It started in Week 2 with the 49ers who obviously went right at the Bengals defense major weakness: LB speed. They ran a bevy of misdirection runs designed to get outside the tackle box and take advantage of the slow LB's inability to run sideline to sideline. Steelers did the same thing...jet sweep after jet sweep and a mind boggling 16 pass completions to their running backs. The Bengals have actually been good on off tackle runs with the strength of the defense being the D-line. So the question is at what point do you try a different direction at LB and use guys like Fed and Shawn Williams at LB to counter the misdirection and jet sweeps and help better cover RB's out of the backfield on passing downs?

It's more stupidity than slowness. Being caught out of position should only happen once; when it happens over and over and over on the EXACT SAME PLAY DESIGN then you are seeing stupidity from players and coaches.

Nick Vigil looked liked a back up JV out there Monday
Night . Why they keep starting him is beyond me
He truly is one of the worst Lbers Starting among
The 32,teams. This team had $$$$ in the off season to sign
A upgrade but failed to do such. Instead of taking Drew Sample
They could have drafted Mack Wilson
And now it's really costing them
I rather see Pratt out there instead of Nick Vigil

we had a LB playing Monday I didn't even know was on the team
LaRoy Reynolds

when did we pick him up?

(10-02-2019, 03:18 PM)Fullrock Wrote: It started in Week 2 with the 49ers who obviously went right at the Bengals defense major weakness: LB speed. They ran a bevy of misdirection runs designed to get outside the tackle box and take advantage of the slow LB's inability to run sideline to sideline. Steelers did the same thing...jet sweep after jet sweep and a mind boggling 16 pass completions to their running backs. The Bengals have actually been good on off tackle runs with the strength of the defense being the D-line. So the question is at what point do you try a different direction at LB and use guys like Fed and Shawn Williams at LB to counter the misdirection and jet sweeps and help better cover RB's out of the backfield on passing downs?

They play Safeties and CB's in the Box. It doesn't help because they can be blocked.

(10-02-2019, 03:18 PM)Fullrock Wrote: It started in Week 2 with the 49ers who obviously went right at the Bengals defense major weakness: LB speed. They ran a bevy of misdirection runs designed to get outside the tackle box and take advantage of the slow LB's inability to run sideline to sideline. Steelers did the same thing...jet sweep after jet sweep and a mind boggling 16 pass completions to their running backs. The Bengals have actually been good on off tackle runs with the strength of the defense being the D-line. So the question is at what point do you try a different direction at LB and use guys like Fed and Shawn Williams at LB to counter the misdirection and jet sweeps and help better cover RB's out of the backfield on passing downs?

1) Some of the fans have have been saying for (at least) a couple years now to try a safety at LB. Either Williams, Fej, or Iloka when he was here.
2) The Bengals have two faster LBs in Evans and Pratt but aren't playing either one of them often at all.

(10-02-2019, 03:38 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: we had a LB playing Monday I didn't even know was on the team
LaRoy Reynolds

when did we pick him up?

Just before the SF game IIRC

(10-02-2019, 03:39 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: They play Safeties and CB's in the Box. It doesn't help because they can be blocked.

In the box isn't where we are being gashed, it's on the perimeter because Vigil and Brown (especially Vigil) are slow to react, slow of foot,  and take bad angles to the ball. Speed can make up for other deficiencies, unfortunately there is none in this LB corps.

(10-02-2019, 03:38 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: we had a LB playing Monday I didn't even know was on the team
LaRoy Reynolds

when did we pick him up?

That’s who Jordan Willis was cut for.

I’d like to see Evans and Pratt in 2 LB formations and those two plus Shawn Williams in 3 LB sets. That should add plenty of speed.

(10-02-2019, 04:00 PM)Fullrock Wrote: In the box isn't where we are being gashed, it's on the perimeter because Vigil and Brown (especially Vigil) are slow to react, slow of foot,  and take bad angles to the ball. Speed can make up for other deficiencies, unfortunately there is none in this LB corps.

I hate to say it, but the times I see Pratt on the field he's almost always being driven back 5-7 yards off the play by a blocker.

(10-02-2019, 04:25 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I hate to say it, but the times I see Pratt on the field he's almost always being driven back 5-7 yards off the play by a blocker.

He's green as can be. A rookie who hasn't played much so he's slow to react. Veterans like Williams and Fej SHOULD be able to diagnose plays quicker. If you can diagnose the play and can run to the perimeter, you shouldn't get blocked by a slow offensive lineman. All I know is the current situation isn't working. It's a copycat league so you can best bet teams will continue to attack the perimeter and use RB's in the passing game unless you show you can stop it. 

(10-02-2019, 05:04 PM)Fullrock Wrote: He's green as can be. A rookie who hasn't played much so he's slow to react. Veterans like Williams and Fej SHOULD be able to diagnose plays quicker. If you can diagnose the play and can run to the perimeter, you shouldn't get blocked by a slow offensive lineman. All I know is the current situation isn't working. It's a copycat league so you can best bet teams will continue to attack the perimeter and use RB's in the passing game unless you show you can stop it. 

Yes. Now, we might have a chance against the Cardinals and their Newbie coach. But, I don't know as Kyler and Johnson can run.

Pratt is not a difference maker at this point. One can only hope he becomes one however.