(01-24-2023, 11:15 AM)Au165 Wrote: I didn't then and still now don't believe our issues were the lack of preseason games. The issue was Joe and the coaches didn't have a great plan in place for the cover 2 defenses they were going to be getting the first quarter of the season. No amount of preseason games were going to show them that because teams aren't scheming for preseason games.

We are past that hump and so I don't think we have anything to worry about, let Zach ruin it however he wants as he has shown he knows what he is doing. Also...if McPherson could have hit some kicks it wouldn't have mattered.

The Offensive was disparate earlier in the season too. It looked like they were out there just calling plays instead of running an offense. 


Btw how about all those motions from Chase against the Bills it was a very pleasant surprise.

I did not like the approach, I think the first team needs SOME real game action.

But if Drew Sample blocks the right guy on the PAT attempt (always take the inside guy), we are hosting this one despite Burrow's 4 picks and Wilcox's looping snap.

(01-24-2023, 09:34 AM)Sled21 Wrote: That's a two headed snake. If we had played the starting linemen in the pre-season and lost say Ted Karras for the season due to injury in a meaningless game, we'd all be complaining about why we were playing starters in the pre-season. The coaches and the players ALL say they get better work with the reps they get in practice than they do in PS games anyway. I think it is an unnecessary risk.

Of course it would of been a gamble to play the OL in the PS. But I would of done it looking back so we would of had the 1 seed.

It would obvious early in the season our OL weren't on the same page. I think we would of been winning those first 2 games with a 
little more time of the OL playing together in front of Mixon and Perine. We all know about Burrow and his appendectomy, nothing we
could do about that, but playing the OL more could of been done and it would of helped as long as no one got injured.

It is a gamble I know.

(01-24-2023, 10:52 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Agree, We were several games into the season before Oline got it together. That could have been quicker with some preseason time I do believe.

And I know the injury argument. But I still feel the 1st team needs a good bit of preseason snaps to polish off the rust.

(01-24-2023, 11:37 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: No.

Burrow got sacked 13 times and 20 qb hits in the first two weeks, and the Bengals had to dig themselves out of an 0-2 hole because of that.

They play in the preseason and the Bengals are the #1 seed, Burrow probably has 8 less sacks on the season, and Burrow is also MVP.


EDIT: Tom Brady is 47-19 in Sept.

Burrow could of got hurt playing behind a unprepared OL if we want to argue points here.

I would rather gamble with the OL than our franchise.

(01-24-2023, 01:24 PM)Synric Wrote: Btw how about all those motions from Chase against the Bills it was a very pleasant surprise.

We talked about it all year. Using that orbit motion to send him either way gets the linebackers and safeties eyes moving and it opens up so much more!

(01-24-2023, 02:21 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Burrow could of got hurt playing behind a unprepared OL if we want to argue points here.

I would rather gamble with the OL than our franchise.

Yeah, the odds of Burrow getting killed while taking 13 sacks and 20 hits in the first 2 weeks is way greater than the offensive line going to complete shit because of getting injured in the preseason.

Also worth noting if we're playing what-if with injuries? If the Bengals had won both Week 1 and 2 they would have already locked the #1 seed down already heading into Week 18. They would have sat starters against the Ravens (the game where Cappa got hurt) and then they would have had a bye for Wildcard Weekend (where Jonah got hurt).

Getting an extra 1-2 weeks off at the end of the season is probably a whole lot more beneficial for all the guys bodies than playing some drives in the preseason can potentially be bad for the body.

Can't let Burrow go into a season where the OL isn't ready again.

(01-24-2023, 03:15 PM)Au165 Wrote: We talked about it all year. Using that orbit motion to send him either way gets the linebackers and safeties eyes moving and it opens up so much more!

Chase is built like a RB and can be used like Deebo more than he is (not as much as Deebo tho). It was good to see and hopefully they saw how it unlocked the offense.