(07-15-2021, 09:26 AM)TJ528 Wrote: As far as me Sled, have i said anything that resembles Smack Talk?  Last time, I understood the definition of a message board, it was to discuss your teams strengths and weakness as a fan base.  Does everyone have to get along? nope.  Does everyone agree? nope and I'd never expect them to.  However, just because as someone who doesn't wear rose colored glass people think I'm pessimistic, I'm fine with that because at least this year will go one of 2 ways.  I'll be the realist who thinks this year is potentially a 5-6 win year if we have injuries because we lack depth or it'll be an 8-9 win year because we're healthy.   

I'll still cheer for the team like I normally do and I'm sure get pissed off over Zac's play calling or Lou's play calling but at the end of the day I want to see this team in the playoffs.  Hell my fondest memories of this team are the 1989 Super Bowl.  However, I'm not going to sit her and say oh yea our offensive line man, they're Top 10 in the NFL.  Pollack he's gonna make them this year a top 5 unit.  Watch Lou this year, our defensive will be Top 5 or 10 in the NFL.....yea sorry I'm not Jeff Hobson, I'm not gonna pump sunshine up your backside. 

Did I say you?

I do expect a pretty significant jump. I mainly base this on Joe Burrow having a year of the NFL game under his belt and also that I expect that we wont be near the bottom in redzone efficiency again next year. Even a slight improvement in red zone performance should make a difference. The past 2 years we have been in bottom 3 in TD conversion rate in redzone.

(07-15-2021, 04:17 PM)mikey6866 Wrote: I do expect a pretty significant jump.  I mainly base this on Joe Burrow having a year of the NFL game under his belt and also that I expect that we wont be near the bottom in redzone efficiency again next year.  Even a slight improvement in red zone performance should make a difference.  The past 2 years we have been in bottom 3 in TD conversion rate in redzone.

I must say that Burrow not being in the upper half of red zone performance bothers me.  Dalton (for all his deficiencies) was one of the best in the red zone in the first few years.  

(07-15-2021, 12:28 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: That's only because you hate Burrow.

Sorry honest analysis is not hate.. maybe you have so much kool-aid in you can;t be fair and balanced.. 

(07-15-2021, 05:28 PM)EatonFan Wrote: I must say that Burrow not being in the upper half of red zone performance bothers me.  Dalton (for all his deficiencies) was one of the best in the red zone in the first few years.  

If Burrow improves in red zone and getting completions down the field with the pieces we have put together on the offense and we stay somewhat healthy there is little reason we should not move up the scoring per game..

(07-15-2021, 05:28 PM)EatonFan Wrote: I must say that Burrow not being in the upper half of red zone performance bothers me.  Dalton (for all his deficiencies) was one of the best in the red zone in the first few years.  

Look no further than man calling the plays.  From Dalton to the QB's that took over for Burrow (Finley and Allen) the Red Zone offense has been consistently terrible.

I wish I could remember all of the individual play calls in the Red Zone that Taylor has made that has left me scratching my head but there's been quite a few.  I think there it's evident, probably more than anywhere else, that Zac Taylor leaves so much desired in a playcaller.  He's been abysmal in that regard.

(07-15-2021, 09:18 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Sorry honest analysis is not hate.. maybe you have so much kool-aid in you can;t be fair and balanced.. 

What you just typed doesn't make any sense. That proves that your blinding hatred for Burrow makes you unable to construct coherent thoughts. 

Just come out and tell everyone about the new Justin Herbert jersey you have. You will feel much better getting it out in the open. 

(07-15-2021, 10:31 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Look no further than man calling the plays.  From Dalton to the QB's that took over for Burrow (Finley and Allen) the Red Zone offense has been consistently terrible.

I wish I could remember all of the individual play calls in the Red Zone that Taylor has made that has left me scratching my head but there's been quite a few.  I think there it's evident, probably more than anywhere else, that Zac Taylor leaves so much desired in a playcaller.  He's been abysmal in that regard.

It's less playcalling and more lack of consistent run offense when a team gets inside the 20 they HAVE to be able to run the ball. The run game opens up the tight passing windows in the redzone and it also helps protect the ball from turnovers.

(07-16-2021, 08:13 AM)Synric Wrote: It's less playcalling and more lack of consistent run offense when a team gets inside the 20 they HAVE to be able to run the ball. The run game opens up the tight passing windows in the redzone and it also helps protect the ball from turnovers.

Yep, if you call run in the red zone and get stuffed behind the line, it doesn't really matter who called the play. At some point the players have to perform. Our new line should be much more efficient.

The browns had huge talent but had two (bad) coaches, Hue Jackson & Freddie Kitchens.

Now lump the Bengals to that parallel and the similarities should keep you awake at night.


Note that in between Jackson & Kitchens, Gregg Willians was interim HC and gave them a 5-3 winning record. The rest is history. Choose your coaches wisely.

(07-16-2021, 08:39 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Yep, if you call run in the red zone and get stuffed behind the line, it doesn't really matter who called the play. At some point the players have to perform. 

I am not defending the players, but it just is not that simple.

In 2019 the Stealers had zero running game when they played the Bengals.  They ran all over us with the exact same players because their coaches designed new running plays that we were not prepared for and our defensive coaches could not adjust to.

And you can't blame the players when coaches are so predictable that the opponent knows exactly what is coming.

One guy that's coming back from injury that may have a bigger impact than many think is Uzomah. I'd also like the Bengals to pick up a guy like Jesse James (who I believe is still out there). I'm thinking red zone efficiency and yet another weapon.

(07-16-2021, 09:26 AM)fredtoast Wrote: I am not defending the players, but it just is not that simple.

In 2019 the Stealers had zero running game when they played the Bengals.  They ran all over us with the exact same players because their coaches designed new running plays that we were not prepared for and our defensive coaches could not adjust to.

And you can't blame the players when coaches are so predictable that the opponent knows exactly what is coming.

The Steelers were just doing the same thing almost every other team were doing against the Bsngals defense in 2019. They attacked the edges because the linebackers and both outside corners were struggling against the run.

(07-16-2021, 11:27 AM)EatonFan Wrote: One guy that's coming back from injury that may have a bigger impact than many think is Uzomah. I'd also like the Bengals to pick up a guy like Jesse James (who I believe is still out there). I'm thinking red zone efficiency and yet another weapon.

Uzomah should definitely help. He had as many TD’s (1) in 1.5 games as Sample did in 16 (13 starts).

(07-16-2021, 11:56 AM)Synric Wrote: The Steelers were just doing the same thing almost every other team were doing against the Bsngals defense in 2019. 

No they weren't.  They were using Jaylen Samuels out of the wildcat formation and employing more misdirection.

(07-16-2021, 12:38 PM)fredtoast Wrote: No they weren't.  They were using Jaylen Samuels out of the wildcat formation and employing more misdirection.

And the 49ers didn't exploit that in the 2nd game of the season?

(07-16-2021, 12:38 PM)fredtoast Wrote: No they weren't.  They were using Jaylen Samuels out of the wildcat formation and employing more misdirection.

It was read option shotgun offense with Samuels at QB. In reality it wasnt the defense that lost that game but the offenses inability to move the ball with Ryan Finley at QB.

(07-16-2021, 12:45 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: And the 49ers didn't exploit that in the 2nd game of the season?

The 49ers used jet sweeps and zone stretch to attack the edges of the defense. They went hard at the Bengals linebackers and it paid off big time.

(07-16-2021, 01:02 PM)Synric Wrote: The 49ers used jet sweeps and zone stretch to attack the edges of the defense. They went hard at the Bengals linebackers and it paid off big time.

Yep. They exploited (in grand fashion) how weak and slow the Bengals were to react and (not) even be able to get to the outside. 

It's not something that's really new either. Over the years, they've had troubles with over-pursuit/backside/mis-direction. 

Hopefully having stability at Guard will help the red zone problems as poor interior play REALLY kills you down there because it takes a lot of power plays out of the book. Also, Chase may be useful here as well because part of his game is physicality. But the big thing will be if we can line up using Mixon or Petrine and smash the ball forward in short yardage football.