The OL have kept Joe pretty clean recently after an abysmal 13 total sacks given up in weeks 1 and 2. Is this a sign of gelling? A fluke against weak DLs? I have my opinions on it but id like to hear some of yours first.

Really two. One last week was Joe giving himself up to keep the clock running. Could have easily thrown it away.

I think it's a combination of a lot of things.

1. We haven't faced a game wrecking pass rusher in the last 2 weeks. The best we've seen is Carl Lawson and, you know, he is fine...but nothing compared to Parsons or Watt. And I don't even know who Miami's best pass rusher is and I literally just watched an entire game of their defense.

2. We are doing better at playcalling. Yes, the check downs can be annoying, especially when Joe takes them when there's no pressure in his face, but they are helping to keep him clean. In addition, they are using play action more effectively, aren't as predictable in their playcalling based on formation and are calling some plays that are designed to protect a QB like PA boots (like the long Boyd pass against Miami).

3. Burrow is sharper. I think he was just off in his first two games. He wasn't evading pass rushers like he usually does. Against Miami and especially NYJ, he felt the pressure around him better and found the opening to run out and create plays better. I think his appendectomy required some recovery and he missed some practice, but I think he's getting better every game.

4. Yea, I think they're beginning to gel a bit.

Good to see that that OL can hold their own in the passing game now. Still some stuff to clean up, but much improved at least as far as pass pro goes. Can't keep running Mixon 20+ times for 50 yards, though.

Seeing the OL get much better over the last two weeks just makes it even more blatant that they really REALLY needed to play some preseason drives together. Taylor's preseason mindset has really kept the Bengals from capitalizing on a very easy start to their schedule.

In pass pro, yes. The run game is atrocious right now and I’m not sure why. I thought, after seeing them push Mixon into the end zone for that first touchdown that they were fired up and they were going to have a decent to good game running the ball. Man was I wrong. But I’ll take keeping Burrow upright as a win, hate that we continue to put it all on his shoulders every week, but the kid has moxy and brains and can handle it. Hopefully this mini-bye lets them scrap some things that aren’t working and improve and build on the plays that do.

(09-30-2022, 03:04 AM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: In pass pro, yes. The run game is atrocious right now and I’m not sure why. I thought, after seeing them push Mixon into the end zone for that first touchdown that they were fired up and they were going to have a decent to good game running the ball. Man was I wrong.

I think part of the blame has to fall on Mixon as well.  He's just not as explosive this year and his vision seems to be lacking.  Hopefully the half-bye helps him either recover from what's slowing him down or maybe figure something out because I don't think its all on the OL.  Seen him slam into his OLs back way too many times. 

Terrible on 4th and goal 3 line pushed back, one On his ass, better pass worse in run..

(09-30-2022, 03:04 AM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: In pass pro, yes. The run game is atrocious right now and I’m not sure why. I thought, after seeing them push Mixon into the end zone for that first touchdown that they were fired up and they were going to have a decent to good game running the ball. Man was I wrong. But I’ll take keeping Burrow upright as a win, hate that we continue to put it all on his shoulders every week, but the kid has moxy and brains and can handle it. Hopefully this mini-bye lets them scrap some things that aren’t working and improve and build on the plays that do.

I haven't seen every play but I feel like they're not putting the running game in position to succeed either. Tonight it felt like when we ran it straight down the middle we were getting chunks. Problem is we aren't seeing very many big plays in the run game. And they are getting burnt on outside runs almost every time.

Preseason is there to put some chemisty with your players.

I'm still thinking we lost the first 2 games because we didn't play our starters in preseason for them to play together a bit.

(09-30-2022, 05:17 AM)Arturo Bandini Wrote: Preseason is there to put some chemisty with your players.

I'm still thinking we lost the first 2 games because we didn't play our starters in preseason for them to play together a bit.

I keep using and holding onto the hope of last seasons Kansas City Chiefs. All new offense line and that team looked downright awful the first half of the season. My hope is by halfway through they will play like the 10th to 20th best line we believe they can be. They do seem much improved the past 2 weeks. I thought the Jets had a decent defensive line and the Dolphins had an okay defense themselves? They've both been irrelevant recently so I can't completely remember.

It’s a lot of factors, but you’ll take 3 sacks over 13, 10/10 times. Just need them to figure out the run blocking and we will be good to go. 10 days to get it figured out before a very important game.

At this point i have to out the run game on Mixon and Pollack. All the new guys were average or above average run blockers before him. Adeniji and Prince we’re good prospects before Pollack. Jonah has regressed under Pollack.


Dude is a pure bum and any lineman doing well under him is doing well in spite of him

(09-30-2022, 03:04 AM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: In pass pro, yes. The run game is atrocious right now and I’m not sure why. I thought, after seeing them push Mixon into the end zone for that first touchdown that they were fired up and they were going to have a decent to good game running the ball. Man was I wrong. But I’ll take keeping Burrow upright as a win, hate that we continue to put it all on his shoulders every week, but the kid has moxy and brains and can handle it. Hopefully this mini-bye lets them scrap some things that aren’t working and improve and build on the plays that do.

Yes, run blocking is not there at all. Between Mixon and Perrine, it was 25 caries for 61 yards. Fans in the stadium started to groan whenever they handed the ball to Mixon, because it was not working. Running was seemingly the right idea, but it was never successful the entire game, save the sole push into the end zone, which failed on subsequent efforts.

(09-30-2022, 02:55 AM)BurrowTheGoat Wrote: The OL have kept Joe pretty clean recently after an abysmal 13 total sacks given up in weeks 1 and 2.  Is this a sign of gelling?  A fluke against weak DLs?  I have my opinions on it but id like to hear some of yours first.

I posted this after the 2nd game, and received some pushback when everyone was in "The season is over" panic mode. They were discussing OL's with new personnel (not ours, I think it was Tampa) on Moving the Chains, and they said when there are that many new players on a line, it will take on average 4 games for them to start gelling. Our 2nd and 3rd games were in hostile loud stadiums. I said then these guys would put it together and I think we are seeing they are doing just that. Even Volston is coming along nicely. 

Run blocking is still a whole lot of average, but pass pro = much improved.

Volson’s had a tough start to his career, but he’s going to be a good one.

(09-30-2022, 08:49 AM)RunKijanaRun Wrote: Run blocking is still a whole lot of average, but pass pro = much improved.

Volson’s had a tough start to his career, but he’s going to be a good one.

Agreed. Still some work to do and to clean up, but, the protection the past two weeks has been better. Run game is disappointing, but some of that is on Mixon.

Well it’s the competition… Dallas & Pitt posed bigger problems. But yes they’ve gotten more cohesive. Williams has been a huge disappointment. He’s playing awful. Volson by the end of the year should be pretty good. I think they are going to get better and better

(09-30-2022, 08:49 AM)RunKijanaRun Wrote: Run blocking is still a whole lot of average, but pass pro = much improved.

Volson’s had a tough start to his career, but he’s going to be a good one.

Really pleased with Volson's progress. Late 4th round pick from North Dakota State, this has turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

(09-30-2022, 07:27 AM)Housh Wrote: At this point i have to out the run game on Mixon and Pollack. All the new guys were average or above average run blockers before him. Adeniji and Prince we’re good prospects before Pollack. Jonah has regressed under Pollack.


Dude is a pure bum and any lineman doing well under him is doing well in spite of him

No they weren’t.

I don't want to oversimplify it and there's a lot of chicken-or-the-egg going on, but here's the breakdown of pass plays to date:

vs Steelers 60.9%
@ Cowboys 59.0%
@ Jets 56.3%
vs Dolphins 51.6%

It's just hard to know how much PP has really improved when you're running the ball more and more. I mean I'm sure it has. But is that the cause or the effect?

Running the ball forces defenses to play more conservatively. Irrespective of how well you're doing it. I reckon it's part of the reason why the high-blitz Phins abandoned that strategy early in the game, especially with guys coming off the edge. You're wasting bodies when you know they're running between the tackles. It's a bit different when you know the QB'll be making 5- and 7-step drops, and think you get home before the wideouts come out of their breaks.