(6 hours ago)bengalfan74 Wrote: We're in serious trouble on D this season, to say the least.

Jordan Battle’s strength is supposed to be tackling because he’s not good in coverage and he looked awful. That combined with how bad Geno Stone tackles is scary to think about. Logan Wilson is a vet and look bad along with Knight who at age 25 I hoped was ready to play right away. I get we had backup DE’s but some of the DT’s were relying on got pushed around too easy for my liking.

The defense being bad is something we all should have known. Ive said it before, and Ill say it again...they did NOTHING to address one of the worst defenses in the league last year other than bring in a mid tier free agent in Slayton and replace some vets with some mid round rookies.

Prepare youselves. This defense is going to be BAD this year.

(6 hours ago)Millhouse Wrote: Agreed. If they don't shore up that run defense and struggle to force punts &/or turnovers when needed, then no chance at a Super Bowl run as making the playoffs will be in doubt.

I'm not even sure with this D we can go 9-8 again? As good as I think our O will be (especially if we get another guard). We're not gonna score 45 points a game. The number required with this D.

As one of the (few?) resident optimists on here, I gotta say that I am worried about the defense. I'm still holding out hope that once he starts to gameplan against each opponent specifically, Golden'll be able to mask SOME of the defense's deficiencies, but man, does the starting defense look out of sync and filled with practice squad caliber talent AT BEST. I mean, it's one thing to be vanilla and not call plays because of stuff you saw on film, but it's another to just not have ANYONE seem capable of playing their position at even an average level.

That being said, anyone that calls for Golden's head after only 2 preseason games is a moron whose opinion is not worth the paper it's printed on (no, I don't print out these posts; that'd be weird )

(6 hours ago)lone bengal Wrote: Jordan Battle’s strength is supposed to be tackling because he’s not good in coverage and he looked awful. That combined with how bad Geno Stone tackles is scary to think about. Logan Wilson is a vet and look bad along with Knight who at age 25 I hoped was ready to play right away. I get we had backup DE’s but some of the DT’s were relying on got pushed around too easy for my liking.

Yep

I stated earlier lots of talk on LBers and DB's looking awful. But our starting interior Dline got ______ slapped too.

(6 hours ago)WeezyBengal Wrote: The defense being bad is something we all should have known. Ive said it before, and Ill say it again...they did NOTHING to address one of the worst defenses in the league last year other than bring in a mid tier free agent in Slayton and replace some vets with some mid round rookies.

Prepare youselves. This defense is going to be BAD this year.

I guess 1st and second round picks this year is nothing. Same for defensive coaching overhaul.

It’s preseason, I’m not going to lose sleep over preseason. It was ugly, really ugly, but there is a 0% chance they will be as bad as they looked last night.

(6 hours ago)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: I wouldn’t put Burrow in the bad category. He threw a couple TD’s - one of which was one of the nicest I’ve ever seen him throw.

Joe Burrow across five drives this preseason:

? 18/24
⚫ 185 passing yards
? 3 TDs | 0 INTs
⚫ 136.1 passer rating pic.twitter.com/ZoqXJHukL0

— PFF (@PFF) August 19, 2025

He ran around and took a coverage sack trying to play hero ball but other than that he looked good to me.

Agreed, just wish he would've chucked that ball with it being preseason. Otherwise, he was fine.

(6 hours ago)PhilHos Wrote: As one of the (few?) resident optimists on here, I gotta say that I am worried about the defense. I'm still holding out hope that once he starts to gameplan against each opponent specifically, Golden'll be able to mask SOME of the defense's deficiencies, but man, does the starting defense look out of sync and filled with practice squad caliber talent AT BEST. I mean, it's one thing to be vanilla and not call plays because of stuff you saw on film, but it's another to just not have ANYONE seem capable of playing their position at even an average level.

That being said, anyone that calls for Golden's head after only 2 preseason games is a moron whose opinion is not worth the paper it's printed on (no, I don't print out these posts; that'd be weird )

Zac and Joe, in the press after said they are holding back on defense. Obviously they missed tackles, but I just don’t think we are seeing a lot on defense, purposely. I hope that is the case.

I do get not blowing up Jayden Daniels in a preseason game. I just wish the Washington player would have reciprocated without doing a horse collar on Joe.

(6 hours ago)WychesWarrior Wrote: Agreed, just wish he would've chucked that ball with it being preseason. Otherwise, he was fine.

That throw to Charlie jones was incredible.

No way Burrow was bad.

Charlie Jones and McPherson have to be good.

Special teams in general was much better.

(6 hours ago)Bengalbug Wrote: Zac and Joe, in the press after said they are holding back on defense.  Obviously they missed tackles, but I just don’t think we are seeing a lot on defense, purposely.  I hope that is the case.

That and the fact that coaches don't gameplan against their opponents in preseason are the only reason I haven't lost complete faith in the defense being marginally better this season. But, man, it'd be nice if the individual players would at least show SOMETHING on the field in preseason, some flashes of talent; SOMETHING.

(6 hours ago)WeezyBengal Wrote: I'd say Burrow playing way too much, trying to make way too much happen for a preseason game is one of the fuglys. 

For the love of God, will someone save this man from himself? Grow some balls before you torpedo the season, ZT.

I get that, but everyone has bitched about no starters in the preseason.  Joe has had his share of slow starts for one reason or another, and talked bout his internal clock being an issue early in the season. I think this will help that quite a bit.

That said, he shouldn't play the last game. 

(5 hours ago)PhilHos Wrote: That and the fact that coaches don't gameplan against their opponents in preseason are the only reason I haven't lost complete faith in the defense being marginally better this season. But, man, it'd be nice if the individual players would at least show SOMETHING on the field in preseason, some flashes of talent; SOMETHING.

I just can’t fathom the defense winning days in practice, but that’s what we see on the field.

(6 hours ago)WychesWarrior Wrote: Agreed, just wish he would've chucked that ball with it being preseason. Otherwise, he was fine.

He’s an insane person. I’m convinced of that.

(5 hours ago)WychesWarrior Wrote: I get that, but everyone has bitched about no starters in the preseason.  Joe has had his share of slow starts for one reason or another, and talked bout his internal clock being an issue early in the season. I think this will help that quite a bit.

That said, he shouldn't play the last game. 

He said last night he most likely wouldn’t on a short week.

(6 hours ago)Memphis_Bengal Wrote: This starting defense is bad enough that it could keep us from becoming a playoff team. Watching the on guy on our defense we thought we could count on, Logan Wilson, take horrible angles and get lost in the wash play after play....is really concerning.

He has regressed. Can he get back, or is some of the problem physical damage?

Burrow by the time he left the game had survived and done some good things.

I did think he wasn't as crisp as we expect with some of those early throws and holding onto the ball long when pass pro was pretty good.

Burrow wasn't really bad tho. Just not at his best for his standards.

(5 hours ago)Bengalbug Wrote: I just can’t fathom the defense winning days in practice, but that’s what we see on the field.

Maybe the offense was letting them win to build some confidence, lol

(6 hours ago)Bengalbug Wrote: That throw to Charlie jones was incredible.

It was a thing of beauty for sure.

(6 hours ago)Memphis_Bengal Wrote: This starting defense is bad enough that it could keep us from becoming a playoff team. Watching the on guy on our defense we thought we could count on, Logan Wilson, take horrible angles and get lost in the wash play after play....is really concerning.

Barret Carter and Oren Burks tackling has looked much better than most on our defense.

Hope the starters figure it out quick but happy with our depth at LB. Shaka Heyward looked ok as well could be a ST guy.