out on nearly 50% of their attempts.I agree about Taylor, but disagree about the defense. Sure, the dam will break when you've been piled on. But yesterday, the dam broke way too early. The Bengals first drive was a good, time-consuming drive. They then had a 7 play drive and a punt and a 4 play drive and punt. And then the D fell apart, giving up big play after big play and ultimately giving up 3 touchdowns that ended the game in the first half. That is nothing like the D we have seen in the past, where they consistently limit damage even when the offense is ineffective. I think it's too easy to blame the loss of our safeties, which doesn't seem like much of an excuse given that Dax Hill has probably been our best, most consistent defender this year.
I think you are right, but I'm more pessimistic. Even during the good times of the last two seasons, it has been rare that the offense has carried the load. I don't really remember anything that would count as a shoot-out that the Bengals won. Nothing like the days when Carson could carry the team with 50 points and only win by a field goal because of a horrible D.You are right, but every unit is going to have one of those days. I think it was 2 years ago, they had one against the Jets and their backup QB throwing for 400 yards, or whatever...by and large, though, the defense has played well this year. They've given up some points, but their best stretches have been typically the 1st half when they are still fresh, and the STL game where the offense actually moved the ball in the 2nd half. Prior to that, the offense was going 3-out on nearly 50% of their attempts.
Larger point - when this defense eventually takes a step back on a more consistent basis (I think this happens when Lou leaves) - will the offense be able to answer the challenge and help carry the team to a win. To date - the answer is a shocking "maybe". That is a sad testament when you have Burrow and, hopefully, Chase signed to this offense...