(03-29-2022, 04:41 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: Amazing what a good offensive line and great blocking can do for you. I'd love to have a run offense like SF has had the past couple years.

I'm not saying you can't be predictable at times. If you can line up against an opponent and they know what's coming and still can't stop it, that's huge. But when you don't have the blocking to back it up and you make obvious run calls that go nowhere, maybe it's time to mix it up a little bit. The same goes for obvious pass situations and the opponent knows to throw everything into their pass rush. It's certainly an area we can improve on. 

Even if we are to the point with our offense that we can drop back in shotgun and get the blocking we need to dissect a defense and win on virtually every play, I would still like to see us mix it up a good amount of the time (maybe half the time) with formations where we can be doing multiple things from that formation. Doing so just makes it easier for your players to win one on one battles.

Previously we were predictable in the run game because the only way we could run the ball is with a heavy run scheme. Now we can have Hurst go to the slot and Mixon shift to a receiver. Imagine dealing with that? But imagine running successfully on third down out of 10 personnel? Mixon is going to be Taylor and Samuel rolled into one.

(04-13-2022, 12:51 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Previously we were predictable in the run game because the only way we could run the ball is with a heavy run scheme. Now we can have Hurst go to the slot and Mixon shift to a receiver. Imagine dealing with that? But imagine running successfully on third down out of 10 personnel? Mixon is going to be Taylor and Samuel rolled into one.

One of my biggest complaints over the years has been not using Mixon near enough in the passing game.

I think this can finally change this year with the OL we brought in and Hurst.

https://sports.yahoo.com/bengals-coach-zac-taylor-tells-140700798.html

(04-13-2022, 01:11 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: One of my biggest complaints over the years has been not using Mixon near enough in the passing game.

I think this can finally change this year with the OL we brought in and Hurst.

Too be honest if you’ve followed me I’m a huge Joe Mixon guy. But he’s awful on blitzes. Has nothing to do with mixing it up just doesn’t pick them up well.

(04-21-2022, 10:14 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: https://sports.yahoo.com/bengals-coach-zac-taylor-tells-140700798.html

Zac's advice to coaches.  .  .  

"The most important thing is to do good stuff and not bad stuff.  Set some standards of something, not sure what, and then hold the players accountable to those standards somehow by doing some stuff.  Call it "culture" but never really define it.  Never give specific examples of what you are talking about.  This is the only way to convince anyone you did anything while you were waiting to get enough talent to win.  Once you have enough talent to win all the players will be happy and you can claim it was because you built "culture" instead of just all the new talent you brought in."

(04-22-2022, 08:46 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Zac's advice to coaches.  .  .  

"The most important thing is to do good stuff and not bad stuff.  Set some standards of something, not sure what, and then hold the players accountable to those standards somehow by doing some stuff.  Call it "culture" but never really define it.  Never give specific examples of what you are talking about.  This is the only way to convince anyone you did anything while you were waiting to get enough talent to win.  Once you have enough talent to win all the players will be happy and you can claim it was because you built "culture" instead of just all the new talent you brought in."

To those following Zac said none of this in quotations. It’s just Fred being https://youtu.be/UT3Q85IvtDs

(04-22-2022, 09:34 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: To those following Zac said none of this in quotations. It’s just Fred being https://youtu.be/UT3Q85IvtDs

Read it for yourself.  He does not give one specific example of what he is talking about.  It is the same as saying.  .  .  "Do good stuff not bad stuff".  

It is impossible for coaches to follow Zac's "plan" because he does not give a clue as to what exactly his "plan" entailed. If "accountability" is a real thing then what was done to Zac for letting Cordy Glenn boss him around, or benching Dalton for Ryan Finley, or giving Preston Brown a 2 year contract then cutting him after 6 games, or benching Dunlap for scrubs who were worse than him.

Zac's first two years were brutal.  He did not have much talent and then he got drilled with a lot of injuries.  I consistently told everyone we needed to give him another chance in 2021, and it ended up working out.  But it was because he got TALENT instead of "culture".  He is just desperate to take more of the credit for himself.

(04-22-2022, 10:13 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Read it for yourself.  He does not give one specific example of what he is talking about.  It is the same as saying.  .  .  "Do good stuff not bad stuff".  

It is impossible for coaches to follow Zac's "plan" because he does not give a clue as to what exactly his "plan" entailed. If "accountability" is a real thing then what was done to Zac for letting Cordy Glenn boss him around, or benching Dalton for Ryan Finley, or giving Preston Brown a 2 year contract then cutting him after 6 games, or benching Dunlap for scrubs who were worse than him.

Zac's first two years were brutal.  He did not have much talent and then he got drilled with a lot of injuries.  I consistently told everyone we needed to give him another chance in 2021, and it ended up working out.  But it was because he got TALENT instead of "culture".  He is just desperate to take more of the credit for himself.

Everybody on the planet knew Taylor benched Dalton to find out what they had in Finley. They needed to make their plans for the next years draft. Try harder

(04-22-2022, 08:46 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Zac's advice to coaches.  .  .  

"The most important thing is to do good stuff and not bad stuff.  Set some standards of something, not sure what, and then hold the players accountable to those standards somehow by doing some stuff.  Call it "culture" but never really define it.  Never give specific examples of what you are talking about.  This is the only way to convince anyone you did anything while you were waiting to get enough talent to win.  Once you have enough talent to win all the players will be happy and you can claim it was because you built "culture" instead of just all the new talent you brought in."

(04-22-2022, 02:25 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Everybody on the planet knew Taylor benched Dalton to find out what they had in Finley. They needed to make their plans for the next years draft. Try harder

Exactly

The Dalton lead Bengals were 0-8 when he got benched. It's not like they were in the thick of the playoff hunt.

(04-21-2022, 10:16 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Too be honest if you’ve followed me I’m a huge Joe Mixon guy. But he’s awful on blitzes. Has nothing to do with mixing it up just doesn’t pick them up well.

Definitely needs to improve there or we need to put someone else back to help out Burrow at times.

I am all for Drafting a RB in this Draft that is great at picking up the blitz.

(04-22-2022, 05:29 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Definitely needs to improve there or we need to put someone else back to help out Burrow at times.

I am all for Drafting a RB in this Draft that is great at picking up the blitz.

Problem rarely are rookies. Perine plays on every special teams. He’s a physical runner but they like him because in short yardage you have to be deliberate and hit the hole.

(04-22-2022, 10:28 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Problem rarely are rookies. Perine plays on every special teams. He’s a physical runner but they like him because in short yardage you have to be deliberate and hit the hole.

That is a problem. Might have to keep Perine around for this very reason even if people hate him for a few screw ups in the SB.

The thing is both Mixon and Evans were noted at being good at picking up the blitz in college. Mixon hasn't lived up to this.

Maybe Evans can...

(04-23-2022, 04:26 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: That is a problem. Might have to keep Perine around for this very reason even if people hate him for a few screw ups in the SB.

The thing is both Mixon and Evans were noted at being good at picking up the blitz in college. Mixon hasn't lived up to this.

Maybe Evans can...

If I remember correctly Evans did well in the few opportunities he had.   I felt he was underutilized, but when Mixon is gaining that kind of yardage you can 't blame them.   But he was a good runner, a great receiver and better at blizt pickups.   I love that guy.  Can't wait to see him used more.

(04-28-2022, 11:05 AM)3wt Wrote: If I remember correctly Evans did well in the few opportunities he had.   I felt he was underutilized, but when Mixon is gaining that kind of yardage you can 't blame them.   But he was a good runner, a great receiver and better at blizt pickups.   I love that guy.  Can't wait to see him used more.

I’d expect teams will blitz less. If they blitz and we can block it better this year which will happen we’ll hurt teams. When teams blitz Chase and Higgins get man coverage. But I know I’ve sounded like a broken record but Mixon will wait and watch for the blitz then move out. I expect his use in the passing game will go up significantly and I’ve been predicting him for a huge year. I think he emerges as after Chase a huge big play guy. Maybe as much as Chase

I do not think Pollack has the time to teach all the young guys pass blocking as well as making game plan for the run game. With the new hires we added to the Oline coach room we brought more coaches so they should be able to spend more time with the younger guys that need it.