Even with Chase and Tee being doubled with an extra 2 to 3 seconds should give them both more time to effectively beat a double team. Max protect means Burrow takes less sacks and hits and we have extra blocker in run game for screens and draws.

The Jake Browning Week 13 vid was a fun one on a number of levels. I love seeing players make the most of a big moment.
?https://t.co/9FvacTfgmJ pic.twitter.com/YgBXLw8iP5

— The QB School (@theqbschool) December 5, 2023

That's crazy! It was a very exciting game outside of the injuries though.

Like many of you, I shake my head at the way the Bengals’ secondary is weak against the pass. In 2021 and 2022 Lou Anarumo was the secondary whisperer and the things the safeties and cornerbacks could do were nothing short of astounding.

Now, during the game day threads everyone consistently criticizes Lou for allowing too many completed passes. After careful analysis I believe I have figured out what is going on. NOTE: I’m not saying I agree with what Lou is doing — but I understand it.

First of all, losing Von Bell and Jessie Bates III was more devastating than anyone anticipated. At the end of the 2020 season the secondary was lighting up receivers. Heck, JuJu Smith-Schuster is still reeling from that infamous Von Bell hit.

It took Lou at least one season to develop Bell and Bates into the NFL’s best safety tandem. The same will occur for Jordan Battle and Dax Hill. Right now Battle and Hill are where Bell and Bates were in 2020. It takes time and talent to develop safeties.

Right now Lou is training Battle and Hill to play over the top and guard against huge pass plays. It’s called keeping the ball in front of you and it’s a fundamental of good safety play. This means allowing short and medium length passes to be completed. Basically, allowing a fifteen or twenty yard completion is better than allowing a forty yard bomb over the top.

As their proficiency increases we will see less short and medium length passes completed. It’s a work in progress.

Listen,

I know we should talk about Browning, but I'm afraid if we don't pay at least a little attention to Burrow, in the meantime, I'm afraid his worship might, you know, come back without his special magic.

Here me out: Joe Burrow, already the best human Bengal QB ever, is using this time to teach the coaches how to call plays, to see the position in the moment, to percieve the quarterback outside the quarterbacks own body, and to transcend into the spiritual football plane.  The Zepellin.  

Thus, he floats above the field, knowing, seeing, and predicting everything, and returns to us next season, only half mortal.  Half diety.

I think my head might explode with how good he is becoming!  I suspect his metamorphosis may have actually have completed, as he appears to be controlling Jake Browning with his mind!  I've noticed some subtle head bobs and brow furrowing that corresponds to Browning's finest moments.  

I'll say one thing: it is a godsend that he is still blessing us, now, because were it not for him, we'd basically be, well, definitely still not worthy.

I hope you all appreciate it.

After last night we can really see how good of a draft Duke and co put together this year.

ROUND 1- Myles Murphy DE- Full disclosure I preferred Sam LaPorta on draft day and still would rather that have been the pick, BUT Myles is starting to really come on and show flashes of being a game changer. He is 21 and won't be 22 until next month so his best days are wayyy ahead of him. At this point his floor looks like a more athletic Sam Hubbard and his ceiling is sky high if he can hone his technique and reach it.

ROUND 2- DJ Turner CB- What a steal this kid was. Day 1 looked the part of a good corner and will only get better. The speed, the coverage, the tackling have all been awesome. I expect with CTB out he will have a few plays where he looks like a rookie but for a late 2nd round pick can't ask for a better performance thus far.

ROUND 3- Jordan Battle S- Another absolute steal. When we picked this kid I thought well ok special teamer and backup but boy was I wrong. In only a few starts he's already shown he's gonna be a player for us for many years. The instincts, the hitting both A from me. He just seems to always be in on the play in the same way Vonn Bell was. I can't really speak to his coverage skills yet but I don't notice him much which is probably a good sign.

ROUND 4- Charlie Jones WR- A couple injuries have set him back but when he's played he is already showing to be our best punt returner since Pacman. I expect next season we will really find out if hes got game if (when) we let Boyd walk and he steps in to a more prominent role in the offense. Keep in mind he is playing through a torn labrum that needs surgery in the off-season.

ROUND 5- Chase Brown RB- FINALLY THE COACHES LET THIS KID SHOW WHAT HE CAN BRING. Listen I love Joe Mixon hes been a great Bengal but after last night I think Chase might be the best RB on the roster. He has speed, juice, seems to read the hole well and oh did I mention SPEED (kinda important when you run out of the shotgun a lot). If I was the coach from here forward Chase would be the starting RB and Mixon would be the goalline/short yardage back. Still a lot we have to see to call him a steal but I think its looking like a steal.

ROUND 6-Andrei Iosivas WR- Steal. 6th round is not where you expect to find a WR who looks good as a rookie in a very talented WR room but Duke and co found one. Yoshi will be good for us for a while and truly the sky is the limit for him. Tall, long, fast, knows how to scramble and get open when plays get extended. Very excited for this kids future.

ROUND 6- Brad Robbins P- So far hasn't been good enough. Might be a miss here we will see if he can step it up.

ROUND 7- DJ Ivey CB- Can't say I know much about the kid but I heard he was really flashing in camp. He is on the active roster as a 7th rounder and that alone is quite impressive. Time will tell if he makes an impact for us.

Overall just a fantastic draft class and when its all said and done might boast 6-7 solid players/starters for us.

DJ Reader had himself a game...

nice to see some good scores from the OL

Kudos to those no name TEs

Highest PFF Grades from the Bengals win over the Jaguars

Offense:
1) Browning, 90.1
2) Chase, 82.6
3) Cappa, 78.3
4) Sample, 73.1
5) Volson, 71.5

* Hudson with 12 snaps at 88.0, Wilcox with 12 Snaps at 73.6

Defense:
1) Reader, 91.9
2) Hilton, 80.4
3) Battle, 70.9
4)…

— Der German Tiger? (@DerGermanTiger) December 5, 2023

I really wish that I could find a still image of the exact moment in the play, but on defending a deep ball last night Jordan Battle used his massive hand like a blindfold over the facemask of the receiver and used his left hand to swat the ball down. I watched it in real time and said 'hey, I think he just turned out the lights on that guy'. Then on the replay it showed that he did, plain as day. I about spit my beer out from cracking up.

Let's be completely honest and completely clear this team is done because this defense is as bad as I've ever seen..Lou anarumo is having a terrible season as a coordinator, as evidence exhibit A last night with 2 minutes remaining against a backup quarterback bout as cold as the north pole what did lou do??he played prevent and let them walk down the field to ultimately end up in field goal range..This defense is horrible at every level,rushing 3 last night on 3rd and 7 someone is open right away for a 1st down how does that happen??

This team as constructed cannot play zone coverage affectively, assignments are always voided with this crew simplify it please!The secondary either hates playing press or the coordinator likes off coverage either way something has to give with all these 7-10 yard cushions every play there's a reason we're getting carved up by everybody and that's one of em right there..We also lack aggression, how many times did lou send more than 4 last night??We have to mix it up to get teams off the field way too many 3rd and longs being converted, no way this team can do anything with this defense playing this bad that's just the truth..

I love my team with all my heart, but I refuse to buy into all of the we can make the playoffs hoopla because this defense really takes the air out of my sails..The linebackers are not playing well, the secondary is confused more often than not and the front four can't generate any pressure at all which is a recipe for disaster..The sad part about it is going forward I don't have a clue about how to fix this and that's the scary part about this defense..