If the Bengals are going to upset the Ravens, they are going to need to come with an unexpected wrinkle. Preferably on defense.

And we have one in Njongmeta. A hammer in the middle and downhill thumper in the run game.

If Lou wants to sure up the run D he needs to lean into the old faithful 4-3 base. And play Njongmeta on first and second downs to defend against Henry.

(10-01-2024, 11:22 AM)jj22 Wrote: If the Bengals are going to upset the Ravens, they are going to need to come with an unexpected wrinkle. Preferably on defense.

And we have one in Njongmeta. A hammer in the middle and downhill thumper in the run game.

If Lou wants to sure up the run D he needs to lean into the old faithful 4-3 base. And play Njongmeta on first and second downs to defend against Henry.

The problem with that is the Ravens also have some really good TEs on their roster that will need coverage better than Njongmeta is capable of providing.

(10-01-2024, 11:26 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: The problem with that is the Ravens also have some really good TEs on their roster that will need coverage better than Njongmeta is capable of providing.

Baltimore is stuffing the run. Their pass defense numbers aren’t great but likely a result of teams having to pass. But they’ve got more playmakers than we do. But Chase and Joey have had success. The Bengals have had success. But the combo of Henry and Lamar in the run game a toughie.

I sure hope the Bengals have a better wrinkle than playing a sub-par athlete, undrafted linebacker to slow down two former MVP candidates running the ball.

(10-01-2024, 11:46 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Baltimore is stuffing the run. Their pass defense numbers aren’t great but likely a result of teams having to pass. But they’ve got more playmakers than we do. But Chase and Joey have had success. The Bengals have had success. But the combo of Henry and Lamar in the run game a toughie.

I look for Henry to show a little fatigue in this game. In the past two weeks he's had 49 carries for around 350 yards. To make up for a reduced production game from Henry, I anticipate Jackson relying on passing to the TEs to draw the safeties in and allow him a couple 1 on 1 deep shots to Flowers. For any shot of winning, the Bengals will need to somehow jump out to a two score lead and put a little panic into Jackson and the Ravens offense, as that is when they are most apt to make an unforced error.

(10-01-2024, 12:15 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I look for Henry to show a little fatigue in this game. In the past two weeks he's had 49 carries for around 350 yards. To make up for a reduced production game from Henry, I anticipate Jackson relying on passing to the TEs to draw the safeties in and allow him a couple 1 on 1 deep shots to Flowers. For any shot of winning, the Bengals will need to somehow jump out to a two score lead and put a little panic into Jackson and the Ravens offense, as that is when they are most apt to make an unforced error.

Solid assessment! This is a divisional game and these guys know one another very well. I expect a close game. 

(10-01-2024, 12:15 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I look for Henry to show a little fatigue in this game. In the past two weeks he's had 49 carries for around 350 yards. To make up for a reduced production game from Henry, I anticipate Jackson relying on passing to the TEs to draw the safeties in and allow him a couple 1 on 1 deep shots to Flowers. For any shot of winning, the Bengals will need to somehow jump out to a two score lead and put a little panic into Jackson and the Ravens offense, as that is when they are most apt to make an unforced error.

I think the offense by the end of the year is pretty good. I think Lou has been really creative the last several years beating the best teams. We’ve won a lot of big games but the lack of run defense is so limiting.

(10-01-2024, 12:15 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I look for Henry to show a little fatigue in this game. In the past two weeks he's had 49 carries for around 350 yards. To make up for a reduced production game from Henry, I anticipate Jackson relying on passing to the TEs to draw the safeties in and allow him a couple 1 on 1 deep shots to Flowers. For any shot of winning, the Bengals will need to somehow jump out to a two score lead and put a little panic into Jackson and the Ravens offense, as that is when they are most apt to make an unforced error.

Doubt he shows any fatigue after just 4 games and he won't need to tote the rock that many times this sunday, imo, as Lamar will get his designed runs. It would be one thing if the Cinci. D could actually consistently penetrate, make contact and put hits on a RB at the LOS, and not allow the OL to get to the 2nd level but that hasn't happened in a couple years and that's at full strength. Thing about Henry is he's a downhill runner and he'll get 3-4 yards by mistake and as bad as Cinci. wraps up there will potentially be plenty of YAC.

I think it will be a good game as long as the Cinci. OL can provide the protection against the aggressive pass rush and blitz packages they show. Cinci. simply can't be faced with many 3rd and long situations offensively.

(10-01-2024, 12:26 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: I think the offense by the end of the year is pretty good. I think Lou has been really creative the last several years beating the best teams. We’ve won a lot of big games but the lack of run defense is so limiting.

Even if only BJ Hill and Myles Murphy return from injury, it will go a long way towards making the Bengals not so inviting to run on. As long as Kris Jenkins continues to develop and improve, the DL should be respectable soon.

#nickname: The Hammer
#status: Unofficial

Sorry to ruin the love affair but honestly the guy makes alot of tackles 5 yards down field. Like the Dhani Jones of preseason

(10-01-2024, 12:15 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I look for Henry to show a little fatigue in this game. In the past two weeks he's had 49 carries for around 350 yards. To make up for a reduced production game from Henry, I anticipate Jackson relying on passing to the TEs to draw the safeties in and allow him a couple 1 on 1 deep shots to Flowers. For any shot of winning, the Bengals will need to somehow jump out to a two score lead and put a little panic into Jackson and the Ravens offense, as that is when they are most apt to make an unforced error.

Nice thoughts Sunset. Makes a lot of sense. I also like what I saw from Njongmeta in Preseason in stopping the run, but like you and
other's say he is not a good athlete against the pass and would be a one trick pony that an Offense could take advantage of. Logan has
been good against the run, it has been the DL and the Secondary that have had problems making plays in the backfield and tackling.

If we can get a decent lead we have a very good chance of pulling out a win. The Ravens have been poor against the pass this season.

Losing McDonald to the Squawks has hurt them a bit here.

(10-01-2024, 11:22 AM)jj22 Wrote: If the Bengals are going to upset the Ravens, they are going to need to come with an unexpected wrinkle. Preferably on defense.

And we have one in Njongmeta. A hammer in the middle and downhill thumper in the run game.

If Lou wants to sure up the run D he needs to lean into the old faithful 4-3 base. And play Njongmeta on first and second downs to defend against Henry.

If he was faster, took better angles, and could cover a receiver this would be a solid idea.

Henry and Jackson are going to cook. That will lead to some play action down field. Should be some nice highlights for them. One punt or turnover by the Bengals and it will be over.

If Baltimore beats them with the pass so beit. What Bengals have to do is make sure they don't get run all over. That nickel base defense has to change and a traditional 4-3 would be best fit to focus on stopping the run.

You think Pratt and Wilson can stop the run as the sole LB's? They've sucked at it for years now.

Baltimore is going to rack up 300 yards rushing as it stands right now. Something is going to have to change if there is a fighting chance to win this game.

I saw Njongmeta make alot of stops behind the line of scrimmage, but he reminded me of Rey M the way he did the tough work of crashing down on the blockers being physical in that initial contact to blow up the blocking scheme, freeing up others to make the tackle on the rb. Something we haven't seen or had in a LB in awhile. 

Dude ran a 4.91 he would be a liability against Lamar.

Dependent on how you use him. Henry did do damage on the outside against the Bills but it's still the best option to force him horizontal. How you do that. Collapse the middle which Njongmeta can do.

Njongmeta can be a piece not the answer. Bengals don't even have a piece right now to even began to defend Henry.

Lou is going to have to do something different. Staying in nickel an expecting 2 linebackers and 300 pound Dlineman isn't an answer. It hasn't been against less run capable teams.

I don't want to hear the Offense getting attacked for not being able to score 40. 

(10-01-2024, 12:15 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I look for Henry to show a little fatigue in this game. In the past two weeks he's had 49 carries for around 350 yards. To make up for a reduced production game from Henry, I anticipate Jackson relying on passing to the TEs to draw the safeties in and allow him a couple 1 on 1 deep shots to Flowers. For any shot of winning, the Bengals will need to somehow jump out to a two score lead and put a little panic into Jackson and the Ravens offense, as that is when they are most apt to make an unforced error.

There may be something to this. If you look at last year, in games where he ran for 19 times or more his average yards per carry dropped by almost two yards on average the following week. Obviously that didn't happen this year from week 3 to week 4, but if you remove his one 87 yard run that was essentially perfectly blocked you will see it did degrade from the previous week to last week by about 1.2 yards per carry.

(10-02-2024, 11:51 AM)Au165 Wrote: There may be something to this. If you look at last year, in games where he ran for 19 times or more his average yards per carry dropped by almost two yards on average the following week. Obviously that didn't happen this year from week 3 to week 4, but if you remove his one 87 yard run that was essentially perfectly blocked you will see it did degrade from the previous week to last week by about 1.2 yards per carry.

I'm not saying that he's old at 30, but he's not 24 anymore and the cumulative effect from such a high workload will take it's toll.