09-21-2016, 10:57 PM
Thanks all!
1. What is going on with our OL? Ced Og and Bodine are having a rough time out there and Zietler can't cover for both them.
Remember that Ogbuehi has two starts under his belt. He didn’t practice in OTAs. Then he didn’t practice or play after the first preseason game. He’s made big strides in two weeks and when I talked to Zeitler about Ogbuehi this week and he says he’s coming along quickly – and will be as good as they feel he is. One sack last week, which was debatable. With Von Miller, I bet Dalton goes down a few times, but I wouldn’t say it’s because the line is terrible or is worse than the week before.
2. What is going on with our running game? This really is the same as question 1 I think, but too many defenders in the backfield on running plays, too few running plays called and Dalton getting knocked around a LOT dropping back so much.
How much are the coaches worried about the running game and what kind of emphasis are they putting on practicing it? Seems like they should scout they're own team and try picking up tendencies and 'tells' to see if something is giving away a running play.
Wrote about that here:
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2016/09/19/cincinnati-bengals-feel-run-game-issues-correctable/90711308/
They feel it’s individual breakdowns, which can be correctable. Uzomah told me today he was late off the ball on the 2-yard Hill loss on the 1. So in their minds, a single player breakdown can be fixed. But I think part of it is the run-pass balance, and Ken Zampese said he needs to call a few more runs. It all goes hand-in-hand – calling the run, but also being effective in it.
Oh, and here's a 3rd question: Why the f- can't we get a holding call? It's pretty astonishing that the Steelers had zero holding calls against them. [see link below]
No way to answer that one. Bengals got away with holds, too – only Whit got hit with one.
I just emailed the only address I could find on the website asking that Brown or someone of authority address this with the NFL. You can't convince me that this wasn't intentional. Professional referees do not miss ALL these holding calls.
Apparently they did.
The one on Dunlap is, IMO, the most inexcusable. I mean, I saw it LIVE. I never see holding calls happen live because I'm watching the ball, but I saw that one clear as day AND the ref is right there staring right at them and doesn't even THINK about throwing a flag. How does that not go unpunished?
I know Marvin never calls out the officiating and generally, I'm fine with that, but has he at least privately talked to the NFL about how unacceptable the officiating was (I'm not sure how you'll know about something that was done privately, but maybe that's how good a reporter I think you are )? What about the other coaches? Have they shared their thoughts on the officiating from Sunday?
Referees are judged and “penalized” but how or why is never disclosed – it’s an interesting question. The NBA started putting its officials on blast publicly for transparency this past year and I think the results were mixed. In the NFL…I think there are too many calls or non-calls to do such a thing. Especially since officials are part-time employees with real jobs during the week.
Which really, is probably the heart of the issue. A $9 billion business can’t have full-time, dedicated officials.
Is it possible the lack of holding calls on the Steelers were a punishment from the league, possibly for the team and fans actions during the playoff game last winter?
Nope.
Hey Jim, where is the beyond the stripes with Carlos Dunlap?
We run them live on The Enquirer Facebook page every Tuesday night, and then we put it up at Cincinnati.com afterward. If you mean coming out live, it’s at the Hofbrauhaus Newport at Newport at the Levee.
Are teams allowed to do three teams trade in the NFL?
Will the Bengals entertain any trades at the trade deadline?
I think anything is possible. And no, they are not really trade partners. You need a glut at a position – a healthy, talented glut – and they had that last year on the DL before BThompson got hurt and didn’t pull the trigger. Not sure who they could trade for this year, or why.
1. What is going on with our OL? Ced Og and Bodine are having a rough time out there and Zietler can't cover for both them.
Remember that Ogbuehi has two starts under his belt. He didn’t practice in OTAs. Then he didn’t practice or play after the first preseason game. He’s made big strides in two weeks and when I talked to Zeitler about Ogbuehi this week and he says he’s coming along quickly – and will be as good as they feel he is. One sack last week, which was debatable. With Von Miller, I bet Dalton goes down a few times, but I wouldn’t say it’s because the line is terrible or is worse than the week before.
2. What is going on with our running game? This really is the same as question 1 I think, but too many defenders in the backfield on running plays, too few running plays called and Dalton getting knocked around a LOT dropping back so much.
How much are the coaches worried about the running game and what kind of emphasis are they putting on practicing it? Seems like they should scout they're own team and try picking up tendencies and 'tells' to see if something is giving away a running play.
Wrote about that here:
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2016/09/19/cincinnati-bengals-feel-run-game-issues-correctable/90711308/
They feel it’s individual breakdowns, which can be correctable. Uzomah told me today he was late off the ball on the 2-yard Hill loss on the 1. So in their minds, a single player breakdown can be fixed. But I think part of it is the run-pass balance, and Ken Zampese said he needs to call a few more runs. It all goes hand-in-hand – calling the run, but also being effective in it.
Oh, and here's a 3rd question: Why the f- can't we get a holding call? It's pretty astonishing that the Steelers had zero holding calls against them. [see link below]
No way to answer that one. Bengals got away with holds, too – only Whit got hit with one.
I just emailed the only address I could find on the website asking that Brown or someone of authority address this with the NFL. You can't convince me that this wasn't intentional. Professional referees do not miss ALL these holding calls.
Apparently they did.
The one on Dunlap is, IMO, the most inexcusable. I mean, I saw it LIVE. I never see holding calls happen live because I'm watching the ball, but I saw that one clear as day AND the ref is right there staring right at them and doesn't even THINK about throwing a flag. How does that not go unpunished?
I know Marvin never calls out the officiating and generally, I'm fine with that, but has he at least privately talked to the NFL about how unacceptable the officiating was (I'm not sure how you'll know about something that was done privately, but maybe that's how good a reporter I think you are )? What about the other coaches? Have they shared their thoughts on the officiating from Sunday?
Referees are judged and “penalized” but how or why is never disclosed – it’s an interesting question. The NBA started putting its officials on blast publicly for transparency this past year and I think the results were mixed. In the NFL…I think there are too many calls or non-calls to do such a thing. Especially since officials are part-time employees with real jobs during the week.
Which really, is probably the heart of the issue. A $9 billion business can’t have full-time, dedicated officials.
Is it possible the lack of holding calls on the Steelers were a punishment from the league, possibly for the team and fans actions during the playoff game last winter?
Nope.
Hey Jim, where is the beyond the stripes with Carlos Dunlap?
We run them live on The Enquirer Facebook page every Tuesday night, and then we put it up at Cincinnati.com afterward. If you mean coming out live, it’s at the Hofbrauhaus Newport at Newport at the Levee.
Are teams allowed to do three teams trade in the NFL?
Will the Bengals entertain any trades at the trade deadline?
I think anything is possible. And no, they are not really trade partners. You need a glut at a position – a healthy, talented glut – and they had that last year on the DL before BThompson got hurt and didn’t pull the trigger. Not sure who they could trade for this year, or why.
Beat writer for Cincinnati.com & The Enquirer. Follow along on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Periscope.
