Saw this on ESPN+:

The Bengals had a PBWR of 18%, which was the worst single-game performance by any team in any game during the 2021 season. Likewise, as you can probably guess, the Rams winning on 82% of their pass-rush attempts made theirs the most successful pass rush in any game this season.

The Rams made a strategy adjustment that the Bengals couldn't counter...basically taking Hopkins ability to help away:

Rams bring a sim pressure and drop Miller into coverage. C actually turns right and there's three people focused on Donald, so Rams get three rushers vs. two blockers on the left side, play gets blown up, Donald comes across the formation to clean up. pic.twitter.com/3IyuVGfN68

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) February 14, 2022

-Over the next three possessions, they went to a version of this same concept over and over again. They repeatedly brought five men to the line of scrimmage -- something they often do -- but they usually bring those five men to create one-on-one matchups. Instead, they showed five and then dropped one into coverage, which allowed them to keep the benefit of those one-on-one matchups while also staying "safe" in coverage behind.

-Across nine dropbacks on those drives, the Rams sacked Burrow five times and allowed one first down, which came when Burrow scrambled for a fourth-and-1.

And THIS is the reason for the loss.

Give credit to the Morris and the Rams defensive line. They obliterated our line.

(02-14-2022, 03:24 PM)BengalFanInNJ Wrote: And THIS is the reason for the loss.

Give credit to the Morris and the Rams defensive line. They obliterated our line.

The French gave more resistance to the Nazis than our oline.  

Yes - This is the telling statistic. 18%!

Here is what PBWR is: ESPN's pass block win rate (PBWR) statistic tracks how often an offensive lineman "wins" his block versus a defensive lineman across the first 2.5 seconds of a pass play.

So on 82% of the passing plays, the Rams got pressure on Burrow in 2.5 seconds or less.

They said it would be our Achilles heel coming into the game, looks like they were right for once....lol.

I mean, we all knew this going in. We weren’t going to change it this late in the season. The good news is , this can be fixed and this really need to be the only focus. It needs to be A couple FA studs and some solid depth. I’m hoping O-linemen will want to play here seeing that we are an O-line away from being back. We will see.

(02-14-2022, 03:35 PM)Wyche Wrote: They said it would be our Achilles heel coming into the game, looks like they were right for once....lol.

The Rams DC made great adjustments. We did ok in the 1st half, then in the 2nd half overloading that side and putting a guy over Hopkins was big taking away the double.

On one play, we tripled Donald and the pressure came from elsewhere.

I'm thinking our coaches will learn from this. We seem to be good at halftime adjustments. Next progression is to change things up in game.

(02-14-2022, 03:41 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The Rams DC made great adjustments. We did ok in the 1st half, then in the 2nd half overloading that side and putting a guy over Hopkins was big taking away the double.

On one play, we tripled Donald and the pressure came from elsewhere.

I'm thinking our coaches will learn from this. We seem to be good at halftime adjustments. Next progression is to change things up in game.

Yes, McVay learned from his Super Bowl loss, I think these guys will too. They've made some great adjustments all year. 

We were outmanned at O-line all year long, and we still got to the super bowl. That has never happened. I just hope our Front Office goes all in on O-line like they did on defense the last 2 years.

Aren't there things that our HC and OC could have done to mitigate the Rams defensive pressure? Like roll outs, for example? I'm sure I don't know football as well as some of you so help me out. Zac and Brian know way more football than I ever will. What am I missing here?

Taylor and the offensive line coach were outclassed the second half. They did not adjust to what the rams did.

2 back set for max protection or roll out/screens

They stuck to their run and shoot offense almost stubbornly because that’s what got Taylor to put up big numbers in college.

I’m beginning to realize Taylor is a numbers guy. As an offensive tactician in game strategist is is average to mediocre at best based on what I saw him do before burrow. Burrow just covers up a lot of Taylor’s flaws as a offensive mind

(02-14-2022, 03:38 PM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: I mean, we all knew this going in. We weren’t going to change it this late in the season. The good news is , this can be fixed and this really need to be the only focus. It needs to be A couple FA studs and some solid depth. I’m hoping O-linemen will want to play here seeing that we are an O-line away from being back. We will see.

Honestly, IF Reiff were healthy...it helps a lot. While not great, he was pretty solid.

(02-14-2022, 03:43 PM)Wyche Wrote: Yes, McVay learned from his Super Bowl loss, I think these guys will too. They've made some great adjustments all year. 

I would 100% have taken a win. And it still stings a lot that they lost this personally.

BUT, I could have seen some of these guys getting huge ego's and not putting in the work in upcoming years. So maybe this loss stings them and lights a fire under this team to win 3-4 SB's over the next 10 years as opposed to 1 or 2?

I don't know. Is it weird to say that? I really do feel it.

(02-14-2022, 03:44 PM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: We were outmanned at O-line all year long, and we still got to the super bowl. That has never happened. I just hope our Front Office goes all in on O-line like they did on defense the last 2 years.

We likely had the worst offensive line in SB history. It is amazing that we made it that far.

Honestly, our offense didn't play great in the playoffs as a whole...but the team made timely plays. A TD here or a turnover there. Seemed to have that team of destiny vibe.

I would have rather been training going into the 4th quarter. When we got the lead, it almost felt like it was a script they were unfamiliar with.

(02-14-2022, 03:48 PM)Oasis5055 Wrote: Taylor and the offensive line coach were outclassed the second half. They did not adjust to what the rams did.

2 back set for max protection or roll out/screens

They stuck to their run and shoot offense almost stubbornly because that’s what got Taylor to put up big numbers in college.

I’m beginning to realize Taylor is a numbers guy. As an offensive tactician in game strategist is is average to mediocre at best based on what I saw him do before burrow. Burrow just covers up a lot of Taylor’s flaws as a offensive mind

You do realize that Joe Burrow is the one that loves the 5 wide set, right? They run that a lot because that's what HE likes.

(02-14-2022, 03:44 PM)Science Friction Wrote: Aren't there things that our HC and OC could have done to mitigate the Rams defensive pressure?  Like roll outs, for example?  I'm sure I don't know football as well as some of you so help me out.  Zac and Brian know way more football than I ever will. What am I missing here?

I felt like there could have been. But I'm not an NFL coach and they are.

It seemed like the quick passes over the middle worked. Burrow got the ball out quick in the 1st half. When the Rams overloaded one side of the line...I'm not sure why they didn't audible and run to the other side. It also seemed like when we brought more lineman in that we had success running.

So like if the Rams overload one side, bring in an extra lineman on the other side and run that way to force them to stop overloading it.

I don't know. Probably easier said than done.

This coaching staff was interesting. For about 2.5 years, I'd say they got out-strategized in nearly every single game. Then around the Ravens game, the light clicked for Lou and all of the sudden we played innovative defenses.

On offense, I saw the light click a little less and it was in the form of long passes. Like they realized, Hey we can just go deep and out-talent teams. But, in the playoffs the offense struggled more. Probably because teams are better. But, also because coaching is too.

(02-14-2022, 03:48 PM)Oasis5055 Wrote: Taylor and the offensive line coach were outclassed the second half. They did not adjust to what the rams did.

2 back set for max protection or roll out/screens

They stuck to their run and shoot offense almost stubbornly because that’s what got Taylor to put up big numbers in college.

I’m beginning to realize Taylor is a numbers guy. As an offensive tactician in game strategist is is average to mediocre at best based on what I saw him do before burrow. Burrow just covers up a lot of Taylor’s flaws as a offensive mind

It seems like the empirical evidence that we have thus far backs up your assertions.  Taylor is not very good.

(02-14-2022, 03:53 PM)WychesWarrior Wrote: You do realize that Joe Burrow is the one that loves the 5 wide set, right? They run that a lot because that's what HE likes.

And how did the offense do. You are calling plays because of what the quarterback likes or what gives you the best chance to win?

There is no quarterback on earth that does not love a run and shoot offense. How many Super Bowls has a run and shoot offense won?

You will put up lots of points against average mediocre teams. Against schemes like the second half your offensive line is completely exposed.

Last night was A failure of scheme as much as anything else. The bengals were able to block the first half. How is that? Their line is terrible.

The rams scheme change in the second half
Exposed the failure of the run and shoot offense

(02-14-2022, 03:51 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I would 100% have taken a win. And it still stings a lot that they lost this personally.

BUT, I could have seen some of these guys getting huge ego's and not putting in the work in upcoming years. So maybe this loss stings them and lights a fire under this team to win 3-4 SB's over the next 10 years as opposed to 1 or 2?

I don't know. Is it weird to say that? I really do feel it.

It absolutely is weird to say that after all we've been through as a fanbase, lol. I believe we can make some noise for a few years here, just gotta keep making the right off-season moves. They completely flipped the entire defense in essentially one year, DJ Reader notwithstanding.  Now all that's left is fixing one position group. I don't think a lot of fans realized how old the roster was getting when Zac got here. You couple that with shoddy depth and implementing a completely new and modern system, there were going to be growing pains. If nothing else, I like the direction this staff has taken in building a roster. A team full of mentally tough athletes.

Looking at this in vacuum this was year 2 of a 3 year rebuild having a 4 point lead with under 2 minutes in the SB is impressive. If only we didn't have this shadow of a franchise always making wrong decisions over past 40 years. Winners always want to improve we haven't shown that yet. Maybe Burrow can will it I don't feel he is even close to his peak yet, If we don't give gim a solid oline he may never get there.