Marvin Lewis and Hue Jackson have received a lot of heat for calling a pass play on the Bengals' last offensive play instead of running the ball and taking time off the clock. However, an in depth analysis of the play from ESPN reveals that the coaching staff did call a run play. Andy decided to throw a fade to AJ Green instead because he liked the one on one matchup.

Quote:Jackson didn't call for a bomb. It looks very much like the Bengals were expecting to run the football and ended up throwing it instead. Take a look at this still image from the play, at the moment when Dalton was about to release his pass down the sideline to Green.



I've marked the line of scrimmage in bright red to make it easier to see. There are two Bengals linemen blocking downfield, including right guard Kevin Zeitler, who (illegally) barreled 3 yards upfield at the moment the ball was snapped. The three non-Green receivers on the play don't run routes; they run several yards forward at half-speed and stare at Arizona's defensive backs without turning back to even see whether Dalton wants to throw them the football. The running back, Giovani Bernard, runs toward Dalton like he's going to take a handoff. Every aspect about this play suggests that nine of the 11 Cincinnati offensive players thought it was going to be a run.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14202574/andy-dalton-costly-underthrown-pass-opened-door-arizona-cardinals-last-second-fg-nfl

Yup. I pointed this out multiple times. Dalton saw a favorable matchup and took the shot. We want to praise him as a mature leader and when he makes a decision we get all pissy over it. Playcalls are secondary to the result. If Hue called a septupal reverse while Eifert sang "Oh Sole Mio" and it worked we would be praising Hue's genius playcalling.

I'm not worried about the play call or audible. I'm worried about the way our Defense played.

(11-23-2015, 04:33 PM)treee Wrote: I'm not worried about the play call or audible. I'm worried about the way our Defense played.

Against the #1 offense in the NFL on the road in prime-time and with key injuries?  Meh, we'll kill the Rams and everyone will rejoice.

(11-23-2015, 04:35 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Against the #1 offense in the NFL on the road in prime-time and with key injuries?  Meh, we'll kill the Rams and everyone will rejoice.

I'm not being unreasonable for wanting a better performance. You're right that the likelihood of keeping them to only a couple of scores was idealistic but 34 points is still something to be addressed. 

(11-23-2015, 04:39 PM)treee Wrote: I'm not being unreasonable for wanting a better performance. You're right that the likelihood of keeping them to only a couple of scores was idealistic but 34 points is still something to be addressed. 

I hear you on that one.  Coming out in the 3rd and giving up 21 while doing -1 total yards on offense was just a scary-bad Marvin sort of 2nd half.  We snapped out of it in the 4th, but what a hole we put ourselves in.

(11-23-2015, 04:40 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I hear you on that one.  Coming out in the 3rd and giving up 21 while doing -1 total yards on offense was just a scary-bad Marvin sort of 2nd half.  We snapped out of it in the 4th, but what a hole we put ourselves in.

Good point. This is text book: If you are playing a good team and you don't keep it locked down for all 4 quarters you'll probably lose. 

Its over let it go... Onto the RAMS... WHODEY

over analizing everything wont change the outcome

He should have thrown a short pass to AJ or handed it off. I don't blame him for taking a shot if it was there but i disagree with his decision. You still have to trust your quarterback and receiver to make that decision and execute so it's not a big deal.

(11-23-2015, 04:46 PM)treee Wrote: Good point. This is text book: If you are playing a good team and you don't keep it locked down for all 4 quarters you'll probably lose. 

The Cardinals have had pockets of incompetence in their 2 losses, as well as their win in Seattle and this Bengals game, though.  That 3rd quarter was such a huge swing after we scored following a 3rd and 26 drive to get a TD to end the 1st half AND we were getting the ball.  It should have been over then.  Palmer had 1 TD to 2 INTs, was in a 7 point hole and giving us the ball to kick off the second half.  That was a golden spot to put it away and we ended the quarter 14 points down.  What the fudge? 

(11-23-2015, 04:35 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Against the #1 offense in the NFL on the road in prime-time and with key injuries?  Meh, we'll kill the Rams and everyone will rejoice.

To be fair, they had some injuries on the offensive side of the ball. I honestly don't know Arizona well enough to know it was a wash with the guys we were missing (it probably wasn't considering Jones).

That issue aside, ranked 1st or 31st, we can't expect to give up 30 points a game and win. That's the first game they've given up more than 24. On the flipside, most people are complaining about how bad the offense looked, but they still put up 31, tied for their fourth highest scoring game this season (we put 36 on the Chiefs, 34 on the Bills, 33 on the Raiders and 31 on Cleveland). Three of those four are top 10 defenses.

(11-23-2015, 05:03 PM)Benton Wrote: To be fair, they had some injuries on the offensive side of the ball. I honestly don't know Arizona well enough to know it was a wash with the guys we were missing (it probably wasn't considering Jones).

That issue aside, ranked 1st or 31st, we can't expect to give up 30 points a game and win. That's the first game they've given up more than 24. On the flipside, most people are complaining about how bad the offense looked, but they still put up 31, tied for their fourth highest scoring game this season (we put 36 on the Chiefs, 34 on the Bills, 33 on the Raiders and 31 on Cleveland). Three of those four are top 10 defenses.

The Cardinals were missing Michael Floyd who had 1 or 2 TDs in their last 4 games, so that MIGHT have offset the loss of Jones.  Maybe, but that skinny little Nelson guy really stepped up.  Ida know, they're deep and have a good coaching/GM combo that helps offset some of that bad luck that we don't.

I have to say our offense and defense both looked good for the most part seeing as the Cardinals are #1 on one side of the ball and #3 on the other.  We could also argue the game was closer than it could have been if Patrick Peterson hadn't sprained his ankle.

Look at that hole, Gio would have run for the TD straight up. At the same time, Green had a step, a better placed ball and a TD, lol.

Andy needs to make a better throw there.

(11-23-2015, 04:51 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: Its over let it go... Onto the RAMS... WHODEY

over analizing everything wont change the outcome

If there is one thing this coaching staff doesn't do, it's over-analyze.  We seem to learn very little from half to half, game to game, week to week, year to year.

(11-23-2015, 06:09 PM)J24 Wrote: Andy needs to make a better throw there.

What it all really comes down to in the end. 

When the corner gets burned off the line and then almost ends up catching it after being shocked it's there when he turns his head, it was a bad throw.

Look at that hat on hat though, Gio had 20+ yards there if he wanted, that's sad. Probably our best playaction fake of the year.

It wasn't a bad audible at all. Was a good play Dalton recognized and glad they took a shot. Better throw and that's a TD.

But either way, they still tied it in the 4th.

The defense just couldn't stop Palmer in the second half. Period. That's what lost us this game. Not the final offensive audible.

Hell he could have thrown it to the sidelines and AJ had the first down easily. Perhaps Hue, being the coach, could have told Andy not to change to a pass because they had a strategy in place.

(11-23-2015, 04:51 PM):XenoMorph Wrote: Its over let it go... Onto the RAMS... WHODEY

over analizing everything wont change the outcome

But it interesting to talk about. Doh I don't want to move on( in Homer Simpson voice)