(09-17-2023, 10:05 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Impossible with Trey Hendrickson at an end. People seem to remember the few games he dominates and forget the many games he disappears.  At least Hubbard seems to play the run well for the most part.

Trey is bad versus the run too. Hubbard is the reverse.

(09-17-2023, 08:30 PM)Joelist Wrote: Safeties covering doesn't address the epically bad run defense, which is the main issue. 

sooo... safeties don't help to stop the run?

(09-18-2023, 12:23 AM)WildCat Wrote: sooo... safeties don't help to stop the run?

Yeah. It's obvious we're missing the safeties ALOT.

Hill and Scott are average safeties. Bell and Bates were very good to great. But, not elite.

(09-18-2023, 12:27 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yeah. It's obvious we're missing the safeties ALOT.

Hill and Scott are average safeties. Bell and Bates were very good to great. But, not elite.

and that's why we lost bell and bates. to give a big contract. it happens. but kansas city doesn't seem to have had this problem. that def. points to coaching imho.

(09-18-2023, 12:47 AM)WildCat Wrote: and that's why we lost bell and bates. to give a big contract. it happens. but kansas city doesn't seem to have had this problem. that def. points to coaching imho.

They also have a superstar at DT in Chris Jones that covers up a lot of weaknesses. One thing we don't have.

I cant remember the bengals ever having such an elite defensive guy that OC's had to scheme around...yet pittsburgh always has that one or 2 elite studs on defense. I can go back to the early 90's and recall a stud on Pitt's defense from then, all the way up to today

I'm still optimistic but there is a lot to be desired. From the sample of plays I saw, there were difficulties in:
- (1) setting the edge against the run (got turned inside)
- (2) keeping contain (wide 9, dipped outside but couldn't turn back in when Lamar Jackson took off between OG and OT)
- (3) generating interior pass rush (stalemated by OG)

Does he look like a rookie? Yes. Is he a rookie? Yes. But I didn't see a lot of pass rush moves/ hand movement. He didn't seem to be able to get off his block.

1,2,3 could have been impact plays. As a first rounder, he should eventually make them. He was a non-factor in the Ravens game.

I don't expect anything the rest of the season, but hopefully the coaches find a way to get him to use his athletic potential. Hubbard and Hendrickson are high motor guys but attack the outside. He could have success on stunts playing wide 3T.

(09-18-2023, 12:27 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yeah. It's obvious we're missing the safeties ALOT.

Hill and Scott are average safeties. Bell and Bates were very good to great. But, not elite.

Dax Hill is playing fine.
Nick Scott hasn't been good in coverage but he's been good against the run and as a general tackler.

The real problem (IMO) is the Bengals haven't shown a stout front 7 against the run.
No one's been torching the Bengals secondary, it's been gouging on the ground.
Nearly 400 rushing yards allowed across two games.

Some guys who have come within 10 picks after Murphy who have done better out of the gate:
Felix Anudike-Uzomah (DE K-St) - 1 sack, 4 total pressures
Sam LaPorta (TE Iowa) - 10 rec, 102 yards

Other than those two, no one else picked 29-39 has really done anything.
Luke Musgrave, who was picked 42, does have 75 yards on 5 receptions, but there were big injury concerns with him.

Out of all the TEs from the draft class, only LaPorta, Musgrave, and Kincaid have any kind of decent stats.

Does it suck to see a 1st round draft pick be essentially the last backup in the position group initially? Absolutely.
Is it typical that a late 1st rounder comes in and lights it on fire the first couple games of the year though? No.

I too wish it would have been a TE instead of a DE who was going to ride the bench, but I haven't lost hope on Murphy yet.
Give the dude a season to adapt. We gave Dax Hill that opportunity, and the Bengals still went to the AFCCG despite him riding the bench most of last year.

DL pressure has been one of this teams biggest weaknesses over the past few years. I have zero issue with them drafting a DL to come in and try and fix that.

(09-18-2023, 10:24 AM)Browns Town Bengal Wrote: I cant remember the bengals ever having such an elite defensive guy that OC's had to scheme around...yet pittsburgh always has that one or 2 elite studs on defense.  I can go back to the early 90's and recall a stud on Pitt's defense from then, all the way up to today

Geno Atkins was elite. 

(09-17-2023, 08:30 PM)Joelist Wrote: Safeties covering doesn't address the epically bad run defense, which is the main issue. 

Well, when you are trying to fit two new pieces into your defense both being safeties then you should get them preseason snaps with the number 1 defense. Especially since you do not let your defensive players tackle in practice. I have seen finger pointing at Lou for certain things, but it falls on the head coach for not letting players play in preseason and not tackling in practice. Lou needs to learn to rotate players better so they do not get gassed and blitz more since our 4 cannot get to QB. That is what is in Lou's control.

You cannot teach guys to tackle on a chalk board you need to hit on the field to do that.

(09-19-2023, 10:02 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Geno Atkins was elite. 

this for once has to be a priority in Offseason...lets bring in FAs and draft a couple of DLs
Im sick of seeing AFCN rivals have multiple gamewreckers that we fear game after game...and then we look at our D Line and its all average + talent (Reader is exeption). 
 

(09-19-2023, 10:02 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Geno Atkins was elite. 

I can’t believe this had to be said on a Bengals forum.

(09-19-2023, 10:01 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: DL pressure has been one of this teams biggest weaknesses over the past few years. I have zero issue with them drafting a DL to come in and try and fix that.

The Steelers destroyed the Browns OLine. Watson was running for his life.

If we get even half that pressure, we win against the Browns.

The thread title is more than a little disingenuous. While Murphy hasn't made any noise in his first two games, there is no denying we needed a Defensive End. So we needed a DE... the OP just doesn't like the one we got. It's small issue though, Ossai will be back soon.

Wasn't Myles Murphy supposed to be Hendrickson's replacement?

(09-19-2023, 12:06 PM)Bengalion Wrote: Wasn't Myles Murphy supposed to be Hendrickson's replacement?

Eventually become Hubbard's or Hendrickson's replacement in 2-3 years, rotational guy for the time being.
With the contracts now, it means Murphy has 3 years to get fully ramped up, as neither Hendrickson nor Hubbard are set to hit FA until 2026.
Would give him 1-2 years (if they pick up option) of getting majority of reps while on rookie contract. Maybe earlier if he blossoms sooner.

Watching that game last night made me miss Larry Ogunjobi. Him and Reader were awesome together.

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/myles-murphy/32004d55-5251-9902-72e4-8874355105ea

Interesting that his comp pre draft was Antwan Odom.

(09-19-2023, 12:00 PM)Sled21 Wrote: The thread title is more than a little disingenuous. While Murphy hasn't made any noise in his first two games, there is no denying we needed a Defensive End. So we needed a DE... the OP just doesn't like the one we got. It's small issue though, Ossai will be back soon.

I won't speak for the OP, but I personally was scratching my head why a DE was taken before some other positions of need.
It was known that whatever pass rusher that got drafted was not going to get opportunity to get a majority of defensive snaps.
So was it necessary to take a pass rusher that early given that situation?
Or could they have taken a pass rusher in Rd 3-4 to groom and taken a position with better opportunity to see the field in Rd 1?

I think that might be some people's gripe.

They just wanted someone who could get more opportunity right away.
But that opportunity really would have just been TE, maybe CB based on Awuzie's recovery.