Can someone explain how Billings went from "All-World" NT during the preseason to seemingly below average DT during the season? Is it coaching or is he hurt?

Maybe he was looking good against back ups in preseason.

Don't know how the same coaching could make him good in preseason but not in the regular season.

I'm going to agree with fredtoast on this one. The level of competition in preseason was not a good indicator of what he's seeing in regular season play.

I don't mean that as a knock on the guy, I think that he's good to have on the team. I just think that he's better suited as a rotational player, until he polishes his technique enough to demand a double team every time he hits the field.

(10-19-2018, 12:33 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Maybe he was looking good against back ups in preseason.

Don't know how the same coaching could make him good in preseason but not in the regular season.

I thought Billings was going up against number 1's during preseason...

I'll be the first one to admit I really thought Billings had finally hit his stride this preseason. And he was up against ones at times.

And I'm not sure what's happened ? Basically the whole Dline has been under performing except for Geno. They've showed up a half here a quarter there. But overall they're one of the bigger disappointments this season.

I don't get it

No idea about what is going on with Billings, but I am sure we will reward him with a nice big contract at some point.

(10-19-2018, 01:02 PM)I_C_DeadPeople Wrote: No idea about what is going on with Billings, but I am sure we will reward him with a nice big contract at some point.

Are you being sarcastic?  

I think he will be replaced with one of those stud DT coming out next year's draft if he keeps playing like this.  

(10-19-2018, 12:59 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I'll be the first one to admit I really thought Billings had finally hit his stride this preseason. And he was up against ones at times.

And I'm not sure what's happened ? Basically the whole Dline  has been under performing except for Geno. They've showed up a half here a quarter there. But overall they're one of the bigger disappointments this season.

I don't get it

I am think Austin has something to do with this.  I think he has D-Line holding lanes rather than just attack.  Holding lanes helps backers, which the Bengals are weak positionally.  

Geno is Geno.  Dunlap flashes his stuff.  

But Billings has looked uninspiring and Baker  was let go probably because of Billings and Glasgow play in preseason.  

(10-19-2018, 01:09 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: I am think Austin has something to do with this.  I think he has D-Line holding lanes rather than just attack.  Holding lanes helps backers, which the Bengals are weak positionally.  

Geno is Geno.  Dunlap flashes his stuff.  

But Billings has looked uninspiring and Baker  was let go probably because of Billings and Glasgow play in preseason.  

Billings has had an impact on a few, very few plays thus far but overall he's been washed out, pushed back, bad angles/lanes, and pretty much ineffective. I don't understand

Perhaps he has been dinged up ?

NT is always a hard position to determine the quality of guys by fans. Remember how everyone ran Peko out yet he is playing pretty well for Denver still. Billings is rated by PFF as an above average player. The reality is the NT often times whole job is to basically anchor a point on the line and he has done decently well at it this year.

We got way bigger issues in general than Andrew Billings.

(10-19-2018, 02:03 PM)Au165 Wrote: NT is always a hard position to determine the quality of guys by fans. Remember how everyone ran Peko out yet he is playing pretty well for Denver still. Billings is rated by PFF as an above average player. The reality is the NT often times whole job is to basically anchor a point on the line and he has done decently well at it this year.

We got way bigger issues in general than Andrew Billings.

I disagree.

Billings is seeing a lot of 1 on 1 matchups because of Geno and cannot touch a ball carrier let alone pressure the QB. Peko actually got his handson on the ball carriers everyone called him a pile jumper but fact was he could shed twist his hips and get his hands on a running back.

He is strong enough. But lineman sure beat him with leverage and technique. When you are getting pushed off the tv screen, that's not good.

(10-19-2018, 02:03 PM)Au165 Wrote: NT is always a hard position to determine the quality of guys by fans. Remember how everyone ran Peko out yet he is playing pretty well for Denver still. Billings is rated by PFF as an above average player. The reality is the NT often times whole job is to basically anchor a point on the line and he has done decently well at it this year.

We got way bigger issues in general than Andrew Billings.

90% of the posters here have no clue what most positions do on a football field, what their responsibilities are and just how they are graded..You can have 10 guys taking care of their responsibility but if the 11th fails the play can be a disaster...

I may be one of the few that think he hasn't been even a shred of how bad everyone is making him out to be; until last week, nobody had a bad thing to say, outside of the Carolina game.

Now, literally EVERY negative thread on here (even positive ones), is burying him.

Don't get it.

(10-19-2018, 02:15 PM)Synric Wrote:  Peko actually got his handson on the ball carriers everyone called him a pile jumper but fact was he could shed twist his hips and get his hands on a running back.

People who try to belittle tackle numbers ignore one basic fact.  Guys that get blocked don't get to the ball carrier.  So I don't care if it is "pile jumping" or not I prefer the guy who can shed blockers and get to the ball carrier.

Peko was among the league leaders in tackles by an interior lineman almost every season he was here, but many "fans" still ripped on him.

(10-19-2018, 02:34 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: I may be one of the few that think he hasn't been even a shred of how bad everyone is making him out to be; until last week, nobody had a bad thing to say, outside of the Carolina game.

Now, literally EVERY negative thread on here (even positive ones), is burying him.

Don't get it.

Well to be fair he hasn't sacked every QB and run back 50 TDs so far this season .. 

(10-19-2018, 02:24 PM)higgy100 Wrote: 90% of the posters here have no clue what most positions do on a football field, what their responsibilities are and just how they are graded..You can have 10 guys taking care of their responsibility but if the 11th fails the play can be a disaster...

Why don't you open up a class on here and enlighten all of us clueless ones with your wealth of insight and knowledge ?

(10-19-2018, 12:33 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Maybe he was looking good against back ups in preseason.

Don't know how the same coaching could make him good in preseason but not in the regular season.

He killed the Bills starters in the preseason, but now we know their offensive line should probably be backups.  

Our defensive players (the front four, and the rotational pieces) aren't skilled with their hands, which is a critical skill in helping them get off (or avoid) blocks.  If you watch either Bosa, the offensive players rarely engage with them because their hand fighting is so rapid and strong. It is like trying to block them without arms.  

The Bengals either don't work on this skill or are just horribly inadequate when it comes to getting off blocks.  Dunlap is our best at it, and Geno is solid, but it seems like most of his success is when he simply shoots by the opponent before they are able to square him up.  When he is met head on by a good guard or center, he doesn't seem to disengage well.  This isn't every time, but it seems to be a common thread among our front four. 

(10-19-2018, 09:44 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Why don't you open up a class on here and enlighten all of us clueless ones with your wealth of insight and knowledge ?

I don't know about the 90% number, but his premise is not wrong. You can tell by their posts certain posters have no idea what a nose tackle is supposed to be doing. When posters were bashing Peko because he did not have high sac numbers, that speaks for itself.

Does anyone know if other teams actually use nose tackles anymore, or is this just a Bengal thing?  Peko got to Denver and they immediately told him to cut some weight and to go for penetration rather than space eating.  Both of the starting "nose" guys for the Ravens and Steelers are below 315 lbs.  It just seems like that passive style of wait and react d-line play is antiquated at this point.  Can anyone help me out here?  Are there any great defenses nowadays that employ big space eaters?