Seriously, it's preseason. Everything isn't doom and gloom. It was a bad preseason game. These things happen.

Remember in 2011 when Dalton threw 3 INTs in his first two preseason games in 2011? The offense could only muster up 10 total points in those two games. The defense gave up 41 points in the first two quarters of both those games.

Remember in 2012 when the 3rd preseason game and the Bengals couldn't even get a runner to gain over 20 yards besides Dalton? Or that they allowed two Aaron Rodgers rushing touchdowns in the first quarter?

How about 2013 in the 3rd preseason game where Dre Kirkpatrick was getting beat badly by Dez Bryant? The defense gave up two touchdowns to Tony Romo and again the offense struggled?

There's also last year against the Cardinals where Gio only got a 1.7 YPC average. Then throw in the offense couldn't score touchdowns?

In all 4 of those games the 1st team offense didn't score a touchdown. Yet this team has made the playoffs year in and year out. Although 2014 was a bad year for Dalton, he improved every year even though his preseason games weren't tremendous. The defense played vanilla. The rushing attack seemed abysmal.

It's preseason. Players aren't fully playing their hearts out. Calm down now. One bad preseason game doesn't mean it's all over for a season. If it did, we certainly wouldn't have made it to the playoffs the past 4 years. Relax.

Remember when we beat the patriots in the 04 pre season 31 to 3? Didn't seem to affect the pats that season because they won the title. Hell this team has been through worse Getting killed by Pittsburgh in 12 and the Browns loss last year seemed way more devastating than this warm up game.We overcame those.

(08-26-2015, 02:02 AM)wolfkaosaun Wrote: Seriously, it's preseason. Everything isn't doom and gloom. It was a bad preseason game. These things happen.

Remember in 2011 when Dalton threw 3 INTs in his first two preseason games in 2011? The offense could only muster up 10 total points in those two games. The defense gave up 41 points in the first two quarters of both those games.

Remember in 2012 when the 3rd preseason game and the Bengals couldn't even get a runner to gain over 20 yards besides Dalton? Or that they allowed two Aaron Rodgers rushing touchdowns in the first quarter?

How about 2013 in the 3rd preseason game where Dre Kirkpatrick was getting beat badly by Dez Bryant? The defense gave up two touchdowns to Tony Romo and again the offense struggled?

There's also last year against the Cardinals where Gio only got a 1.7 YPC average. Then throw in the offense couldn't score touchdowns?

In all 4 of those games the 1st team offense didn't score a touchdown. Yet this team has made the playoffs year in and year out. Although 2014 was a bad year for Dalton, he improved every year even though his preseason games weren't tremendous. The defense played vanilla. The rushing attack seemed abysmal.

It's preseason. Players aren't fully playing their hearts out. Calm down now. One bad preseason game doesn't mean it's all over for a season. If it did, we certainly wouldn't have made it to the playoffs the past 4 years. Relax.

Why does it always seem we have to lay an egg to come out fired up in future weeks though? Doesn't that speak to coaching? Wouldn't a good coach have us motivated and fired up every week? 

(08-26-2015, 04:17 AM)BoomerFan Wrote: Why does it always seem we have to lay an egg to come out fired up in future weeks though? Doesn't that speak to coaching? Wouldn't a good coach have us motivated and fired up every week? 

I would say a good coach would want to keep their team from getting hurt rather than getting them pumped up for preseason games.

(08-26-2015, 04:38 AM)Brownshoe Wrote: I would say a good coach would want to keep their team from getting hurt rather than getting them pumped up for preseason games.

Most players and former players will say that playing half assed is the quickest way to get injured.  So, we did get lucky in that regard.  Or, maybe it was because half assed is probably twice as hard as the Bengals were playing.

Still made Winston look like an all-pro QB.

(08-26-2015, 02:02 AM)wolfkaosaun Wrote: Seriously, it's preseason. Everything isn't doom and gloom. It was a bad preseason game. These things happen.

Remember in 2011 when Dalton threw 3 INTs in his first two preseason games in 2011? The offense could only muster up 10 total points in those two games. The defense gave up 41 points in the first two quarters of both those games.

Remember in 2012 when the 3rd preseason game and the Bengals couldn't even get a runner to gain over 20 yards besides Dalton? Or that they allowed two Aaron Rodgers rushing touchdowns in the first quarter?

How about 2013 in the 3rd preseason game where Dre Kirkpatrick was getting beat badly by Dez Bryant? The defense gave up two touchdowns to Tony Romo and again the offense struggled?

There's also last year against the Cardinals where Gio only got a 1.7 YPC average. Then throw in the offense couldn't score touchdowns?

In all 4 of those games the 1st team offense didn't score a touchdown. Yet this team has made the playoffs year in and year out. Although 2014 was a bad year for Dalton, he improved every year even though his preseason games weren't tremendous. The defense played vanilla. The rushing attack seemed abysmal.

It's preseason. Players aren't fully playing their hearts out. Calm down now. One bad preseason game doesn't mean it's all over for a season. If it did, we certainly wouldn't have made it to the playoffs the past 4 years. Relax.

So the preseason Bengals are the postseason Bengals. Now it all makes sense.

(08-26-2015, 06:15 AM)magikod Wrote: Still made Winston look like an all-pro QB.

A Marvin Lewis lead team makes a rookie QB look good?

Man am I glad that rarely ever happens.

I am curious as to one strategic maneuver:

If the Bengals were going to send additional pass rushers, why was the secondary playing 10 yards off the ball? You know the ball is going to come out hot, press coverage would allow the potential for a turnover. I know Dre Kirk got owned by a WR I have never heard of on cover zero, but at least he had practiced that in a game situation. Why did the DBs play so far off? If you say "vanilla defense", I don't think you understand the question. They were blitzes, but the secondary was almost like: "it's ok, you can dump it off to this guy, I won't be anywhere near him".

(08-26-2015, 08:31 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I am curious as to one strategic maneuver:

If the Bengals were going to send additional pass rushers, why was the secondary playing 10 yards off the ball?  You know the ball is going to come out hot, press coverage would allow the potential for a turnover.  I know Dre Kirk got owned by a WR I have never heard of on cover zero, but at least he had practiced that in a game situation.  Why did the DBs play so far off?  If you say "vanilla defense", I don't think you understand the question.  They were blitzes, but the secondary was almost like:  "it's ok, you can dump it off to this guy, I won't be anywhere near him".

Were they in specific situations where they seemed willing to give up the short pass if it meant stopping a potential big play on a blitz?

I don't know the exact plays you're talking about, so I'm just guessing here, but it seems like they may not have cared too much about a few yard gain in those scenarios.

(08-26-2015, 04:38 AM)Brownshoe Wrote: I would say a good coach would want to keep their team from getting hurt rather than getting them pumped up for preseason games.

  Honestly, these guys know how to get amped up on their own.  I can't imagine they need anybody to pump them up.  Somebody in the room is pumping them down in prime time.  Please throw that guy out of the room once and for all.

Being ready to play is square one, for crying out loud.

So, when good things happen in preseason games it meaningful and we can praise them. When bad things happen it doesn't really matter because it's preseason.

Got it.

(08-26-2015, 09:03 AM)kramer1 Wrote: So, when good things happen in preseason games it meaningful and we can praise them. When bad things happen it doesn't really matter because it's preseason.

Got it.

People don't know how to take these games for what they are worth. Its sad that after 2 preseason games ive seen these boards littered with "Dalton is garbage, Hue is garbage, McCarron should start" type of posts.

I merely watch the games to evaluate the younger guys fighting for roster spots.

(08-26-2015, 09:25 AM)yellowxdiscipline Wrote: People don't know how to take these games for what they are worth. Its sad that after 2 preseason games ive seen these boards littered with "Dalton is garbage, Hue is garbage, McCarron should start" type of posts.

I merely watch the games to evaluate the younger guys fighting for roster spots.

What is disturbing, and I don't see how anyone can argue against this point, is that there is a pattern of ineptitude here. It's no small sample size, either. It's been put through the wringer. It's been tested and verified. The problems have been acknowledged by coaches and players alike. They've been talked about by upper management to radio talk show hosts on down to the fans for years. Nothing has changed. Talk is cheap. I'm tired of talk. I'm tired of hype and hope. Show me. If you can't show me then that means you're not capable of implementing the changes that you yourself have acknowledged.

(08-26-2015, 09:25 AM)yellowxdiscipline Wrote: People don't know how to take these games for what they are worth. Its sad that after 2 preseason games ive seen these boards littered with "Dalton is garbage, Hue is garbage, McCarron should start" type of posts.

I merely watch the games to evaluate the younger guys fighting for roster spot

Exactly - meaningless games. Glorified practice. knock the rust off and don't get hurt.

(08-26-2015, 09:25 AM)yellowxdiscipline Wrote: People don't know how to take these games for what they are worth. Its sad that after 2 preseason games ive seen these boards littered with "Dalton is garbage, Hue is garbage, McCarron should start" type of posts.

I merely watch the games to evaluate the younger guys fighting for roster spots.

Don't forget that after the 1st preseason game it was the exact opposite. The defense is back, Eifert is uncoverable, Andy looks better than ever, etc.

Hell, there was the thread asking when we'd lose a game and some people were in shock that we may even lose at all this year! There were posts in there like "wow, I don't even know when we'll lose! It might be week 8 or later by the time we drop a game!". I mean, seriously lol

This board is full of overreactions, and it's been a delight to watch the collective "We're going to the Super Bowl!!!" turn into a colossal meltdown due to 2 preseason games.

I watch the games to see what the backups are up to as well. I don't see how anyone can take toooooo much away from the starters, especially when there's almost always a backup or two thrown into the starting lineup that won't be in there when the regular season comes.

(08-26-2015, 09:42 AM)djs7685 Wrote: Don't forget that after the 1st preseason game it was the exact opposite. The defense is back, Eifert is uncoverable, Andy looks better than ever, etc.

Hell, there was the thread asking when we'd lose a game and some people were in shock that we may even lose at all this year! There were posts in there like "wow, I don't even know when we'll lose! It might be week 8 or later by the time we drop a game!". I mean, seriously lol

This board is full of overreactions, and it's been a delight to watch the collective "We're going to the Super Bowl!!!" turn into a colossal meltdown due to 2 preseason games.

I watch the games to see what the backups are up to as well. I don't see how anyone can take toooooo much away from the starters, especially when there's almost always a backup or two thrown into the starting lineup that won't be in there when the regular season comes.

You win at the internet.

That sums up the majority of posters who occupied the old boards, and some on here as well.

(08-26-2015, 04:17 AM)BoomerFan Wrote: Why does it always seem we have to lay an egg to come out fired up in future weeks though? Doesn't that speak to coaching? Wouldn't a good coach have us motivated and fired up every week? 

And your clever response to NE usually losing their preseason games would be what?  That Bellicheck (or however you spell it) is a poor coach?  That's where your logic is leading........

(08-26-2015, 09:37 AM)M.W. Wrote: Exactly - meaningless games. Glorified practice. knock the rust off and don't get hurt.

This=nutshell.

Agreed. With a short turn-around, this being a meaning-less preseason game, and all the injuries that they saw over the weekend, I can't imagine they were trying very hard.

With that being said, at some point pride has to come in. It is still another national Monday night game and they just laid there in the fetal position. You got punched in the mouth and didn't punch back...again. I'll reserve judgement until it counts though.