11-28-2020, 11:09 AM
(11-28-2020, 10:35 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: The Bengals don’t run consistently because of inconsistent offensive line play. Lots of people, especially highly paid football analysts on television, forget the finer points of run blocking. If these analysts see the quarterback standing up after a play, they believe the offensive line succeeded. However, pass protection is only half the job! Okay, in Cincinnati maybe it’s 2/3 of the job since Zac Taylor dials up far too many pass plays.
This lopsided pass to run ratio causes problems in the run game. To succeed on the ground, an offense must establish a rhythm. If you want to see this done to absolute perfection, watch the Steelers with Le’Veon Bell or James Conner. Heck, watch Jim Brown on YouTube with Cleveland.
I honestly thought they were running well enough on Sunday to stick with the backs a bit more. Even Perine was getting yards when they gave it to him. It's not like they were getting crushed and had to throw to score fast and close the gap. Washington has a line full of really high-end picks, and if you let them pin their ears back, they'll get to you sooner or later. The line o-line was okay in the first quarter, but the interior really started breaking down in the second. Pressure from the inside is a quarterback nightmare because the d-tackle is in your lap almost out of nowhere.
There were points in the season, like early vs Indy where they seemed to try and show more discipline in running it and it worked. Tennessee was similar when the entire starting 5 went down and they looked as good as they did all year. This was a major indictment on Turner, IMO. Zac just never had the will to stick to it and leave the Ferrari in the garage (Burrow) for a few more plays.
