(03-30-2017, 07:52 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: It's the offensive line and their coach.  The man can apparently use ten fingers and a foot to easily coordinate between 88 piano keys and three pedals but coordinating five offensive linemen -- six if you count a tight end -- is hard.  

Getting Andre Smith back and placing him at right guard should help things in the run game but let's take an honest look at the run game in 2016 -- and the two games against Cleveland don't count.

This was the worst run blocking I have ever seen in Cincinnati.  Ever.  Even Corey Dillon had holes to run through when the Bengals couldn't buy a win.  Jeremy Hill couldn't find a hole because none existed.  Even if a hole appeared, the offensive linemen couldn't hit their secondary blocks so linebackers are Jeremy up too.

You could put Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Gale Sayers, or Marcus Allen -- all in their primes -- behind the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive line and this board would be simultaneously exclaiming, "What a bust!  Holy BLEEP, we need a running back!"

How do you explain Burkhead finding room to run?

(03-29-2017, 11:39 PM)jeremydc Wrote: I may be in the minority. We don't need more RBs. Maybe a late round/undrafted flyer.

You're right, we don't need more running backs, we just need a different running back. Two Yard Jeremy has proven over two years he can't get it done.

(03-30-2017, 08:25 AM)McC Wrote: How do you explain Burkhead finding room to run?

Rex Burkhead found room to run for three reasons:

1. Defensive coordinators weren't familiar with him.

2. He's smaller than Jeremy Hill.

3. The Ravens' defensive line was horrible.

(03-30-2017, 08:39 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Rex Burkhead found room to run for three reasons:

1.  Defensive coordinators weren't familiar with him.

2.  He's smaller than Jeremy Hill.

3.  The Ravens' defensive line was horrible.

It wasn't just against the Ravens.   When he played, he gained yards.  He played with more quickness, better vision, more toughness, more desire.  For the size of him, Two Yard goes down ridiculously easy.  Burkhead does not.

(03-30-2017, 01:03 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: ...said everyone about RG3, and Doug Martin, and LeGarrette Blount, and Keenan Allen, and...

After a great rookie season followed by 2 disappointing seasons Doug Martin had over 1400 rushing yards his fourth year in the league.

After getting 9.5 sacks his rookie season Carlos Dunlap only had 10 over the next 2 seasons.

(03-30-2017, 08:50 AM)fredtoast Wrote: After a great rookie season followed by 2 disappointing seasons Doug Martin had over 1400 rushing yards his fourth year in the league.

Contract year.

(03-30-2017, 08:44 AM)McC Wrote: It wasn't just against the Ravens.   When he played, he gained yards.  He played with more quickness, better vision, more toughness, more desire.  For the size of him, Two Yard goes down ridiculously easy.  Burkhead does not.

We'll see how Burkhead holds up, over the course of an entire season.  As for Hill, you think he forgot what he's good at?  C'mon, his rookie year, he was hitting the hole like a rocket, taking a few of them to the house.  He's been consistently playing banged up, holes just aren't there for him like they were in '14, not to mention he's been trying to do things he's not good at (dancing in the backfield).

I hold that if you're going to predictably line up, tell the world that we're running straight at you, you ought to have the horses up front prepared to move some people.  It's really very simple, the game plan and the OL coaching philosophy =/=.  The execution in blocking just isn't there to put a straight ahead runner back there, and expect to be repeatedly successful in moving the chains.

(03-30-2017, 08:58 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: We'll see how Burkhead holds up, over the course of an entire season.  As for Hill, you think he forgot what he's good at?  C'mon, his rookie year, he was hitting the hole like a rocket, taking a few of them to the house.  He's been consistently playing banged up, holes just aren't there for him like they were in '14, not to mention he's been trying to do things he's not good at (dancing in the backfield).

I hold that if you're going to predictably line up, tell the world that we're running straight at you, you ought to have the horses up front prepared to move some people.  It's really very simple, the game plan and the OL coaching philosophy =/=.  The execution in blocking just isn't there to put a straight ahead runner back there, and expect to be repeatedly successful in moving the chains.

Yes, I have forgotten what he's good at.  Been so long since I've seen him do it.  It all fell apart when he decided he should be LeVeon Bell.  And then he really went to hell after The Fumble.

I have no confidence in Two Yard at all.  I hope he proves me wrong but I'm pretty sure he won't.   Rex Burkhead is a better player that Two Yard, end of story.

(03-30-2017, 08:25 AM)McC Wrote: How do you explain Burkhead finding room to run?

There is definitely something to this, but I don't put it 100% on Hill and Gio.  It is a combination.  To be fair, Sexy was freshy (sorry) and not as worn down from an entire season of hits, but he clearly showed he could make do with the Bengal's line at the end of the year.  Some of that credit also has to go to Fisher finally stabilizing the RT position.  

The Bengals need an infusion of youth at RB, no doubt, and with Gio coming off injury, they may also be giving Tra Carson a really long look.  

(03-30-2017, 08:58 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote:
We'll see how Burkhead holds up, over the course of an entire season.  As for Hill, you think he forgot what he's good at?  C'mon, his rookie year, he was hitting the hole like a rocket, taking a few of them to the house.  He's been consistently playing banged up, holes just aren't there for him like they were in '14, not to mention he's been trying to do things he's not good at (dancing in the backfield).

I hold that if you're going to predictably line up, tell the world that we're running straight at you, you ought to have the horses up front prepared to move some people.  It's really very simple, the game plan and the OL coaching philosophy =/=.  The execution in blocking just isn't there to put a straight ahead runner back there, and expect to be repeatedly successful in moving the chains.

Where does that whole narrative come from anyway?  Seems like something Two Yard apologists are fond of saying.

The run struggles wasn't just an issue with the rb's. If you look at it as a whole there were numerous things that played into it being mediocre at best. First the line seemingly couldn't open a single hole up the middle so guys like Hill struggled there. Gio went down for almost half the season and he wasn't getting a bulk of the carries because he's not a guy who's going to hold up if he is tasked with running 25-30 times a game. Burkhead who was probably our most versatile back was seldomly used. Also take into consideration the numerous injuries, new players, new OC and it's easy to see why our rush attack suffered last season.

Side note: I do think we need a damn good RB and I'm all for Mixon now.

If a game changer is there at 9 like a Fournette or if Mixon is there in the 2nd I think you have to take them. Gio is a great compliament back but we need a bell cow. Most of the good teams have a great rushing attack (NE-Blount led the NFL in rushing TD's, PIT-Bell, ATL- Freeman/Coleman, DAL-Zeke) and Hill just isn't the guy we thought he was going to be. It's hard to win if you are 1 dimensional

(03-30-2017, 09:15 AM)McC Wrote: Where does that whole narrative come from anyway?  Seems like something Two Yard apologists are fond of saying.

Narrative?  It's pretty simple that the guy coming off the bench is fresh, rested, uninjured.  I made these claims back in the season, when many was arguing that Burkhead should be the full time starter.  It's one thing to come in relief and do a good job, it's a different thing to be the man week in, week out.

(03-30-2017, 09:30 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Narrative?  It's pretty simple that the guy coming off the bench is fresh, rested, uninjured.  I made these claims back in the season, when many was arguing that Burkhead should be the full time starter.  It's one thing to come in relief and do a good job, it's a different thing to be the man week in, week out.

What about him says he can't be a feature back?  I don't understand assuming he couldn't based really on nothing.

I think it's more on the offensive line (although burkhead looked just fine running behind them) but yes, RB is certainly a position of need. Hill is broken, mentally and/or physically, I don't know. He's just not the same RB since his rookie year. He's lazy, goes down with the slightest contact and has terrible vision... kinda like a 2008 Rudi Johnson.

GIO is coming off a torn ACL and God only knows if he'll ever be the same.

Peerman is decent but a lifetime special teamer.

I doubt Tra Carson is the next coming if Arian Foster...

Yeah, we need help

(03-30-2017, 08:53 AM)McC Wrote: Contract year.

Beat me to it.....and hasn't pissed a drop since.

(03-29-2017, 11:32 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Just for kicks I thought I would go back and look at our rushing production last year.  I can't even describe how bad it was.

Other than the 2 Cleveland games (Hill - 168 & 111) and the meaningless Week 17 game (Burkhead 119), we had ZERO 100 yard rushing performances by our RBs.  That's pathetic.

Even worse?

In HALF of our games, the leading rusher had 50 yards or less.

a good bit of that is on the OL problems.   we don't need a single rb to get 100 yards we need a team effort over 100

(03-30-2017, 08:25 AM)McC Wrote: How do you explain Burkhead finding room to run?

OBg was on the bench at that point

I have seen 2 recent Mocks that put Fournette in Cincinnati. A swing from seeing mostly LB/DE being selected. In a few weeks, we'll find out.

(03-30-2017, 10:15 AM)Gamma Ray Tan Wrote: I have seen 2 recent Mocks that put Fournette in Cincinnati. A swing from seeing mostly LB/DE being selected. In a few weeks, we'll find out.

Jeremy Hill 2.0