(09-11-2023, 10:02 AM)jj22 Wrote: What we saw out of Burrow was alarming. For one, we never even thought he could have a game like that. Even when imagining what his worse game would look like.

We've never saw that before.

Recovering from injury or not, we've never saw that. That was something different then the typical slow start.

He's going to have to learn how to throw a wet ball. Maybe they can turn the sprinklers on in the bubble.

Ok I take it back. I said I wasn't going to grind on it, but now I'm going to grind on it, haha.

I'm old school I know. But I'm just against the starters not playing at all in preseason games! Like you said it was like our offense was playing together for the first time ever.

Two Oline players whom had never played an in game snap together and just on and on. In summary the no starters in preseason policy hurts, it shows! I get Joe couldn't play but IMHO it dang sure would have been better for the other 10 starters to play a few preseason series.

Let's take a look at something....in 2021, we beat Minnesota out of the gate. In 2022, QB1 had 4 picks and a fumble. In 2023, QB1 went 14/31 for 82 yards.

There was a conversation in a thread somewhere here last week about Burrow being a slow starter. There were a few posters that blew it off, but it is true. It isn't completely his fault as he always has something that limits his camp availability - COVID, knee injury, appendectomy, calf injury - but Burrow historically does not play well to open the season. On a team that lives or dies by its QB, that also means the team will be a slow starter.

I am not super concerned by his inability to throw the ball yesterday, though it is strange. He has been able to play in the rain before, but I am willing to chalk that up to some strange one off. I am more concerned about the fact that he did not seem completely healthy yesterday.

(09-11-2023, 10:08 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Ok I take it back. I said I wasn't going to grind on it, but now I'm going to grind on it, haha.

I'm old school I know. But I'm just against the starters not playing at all in preseason games! Like you said it was like our offense was playing together for the first time ever.

Two Oline players whom had never played an in game snap together and just on and on. In summary the no starters in preseason policy hurts, it shows! I get Joe couldn't play but IMHO it dang sure would have been better for the other 10 starters to play a few preseason series.

I agree somewhat, and we did play starters on defense at Atlanta. That said, the Rams take the same approach and it worked out pretty well for them. Of course, their QB didn't shit the bed, so there's that.

(09-11-2023, 09:25 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Interesting that with 2 new Safeties the defense was ready to play. Certainly the rain factored and Joe and the offense’s lack of continuity but they didn’t look very good.

I agree that the defense did look rather good, until they were worn down from being on the field so much from all of the 3 and outs.

(09-11-2023, 08:30 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: The idea that Zac Taylor's teams are going to stumble out of the gate each season?  I mean as a fan it is rather annoying to see a so-called championship caliber team's offense playing like they all just met each other for the first time, but they'll improve, right?

I don't know that we stumble out of the gate. We did last year.

(09-11-2023, 10:08 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Ok I take it back. I said I wasn't going to grind on it, but now I'm going to grind on it, haha.

I'm old school I know. But I'm just against the starters not playing at all in preseason games! Like you said it was like our offense was playing together for the first time ever.

Two Oline players whom had never played an in game snap together and just on and on. In summary the no starters in preseason policy hurts, it shows! I get Joe couldn't play but IMHO it dang sure would have been better for the other 10 starters to play a few preseason series.

Mahomes played in the preseason, so did Pickett. They both walked away with the same L we did. It happens, no one is going to win them all.

Neither team looked as bad as the Bengals (Burrow).

(09-11-2023, 10:19 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Mahomes played in the preseason, so did Pickett. They both walked away with the same L we did. It happens, no one is going to win them all.

I think that's a great point.

I think that Cleveland, for whatever reason...has our number.

(09-11-2023, 10:19 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Mahomes played in the preseason, so did Pickett. They both walked away with the same L we did. It happens, no one is going to win them all.

My biggest worry was o line was pretty much owned by the Browns.

I hope Collins can return soon. Jonah looked really poor yesterday.

Any thoughts on whether we need a new o line coach?

As we've discussed, unless losing early in the season and/or losing to the Browns starts to matter we don't need to care about it.  It hasn't hurt us yet, but it also sort of stings to admit our "new dey" consists of what, being 1-6 versus the Browns?  Didn't see that coming, I'll admit.

Particularly since our "goodbye Marvin" comments involved saying that he was fired because he got swept by the Browns and Mike Brown don't play dat.

(09-11-2023, 10:04 AM)Sled21 Wrote: He's going to have to learn how to throw a wet ball. Maybe they can turn the sprinklers on in the bubble.

He doesn't like to wear a glove, but to see him put one on in the 2nd and 3rd quarters tells you the rain was a major factor in him throwing it.
It wasn't like Watson was lighting it up either. He had some crappy throws too. at one point he was 7/14 for 50ish yards.

Zac needs to have a little chat with the Equipment manager, something in the "break 'em in process" wasn't working with those balls.

We have a very confident, maybe cocky group of young leaders on the team. Sometimes I think they go into the season way overconfident...and the early losses knock them back to reality a bit.

I suppose we do have to accept it. Zac lead teams test our fandom patience when starting the season.

(09-11-2023, 10:19 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Mahomes played in the preseason, so did Pickett. They both walked away with the same L we did. It happens, no one is going to win them all.

Stafford didn't play in the preseason, wonder what his stats looked like. 

(09-11-2023, 10:28 AM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: He doesn't like to wear a glove, but to see him put one on in the 2nd and 3rd quarters tells you the rain was a major factor in him throwing it.
It wasn't like Watson was lighting it up either. He had some crappy throws too. at one point he was 7/14 for 50ish yards.

Zac needs to have a little chat with the Equipment manager, something in the "break 'em in process" wasn't working with those balls.

Watson was bailed out by his coach and team.  It really seems like the gameplan, as successful as it has been, in Cincy is just "Put Burrow out there" because when he's not getting it done there is a general feeling of "Well, we're all out of ideas."

In my opinion it's because the coach sat all the starters on offense for the preseason. I know Burrow was hurt but they could have worked on different things in the preseason games, like run blocking and the line gelling getting live reps against blitz pickups and other things. Even our great starters need those reps in live action games, that's why they have preseason games. Instead, our coach sat everybody and let them watch.

(09-11-2023, 10:23 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I think that's a great point.

I think that Cleveland, for whatever reason...has our number.

They typically dominate us up front. It wasn't as bad yesterday, but they still won that battle. 

(09-11-2023, 10:32 AM)Hello to everyone Wrote: In my opinion it's because the coach sat all the starters on offense for the preseason. I know Burrow was hurt but they could have worked on different things in the preseason games, like run blocking and the line gelling getting live reps against blitz pickups and other things. Even our great starters need those reps in live action games, that's why they have preseason games. Instead, our coach sat everybody and let them watch.

So did LA....they won 30-13.