Please continue Bengals discussion in this thread.
Next week is obviously huge. A Bengals win keeps their lead at 2.5 games with five to play. A loss and the Browns will be tied in the loss column with a pretty favorable schedule the rest of the way. The Rams did the Bengals a solid by knocking off the Colts, so the Bengals still control their own destiny for the 3 seed.
The fact that Dalton can look so good for a few week stretch followed by looking so bad the next few makes me think it's more coaching than it is him.
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Is Marvin Lewis Dusty Baker?
We need to get back to a more balanced offense. Against Miami and Baltimore they were teeing off on Dalton, they didn't respect our running game at all.
When Dalton isn't comfortable in the pocket his passes will sail and accuracy will be off.
The line needs to do a better job and Gruden needs to call more runs. That way we won't have 3rd and 9s all the time where Dalton will be getting heavy pressure.
The Bengals have played bad in the past two weeks. Dalton has played poorly in the past two weeks. Outside of Bernard and Green the WR's and TE's aren't making plays. That said they have hung in games, mounted 2nd half comebacks, and could have escaped with two victories instead of losses.
I think everyone who looked at the schedule pointed to this stretch as something out of the normal. 4 road games in the span of 5 weeks is tough for any team. The game against the Browns is important, a win and they regain supremacy in the North, a loss and everything gets more interesting.
I don't get the Marvin Lewis hate this season, especially in the last 2 games. Honestly I agree with all of his calls in the Ravens game. The forth and short in the 1st quarter I have no problem going for it. It was in the Ravens territory and you have to trust your offense to gain a foot or two. Then the Bernard call in OT, anyone who has been watching the Bengals has seen that play work well, very well. It gives Bernard a head of steam often times matched up with a S or LB. The Ravens made a nice play and Bernard trying to make a play went backwards. But anyone remember what he did against the Dolphins when he reversed fields? The sole problem I have with that series was it should have been decided before 3rd down that it was 4 down territory. The 3rd down call I didn't like, I would have tried to get Bernard outside.
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That's something that's a lot easier to say in hindsight(obviously) but imo its what separates the top coaches from the rest of the pack.
If you've made the decision going into 3rd and 2 that it's going to be 4 down territory(and I agree with that decision) then I think you maybe call a play like the 4th down call on 3rd down.
On 4th down, I don't like a play where it can be "successful" and still not gain the necessary yards. Especially on 4th and 2.
It seems (i.e. I don't have the numbers to back this up) that they've been a lot worse in short yardage situations. I wonder if that has to do with not carrying a true fullback to hammer on 3rd/4th and 1.
Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!
I really don't think the line was that bad, but I think this is where Dalton's height really hurts him. It's only a few inches, but taller QBs are better able to deliver passes when the pocket starts to collapse. Guys like Brees and Russell Wilson can get away with it because of their athleticism and great pocket presence. But Dalton has average to poor pocket presence.
The play calling didn't do Dalton a ton of favors yesterday either though. On a windy day when Dalton clearly wasn't playing well, where was Andrew Hawkins? Hawkins is a guy that can take short passes and make plays. Yesterday was a game where they needed him more than normal, and he wasn't utilized at all.
Dalton has to be one of the most aggravating players in the NFL. It's impossible to get a good read on him. Bad to start the season, best player in the NFL for 3 weeks, and then awful 2 weeks in a row. The Bengals need to decide if Dalton can be the QB of the future, and it's still impossible to know. He's clearly good enough to lead a decent team. But can a team be great with him at QB? Can you move on from a QB that takes you to the playoffs three years in a row?
When the Bengals have trouble generating offense by the run and the pass, I'd say the play of the offensive line is a problem. The best run of the season so far was a broken play where the defense crashed through the line and whiffed on a tackle of Bernard for a loss, then Bernard reverses field and scores a TD using his elusiveness.
Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!
May have been discussed, but what are the thoughts on having gone for 2 at the end of regulation?
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