(11-08-2024, 06:54 PM)pulses Wrote: CTB should be a safety and not a CB.

That or a maybe a nickel corner.  Why do we have to keep saying that about every corner we draft?

Another observation: Our corners were not world-beaters in 21 or 22.  Awuzie was good in 21 and missed the last half of 22.  I'm still not sure he was ever a true number 1.  We had rookie CTB and ELI FREAKING APPLE manning those spots for a lot of games when the team was at it's defensive peak.  

The problem goes back to the same place we continue to arrive in these discussions.  We had the best safety tandem in the league and then let both walk in the same year.  With Bates and a younger Bell back there, they could get away with not having great corners.  They lost talent and didn't replace it at safety or anywhere else in the secondary.  Frankly they're lucky they got by for as long as they did with the mediocre talent they were running out at corner.

(11-09-2024, 08:43 AM)Synric Wrote: I wonder what Cam Taylor-Britts side breakdown looks like. It feels like he is playing alot more RCB compared to last year where I think k he played more LCB.

He's played in the slot 29 times. 

LCB 76 times
RCB 455 times

He's taken 70 of those 76 LCB snaps in the last 3 games. 

Last year he played LCB on 301 snaps and RCB on 244 snaps.

Coming into this year I thought CTB would be a real asset. Hopefully he can get back to that same player.

His "decline" has paralled the Bengals decline in pass rush this year and i don't doubt it's across the board for the entire backfield. I doubt he's simply forgotten how to play CB. All the zone Lou is playing behind a very poor pass rush certainly isn't helping his cause. 

He's given up a perfect passer rating against, three times this year. Twice against Baltimore and once against Andy Dalton.

2024 - 131.3, 3 worst games: 158.3, 158.3, 130.4
2023 - 67.6, 3 worst games: 141.7(blt), 118.8(ten), 116.7(sf)
2022 - 88.3, 3 worst games: 140.3(car), 118.8(cle), 108.3(ten)

(11-09-2024, 02:03 PM)masonbengals fan Wrote: Coming into this year I thought CTB would be a real asset. Hopefully he can get back to that same player.

Yeah, I was always pretty high on him. I thought the only thing that would hold him back was the injuries. But he’s been one of the biggest disappointments in a season full of them.

(11-09-2024, 02:08 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Yeah, I was always pretty high on him. I thought the only thing that would hold him back was the injuries. But he’s been one of the biggest disappointments in a season full of them.

I still think highly of him no disrespect intended. 

The ultimate issue with CTB is he loves to gamble and try to jump routes. There's enough film on him now and WR's just continuously exploit those tendencies and he's too thick to change his play style. Even the highlight plays that people go nuts over are diving plays on the ball ...diving because he's been burned to a crisp and is out of position.

And dude can't tackle and some want him at S?

CTB’s performance is so bipolar.

I’ve seen him look fantastic and brutal.

(11-08-2024, 06:54 PM)pulses Wrote: CTB should be a safety and not a CB.

Kind of always thought that myself Pulses. CTB at Free Safety and Jordan Battle at Strong and we might have a solution here.

CTB won't get beat on those double moves anymore and he would be free to do what he does best and use his athleticism and instincts.

Lou might have sunk our season sticking with CTB too long. Should have made the switch to Newton much sooner. Not only could he literally not be any worse, he actually played pretty well last night once he came in.

CTB needs to join McPherson this offseason at the sports psychologist. Dude is just totally broken at this point.

(11-08-2024, 05:43 PM)Bengalbro Wrote: Dax Hill healthy and Turner are an ok 1-2.

You need better than ok, though, unless you have Max Crosby on the other side of Trey next year AND another interior pass rusher. Neither guy frightens OC's and neither one can take away any part of the field. 

(11-18-2024, 04:21 PM)higgy100 Wrote: You need better than ok, though, unless you have Max Crosby on the other side of Trey next year AND another interior pass rusher. Neither guy frightens OC's and neither one can take away any part of the field. 

And teams will figure out how to attack them too.

With no pass rush, your secondary will struggle.

We play zone for some reason A LOT too...and it just gets picked apart.

Some of our 'stops' in the 2nd half were Herbert airmailing wide open guys too. The Chargers got up big, probably celebrated like they won at halftime and didn't come out focused in the 2nd half.

(11-18-2024, 04:15 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Lou might have sunk our season sticking with CTB too long. Should have made the switch to Newton much sooner. Not only could he literally not be any worse, he actually played pretty well last night once he came in.

Geno Stone and CTB have definitely been the thorns in our Defense's side this season. I like Fig Newton and Jordan Battle and even 
Tycen Anderson is a stud ST'er that should get a chance. Love Vonn for what he done for us in the past, but he isn't the same either.

Look...if we still had Awuzie or some equivalent, CTB would be playing #2 or #3 CB and probably be ok.

He's not a #1 CB and they made him one. It's kinda not his fault. They put him in a role he can't succeed in.

He was the worse CB on a football field that also contained Eli Apple.

(11-18-2024, 05:02 PM)Destro Wrote: He was the worse CB on a football field that also contained Eli Apple.

CTB was damn good late in his rookie season, don't know what has happened to him since. I think Pulses is right and he should be a Free Safety.

(11-18-2024, 05:04 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: CTB was damn good late in his rookie season, don't know what has happened to him since. I think Pulses is right and he should be a Free Safety.

He was a #3 or #4 CB then. Now he's a #1. Huge difference in role.

(11-08-2024, 09:51 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: There have been some recent studies and papers that have come out through PFF that suggest cornerback play/ability to cover is more important than pass rush. 

I agree our pass rush is lacking at times, but it's been blown coverage after blown coverage and technique issues with CTB. He just hasn't been a good cover corner this year. 

Steelers, bless their heart, knew what they were doing when they traded up to get Joey Porter, Jr. in the 2nd round. CB is a vitally important position and Porter was a finalist last year for defensive rookie of the year and getting praise again this year. Bengals really need to find a shutdown corner in the upcoming draft. The problem is they have so many needs. I was hopeful about CTB, but he's been beat so many times this year that it has been killing the Bengals defense.

(11-18-2024, 05:04 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: CTB was damn good late in his rookie season, don't know what has happened to him since. I think Pulses is right and he should be a Free Safety.

He wasn't good as a rookie.  His PFF grade his rookie year was 56.1.  He improved to average starter level last year, with a 64.5, then backslid this year to a 55.7.  CTB is not good.  Never really has been good.  

He's not a FS.  First, he can't tackle.  Second, his instincts and football IQ suck.  That's why he gets exploited and burned deep all the time.  He jumps what he thinks are short routes and gets torched.  

Guy is bad football player that got by in college on his athleticism.  Now, in the pros, he's been exposed.