Highest PFF Grades from the win over Buffalo

Offense:
1) Burrow, 91.1
2) Higgins, 86.2
3) Hudson, 81.3
4) Sample, 78.0
5) Smith Jr., 74.5

3 TIGHT-ENDS IN THE TOP 5 GRADED OFFENSIVE PLAYERS

Defense:
1) Taylor-Britt, 88.6
2) Awuzie, 76.3
3) BJ Hill, 75.4
4) Reader, 72.4
5) D.…

— Der German Tiger? (@DerGermanTiger) November 7, 2023

We got some nice Tight Ends

Funny, Burrow graded higher this week than last week...

I guess the coaches knew what they had in the Tight End room, and running back room afterall. Not that they wouldn’t have drafted someone good if available.

(11-08-2023, 12:06 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: I guess the coaches knew what they had in the Tight End room, and running back room afterall. Not that they wouldn’t have drafted someone good if available.

I mean, Hudson wasn’t even on the active roster for several weeks, so to me that doesn’t exactly speak highly of their evaluation of what they had. He should have been dressed for every game. Especially when Irv Smith was looking like he couldn’t catch a cold for 7 straight games.

The RB room still sucks.

Good to see Awuzie grading higher, hopefully this is a sign he is getting back to full speed.

Hudson coming off PS and scoring in the 80's is sweet. Think that is the highest TE score of the season, why the coaches waited so long to bring him up is very puzzling.

(11-07-2023, 11:46 PM)sandwedge Wrote: Funny, Burrow graded higher this week than last week...

x2. So bizarre

Ps. If we continue to successfully get the TE-game going - this is going to get fun. Opens up all sorts of doors.

(11-07-2023, 11:46 PM)sandwedge Wrote: Funny, Burrow graded higher this week than last week...

Burrow made great decisions the entire game. I don’t remember one bad decision. He missed a couple throws but never put the ball in harms way. Last week he did put it in harms way a couple times especially starting the game.

(11-08-2023, 07:46 AM)Go Cards Wrote: Good to see Awuzie grading higher, hopefully this is a sign he is getting back to full speed.

Hudson coming off PS and scoring in the 80's is sweet. Think that is the highest TE score of the season, why the coaches waited so long to bring him up is very puzzling.

I saw a tweet the other day, it may have been Goodberry, but he said something like Tanner Hudson is to IrV Smith what Trenton Irwin was to Michael Thomas. I think the team wants to give the guys they think were supposed to be good a chance before moving on. We all saw what Irwin did when he got his opportunity and he didn’t get much playing time for about 2 1/2 years.

(11-08-2023, 07:46 AM)Go Cards Wrote: Good to see Awuzie grading higher, hopefully this is a sign he is getting back to full speed.

Hudson coming off PS and scoring in the 80's is sweet. Think that is the highest TE score of the season, why the coaches waited so long to bring him up is very puzzling.

Perhaps they were wanting to "save" something for later in the season? Or, it could have simply been a financial thing, as I think after the third call up from PS they have to pay him vet minimum for the rest of the season or something like that?

Taylor said in his interview posted in another thread that Hudson has always been like the 54th player on the roster. My question, because I haven't looked it up, is who was not active that allowed him to move to the game day roster? Was Wilcox active, or was there a scratch at another position?

(11-08-2023, 01:10 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: I mean, Hudson wasn’t even on the active roster for several weeks, so to me that doesn’t exactly speak highly of their evaluation of what they had. He should have been dressed for every game. Especially when Irv Smith was looking like he couldn’t catch a cold for 7 straight games.

The RB room still sucks.

Yep 

It was nice to see Smith finally doing something besides be a warm body on the football field. I hope this was his coming out party and he actually continues to contribute.

But Hudson? WOW I'm a bit confused as to why he wasn't called upon way earlier? He sure seems to have a knack for the game. I'm not saying he's Gronk 2.0 but I believe the guy can be another weapon to pull out of the bag. 

(11-08-2023, 10:07 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Yep 

It was nice to see Smith finally doing something besides be a warm body on the football field. I hope this was his coming out party and he actually continues to contribute.

But Hudson? WOW I'm a bit confused as to why he wasn't called upon way earlier? He sure seems to have a knack for the game. I'm not saying he's Gronk 2.0 but I believe the guy can be another weapon to pull out of the bag. 

I think they’ve done a poor job evaluating him. On the other hand he’s been let go by several teams. A lot of us have been saying they just haven’t utilized that position. In his press conferences he said they thought they might have some success there based on what they expected from the Bills. I’d heard before their regular season and first game with the Bills they like their matchup with the Bills. They jumped out that game before cancellation and the playoff game and then Sunday. It’s amazing this team vs the top teams. They are 6-2 vs KC,Bills, & SF the last few years.

Hudson I was impressed with in preseason.

(11-08-2023, 12:06 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: I guess the coaches knew what they had in the Tight End room, and running back room afterall. Not that they wouldn’t have drafted someone good if available.

Our RBs and TEs are clearly the weakest part of our offense. The RBs have been average at best all year with dome bad games (including against the Bills). I'll need to see more than 1 game where the TEs are utilized before I feel comfortable about our TE room. If Hudson continues to put up good numbers that's honestly more of an indictment on the staff that it took them until week 8 to see it when everyone here and many people covering the team saw it in preseason.

(11-08-2023, 10:32 AM)TheFan Wrote: Our RBs and TEs are clearly the weakest part of our offense. The RBs have been average at best all year with dome bad games (including against the Bills). I'll need to see more than 1 game where the TEs are utilized before I feel comfortable about our TE room. If Hudson continues to put up good numbers that's honestly more of an indictment on the staff that it took them until week 8 to see it when everyone here and many people covering the team saw it in preseason.

I'm going to step out on the ledge here and suggest that it isn't as much the actual personnel as much as the utilization that is making the RB and TE stats so weak.

(11-08-2023, 10:39 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'm going to step out on the ledge here and suggest that it isn't as much the actual personnel as much as the utilization that is making the RB and TE stats so weak.

I would agree if not for the fact that for years Mixon has ranked near the bottom of most categories that rank RBs outside of just YPC. I've been a big Mixon supporter for probably too long but he's just not him and never really has been, in the NFL. Some of its the line but also just his style of running hasn't worked at this level. He gets taken down way too easily by 1 guy, isn't shifty, and doesn't have enough power for his size. He's just average at all of those which coupled with a poor oline makes him an average at best RB. 

I'd feel better about Tanner Hudson if he weren't a 28 year old journey man.

I had no idea he's been in the league for 5 years and is that old. For some reason I thought he was an UDFA this year or something.

(11-08-2023, 10:32 AM)TheFan Wrote: Our RBs and TEs are clearly the weakest part of our offense. The RBs have been average at best all year with dome bad games (including against the Bills). I'll need to see more than 1 game where the TEs are utilized before I feel comfortable about our TE room. If Hudson continues to put up good numbers that's honestly more of an indictment on the staff that it took them until week 8 to see it when everyone here and many people covering the team saw it in preseason.

I don’t necessarily disagree. But James Casey and Joey Boese are probably closest to Zac from the staff. I can promise you Zac backs Casey completely. Coaches are human and like Darren Simmons with a few of his faves maybe Casey liked Wilcox over Hudson. Who knows but Hudson I was impressed with preseason. Everybody here wanted Michael Mayer and he’s done squat.

Joe Mixon sends Dre Greenlaw to the chalk zone pic.twitter.com/uIj2lxy7nU

— mike (@bengals_sans) October 31, 2023

Joe Mixon sets up the second level beautifully here. Bengals are running dart with Orlando Brown leading the way to the second level. Mixon takes one jab outside which gets 23 to bite and then he picks up additional yardage. pic.twitter.com/ew6kM0dR8W

— mike (@bengals_sans) November 7, 2023

Joe Mixon shows off his burst to get outside of Nick Bosa and then is able to literally dance into the end zone. pic.twitter.com/zzJqzDXDln

— mike (@bengals_sans) October 31, 2023

I'm still unsure about Irv who had what was close to being another fumble. Other than that, I hope the 3 headed monster at TE isn't a thing of the past after 1 game. Seems like they can make it work within the offense (especially with Chase back issue).

Chase's numbers were down due to the return of the TE usage, but the more pass catching options the more likely that is to happen to one of the big 3.

(11-08-2023, 10:39 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'm going to step out on the ledge here and suggest that it isn't as much the actual personnel as much as the utilization that is making the RB and TE stats so weak.

It's both for the TEs the personnel isn't great and they under utilize the position which isn't necessarily a bad thing. 


Tanner Hudson did a really good job of reading the coverages and finding a hole to sit in in zone coverage and flashing his numbers back to the QB but they aren't asking the TE group to go out there and be high in the progression against man coverage on 3rd downs. They have 3 very good receivers they rely on in those situations and rightly so...

There was one play Joe just told us they got caught in and he took a chance on Irv Smith Jr. It was a great route against man coverage to win leverage with a good release create separation with his body at the stem flip his hips elevate catch AND get down because he knows those back lines are getting close.