Paul Guenther has the Cincinnati defense on a steady positive incline toward improvement. They aren't where they need to be but they are vastly better than they were at the start of the season. Today against the Ravens I saw some pressure on Joe Flacco, an interception, some tackles for loss, and even some physical play.

However, I also saw bad tackling, some of which allowed Baltimore to make crucial first downs. Dre Kirkpatrick trying to tackle people by making them hurdle over him isn't working. I remember a particular play where the Raven running back vaulted over him! Dre needs to just drive into that guy and send him backward. Also, there is a bad habit I see where Cincinnati defensive players slow up in pursuit, pause, hitch step, and try to wait for the ball carrier to make his move first. That's bad. You run straight on the proper angle of pursuit to the ball carrier and make him respond!

I fear Paul Guenther may get stolen by another team whose defense needs some spit and polish or by a team who wants a defensive minded head coach.

Yup.

Better things but still taking bad angles and bad tackling technique.

Trying to tackle the WR or RB by the helmet and insistently going for the strip instead of wrapping up also come to mind besides diving for someone's feet.

The whole secondary's approach to tackling is to dive facemask first into the turf. It's incredible. What they do in practice must be a game of UNO or something cuz it ain't tackling. At one point I saw Iloka stick one singular arm out to a guy he could've OBLITERATED. Spoiler alert: he did not come close to making a tackle.

Blow it the **** up.

(11-27-2016, 10:43 PM)BengalsRocker Wrote: Trying to tackle the WR or RB by the helmet and insistently going for the strip instead of wrapping up also come to mind besides diving for someone's feet.

That too -- and the incessant problem of not being able to cover any receiver on a shallow crossing route for the last twenty years.

The defense ain't the best, but they're hardly the biggest problem with this team. I don't think Guenther gets a head coaching call this offseason, but he might be working towards it.

(11-27-2016, 10:44 PM)StoneTheCrow Wrote: The whole secondary's approach to tackling is to dive facemask first into the turf. It's incredible. What they do in practice must be a game of UNO or something cuz it ain't tackling. 

+1 for you.  Now I know why Adam Jones and Dre Kirkpatrick wear the clear eye shields on their face masks:  To keep grass and dirt from flying up and hitting their contact lenses.

All that have been mentioned are obvious flaws.

Yet I have a poster on here telling me that they really work on fundamentals in preseason/training/practice.

That a player could not possibly play without all of this crucial training.

I guess the starters are not obliged to do these anymore.

(11-27-2016, 10:48 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: The defense ain't the best, but they're hardly the biggest problem with this team. I don't think Guenther gets a head coaching call this offseason, but he might be working towards it.

Hopefully that call doesn't come from Mikey's rotary. Get rid of all of em

(11-27-2016, 10:54 PM)StoneTheCrow Wrote: Hopefully that call doesn't come from Mikey's rotary. Get rid of all of em

That's funny.  I can picture a Rolodex and a rotary phone on the desk.  

(11-27-2016, 10:48 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: The defense ain't the best, but they're hardly the biggest problem with this team. I don't think Guenther gets a head coaching call this offseason, but he might be working towards it.

Yes.  It's not the core problem...  yet let's not forget how poorly they have done this season at 3rd down stops.

Also how the front 4 have greatly underperformed as well.

He doesn't deserve a promotion IMO.

Never have hated PG and he does have them playing better.

But do not think he will land a HC job this season.

(11-27-2016, 10:58 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: That's funny.  I can picture a Rolodex and a rotary phone on the desk.  

Yeah right. Rolodex is too name brand. He saved a buffalo nickel and got the Rolodex knockoff. **** that old loghead.

(11-27-2016, 10:44 PM)StoneTheCrow Wrote: The whole secondary's approach to tackling is to dive facemask first into the turf. It's incredible. What they do in practice must be a game of UNO or something cuz it ain't tackling. At one point I saw Iloka stick one singular arm out to a guy he could've OBLITERATED. Spoiler alert: he did not come close to making a tackle.

Blow it the **** up.

LOL I remember a few years ago the whole defense reminded me of Monty Python, just running around with their arms down to their side diving like you said"facemask" first trying to tackle with their shoulders not even an attempt to extend the arms. Its nice to see their back in the "Full Monty" form. Can we call them that? the Full Monty D? kinda like it.

(11-27-2016, 11:04 PM)TKUHL Wrote: LOL I remember a few years ago the whole defense reminded me of Monty Python, just running around with their arms down to their side diving like you said"facemask" first trying to tackle with their shoulders not even an attempt to extend the arms. Its nice to see their back in the "Full Monty" form. Can we call them that? the Full Monty D? kinda like it.

Oh hell. And here I had Ohalete erased from my memory.

(11-27-2016, 11:04 PM)TKUHL Wrote: LOL I remember a few years ago the whole defense reminded me of Monty Python, just running around with their arms down to their side diving like you said"facemask" first trying to tackle with their shoulders not even an attempt to extend the arms. Its nice to see their back in the "Full Monty" form. Can we call them that? the Full Monty D? kinda like it.

Nooooooo !

(11-27-2016, 10:33 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Paul Guenther has the Cincinnati defense on a steady positive incline toward improvement.  They aren't where they need to be but they are vastly better than they were at the start of the season.  Today against the Ravens I saw some pressure on Joe Flacco, an interception, some tackles for loss, and even some physical play.

However, I also saw bad tackling, some of which allowed Baltimore to make crucial first downs.  Dre Kirkpatrick trying to tackle people by making them hurdle over him isn't working.  I remember a particular play where the Raven running back vaulted over him!  Dre needs to just drive into that guy and send him backward.  Also, there is a bad habit I see where Cincinnati defensive players slow up in pursuit, pause, hitch step, and try to wait for the ball carrier to make his move first.  That's bad.  You run straight on the proper angle of pursuit to the ball carrier and make him respond!

I fear Paul Guenther may get stolen by another team whose defense needs some spit and polish or by a team who wants a defensive minded head coach.

The D kept us in the game.  The D keeps us in many games.  If we had any offense at all we would be in play-off hunt.  The D keeps the scores low enough to win most of the time, but our offense stinks. Our offense stinks so bad we might lose to Cleveland because it is hard to go 0-16 and Bengals could just be the sorry offense they beat. 

As for Guenther, I don't look for teams to be after the coaches of a 3 win team. 

(11-27-2016, 10:33 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Paul Guenther has the Cincinnati defense on a steady positive incline toward improvement.  They aren't where they need to be but they are vastly better than they were at the start of the season.  Today against the Ravens I saw some pressure on Joe Flacco, an interception, some tackles for loss, and even some physical play.

However, I also saw bad tackling, some of which allowed Baltimore to make crucial first downs.  Dre Kirkpatrick trying to tackle people by making them hurdle over him isn't working.  I remember a particular play where the Raven running back vaulted over him!  Dre needs to just drive into that guy and send him backward.  Also, there is a bad habit I see where Cincinnati defensive players slow up in pursuit, pause, hitch step, and try to wait for the ball carrier to make his move first.  That's bad.  You run straight on the proper angle of pursuit to the ball carrier and make him respond!

I fear Paul Guenther may get stolen by another team whose defense needs some spit and polish or by a team who wants a defensive minded head coach.

Coordinators from winning teams get HC jobs. Our defense, while playing better...has a lot of talent and has underachieved overall.

I doubt a team invests a HC job in him.

(11-27-2016, 11:21 PM)kevin Wrote: The D kept us in the game.  The D keeps us in many games.  If we had any offense at all we would be in play-off hunt.  The D keeps the scores low enough to win most of the time, but our offense stinks. Our offense stinks so bad we might lose to Cleveland because it is hard to go 0-16 and Bengals could just be the sorry offense they beat. 

As for Guenther, I don't look for teams to be after the coaches of a 3 win team. 

This defense gives up too many crucial plays, too many third downs, misses too many tackles and are often out of position to make meaningful stops. Not to mention it seems like they've given up an opening drive score in every single game this season. They haven't pressured the QB's enough and haven't created enough turnovers. Sure, they've played better the past month but that isn't saying much.

With all of that said, they haven't been as bad as it seems. Honestly, with an accurate kicker, this season would be very different.

(11-27-2016, 10:44 PM)StoneTheCrow Wrote: The whole secondary's approach to tackling is to dive facemask first into the turf. It's incredible. What they do in practice must be a game of UNO or something cuz it ain't tackling. At one point I saw Iloka stick one singular arm out to a guy he could've OBLITERATED. Spoiler alert: he did not come close to making a tackle.

Blow it the **** up.

Yes, it looked like he tried to hit the ball carrier with a shoulder and made no attempt to wrap up. He missed! Very poor tackling technique by a lot of the D players.

The defense still isn't good enough. Paulie G is still playing way too soft in coverage. That said, I think the position coaches having a year under their belt will help with cohesion and help the defense in general. That is of course if the entirety of the coaching staff isn't fired.