Some guys who just showed up and did their job, while the stars shined:

BJ Hill: While he's no DJ Reader, he was our best DT out there today. PFF credited him with 4 pressures

Eli Apple: Has taken Waynes starting job and allowed 2 catches today for 21 yards

Markus Bailey: led the team with 8 tackles

Trent Taylor: 3 KRs for 15 yards an attempt, 2 PRs for 8 yards per attempt. Sure handed and smart

Isiah Prince; Didn't hear his name all day

Conversely some guys who struggled:

Mike Hilton: Allowed 8 catches on 9 targets for 75 yards and a 138.4 passer rating against

Jessie Bates: Allowed catches on both his targets for 118.8 passer rating against

Evan McPhearson: Missed FG after the D got turn over on downs and kicked the ball out of bounds at exactly the wrong time

Stanley Morgan doesn’t get on the stat sheet but the guy just does his job

Bates re-signing getting a little cheaper each game.

Bring back BJ Hill is all I can say.

Also that is a bit rough on Mike. He made a great tackle for loss and was in tight coverage most of the game.

Von Bell is always the lunch pail guy. Dude could of had a pick 6 before he got his last pick and played great in coverage
which is not his strong suit. Pratt also played tough and made numerous plays. Really like Bailey. Wilcox on ST's also needs
a shout out.

I'm not real high on Prince's performance, as a lot of those hits came from the right side. I'll feel better next week when Johnson is back out there.
s

(12-27-2021, 10:49 AM)Sled21 Wrote: I'm not real high on Prince's performance, as a lot of those hits came from the right side. I'll feel better next week when Johnson is back out there.
s

Meh, I kinda feel like either one is going to have their hands full next week.  I mean you have backup A or backup B, while each has been serviceable in relief, I really don't see either of them ever snatching the full time RT role and flourishing in it.

(12-27-2021, 12:17 AM)brian5562 Wrote: Stanley Morgan doesn’t get on the stat sheet but the guy just does his job

The same goes for Drew Sample.

(12-27-2021, 11:31 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Meh, I kinda feel like either one is going to have their hands full next week.  I mean you have backup A or backup B, while each has been serviceable in relief, I really don't see either of them ever snatching the full time RT role and flourishing in it.

Big Fred put up a monster PFF number last week. Plus, him and either Adeniji or Carman either one can open huge run lanes.

(12-27-2021, 11:56 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Big Fred put up a monster PFF number last week. Plus, him and either Adeniji or Carman either one can open huge run lanes.

Yes, Fred Johnson did put out a very strong performance for a guy coming off the bench.  We both know that coming in and playing well in relief is one thing, and owning that role and putting out a high standard of play week after week is something totally different.  I like the way Fred is developing at Tackle, and hope that he makes the most of his opportunities.  It will be interesting to see how the team values Johnson this offseason.

(12-27-2021, 01:25 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Yes, Fred Johnson did put out a very strong performance for a guy coming off the bench.  We both know that coming in and playing well in relief is one thing, and owning that role and putting out a high standard of play week after week is something totally different.  I like the way Fred is developing at Tackle, and hope that he makes the most of his opportunities.  It will be interesting to see how the team values Johnson this offseason.

I think the rest of the year will dictate whether he is signed to be our our starting RT in 2022 to replace Reiff. You see back ups step in all the time and are better than the starter, sometimes guys just need a chance to shine.

James Harrison was a practice squad player for years. Who predicted a 6th round pick would replace #1 pick Drew Bledsoe? Just a couple of examples, but the point is just because a player is not starting (Eli Apple), does not mean he is not capable of not only starting, but playing well.

We will find out for sure next week against KC, but we may have one of the best overall CB talent rooms in the NFL.
We literally now have 3 legit outside CB's, Hilton in the slot with a couple of quality back ups. Phillips goes down and no problem. In 2020, we may have had the worst CB depth in the league once we lost our starters.

Lunch Pale Guys?

(12-27-2021, 03:17 PM)BengalYankee Wrote: Lunch Pale Guys?

Some of those guys look pretty dark to me.

But I make so many typos and grammar mistakes that I really shouldn't take shots at anyone else.

(12-27-2021, 03:17 PM)BengalYankee Wrote: Lunch Pale Guys?

I can't remember lunch ever making me pale, but I did get some bad eggs at a truckstop one time that made me turn various shades before the projectile vomiting began. 

(12-27-2021, 12:37 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: Bates re-signing getting a little cheaper each game.

Would like to see at least a bit of a rebound to end the season. Honestly might be better for both parties to part ways. Bengals could pair up Bell with Quandre Diggs, Tyrann Mathieu, or someone else with a fresh start.

(12-27-2021, 01:35 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: James Harrison was a practice squad player for years.

Just a couple of examples, but the point is just because a player is not starting (Eli Apple), does not mean he is not capable of not only starting, but playing well.

James Harrison did all the steroids and HGH known to man for 5 years before he did anything. I have to believe that the Bengals staff cares about their former players not all dying young a little bit more than the Steelers did/do, so don't expect any James Harrison stories from here.

Eli Apple has really turned it around the last handful of games much to the benefit of the Bengals defense, but lets not ignore that it was preceded by 9 games of being absolutely terrible for the Bengals, and 5 years of being mediocre-to-bad for the Giants/Saints/Panthers. Apple started 15 games as recently as 2019. He allowed a 100.9 QB Rating. He started 48 games before joining the Bengals. It wasn't a lack of opportunity.

(12-27-2021, 04:08 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Would like to see at least a bit of a rebound to end the season. Honestly might be better for both parties to part ways. Bengals could pair up Bell with Quandre Diggs, Tyrann Mathieu, or someone else with a fresh start.


James Harrison did all the steroids and HGH known to man for 5 years before he did anything. I have to believe that the Bengals staff cares about their former players not all dying young a little bit more than the Steelers did/do, so don't expect any James Harrison stories from here.

Eli Apple has really turned it around the last handful of games much to the benefit of the Bengals defense, but lets not ignore that it was preceded by 9 games of being absolutely terrible for the Bengals, and 5 years of being mediocre-to-bad for the Giants/Saints/Panthers. Apple started 15 games as recently as 2019. He allowed a 100.9 QB Rating. He started 48 games before joining the Bengals. It wasn't a lack of opportunity.

I’m in the camp of pay Apple low end CB2 money on a 3 year deal we can get out of after one basically and take a CB on day 2. He’s shown enough for me to want to see what another year looks like with him and the rest of the crew.

(12-27-2021, 04:11 PM)Au165 Wrote: I’m in the camp of pay Apple low end CB2 money on a 3 year deal we can get out of after one basically and take a CB on day 2. He’s shown enough for me to want to see what another year looks like with him and the rest of the crew.

Ehhhh... that's like $6m/yr.

I don't think 6 games at the end of a contract year have wiped out the previous 5.5 years to the point where I would be comfortable giving Apple $6m/yr, even if you could get out after 1 year.

Plus you already have Awuzie and Hilton under contract. Even if you cut Waynes (they should and probably will), if you take a CB on day 2, do you really need another $6m/yr CB who may or may not be worth it? Just sign another veteran on a cheap 1 year deal to be depth to replace Apple who was on a cheap 1 year deal for depth. 

They're going to need cap space for other guys, too. Uzomah, Reiff, Bates, Ogunjobi, BJ Hill, Tupou, Huber, Clark Harris, and Spain are all FA. They're going to need to re-sign or replace all those guys, and that's before you can even get to making improvements.

(12-27-2021, 05:21 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Ehhhh... that's like $6m/yr.

I don't think 6 games at the end of a contract year have wiped out the previous 5.5 years to the point where I would be comfortable giving Apple $6m/yr, even if you could get out after 1 year.

Plus you already have Awuzie and Hilton under contract. Even if you cut Waynes (they should and probably will), if you take a CB on day 2, do you really need another $6m/yr CB who may or may not be worth it? Just sign another veteran on a cheap 1 year deal to be depth to replace Apple who was on a cheap 1 year deal for depth. 

They're going to need cap space for other guys, too. Uzomah, Reiff, Bates, Ogunjobi, BJ Hill, Tupou, Huber, Clark Harris, and Spain are all FA. They're going to need to re-sign or replace all those guys, and that's before you can even get to making improvements.

Yea…like I said I’d pay it. I have been happy with his play and I’d do a deal that keeps continuity while limiting exposure.

(12-27-2021, 05:21 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Ehhhh... that's like $6m/yr.

I don't think 6 games at the end of a contract year have wiped out the previous 5.5 years to the point where I would be comfortable giving Apple $6m/yr, even if you could get out after 1 year.

Plus you already have Awuzie and Hilton under contract. Even if you cut Waynes (they should and probably will), if you take a CB on day 2, do you really need another $6m/yr CB who may or may not be worth it? Just sign another veteran on a cheap 1 year deal to be depth to replace Apple who was on a cheap 1 year deal for depth. 

They're going to need cap space for other guys, too. Uzomah, Reiff, Bates, Ogunjobi, BJ Hill, Tupou, Huber, Clark Harris, and Spain are all FA. They're going to need to re-sign or replace all those guys, and that's before you can even get to making improvements.

Apple has shown that he can both function and possibly flourish in Anarumo's defense.  If you have a player that fits, it's seems most logical to keep him around.  FWIW, $6M/per for an experienced CB that fits the system seems like quite the bargain to have around while a younger draftee develops.

(12-27-2021, 12:17 AM)brian5562 Wrote: Stanley Morgan doesn’t get on the stat sheet but the guy just does his job

Dude is a great blocker.

(12-27-2021, 07:36 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Apple has shown that he can both function and possibly flourish in Anarumo's defense.  If you have a player that fits, it's seems most logical to keep him around.  FWIW, $6M/per for an experienced CB that fits the system seems like quite the bargain to have around while a younger draftee develops.

Not for the first 9 games of the season. He was beyond terrible. It really seems like a lot of people are ignoring the first 53% of the season because of recency bias of a smaller sample size.

For all I know maybe he has magically turned a corner and something clicked. I am just saying go back and rewatch the first 9 games of the season before you offer any contracts because it seems like a good number of people are forgetting what the majority of the season looked like for Apple.

This topic just feels like 2017 when the Marvin Bengals went 5-9, but then won the final two against the Lions and Ravens to finish 7-9, and that was deemed enough late positive progress to bring him back in 2018 despite the team needing blown up for a rebuild.