(12-19-2022, 12:24 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: They were running more outside zone/outside runs this game for some reason. We have tried to make it work all year and it's just not there. 

I hope they give up on it 100% and just go to more gap stuff - it has worked out so much better. 

I thought it was only me.   

Hasn't been there, wasn't there and I don't expect it will be.   They only times - besides Zac throwing the low percentage challenge flag - that I yelled at the TV.

An amazing comeback, and so much to admire.  But that was the only thing I just did not understand them doing in the 2nd half.

(12-19-2022, 11:34 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Let me first start out by saying I love this team. I love the coaching staff. This isn't really a criticism of the players, the staff, or the team.

That being said, there is still SOMETHING that is just bugging me about the way this offense operates.

Maybe I am spoiled or something, but it just seems like this offense goes into lulls sometimes. The first half against the Bucs is what I am talking about - where it just seems like things are so much harder than they should be.

I was one of the first ones to complain early in the season about how we need to sustain drives and how we can't just rely on the explosive plays like we did last year - now I feel like this offense is lacking explosive plays and we don't take enough shots down field.

Again, this isn't a criticism and I think the offense has been fine for the most part...but Joe and the team talked about how the offense has "another level" they can get to - but it seems to me like they have almost taken a step back in recent weeks.

What do you guys think? Does the offense have another level...and if they do what exactly does that look like and can they get there?

To me it's marrying the long sustaining drives (which they have been good at) with the explosive plays. Once that happens, I think they will be on that level they are looking for.

Bengals end the year with 4 (Bucs yesterday) of the best defenses in the NFL. There is no doubt teams have made adjustments to not allow the "big plays" of the 2021 Bengals. The Bengals receivers normally get separation, but yesterday refs were allowing a lot of holding and contact past 5 yards.

Yesterday thanks to the defense and special teams, the offense was handed really good field position in the second half. But, the offense still had to finish those drives. Our QB had 4 TD's when the offense had an off day (a lot due to TB defense) and we scored 34 points.

Think about that, an off day and score 34 with no defensive and special teams TD's. Yes, it is hard to look consistent against great defenses. NE got a pick 6 and shut down Adams with 4 catches for only 28 yards, they are up next. BB may be one of the best defensive minds ever in the NFL so yes I look for the Pats to make our offense look bad at times Saturday. That is what great defenses so, they make the other team look bad, but in the end, can Joe B. and the offense make enough plays to beat the Pats, then the Bills and then the Ravens.

One thing Big Ben did to us over the years was finish us off with a time consuming drive at the end of games, Joe B. and the offense did that again yesterday, it was a thing of beauty considering we had no real running game yesterday, but a combination of run and pass and converting on 3rd and short. They put the final nail in Brady's coffin with that drive,

The Bengals are 3rd in the AFC in scoring after 15 weeks, to use Brady's words, the Bengals offense is pretty good.

(12-19-2022, 11:34 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Let me first start out by saying I love this team. I love the coaching staff. This isn't really a criticism of the players, the staff, or the team.

That being said, there is still SOMETHING that is just bugging me about the way this offense operates.

Maybe I am spoiled or something, but it just seems like this offense goes into lulls sometimes. The first half against the Bucs is what I am talking about - where it just seems like things are so much harder than they should be.

I was one of the first ones to complain early in the season about how we need to sustain drives and how we can't just rely on the explosive plays like we did last year - now I feel like this offense is lacking explosive plays and we don't take enough shots down field.

Again, this isn't a criticism and I think the offense has been fine for the most part...but Joe and the team talked about how the offense has "another level" they can get to - but it seems to me like they have almost taken a step back in recent weeks.

What do you guys think? Does the offense have another level...and if they do what exactly does that look like and can they get there?

To me it's marrying the long sustaining drives (which they have been good at) with the explosive plays. Once that happens, I think they will be on that level they are looking for.

If Joe throws a tipped int early in the game, it seems like we go into conservative mode. It was a tipped ball that shot 20 feet in the air that is a pick almost every time it happens in an NFL football game. That is no reason to get conservative and start checking everything down with 1-yard routes.

We did this against the Browns as well they need to shake that off like a CB giving up a catch and go to the next play.

As far as the big plays go it is best to go for them when we get up by a touchdown or more and we have been throwing short to intermediate stuff all game catches them sleeping. Kind of like when we threw to Wilcox at the end of the game after not targeting him all game. Which I think is a mistake as well because that dude can catch and is fairly smooth-running routes and does not look slow. Use this guy more catching the ball next man up.

Tampa came out playing hard after getting humiliated by the 49ers, due credit to the Bucs as they are professionals. However, for a good portion of the first half, it was looking like Mixon was returning to his "dancing Joe" days of first half of this season. I was saying to myself, "This offense needs to feed Tampa a healthy dose of 'Samashee Perine'.

(12-19-2022, 01:16 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Tampa came out playing hard after getting humiliated by the 49ers, due credit to the Bucs as they are professionals.  However, for a good portion of the first half, it was looking like Mixon was returning to his "dancing Joe" days of first half of this season.  I was saying to myself, "This offense needs to feed Tampa a healthy dose of 'Samashee Perine'.

More Sammy an less Tricky Dick Mixon , for me.  Because of his blocking inadequacies, black Joe , I fear, is gonna  aid in white Joe's season ending , prematurely.

And another thing

We watch every snap of every game the Bengals play. We overanalyze every aspect of every play. We know the names, numbers, stats of every player on the team.

We see bits and pieces of the Chiefs, Bills, Eagles, and Cowboys. Perhaps a game here, couple qtrs. there. We know a half dozen or so of the big name players and watch the highlights on ESPN.

Every team out there goes through flat spots, rough halves, rough games. We just don't see it as much because the media doesn't show you all the bad plays whatever team ran.

You're not going to win every game "pretty". And December football is much different than Sept. and Oct. football.

Just win baby and it doesn't matter that much how.

(12-19-2022, 11:55 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Mixon also had missed time.

Ideally, you want 350+ yards of total offense in a game, 24+ points a game.
Bengals only needed 237 total yards of offense yesterday, but they put up 34 points.
Don't forget too that the Bucs are a Top 10 defense. 10th in Points Allowed, 7th in Yards Allowed.

Expect similar these next few weeks.
NE, BUF, and BAL are all Top 10 defenses.
As long as Bengals are finding ways to get points and win, that's ultimately what matters.

That damn FAIRLY tough defense prevented the offense from getting close to 350 total yards... 

(12-19-2022, 12:31 PM)Big_Ern Wrote: How about that sick underhand shovel in the RedZone that should have been picked. Moron just batted it down

I hope that play sheet got ripped out of the book after the game and burned.

(12-19-2022, 01:16 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Tampa came out playing hard after getting humiliated by the 49ers, due credit to the Bucs as they are professionals.  However, for a good portion of the first half, it was looking like Mixon was returning to his "dancing Joe" days of first half of this season.  I was saying to myself, "This offense needs to feed Tampa a healthy dose of 'Samashee Perine'.

Love the way he runs - and the fact that he is a complete back - especially in blitz pickups

Give Joe a good lane and he is formidable and can get you big chunks of yardage, but for ground and pound give me Perrine.

(12-19-2022, 11:34 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Let me first start out by saying I love this team. I love the coaching staff. This isn't really a criticism of the players, the staff, or the team.

That being said, there is still SOMETHING that is just bugging me about the way this offense operates.

Maybe I am spoiled or something, but it just seems like this offense goes into lulls sometimes. The first half against the Bucs is what I am talking about - where it just seems like things are so much harder than they should be.

I was one of the first ones to complain early in the season about how we need to sustain drives and how we can't just rely on the explosive plays like we did last year - now I feel like this offense is lacking explosive plays and we don't take enough shots down field.

Again, this isn't a criticism and I think the offense has been fine for the most part...but Joe and the team talked about how the offense has "another level" they can get to - but it seems to me like they have almost taken a step back in recent weeks.

What do you guys think? Does the offense have another level...and if they do what exactly does that look like and can they get there?

To me it's marrying the long sustaining drives (which they have been good at) with the explosive plays. Once that happens, I think they will be on that level they are looking for.

Nice thread. Yeah, it isn't quite there yet that is for sure. They need to stick with the Gap scheme though with the OL. 

That is my main complaint about yesterday. The wide zone scheme needs to just be thrown out the window. This OL is only good
at the Gap scheme, same with the RB's. Getting our running game going again needs to be the focus this late in the season.