The Bengals don’t have any All-Pros on defense, but that doesn't stop Lou Anarumo's unit from beating the best QBs in football@MattVerderame on the defensive coordinator at the helm of it all ↓ https://t.co/O7WhmAdAFd

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 9, 2023

Good stuff.

It still blows my mind how much we all  (edit - many of us) despised Anarumo's defense in 2019 and 2020, and the thought on him now two years later. I guess he really did inherit guys that just straight up were in no way, shape, or form a fit for what he wanted to run.

(08-10-2023, 10:00 AM)ochocincos Wrote: It still blows my mind how much we all despised Anarumo's defense in 2019 and 2020, and the thought on him now two years later. I guess he really did inherit guys that just straight up were in no way, shape, or form a fit for what he wanted to run.

Don't count more on that one, I stayed supportive of him, and I think he had hand bringing in some FAs and draft picks. 

(08-10-2023, 10:00 AM)ochocincos Wrote: It still blows my mind how much we all despised Anarumo's defense in 2019 and 2020, and the thought on him now two years later. I guess he really did inherit guys that just straight up were in no way, shape, or form a fit for what he wanted to run.

"all", I remember getting into it with a few of you posters on here about that. The first year of the Zac era was bad, it was full of Marvin's players. Year 2, we were playing with pretty much anyone we could find off the street. The injuries on D were astounding. Sometimes you have to have a little patience. I still laugh at the people that were saying Zac and Lou were overwhelmed. "Zac was never a coordinator, Lou was a D2 coordinator", I still get a chuckle when it comes to the unemployed NFL Executives on this board...

(08-10-2023, 10:55 AM)sandwedge Wrote: "all", I remember getting into it with a few of you posters on here about that. The first year of the Zac era was bad, it was full of Marvin's players. Year 2, we were playing with pretty much anyone we could find off the street. The injuries on D were astounding. Sometimes you have to have a little patience. I still laugh at the people that were saying Zac and Lou were overwhelmed. "Zac was never a coordinator, Lou was a D2 coordinator", I still get a chuckle when it comes to the unemployed NFL Executives on this board...

Fair.
For myself personally, I didn't start watching football until Marvin was here, so I've always seen basically the same thing.
I think those that were frustrated with Taylor (like myself) didn't want to see a backslide from 6-10, which was Marvin's last record.
We wanted (and expected) someone new to come in and immediately have a better record.
It's hard to sell someone on, "Things are going to get worse before they get better," and, "It's going to take at least a couple years to bring in people that fit my culture."

Stories will be told how we mocked the Lou hire, just to realize the gem he is.

It’s also interesting to think if it wasn’t for Taylor he’d still be an unknown secondary coach getting fired with every coaching staff he’s with.

There probably is a lot of Lou’s in the coaching ranks. It’s a good ole boys club so we’ll keep seeing these failed dc retreads get opportunities and constantly fired before a hidden gems get shots.

I'm gonna keep an eye out for Lou this year at the WVU vs OSU game during the Bengals bye week. Apparently he was sitting in my section during the WVU vs OU game last year lol. Would be fun to give him a Who Dey in Steelers country.

(08-10-2023, 10:00 AM)ochocincos Wrote: It still blows my mind how much we all despised Anarumo's defense in 2019 and 2020, and the thought on him now two years later. I guess he really did inherit guys that just straight up were in no way, shape, or form a fit for what he wanted to run.

Who's, "we all?"

Lou had to build up the trenches first with proven vets, adding to the Secondary as well with proven vets and grow our LB's under
Golden and now Bettcher. Been a slow climb to the top, but yes, this Defense under Lou is very smart and they can give the best QB's
in the league tons of troubles with all their different looks and everything they are able to do. Cannot wait to see how good this D can
be this year with this amount of speed in the Secondary, we might be the fastest in the NFL this year.

After the first 2 years under Lou I was calling for his head, because in the 2nd year, we weren't completely decimated by injuries but
we still sucked, so I thought it was time to move on, but I was impatient and am so happy the FO was smart and stuck to the plan.

Lou is probably my favorite DC we have ever had and that is saying something with how much I loved Zim and still do.

(08-10-2023, 11:40 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Fair.
For myself personally, I didn't start watching football until Marvin was here, so I've always seen basically the same thing.
I think those that were frustrated with Taylor (like myself) didn't want to see a backslide from 6-10, which was Marvin's last record.
We wanted (and expected) someone new to come in and immediately have a better record.
It's hard to sell someone on, "Things are going to get worse before they get better," and, "It's going to take at least a couple years to bring in people that fit my culture."

That is fair. In Zac's case, you can only do so much house cleaning in the 1st year. It's not like you can field a whole new team. I even think Zac would admit that hiring Turner was a mistake that shouldn't have happen.

(08-10-2023, 04:19 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Who's, "we all?"  

Yeah, isn't that funny? I've been on the Zac and Lou train since day one and never waivered. Lou inherited aging vets who wanted to do what they always did instead of playing in his system. They were shown the door and people whined and cursed Lou. Now look.

(08-10-2023, 04:19 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Who's, "we all?"  

Maybe not all, but definitely some/most.

As far as Lou and Zac. Zac always wanted Lou but ownership wanted him to maybe get even an experienced DC or maybe even former head coach as his DC. It was late because of the Super Bowl and luckily he ended up getting Lou. I’ve told this story before I know a current AFC assistant coach and former NFL coach. The entire NFL knew the Bengals roster had a few aging superstars but the roster top to bottom was awful. Not to say Zac & Lou’s inexperience didn’t contribute

(08-10-2023, 05:43 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Yeah, isn't that funny? I've been on the Zac and Lou train since day one and never waivered. Lou inherited aging vets who wanted to do what they always did instead of playing in his system. They were shown the door and people whined and cursed Lou. Now look.

I was on that train also. Poor Carlos didn't get his way so he acted like a child and got traded. Totally the coaching staffs fault...

Lou and Zac and Co. deserve some serious credit. But they were bad that first year and the defense still some in the second year. I don't think it's laughable that people pointed that out. There's still a talent>coaching I still worry about. I'll give Lou the benefit of doubt here but we're going in with secondary with a lot of different pieces. So we will see how the coaches handle this change. As for the offense I hope to continue to see improvement in play calling.

Is the talent greater than the coaching tho? The league seems to disagree. One of the defensive rally cries is the free agents were dumped by their previous teams and not deemed worthy of a second contract.

1 probowler.

A team even with our success many outside of Cinci couldn’t name a defensive player.

(08-10-2023, 10:59 PM)jj22 Wrote: Is the talent greater than the coaching tho? The league seems to disagree. One of the defensive rally cries is the free agents were dumped by their previous teams and not deemed worthy of a second contract.

1 probowler.

A team even with our success many outside of Cinci couldn’t name a defensive player.

I'm not too sure the guys were cast offs. I know that's how the players might have felt but all teams have to make tough decisions. 

Is talent better than coaching? I don't know  but it is a little concern. Only 1 pro bowler and it was Trey. Tell me Reader shouldn't get the nod because he doesn't get the sacks but the dude shuts down the run. I also think while Bates and Bell maybe weren't pro bowl they made one heck of a tandem. I've said before we knocked it out of the park with the free agents on the defense the last few years. Maybe we'll keep that going with Nick Scott. I also think Mike Hilton was a huge pickup and might have had a bigger impact than we realize with bringing in a winning culture and pushing camaraderie in the secondary.

(08-10-2023, 09:03 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: Lou and Zac and Co. deserve some serious credit. But they were bad that first year and the defense still some in the second year. I don't think it's laughable that people pointed that out. There's still a talent>coaching I still worry about. I'll give Lou the benefit of doubt here but we're going in with secondary with a lot of different pieces. So we will see how the coaches handle this change. As for the offense I hope to continue to see improvement in play calling.

Nobody should have realistically been expecting them to not be and coming in and implementing a new system with players who did not want to change or were on their last leg of their career. 

(08-10-2023, 10:59 PM)jj22 Wrote: Is the talent greater than the coaching tho? The league seems to disagree. One of the defensive rally cries is the free agents were dumped by their previous teams and not deemed worthy of a second contract.

1 probowler.

A team even with our success many outside of Cinci couldn’t name a defensive player.

No, it's not. Not 1 All Pro on this defense, and very few Pro Bowlers. The players call Lou the Mad Scientist for a reason. His half time adjustments are magnificient.

(08-11-2023, 08:24 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Nobody should have realistically been expecting them to not be and coming in and implementing a new system with players who did not want to change or were on their last leg of their career. 

That's just it. The coaches were bad. It wasn't just the players. Sure Burrow is better than Dalton and Chase is better than Green at the point he was. The same with the defense we added some great players in free agency. But everyone to act like it was all the players fault is a little ridiculous.