10-15-2018, 02:24 PM
I haven't read any of the threads since yesterday, so I don't know what narratives are being pushed, but I figure I'd get my thoughts out there now before they're twisted by all the said narratives.
First, I absolutely HATE losing to the Steelers. I'd rather we constantly lose to the Browns than lose to the Steelers so much. When we went got the go ahead TD, I was ecstatic and had a small glimmer of hope that the defense could pull off a miracle only to see my hopes shattered like my toilet bowl after eating Taco Bell for a week.
In the Game Day thread, much blame was being thrown around and I'd like the record to show, Your Honor, that blame for this loss lies squarely with the following:
1) Marvin "Merv" Lewis. How can one team dominate another so? I'd say ask Merv but he'd just giggle and say we need to do better, then giggle some more before clapping and saying "Let's go!" Merv is a decent-to-good head coach. If he would actually learn from his mistakes an dbetter himself - like he expects of his players - he could actually be an elite head coach. But, after 16 years, it's apparent that we're ALWAYS going to have time management issues, poor or no halftime adjustments, poor 3rd quarter showings, and lackluster play in opening day games and after bye weeks while he's the head coach. Maybe in 20 years when we FINALLY have a new head coach, we'll be able to celebrate a playoff win.
2) Offense. Think about this. The offense got more yards on that final drive than they did in the rest of their 2nd half drives combined. That's embarrassing. Maybe if they actually used Mixon more often, they would've done more, scored more. I blame Lazor unless something comes out that says Merv forced Lazor to do things differently.
3) Defense. Defense was getting a lot of flak in the game day thread and SOME of it was definitely deserved. But, for the most part, the defense held up enough that we could've won had the offense decided not to take a siesta in the 2nd half. Of course, then there's that final drive... I think if Teryl "Needs to be fired ASAP" Austin doesn't call an out all blitz, we hold the Steelers to a FG and depending how much the defense bends there's a better than normal chance that their kicker blows the kick. As it is, WHY THE @#$! DO YOU CALL AN ALL OUT BLITZ THERE?!!
4) Officiating. For the most part, the officiating was ok. Missed calls that benefitted both teams. And no, I'm not talking about the "pick" (because, let's be honest, even without the pick, they're scoring a TD on that play because of the stupid, effing ALL OUT BLITZ!!!!). I'm talking about the lack of holding on the same play they called Dre for defensive holding. Now, I didn't see Dre's play nor a replay so I won't comment on the veracity of that call, but there was an OBVIOUS offensive holding on that play that should've been called. Let me tell you, if I can see the play happen live on a shitty internet stream, there's absolutely no excuse for an NFL ref to miss it. If Dre did hold, then that play should've been re-run with offsetting penalties.
4b) Kinda goes with this, but I find it interesting that the team that heading into this game was called for the most penalties in the league had exactly 0 offensive holding penalties called. I refuse to believe that Pitt's OL is so good that Geno or Dunlap could get zero pressure all game long unless there's something going on.
Special teams is probably the only aspect of the Bengals that didn't do anything to negatively contribute to the loss.
With those said, considering we "almost" won,, as long as we don't play Pittsburgh, I think we could win a game or 2 in the playoffs. But, seriously, Austin has to go.
First, I absolutely HATE losing to the Steelers. I'd rather we constantly lose to the Browns than lose to the Steelers so much. When we went got the go ahead TD, I was ecstatic and had a small glimmer of hope that the defense could pull off a miracle only to see my hopes shattered like my toilet bowl after eating Taco Bell for a week.
In the Game Day thread, much blame was being thrown around and I'd like the record to show, Your Honor, that blame for this loss lies squarely with the following:
1) Marvin "Merv" Lewis. How can one team dominate another so? I'd say ask Merv but he'd just giggle and say we need to do better, then giggle some more before clapping and saying "Let's go!" Merv is a decent-to-good head coach. If he would actually learn from his mistakes an dbetter himself - like he expects of his players - he could actually be an elite head coach. But, after 16 years, it's apparent that we're ALWAYS going to have time management issues, poor or no halftime adjustments, poor 3rd quarter showings, and lackluster play in opening day games and after bye weeks while he's the head coach. Maybe in 20 years when we FINALLY have a new head coach, we'll be able to celebrate a playoff win.
2) Offense. Think about this. The offense got more yards on that final drive than they did in the rest of their 2nd half drives combined. That's embarrassing. Maybe if they actually used Mixon more often, they would've done more, scored more. I blame Lazor unless something comes out that says Merv forced Lazor to do things differently.
3) Defense. Defense was getting a lot of flak in the game day thread and SOME of it was definitely deserved. But, for the most part, the defense held up enough that we could've won had the offense decided not to take a siesta in the 2nd half. Of course, then there's that final drive... I think if Teryl "Needs to be fired ASAP" Austin doesn't call an out all blitz, we hold the Steelers to a FG and depending how much the defense bends there's a better than normal chance that their kicker blows the kick. As it is, WHY THE @#$! DO YOU CALL AN ALL OUT BLITZ THERE?!!
4) Officiating. For the most part, the officiating was ok. Missed calls that benefitted both teams. And no, I'm not talking about the "pick" (because, let's be honest, even without the pick, they're scoring a TD on that play because of the stupid, effing ALL OUT BLITZ!!!!). I'm talking about the lack of holding on the same play they called Dre for defensive holding. Now, I didn't see Dre's play nor a replay so I won't comment on the veracity of that call, but there was an OBVIOUS offensive holding on that play that should've been called. Let me tell you, if I can see the play happen live on a shitty internet stream, there's absolutely no excuse for an NFL ref to miss it. If Dre did hold, then that play should've been re-run with offsetting penalties.
4b) Kinda goes with this, but I find it interesting that the team that heading into this game was called for the most penalties in the league had exactly 0 offensive holding penalties called. I refuse to believe that Pitt's OL is so good that Geno or Dunlap could get zero pressure all game long unless there's something going on.
Special teams is probably the only aspect of the Bengals that didn't do anything to negatively contribute to the loss.
With those said, considering we "almost" won,, as long as we don't play Pittsburgh, I think we could win a game or 2 in the playoffs. But, seriously, Austin has to go.
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