2013 Bengals Discussion (Part 2)

[Stray]

The good news is the defense should hold up. The bad news is that teams know the book on Dalton. A strong pass rush kills this team.

A strong pass rush is the book on every QB in the league. We were better at blocking them when we went on our win streak.

But Dalton has been inaccurate even when he's had time the past couple of games as well.

[Reds Freak]

Both calls were correct, IMO.

Dalton, on the other hand, sucks.

I didn't mind the call to go for it, but the play call was atrocious. Need to throw the ball past the sticks on 4th and 2, can't throw a little swing pass to the short side of the field. Even if it's incomplete, Ravens get the ball at their own 32 instead of the 45.

[CTA513]

According to nfl.com Rey had 13 tackles, 3 sacks and a INT.

Not bad for his 2nd start at MLB

[reds1869]

?

Just my take on the same topic: Marvin is good enough to get a team to "good" but not to "great." He is an excellent leader of men but terrible at strategy and tactics. Very similar coaches in a lot of ways.

[CTA513]

We punted the ball in OT in that very same situation last week and lost the game. We went for it this week and lost the game.

I didn't mind going for it...the way our offense had struggled it'd be hard to imagine them getting a better opportunity in OT.

Not being able to pick up short yardage like they used to use why I really hate having 4 TEs on the roster especially when Charles doesn't even seem to play.

[KoryMac5]

It was the right move to go, bad play call for a swing pass. Even worse to lose yards on the play. 6-4 with Cleveland at home coming up.

[Joseph]

So are they an extremely talented team who has fallen on some bad luck? Or are they a team that's not as good as projected? Or are they the Reds, talented, but don't have a coach/manager who pushes the right buttons?

As a fan, I'm confused.

[KoryMac5]

Good team lots of talent but Dalton doesn't have what it takes to get them past the first round of the playoffs. 24-51 with 2 TD's and 3 Int's doesn't get it done in a game that had a playoff atmosphere. We are wasting AJ Green. Time to start looking for someone to push Dalton in the draft this yr.

[RiverRat13]

Maybe the last two weeks were just ol' Pythag getting his vengeance. The Bengals were 4-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less, now they are 4-3.

[bucksfan2]

I will come to Dalton's defense here a little. Don't get me wrong he hasn't played well in the last two games. Has thrown some terrible balls and had some terrible INT's. That said he NEEDS to have his WR's step up and make some plays. In the game today Jones lets a Ravens defender go through him (has the refs pick up a PI penality) and pick off the ball. Eifort drops one in the endzone. How many balls just went off the WR's hands, balls they couldn't pull in, balls that you would have had to make an above average play that they just didn't?

Dalton has been poor, but has kept his team in the past two games. Two games they very easily could have won. Games that went to OT each with a Nugent missed short FG.

Couple of more thoughts on the game:
The officials did not have a good game. One sided on the flags, Marvin noted that in the presser.
You should be able to review a personal foul if the player is in bounds. 15 yards are killer, especially when its a terrible call.
You can't challenge a turnover, it is the booth, it results in a penalty if you throw a flag when you aren't allow, remember Jim Schwartz?
Dan Dierdorf is beyond terrible. I can't believe CBS continues to run him out there. For some reason he just doesn't like the Bengals.

[Yachtzee]

I think they need to worry less about drafting "skill" positions and look to improving the offensive line. Better pass protection would be nice, a road grader to help the run would be better. I don't think the Bengals have had a consistent running game since Steinbach left.

If a stud QB falls to the Bengals in the draft, go ahead and draft him. But if not, I'd rather they improve the line. The best teams are the ones that control the line of scrimmage.

[Yachtzee]

I really like Marvin Lewis. I think he's done a great job turning the team from a laughing stock into a competitive franchise. But sometimes I really wish they'd make him GM or Team President and move Zimmer into the Head Coaching job.

[WMR]

Just my take on the same topic: Marvin is good enough to get a team to "good" but not to "great." He is an excellent leader of men but terrible at strategy and tactics. Very similar coaches in a lot of ways.

= more than good enough for a lifetime contract from the bengals

Same with dalton.

[reds1869]

I really like Marvin Lewis. I think he's done a great job turning the team from a laughing stock into a competitive franchise. But sometimes I really wish they'd make him GM or Team President and move Zimmer into the Head Coaching job.

This x1,000,000

[WrongVerb]

Just my take on the same topic: Marvin is good enough to get a team to "good" but not to "great." He is an excellent leader of men but terrible at strategy and tactics. Very similar coaches in a lot of ways.

That's why I'd love to see him go to the front office as assistant GM (or GM if Brown will relinquish the position) or director of player personnel or something like that. Lewis has a real knack for judging talent and knowing when to acquire and get rid of players. Heck, I'm of the belief that the Bengals this season are as talented if not more talented than the top NFL teams.

He's actually good at game-planning and prepping his team, too. But there are others in the NFL that are his equal at that. Like you said, it's his in-game management that's just awful. Sometimes it doesn't seem like he's playing chess out there like he should be.