Stillers week, with PFF matchups....

[bengaldoug]

First we'll look at team Categories:

Bengals run block -0.7 and rush -0.9 vs Stillers run defense +1.2
Bengals pass block +6.3 and pass +1.8 vs Stillers pass rush +1.2 and coverage +0.7

Nothing wrong with the Stillers defense. The Bengals will have trouble running the ball vs Pittsburgh, as usual. If the pass blocking holds up and the tight ends play well again they should be able to move it through the air. Hopefully Dalton can build on his +2.5 performance last week in Chicago.

Stillers run block -4.5 and rush -4.3 vs Bengals run defense +7.1
Stillers pass block -2.3 and pass +2.7 vs Bengals pass rush +0.3 and coverage -3.7

If the pass rush doesn't improve Roethlisberger could make it a long day for the Bengals' secondary. Steelers running backs played horribly last week, and they re-signed Bengals killer Jonathan Dwyer to help. If the Bengals can play well against the run and shut Dwyer down, that will help the pass rush in getting there, which in turn should help the secondary in coverage. Coach Tomlin has named Isaac Redman as the starter this week despite his 8 carries for only 9 yards and two fumbles lost last week, and his grade of -2.3...Dwyer can be a factor spelling him, though.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Also, key is to get Ben on the ground when you have the chance. Too many times it seems that Bengal defenders grasp him high, and he shakes them off. They have got to wrap him up and take him down, or the secondary will have a very, very long day.

 

[bengaldoug]

He does hold on to the ball, so it's very important to not let him break away to the outside, where he always seems to make a big play or two. Keep him in the pocket then close in and wrap him up. Seems like since Geno Atkins emerged last year as a dominant player, less of that has happened to the Bengals. Love Geno's matchup this week vs the backup center.

 

[bengaldoug]

Stats from week 1 have now been updated, with some significant changes. Most notable was an adjustment for Bengals RG Kevin Zeitler from +0.7 to +3.8. Here are the updated team ratings.

Bengals run block +2.3 and rush -0.4 vs Steelers run defense -2.8
Bengals pass block +7.7 and pass +2.6 vs Steelers pass rush +2.8 and coverage +0.8
Steelers run block -4.5 and rush -4.3 vs Bengals run defense +6.2
Steelers pass block -1.9 and pass +2.3 vs Bengals pass rush -0.2 and coverage -1.7

So in the adjustments the Bengals run blocking was strongly upgraded, especially that of Kevin Zeitler, while the Steelers run defense was severly downgraded. The Bengals also had and upgraded pass block rating while the Steelers pass rush rating was also strongly upgraded. The Bengals also had a major upgrade to their coverage rating (from -3.7 to -1.7). Apparently the preliminary ratings are subject to change upon restudy of the games. In the future I won't post these ratings until Wednesday evenings.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Home opener, against a division rival who has struggled to get their feet under them, and they had two major injuries last week.

I predict 23-14 Bengals, Atkins makes a huge appearance in this game. 2 sacks.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Stats from week 1 have now been updated, with some significant changes. Most notable was an adjustment for Bengals RG Kevin Zeitler from +0.7 to +3.8. Here are the updated team ratings.

Bengals run block +2.3 and rush -0.4 vs Steelers run defense -2.8
Bengals pass block +7.7 and pass +2.6 vs Steelers pass rush +2.8 and coverage +0.8
Steelers run block -4.5 and rush -4.3 vs Bengals run defense +6.2
Steelers pass block -1.9 and pass +2.3 vs Bengals pass rush -0.2 and coverage -1.7

So in the adjustments the Bengals run blocking was strongly upgraded, especially that of Kevin Zeitler, while the Steelers run defense was severly downgraded. The Bengals also had and upgraded pass block rating while the Steelers pass rush rating was also strongly upgraded. The Bengals also had a major upgrade to their coverage rating (from -3.7 to -1.7). Apparently the preliminary ratings are subject to change upon restudy of the games. In the future I won't post these ratings until Wednesday evenings.

Nah, post 'em both. It will be interesting to see what they change, and if it corresponds to anything someone sees during the game, etc...

 

[bengaldoug]

Nah, post 'em both. It will be interesting to see what they change, and if it corresponds to anything someone sees during the game, etc...

Sounds a whole lot like work to me....lol....funny you should say that though because I thought Zeitler was playing really well, then his initial grade post game was pretty mediocre.....the whole line really played well (sans Cook, anyway). There were only three pressures of Dalton in 34 dropbacks Sunday, and on the one sack no one blocking was assigned blame. Dalton wasn't blamed, either, so maybe it was a coverage related sack.

 

[bengaldoug]

So far the most interesting part of PFF is the game refocuses, the post game analyses of what happened and how it happened.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Sounds a whole lot like work to me....lol....funny you should say that though because I thought Zeitler was playing really well, then his initial grade post game was pretty mediocre.....the whole line really played well (sans Cook, anyway). There were only three pressures of Dalton in 34 dropbacks Sunday, and on the one sack no one blocking was assigned blame. Dalton wasn't blamed, either, so maybe it was a coverage related sack.

I can appreciate if you don't want to do all the work to post it twice. I just thought it would be interesting to see and compare the initial grading to the post grading and then compare that, as we've both said, to what we actually saw.

 

[cincygrad]

I'm all for any plan that involves Doug doing extra work.

 

[bengaldoug]

I'm all for any plan that involves Doug doing extra work.

You sound like my wife.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Well, if so many people on the board are going to live and die by PFF stats, I guess I will acknowledge its presence in the game of football, and give it a little more creditibilty. I have to conform to the thoughts of the board in general or be left behind I suppose. I don't need to argue with everyone on everything all the time. So here I am surrendering.

 

[Cali Steel]

Well at least one things for sure.....
Someone will actually win.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Well at least one things for sure.....
Someone will actually win.

A few years ago we tied Philly, so not necessarily. Wouldn't that suck? I would rather lose than tie. Ending in a tie is like having to kiss your sister, just ackward, its wrong, and should never happen.

 

[bengaldoug]

This is a game the Bengals should win. Doesn't mean they will. This is the best possible moment to play the Steelers imo, because they will get better as the season goes on. In Marvin's time here we actually have played them better at Heinz than at home.

 

[cincygrad]

I'll be interested to see the PFF comparisons between Kevin Zeitler and David DeCastro.

Keep in mind, David DeCastro is the best guard to ever play the game of football and we should all remain butthurt that we didn't draft him when we could.

 

[cincygrad]

BTW -- When you single-handedly take out your own all-pro center for the entire season, does PFF automatically give you a -10?

 

[bengaldoug]

Last year, with a total rating of +13.0, Zeitler ranked 12th of all guards in the league, and 7th of all RGs. Not bad for a rookie. DeCastro saw only 138 snaps before his season ending injury, and graded -2.8. Not enough data for a fair comparison because of DeCastro's injury. Still, it's quite obvious the Bengals knew what they were doing in trading down to get Zeitler and bypassing DeCastro. Zeitler graded +3.8 last week, DeCastro -0.2.....

 

[bengaldoug]

BTW -- When you single-handedly take out your own all-pro center for the entire season, does PFF automatically give you a -10?

PFF stats dispute his being an all-Pro, and I have read articles on PFF that say he's vastly overrated. They did point out however that DeCastro took him out. And yes, I freely admit to being one of the pissed off when the Bengals bypassed him. I also, to be fair, was happy they drafted Zeitler, and it has turned out, so far, to be one of their better moves in draft history.

 

[flamingrey]

Zeitler had an overall grade of 3.8. Respectively, 1.4 and 2.6 in pass and run blocking.

DeCastro had an overall grade of -0.2. Respectively, -0.5 and 0.1 in pass and run blocking.

Zeitler was lined up against Stephen Paea who had an overall grade of 3.5. Paea was ranked the 49th best tackle last seasaon.

DeCastro was lined up against Jurrell Casey who had an overall grade of 4.9. Casey was ranked the 7th best tackle last season.