With our run D being as poor as it is, it seems best to focus on stopping the run. But the passing game of the Steelers is great too (especially with an injured WJ3 being a possibility). My question to you guys is which should be a greater focus for this D? If you were Austin, are you more concerned with keeping John Conner in check, or are you focused on eliminating the big plays from the receivers?


CASE FOR RUN:

Whether it's a big run up the gut, or a pass in the flats with a few broken tackles, Pitts RBs seem to always get the job done. LeVeon stiff arming Kirkpatrick flashes through my head, and WJ3 letting Bell run past him on the sideline is a haunting image. John Conner is no pushover and could go for 150+ scrimmage yards if not kept in check.

CASE FOR PASS:

AB, JuJu, and Washington have a chance to be a top 5 receiving corp in this league. Let us not forget McDonald the TE who has been storming through defenders who can't tackle well (uh-oh) and looks to be building chemistry with the old man QB. As great as our offense is, getting into a shootout with that group is not an ideal situation.


So which is it? Obviously the answer is both, but pick your poison, which will hurt us less?

It's a pass first game so you have to stop the pass first.

We’ve been torched by both this season (Julio and McCaffery) but I’d focus on the pass. Can’t let their best players beat us, and Brown is their best player. Need to take away what they do best. Force Ben to hold the ball too long (which he loves to do) and let our front 4 work.

(10-12-2018, 06:55 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: We’ve been torched by both this season (Julio and McCaffery) but I’d focus on the pass. Can’t let their best players beat us, and Brown is their best player. Need to take away what they do best. Force Ben to hold the ball too long (which he loves to do) and let our front 4 work.

Couldn't agree more!

I gotta say this, I'm pretty confident we can put the Steelers in their place Sunday! WHO-DEY!!

Stop the run. Always stop the run.

(10-12-2018, 07:52 PM)Interceptor Wrote: Stop the run. Always stop the run.

^This^

And it's because if Pittsburgh can run over us we're beat ! We have to play from ahead and force them to pass where our rush can come to bear.

Stop the run,first thing,someway,somehow.We have to contain the running game

(10-12-2018, 08:01 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: ^This^

And it's because if Pittsburgh can run over us we're beat ! We have to play from ahead and force them to pass where our rush can come to bear.

Exactly.  The key to beating the Steelers, or any team, is to stop the run and force them to be one dimensional.  Carolina ran the ball well on us, and completely took the pass rushers out of the game.  And you can bet your ass that the Steeler coaches took note of that..  So, stopping the run is paramount.

Easy. The #1 priority for all defenses is to stop the run and make the offense one dimensional.

If you can't stop the run you can't win. The offense just sucks the clock and moves the chains. Your offense can't get on the field, therefore can't get in rhythm. If they can't get in rhythm they can't score.

If a team is one dimensional and has to pass all the time they are more prone to mistakes. See last week as an example of when the Dolphins had to comeback, bad things happened to them. Additionally, when you have to pass you have to 1) block well to protect the QB, 2) find an open receiver, 3) throw a good pass and 4) catch the pass. Bottom line, multiple things need to go well to execute in pass only situations.

I say let’s build a wall.

If I'm an OC, there's nothing that I love more than a nice, safe 5 yards a pop on the ground. Less of a chance at getting your QB hit, less of a chance of turning it over...but a couple of nice run stuffs and all of the sudden running the ball ball starts to feel futile. 

I think that sometimes the best dcs guess at what's coming and shut it down if they guess right, while limiting how big of a disaster it can be if they guess wrong. 

stopping the run.
because if you stop the run the better chances your defense has to come off the field on 3rd down.
if a offense gets 4 5 yds a pop on 1st your defense then has to think than more than instinctly react. 3rd and 2 is a nightmare for
defenses.
not stopping the run always demoralizes a defense as the game wears on.
plus especically in the 2nd if a team is controlling
clock and dominating TOP then it almost forces your offense to be one dimensional when it gets on the field.
passing is easier to contain at times.
depending on scheme you can cover everything well and all you allow is check downs most of the game.

(10-13-2018, 10:12 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: I say let’s build a wall.

Make the Bengals great again.

(10-13-2018, 11:54 AM)Synric Wrote: Make the Bengals great again.

(10-12-2018, 09:30 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Exactly.  The key to beating the Steelers, or any team, is to stop the run and force them to be one dimensional.  Carolina ran the ball well on us, and completely took the pass rushers out of the game.  And you can bet your ass that the Steeler coaches took note of that..  So, stopping the run is paramount.

YUP ! 

Stop the run and protect Andy Dalton are the two keys to the game. Do that and we're in it, do it not and......

And of course the usual stuff, win turnover battle limit penalties. 

(10-12-2018, 07:52 PM)Interceptor Wrote: Stop the run. Always stop the run.

This. The play action pass is what kills team more so then straight drop back passing.