Really Impressed with Bengals

[CrashDavisSports]

We always have a hard time against Pitt, they have had our number more often than not even with a fully healthy team.

However, we went in, played them tough, hung in there and had a chance to tie at end of game with a rookie QB, rookie WR and injuries galore.

I am not making excuses for a loss, because Pittsburgh outplayed us, but impressed with the moxy of this team and the depth (minus secondary).

Dalton lost his biggest playmaker early in second quarter in Green, Dunlap was not even in the game, we have lost our top slot receiver in Shipley early in the season, we just lost Hall, our top CB midway through game. We were hobbling with injuries, we hung around, fought hard and stayed in the game with everything goign against us.

Pittsburgh deserved to win, but I like how we fought and hold great expectations for the future of this franchise, not only for the rest of this season, but the next several as well.

 

[vancelot23]

Rep'd. Agreed.

 

[dare2be]

Rep'd also, reluctantly from this Steeler fan. I imagine that if Green hadn't gone down so early in the game, the result might have been different.

 

[Dr.Funke]

I think Mike Wallace is the best WR in the AFC currently. I think Green is the best rookie WR in the game

And for the next 5-7 years...He and Wallace are going to reign hell on the AFC.

 

[bengaldoug]

Don't know why we haven't been able to apply past success against the Ravens to the Steelers.....guess they're just better than us.....right now I don't think we match up defensively really well to their wideouts.....but it hasn't always been that way, yet we have always had big problems with them......at least now I'm confident we won't back down anymore......

 

[Dr.Funke]

how about that Hit Nelson (I think) laid on Heath

and that damn ape woodsman still held onto the ball like a pro. Clean hit, just absurd catch. That, as they say, is a game changing play

I think it was on 3rd down

 

[bengaldoug]

That was a huge hit, but Miller fell forward and held onto the ball, while Nelson looked like he had been ejected from the passenger seat of a car.....

 

[vancelot23]

That was a massive collision, and yes, it was Nelson.

 

[bengaldoug]

I really like Nelson's passion, even if his coverage skills are lacking......

 

[vancelot23]

I agree with Bip on Wallace. He just keeps getting better, and he and Green are going to terrorize the league for a long while.

 

[flamingrey]

Don't know why we haven't been able to apply past success against the Ravens to the Steelers.....guess they're just better than us.....right now I don't think we match up defensively really well to their wideouts.....but it hasn't always been that way, yet we have always had big problems with them......at least now I'm confident we won't back down anymore......

Please elaborate.

We tied the game with 8:38 to play in the THIRD quarter.

On the very next drive, we allowed the Steelers to hold the ball for almost 7 minutes, gave up 6 first downs, and capped it by giving up a 9 yard TD run.

From there we had 4 opportunities to drive down the field and tie the game, but punted twice and threw 2 interceptions.

Yet, we gave the ball back with 2:27 to go in the game with 3 timeouts to burn. We gave up 2 first downs and could never get the ball back.

There were some positive to take from the game, no question, but everyone keeps saying they don't back down or we know they won't back down bla bla, but I just don't see it. Any and everytime Pittsburgh needed to make a play they did. And with the exception of 2 plays in the 1st half, everytime we needed to make a play, we floundered.

To me we did nothing but back down offensively and defensively to a team that historically has our number.

 

[futballiscool]

I think people are going more by the Steelers mystique than their actual performance this season when they evaluate yesterday's game..

they only had 2 picks the entire season on defense. the Bengals gave them 2 in the 2nd half. arguably their best pass rusher was out. they allow 18 pts per game, and the Bengals scored 17. they average 22 ppg on offense and the Bengals allowed 24..

I don't see this as a moral victory. we lost a close, important game to a division opponent..

the Bengals are a good, young team, but we all knew that before Sunday

 

[DanBengalfan]

regardless, of whether we "backed down" or not, execution vs effort I suppose. I now have that tom petty song in my head... thanks fellas.

quick, someone make a highlight reel to this...
Tom Petty - I Won't Back Down - YouTube

 

[DanBengalfan]

aww shit, johnny cash:

Johnny Cash - I Won't Back Down - YouTube

sorry, I'm so off topic, please ban me.

 

[flamingrey]

I think people are going more by the Steelers mystique than their actual performance this season when they evaluate yesterday's game..

they only had 2 picks the entire season on defense. the Bengals gave them 2 in the 2nd half. arguably their best pass rusher was out. they allow 18 pts per game, and the Bengals scored 17. they average 22 ppg on offense and the Bengals allowed 24..

I don't see this as a moral victory. we lost a close, important game to a division opponent..

the Bengals are a good, young team, but we all knew that before Sunday

This is exactly how I see it.

Additionally, I love Dalton's composure and don't think there is much that can rattle him, but yesterday was the first game he's really had to make throws in tight windows and double-triple coverage, and it resulted in 50% completion. He completed few of those tight window throws. So while Dalton showed promise in some aspects, others left question marks.

 

[bengaldoug]

Okay, I'm elaborating.....or at least trying to be more clear....past Bengals teams who fell behind to the Steelers early have packed it in....this team came back and played a gritty game, including tying the score in the third quarter without their best offensive weapon on the field.....on another day, when the Steelers weren't so desperate to win, that may have been enough.....it's to the Steelers' credit that it wasn't enough today.....

 

[futballiscool]

Okay, I'm elaborating.....or at least trying to be more clear....past Bengals teams who fell behind to the Steelers early have packed it in....this team came back and played a gritty game, including tying the score in the third quarter without their best offensive weapon on the field.....on another day, when the Steelers weren't so desperate to win, that may have been enough.....it's to the Steelers' credit that it wasn't enough today.....

eh, last yr they came back from down 17 in the 4th quarter and were a Shipley drop from being in a position to win at the last second..

they won after being down 2 scores in the 4th at the home game in 09..

Dalton was impressive as far as making decisive reads and getting the ball out of his hands quickly. he's about as smart a rookie QB as you'll find. I think he's comperable to Matt Ryan of a few yrs back in that regard

 

[flamingrey]

Fair enough.

However, for additional perspective:

2010 home game: We were down 27-7 in the 4th quarter. Cut the lead to 6 at 27-21 before losing on the last drive at the Pittsburgh 12 yard line with 0:34 remaining. For better recollection, this was the game Shipley "dropped" a pass on a huge hit from Harrison on 4th down. Coughed it up as a rookie mistake not coming back to the ball.

2009 home game: We were down 13-0 in the 2nd quarter. 20-9 in the 4th quarter. We scored 2 TDs to win, the 2nd coming with 0:14 seconds remaining in the game. This was the game with the huge 1st down conversion by Leonard on 4th down.

2009 away game: We were never down more than 3 points, but it was the game we lost Benson in the 1st quarter.

Those were 3 of our last 4 against the Steelers.

This notion that Bengals teams before this season were weak-minded or weak-spirited is unfounded. You don't become the "cardiac cats" by being a team that packs it in in the face of adversity.