So none of you made a thread about Hard Knocks yet?

[Cincyfan78]

A few other thoughts from Hard Knocks (spoiler alert for those waiting to watch)

1) I was surprised there wasn't a bigger story line about competition at safety. That seemed like one of the most obvious camp battles and it wasn't even discussed.

2) I was surprised there wasn't much about Andre Smith -- He played such a huge role in the last bengals hk that I thought it would be an easy tie-in.

3) Come to think of it, there weren't really many story lines at all. There was the injured player bit that they do every year. And there was a lot of Hue Jackson and Mike Zimmer footage. Everything else was just gratuitous shots of Cincinnati and super slow motion footwork drills. A little boring compared to 2009 IMO.

1. I think the defense was so good last year despite not having this position "filled" with a competent player (Though the re-signing of whoever it was did help out down the stretch), that this may not be as big of a story line outside of fans that are interested at things that are a bit more in depth. James Harrison giving the finger and slamming doors is better "TV".

2. He came into camp, relatively in shape. Had he come in fat, out of shape, and still on the PUP, it would be a bigger story. Since he came in pretty much ready to go, there's no story here.

3. This team is boring. Just like Marvin wants it. HBO will probably spend the majority of HK trying to hype up Eiffert, Bernard, and the story line of Dalton having to improve to carry this team.

 

[Tubbs1518]

This might be the funniest exchange of the show:

Gruden: We don't touch the merchandise ever.
Harrison: The merchandise is going to get touched.
Gruden: Not by you, not without pads ... our future relies on this (guy).
0ap1000000224473.jpg
Harrison: The merchandise come this way -- boom -- it's going to get touched. I like touching merchandise.
Gruden: Our future relies on this (guy).
Harrison: I'm not going to kill him, but I ain't going to let him get his job done.
Gruden: Just relax.
Harrison: I ain't gonna kill him, but I ain't going to let him get the job done because that mean I ain't doing mine. Understand?
Gruden: Relax ... ( This is the moment Green slinks out of frame.)
Harrison: Understand? Do we understand each other? That's all I need to know.
Gruden: We do. I'm sorry, I'm sorry ... but seriously don't hurt this (guy).

 

[DanBengalfan]

totally different culture than he's used to.

At Steelers practice they are used to using chop sticks to eat each others flesh and drink each others blood, and he comes here and it's like, flag football.

 

[vancelot23]

1. James Harrison is just intimidating. Even just walking around, he looks like he might just hit somebody. The part where Gruden was trying to tell him not to hit AJ Green (the merchandise as Gruden called him) and Harrison said he wasn't just going to let him run because he had to do his job shows how intense he is.

2. Bruce Taylor looked like a dolt for talking smack, then barely making it through the workout.

3. Gio Bernard should be the starter now. He looks amazing and his speed is obvious. The defense taking shots at him was funny til one of them hurts him.

4. Jermaine Gresham cheated at the Oklahoma drill, but it was still impressive that he put Atkins down on his back.

5. The Larry Black injury was hard to watch. You could see how devastated the kid was, knowing as an undrafted rookie, he might never get another shot.

 

[jwil007]

This might be the funniest exchange of the show:

Gruden: We don't touch the merchandise ever.
Harrison: The merchandise is going to get touched.
Gruden: Not by you, not without pads ... our future relies on this (guy).
0ap1000000224473.jpg
Harrison: The merchandise come this way -- boom -- it's going to get touched. I like touching merchandise.
Gruden: Our future relies on this (guy).
Harrison: I'm not going to kill him, but I ain't going to let him get his job done.
Gruden: Just relax.
Harrison: I ain't gonna kill him, but I ain't going to let him get the job done because that mean I ain't doing mine. Understand?
Gruden: Relax ... ( This is the moment Green slinks out of frame.)
Harrison: Understand? Do we understand each other? That's all I need to know.
Gruden: We do. I'm sorry, I'm sorry ... but seriously don't hurt this (guy).

Coaches are going to put up with him...He is no nonsense but you can see this is a 1 or 2 year deal TOPS! We want him to play hard teach our young backers, give us 8-10 sacks and get the fuck out of town....I like that he is here though Im somewhat concerned how it plays out if we tank or dont do as good... You can see he doesnt too much care for the offense....I bet he doesnt talk to Whitworth at all either....

Did like how he came down hill and pancaked Charles and blew Herron up!

 

[Cincyfan78]

Harrison is going to bring a very needed no-nonsense attitude to the defense, and for guys like Rey M, they can only get better by watching what he does, and how he doesn't care about what anyone says.

 

[Tubbs1518]

A few things I thought stood out.:

1. Gruden said we didn't draft Bernard to be a backup, we drafted him to play a lot. I hope that is true this year.

2.Hue Jackson is a hell of a coach. He is gonna be a HC again before too long

3. James Harrison is a grown ass man.

4 I'm extremely impressed with Gresham calling Atkins out in the Oklahoma Drill. Yeah he went WAY too early, but he showed a fire and he took him down. Maybe there is some fire lit under Gresham this year. Maybe there is some hope for him.

5. You hate to see a player go down like Larry Black. It's almost hard to watch. Guys like that who are undrafted don't have a huge shot anyways and he was making a name for himself.

6. Eifert is going to be an absolute beast.

 

[Tubbs1518]

Coaches are going to put up with him...He is no nonsense but you can see this is a 1 or 2 year deal TOPS! We want him to play hard teach our young backers, give us 8-10 sacks and get the fuck out of town....I like that he is here though Im somewhat concerned how it plays out if we tank or dont do as good... You can see he doesnt too much care for the offense....I bet he doesnt talk to Whitworth at all either....

Did like how he came down hill and pancaked Charles and blew Herron up!

You keep Harrison here as long as he can play.

 

[ckhokie]

A few things I thought stood out.:

1. Gruden said we didn't draft Bernard to be a backup, we drafted him to play a lot. I hope that is true this year.

I saw that, but then they talked about him being a 3rd down/change of pace guy, which concerned me a little. Having watched Gio all through college, I don't doubt he could be the full time starter in a pass-centric offense. The guy is QUICK.

And I really hope you're right about Eiffert. The faster coaches see this and we can get Gresham off the field, the better.

 

[Tubbs1518]

I saw that, but then they talked about him being a 3rd down/change of pace guy, which concerned me a little. Having watched Gio all through college, I don't doubt he could be the full time starter in a pass-centric offense. The guy is QUICK.

And I really hope you're right about Eiffert. The faster coaches see this and we can get Gresham off the field, the better.

It was Mike Brown who said they see him as a 3rd down back. I don't really buy that Brown has any idea what is going on down on the field. I absolutely think Bernard could be a starter. Give him 15-20 carries a game 4-5 catches a game. Dude was making insane cuts look effortless. Can't wait to see him on the field.

I've been as hard on Gresham as anyone, but I actually have some high hopes for him this season. I'm not quite ready to give up on him yet. He seems to have a fire lit under his ass and hopefully that carries over to game day. Saying that, Eifert should be out on the field a LOT. He should be moved around, lined up at TE, in the slot, out wide, set in motion. He creates so many mismatches that if used correctly is almost unstoppable.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I haveno issue splitting time between BJGE, and Bernard. You want to keep guys fresh, with lots of enery and power througout an entire game. You give someone 25 plays for rushing + catching, they are goign to wear down. We have been without 3rd down back for the last two seasons because of injuries. I think they are goign to use him alot during a game, but it is going to be split time.

Plus, BJGE is one of the best short yardage backs we have had here since Icky Woods. He just moves the pile and finds that yard or two to convert 1st downs. I have no issue lining both RB's up on a single play. Run a pro formation, or split Bernard out wide as a slot WR, put him in motion and pitch, or go with a screen. All the while it allows for BJGE to take a short quick handoff and run between the tackles while LB's follow Bernard into the slot or go in motion with him somewhere else on the field.

I would also consider running a motion with Sanu, pitching a handoff to him, and let him hit Eifert or Green down the sideline. LB's are going to be....do I come in to help out on the run, and then bam, Eifert is left running down the sideline between a hesitant LB or late safety.

 

[ckhokie]

Plus, BJGE is one of the best short yardage backs we have had here since Icky Woods. He just moves the pile and finds that yard or two to convert 1st downs.

I think you're just confused because every single one of BJGE's runs are for short yardage.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I think you're just confused because every single one of BJGE's runs are for short yardage.

I remember Corey Dillon, one of the best RB's we ever had getting stone walled a lot of short yardage. Rudi seemed poor at it always.

BJGE may always run for just a couple at a time, but when he does it on 3rd and short, you love the guy, because he has a nose for the 1st down when the ball is in his hands.

It is okay to have a bruiser in there 10-15 times a game blasting LB's in the hole, wearing then down so Bernard with his sneaky fast self can blow right by them.

It is kinda like baseball in that respect. You lull an offense to sleep t he whole game with a guy like Arroyo, and then in the 9th you bring in Chapman with throws 100mph and the hitters can't catch up to it. Same with BJGE and Bernard. They will think they are in position for the tackle because they are used to tackling BJGE, then Bernard sneaks up on them quicker and has that agility to side step or spin from a tackle. That will play hell on defenses in the 4th quarter.

 

[Cincyfan78]

He was something like 13 of 14 in converting 3rd and short/1 yard situations last year.

 

[cincygrad]

New episode tonight.

I wonder if they'll have footage of Andy washing his wife's car.

 

[Cincyfan78]

New episode tonight.

I wonder if they'll have footage of Andy washing his wife's car.

Nah. Probably giving her foot massages, and pedicures.

 

[cincygrad]

Interesting episode last night..... The back-up quarterback job comes down to one guy that apparently has a 70 IQ (Skelton) and another guy that couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat. It was hilarious watching the footage of the coaching staff talking about these two rejects. It's hard for me to believe that in our division the back-up QBs will be Tyrod Taylor (Baltimore), Bruce Gradkowski (Steelers), Jason Campbell (Browns) and either Skelton or Johnson for us. Campbell is decent option, but the rest of these guys stink. Are there truly this few people in the world that can play qb?

 

[JBUCK66]

Y! SPORTS

 

[ckhokie]

Y! SPORTS

Showing him in that car was the first scene of the first episode. It also showed him in his apt, which is at The Banks, so I don't think he actually needs to drive to practice

 

[Tubbs1518]

I actually like this about Bernard. To me it shows that he isn't worried about what looks the best or what people think about him. It shows maturity to me. Seems like a guy that won't get into trouble.