refs bad again

[jbuck]

but meh

How about that bengal OL?



blow that shit up [;ease

 

[cincygrad]

but meh

How about that bengal OL?



blow that shit up [;ease

They looked bad, but I thought a lot of it had more to do with the situation (Chiefs knew we were passing) and Browning's lack of decision making against zone coverage. It blows my mind why KC was playing so much man in the first half. Browning does well against man looks. Pittsburgh basically exposed him twice when making him throw into zones. He constantly makes bad reads or holds the ball too long.

 

[cincygrad]

As for the refs.... I absolutely think KC was winning that game anyway - Mostly because we couldn't capitalize and get that 3rd quarter touchdown. That would have made it interesting. Regardless, I really don't understand that grounding penalty. They even took their damn time and discussed it. I get it when a ref makes a call and has to 'stick' with it, but this was one of those cases that it wasn't thought to be a grounding penalty until they discussed it. I just have no idea why they would call it - Even KC fans seem confused by it. Anyway, KC has been screwed by the refs this year, so things do even out sometimes, but what the hell?

 

[jbuck]

seemed like a ton of bad calls this year. I'd like to see how often the bad calls go the way of the home team.

 

[Cincyfan78]

The same thing early in the year hit late in the year. Burrow couldn't move, and Browning held onto the ball too long. This allowed teams to simply destroy the OL by blitzing and bringing pressure nearly every play.

To me, the bigger concerns are on defense. I do think they need to look to upgrade the OL - but even with Reader (who is a F/A) they struggled massively against the run. They need another DT, maybe 2 if Reader walks...and likely need to find another DB to replace Awuzie who is a F/A, but also find a way to scheme up better gap assignments and blocking. Hill, while a solid rotational guy, was getting destroyed 3-4-5 yards every run play as a full time guy. Need another fat-boy in the middle on 1st and 2nd downs/short yardage type situations.

 

[cincygrad]

The same thing early in the year hit late in the year. Burrow couldn't move, and Browning held onto the ball too long. This allowed teams to simply destroy the OL by blitzing and bringing pressure nearly every play.

To me, the bigger concerns are on defense. I do think they need to look to upgrade the OL - but even with Reader (who is a F/A) they struggled massively against the run. They need another DT, maybe 2 if Reader walks...and likely need to find another DB to replace Awuzie who is a F/A, but also find a way to scheme up better gap assignments and blocking. Hill, while a solid rotational guy, was getting destroyed 3-4-5 yards every run play as a full time guy. Need another fat-boy in the middle on 1st and 2nd downs/short yardage type situations.

100% agree. It's pretty clear that there are going to be times in the season that the offense pisses us off and Zac will need to adjust to how the D is taking away his priorities. That said, they have enough on offense to be a top 10 DVOA unit and they have proven to be very efficient when playing with a healthy Burrow. It's possible that an expanded role for Chase Brown or another dynamic back could push them to another level. Regardless, they need some minor tweaks, but I'm not overly concerned with a healthy Burrow.

The D worries me a lot. As you noted, we need D-line help to stop the run and we need pass rushers. Neither of those things are cheap. We also need a huge developmental leap from the secondary. It worries me that Lou seems to be okay when he has veterans but doesn't adjust well with younger talent. We've used some draft capital on young players that need to develop and be solid starters. We also need more from the investments we made at linebacker. In short, we probably need a major overhaul on that side of the ball - A full 2 years before I figured we would struggle. I think there are some things they can do schematically to simplify and I think getting back to health and adding some free agents will go a long way. It might be too much to hope that we can recreate the free agency period we had years ago, but that is what we need.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

100% agree. It's pretty clear that there are going to be times in the season that the offense pisses us off and Zac will need to adjust to how the D is taking away his priorities. That said, they have enough on offense to be a top 10 DVOA unit and they have proven to be very efficient when playing with a healthy Burrow. It's possible that an expanded role for Chase Brown or another dynamic back could push them to another level. Regardless, they need some minor tweaks, but I'm not overly concerned with a healthy Burrow.

The D worries me a lot. As you noted, we need D-line help to stop the run and we need pass rushers. Neither of those things are cheap. We also need a huge developmental leap from the secondary. It worries me that Lou seems to be okay when he has veterans but doesn't adjust well with younger talent. We've used some draft capital on young players that need to develop and be solid starters. We also need more from the investments we made at linebacker. In short, we probably need a major overhaul on that side of the ball - A full 2 years before I figured we would struggle. I think there are some things they can do schematically to simplify and I think getting back to health and adding some free agents will go a long way. It might be too much to hope that we can recreate the free agency period we had years ago, but that is what we need.

Trey Hendrickson tied with Watt in leading the league in sacks. Reader is one of the best run stuffing DT's in the NFL when healthy. We do need a really good player beside Reader who we should sign in the offseason for a couple more years. I like Hubbard, but he is not a major threat rushing the QB, but he is decent at run defense and decent at rushing the QB.

If Murphy can start stepping up in his second year to run in a rotation with Hubbard, I am not super concerned there. DT is a major concern though.

I am good with Wilson and Pratt at LB, IF they are getting more help from the front line in run defense. They can't have guys making it to the second level putting hands on them when tracking the RB.

Our young secondary has been the biggest issue, especially once Britt went down. Nick Scott might be the worst safety in the NFL. That was a favor higher and desperation after Bates and Bell left.

We need on defense:

1. A Massive run stopping DT.
2. A veteran safety to pair with Dax Hill that can boost the secondary. I like Battle as a backup.
3. A veteran corner to replace Awuzie in a similar mold as Awuzie when we nabbed him from Dallas. An up and comer ready for his second contract trending in the right direction that is not expensive.
4. A veteran LB to backup Wilson/Pratt
5. A rotational pass rusher to put on the line with Hendrickson, Hubbard, Myles.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Refs really are bad.

Detroit had their "lets give the other team a do-over" moment with that 2 point conversion.
it's obvious that the receiving eligible OT had reported as eligible to the ref, who later decided to say he didn't. so the ref straight up lied to give the game to the cowboys. that's really bad in my eyes.

usually, when a ref is incompetent, you can look past it, I mean, the mother is only human. but this was not even disguised as incompetence. it was blatant refusal by a ref to follow the rules of the game.

 

[Cincyfan78]

100% agree. It's pretty clear that there are going to be times in the season that the offense pisses us off and Zac will need to adjust to how the D is taking away his priorities. That said, they have enough on offense to be a top 10 DVOA unit and they have proven to be very efficient when playing with a healthy Burrow. It's possible that an expanded role for Chase Brown or another dynamic back could push them to another level. Regardless, they need some minor tweaks, but I'm not overly concerned with a healthy Burrow.

The D worries me a lot. As you noted, we need D-line help to stop the run and we need pass rushers. Neither of those things are cheap. We also need a huge developmental leap from the secondary. It worries me that Lou seems to be okay when he has veterans but doesn't adjust well with younger talent. We've used some draft capital on young players that need to develop and be solid starters. We also need more from the investments we made at linebacker. In short, we probably need a major overhaul on that side of the ball - A full 2 years before I figured we would struggle. I think there are some things they can do schematically to simplify and I think getting back to health and adding some free agents will go a long way. It might be too much to hope that we can recreate the free agency period we had years ago, but that is what we need.

I think you nailed it with the veteran point on Lou - we saw the same issues last time Burrow/Reader got injured....defense was really, really bad - and it didn't seem like there was a lot of adjustment. Certainly didn't feel like there was a lot of adjustment this go around either - but I do think Lou is in a catch 22...can't blitz because the DB's don't hold up and can't rush 4 because no one consistently gets to the QB and the DB's get ate up. Can't stop the run, but if you bring the LB's, they already can't stop the TE ... it's a mess for sure.