(11-26-2017, 06:42 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: This was about Mixon, so is he as good as he looked and as good as I think?

It was the Browns 

The corollary to this is that Paul Alexander might be actually improving the line. 

There is a chance that the Bengals see improvement and keep Marvin and decide not to address the line in the offseason. Those are scary propositions.

(11-26-2017, 09:57 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The corollary to this is that Paul Alexander might be actually improving the line. 

There is a chance that the Bengals see improvement and keep Marvin and decide not to address the line in the offseason. Those are scary propositions.

The scary thing is that Paul Alexander might have secured his job for another 20 years after this game.

I'm not one to usually bash someone that does a job I can't. But what kind of NFL coach has over 20 years in the same position without getting an offer to move up? It's like he is a college professor with tenure.

(11-26-2017, 07:17 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: *It was against Cleveland.

(11-26-2017, 07:18 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Easy buddy, this WAS against the Browns.  Heck, even Jeremy Hill even managed to always have a great game versus the Browns...

Like I said, they had the 3rd or 4th run defense coming into today (some people are saying 6th, and maybe I looked at total yards and not YPG, but, regardless, it's impressive), which I was impressed with Mixon's running.

I will say that maybe the line did play harder or block better, like one time around the goal line I saw Bodine downfield a few yards and was pushing Mixon into the endzone, which, hey, if they'll only blocking better because they want to give more effort to Mixon, then so be it.  Maybe they were just excited for a new guy or maybe they had wanted him all-along.

(11-26-2017, 07:26 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Going into the game, Cleveland had the #6 rush defense in the NFL by yards (97.1 per game), and the #1 defense in terms of average yards per carry (3.1).  So, yeah, the Browns run D was no slouch.  

Exactly what I'm saying.  

To everyone saying "oh, it's just the Browns so our line played harder because it's a rivalry."  Do you think the Browns weren't playing under the same mentality, but twice as bad since they're winless?!  It's not a one-way thing where our team just plays harder or is more angry.  

Our line was impressive today.  Let's hope they can keep it going.

(11-26-2017, 09:54 PM)GodFather Wrote: It was the Browns 

I agree that that makes it MORE impressive!

Any way it is all for naught for the Bengals. Maybe too many beers on board but the season is already determined for a Steelers Super Bowl win. Dan Rooney passed away during the off season, Ben is on his swan song (maybe see Brett Favre). They finally beat the Patriots in the AFC championship game. Just the story the NFL loves for a Super Bowl winner. You heard it here first, or maybe my beer first. haha

(11-26-2017, 10:29 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Like I said, they had the 3rd or 4th run defense coming into today (some people are saying 6th, and maybe I looked at total yards and not YPG, but, regardless, it's impressive), which I was impressed with Mixon's running.

I will say that maybe the line did play harder or block better, like one time around the goal line I saw Bodine downfield a few yards and was pushing Mixon into the endzone, which, hey, if they'll only blocking better because they want to give more effort to Mixon, then so be it.  Maybe they were just excited for a new guy or maybe they had wanted him all-along.
Exactly what I'm saying.  

To everyone saying "oh, it's just the Browns so our line played harder because it's a rivalry."  Do you think the Browns weren't playing under the same mentality, but twice as bad since they're winless?!  It's not a one-way thing where our team just plays harder or is more angry.  

Our line was impressive today.  Let's hope they can keep it going.

I agree that that makes it MORE impressive!

Jacksonville had the last ranked run defense too and shut us down. Weird things happen in the NFL.

Now IF we can run against Pittsburgh next week...I'll start believing that we turned things around.

(11-26-2017, 06:58 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: If the defense plays better then I think we have a chance..... not a great chance since we are so far behind, but a chance.

The Steelers game is a must win if we want to make the playoffs.

There are probably 4 must win games if they're going to make the playoffs.

Mixon had 17 carries for 29 yards in week 4 against the Browns.

(11-26-2017, 10:54 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Jacksonville had the last ranked run defense too and shut us down. Weird things happen in the NFL.

Now IF we can run against Pittsburgh next week...I'll start believing that we turned things around.

I also think that our play calling was nice in this game.

Bill needs to keep it up and keep switching it up like he did today.  We spread the ball around throwing and had AJ running a lot of different routes, as well as looking to multiple receivers.  It took pressure off of the run game.  

If Marvin gets in his ear and tells him to do one thing over-and-over, we're screwed.

Mixon looked great. He flat out trucked Peppers. The best part was Peppers avoided straight up contact on Mixons TD Run the next play.

(11-27-2017, 02:02 AM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Mixon looked great.   He flat out trucked Peppers.  The best part was Peppers avoided straight up contact on Mixons TD Run the next play.

My favorite play is when he chipped the Blitzer and knocked him on his ass then caught a screen for the first down. That was a veteran RB play.

To be fair, I don't exactly set the Browns as the benchmark for the health of our run game. Definitely saw some good things today but we still have a long way to go.

(11-27-2017, 02:43 AM)treee Wrote: To be fair, I don't exactly set the Browns as the benchmark for the health of our run game. Definitely saw some good things today but we still have a long way to go.

Like we keep saying, they were somewhere around #6 in rush defense, so, actually, they are a decent benchmark 

Before the game I was pissed with the inactive list. I thought we might as well lose to the browns with no sort of change from our coaching staff and season is over. I even watched the game like it was a waste of time but I did start to get impressed with the run game. Mixon was trucking guys ,and there's some plays I remember when Hewitt was in there and mixon just shot out of a cannon no hesitation,he was running down hill ,like Jeremy hill but in a different way. I loved it. I really hope they keep involving Hewitt ,he's a great blocker.and finally was used .the o line did manage to do better. I loved the last touchdown where they powered through with the push. Hopefully this momentum carries over to the biggest game of the year next week. But I do have a feeling the refs will be out to help pitt like always. If we can beat pitt,we will make the playoffs I'm sure.

(11-27-2017, 03:06 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: Like we keep saying, they were somewhere around #6 in rush defense, so, actually, they are a decent benchmark 

We have been able to rush on the Browns lately. I don't know why. Look at how Hill has done against them the past couple years versus how he has performed against all other teams. I'm still skeptical. 

(11-26-2017, 07:18 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Easy buddy, this WAS against the Browns.  Heck, even Jeremy Hill even managed to always have a great game versus the Browns...

If you could only watch our two games against the Browns this year, and then had to predict our record ...

(11-26-2017, 08:17 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Joe seemed to trust where the hole was supposed to be. I've been hard on him because he seems to spend to much time behind the LOS, but today he seemed to "sense" the hole instead of seeing it. Dude is big, strong, and fast; he needs to understand that he doesn't need a huge hole to get positive yards.

(11-26-2017, 08:21 PM)Synric Wrote: He also ran behind his pads better than he has all season I thought.

(11-26-2017, 08:35 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: There are enough legitimate things over which to criticize this team, and it's been done at length.  Let's at least give them credit when they do something right, for cripes sake.  Good on the O-line and good on Joe.  

Agreed, they played good, smashmouth ball yesterday, and a healthy dose of 89 was big too.  I think Fan In Kettering saw the same thing I noticed in this game.....as you'll see below.

Also, I was listening to the post game with Lap and Hoard, and when they interviewed Mixon, he spoke of having a meeting with the oline, and asking them what they wanted from him as a runner, and he gave them some insight into what he was looking for.  Let's hope this has flipped a switch.  He also said he was taking the line out for dinner....that's encouraging to hear from the rook.

(11-26-2017, 08:38 PM)Beaker Wrote: We have to give the O line props. They have been bad this season, but they were opening holes in the run game today. The browns D line is not bad either. And its amazing how having a running game opened up the offense. Both Boyd's TD and Kroft's TD were the result of the LBs biting hard on the play action due to Mixon's success.

Exactly what some of us have been clamoring for all season.  The run opens up the play fake, takes defenders out of passing lanes, and helps the pass pro too.  A healthy run game is key, and peep that TOP yesterday too.  You GOTTA be able to run the ball in this league.

(11-26-2017, 09:21 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Today the offensive line used directional blocking; first time all season they didn’t zone block on every run play.

This, so much this.

(11-27-2017, 02:09 AM)bengalhoel Wrote: My favorite play is when he chipped the Blitzer and knocked him on his ass then caught a screen for the first down. That was a veteran RB play.

Yup, Joe upped his blocking game, that was good to see.

Now if we could just get him to quit acting like he just won the Super Bowl every time he gains a few yards

(11-27-2017, 12:21 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: I also think that our play calling was nice in this game.

Bill needs to keep it up and keep switching it up like he did today.  We spread the ball around throwing and had AJ running a lot of different routes, as well as looking to multiple receivers.  It took pressure off of the run game.  

If Marvin gets in his ear and tells him to do one thing over-and-over, we're screwed.

Lets face it...when the plays work...the playcalling looks good.

They call the same plays in other games and the play fails and it looks bad.

You guys saying "It was the Browns" over and over, like that somehow invalidates the run game we had, just sound silly. Yeah, the Browns suck overall, but their run defense is one of the stoutest in the league, and Mixon ran it right down their throats....