While the Packers players played well and executed well, the scheme Green Bay used had a lot to do with them blasting a top ranked defense like they did. So what did they do?

1) Operated mostly under center

2) Passed and ran from the same formations

3) Used rollouts a lot

1 and 2 combined to disguise the play - they kept the Cowboys guessing as to what the play was. This makes the DL and superstars like Micah Parsons hesitate that little bit. 3 was also useful as it provided some play extension and again added guesswork - IF it is pass and IF they roll will it be right or left? This making the defense guess caused big plays including a touchdown so easy it was almost comical (Musgrave's in Q3).

So what does this mean for us?

We actually saw this to some extent against San Francisco, and the result was the Bengals blasted a top ranked defense. It also is evidence that what we need to fix is the scheme more than anything else. Our current "scheme" does not make the defense guess at all because our run-pass and shotgun-under center tendencies are so strong. Add in the route tree hasn't really changed since Burrow came aboard and defenses tee off on us. This sets up ANY offensive line to fail. In fact, it's surprising with these issues that they did as well as they did (they were averaging about 2.4 sacks per game before the injury and ended at 2.9 sacks per game - and a LOT of the ones post injury were on Browning).

Simply put if the overall scheme is not fixed it won't matter who plays OL or who the OL coach is - they will still struggle.

We pass and run from the same formation all the time. Shotgun. We just suck at running the ball so defenses don't care to stop it.

(01-15-2024, 03:56 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: We pass and run from the same formation all the time. Shotgun. We just suck at running the ball so defenses don't care to stop it.

No we don't. It is EASY to tell when we run and when we pass - the position of the back literally gives it away as do the personnel packages. This has been called out by analysts and such for a while now. 

(01-15-2024, 04:01 PM)Joelist Wrote: No we don't. It is EASY to tell when we run and when we pass - the position of the back literally gives it away as do the personnel packages. This has been called out by analysts and such for a while now. 

No, it's not and no, it doesn't.

I can see a bit of luck here and there, but if people knew what play would be run depending on formation and RB position, we'd be 0-17

(01-15-2024, 04:01 PM)Joelist Wrote: No we don't. It is EASY to tell when we run and when we pass - the position of the back literally gives it away as do the personnel packages. This has been called out by analysts and such for a while now. 

Damn how are we 6-3 vs SF KC & Bills? You’d think if we were so predictable we’d be winless instead over the 3 winningest teams the last 3 years in the NFL. Wow that means we have even better coaches to overcome it. I’m with Weezy

(01-15-2024, 04:32 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: No, it's not and no, it doesn't.

I can see a bit of luck here and there, but if people knew what play would be run depending on formation and RB position, we'd be 0-17

Really nothing burger post instead the last 3 years 6/3 vs the 3 best teams

(01-15-2024, 04:01 PM)Joelist Wrote: No we don't. It is EASY to tell when we run and when we pass - the position of the back literally gives it away as do the personnel packages. This has been called out by analysts and such for a while now. 

None of what you're posting is true. You're for some reason thinking of the first four games of 2022 and acting as if it is still the case. In 2023, NFL offenses ran from shotgun on 29.86% of snaps. Cincinnati ran from shotgun on 29.51% of snaps. NFL offenses ran from under center on 71.83% of snaps. Cincinnati did so on 70.86% of snaps. So at least from a shotgun/under center perspective, yeah, they are definitely marrying the two about as well as the rest of the league. 

The position of the back was an issue from early 2022. It hasn't been mentioned since as far as I am aware.

I highly doubt there is too much of a personnel tell outside of very specific situations but if you've got some evidence of it I'd be interested in seeing it. But yeah, I concur with Truck. If it was soooo easy to tell what we are about to do, this team would have had several more issues. 

Cleveland has one of the best defenses in the NFL too but Houston had an offensive gameplan. I was watching the post game analysis and they were showing all the motion, play action, movement Houston was doing to beat the Cleveland defense.