Not trying to be dismissive or sarcastic, but I thought it would be good to share Tyrod Taylor's last three seasons as a starting QB:


2016 Buffalo Bills(15 games)- 269/436 for 31.7% Comp%, and 3023 yards, 17 TDs, 6 INTs, QB rating 89.7

2017 Buffalo Bills(15 games)- 263/420 for 62.6% Comp%, and 2699 Yards, 14 TD, 4 INTs, QB rating 89.2

2018 Cleveland Browns(4 games)- 42/85 for 49.4% Comp%, 473 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, QB rating 64.5

Now, where Taylor has been most effective at moving the chains and sustaining drives is with his legs. Here are his rushing totals for those three seasons:

2016 Bills- 95 rushes, 580 yards, 6 TDs
2017 Bills- 84 rushes, 427 yards, 4 TDs
2018 Browns- 16 rushes, 125 yards, 1 TD

I think the defense comes out in a lot of the same formations that led to Russell Wilson being sacked a number of times in last year's opener. I just hope the improvements at LB, S, and slot CB can hold down their RBs and TEs from easy completions.

Tyrod Taylor is 31 years old. For some reason, he seems like he should be a lot older.

This furthers my belief this game will be kinda ugly and low scoring.

The Chargers offense doesn't look very formidable, but they have a really good defense.

Bengals have a lot of unknowns on the offensive side, Burrow has never faced an NFL defense, is A.J. going to be A.J. or has he lost a little with injury and of course the big question is, will the offense line hold up or does Bosa just camp out in the backfield all day.

If the defense comes out and plays week 1 with the energy they played with in week 1 last year we will be in good shape. We made Russel Wilson look human for most of the game and got after it. Hoping to see that version of our defense a lot more this season.

The good news is Burrow isn't a statue like Dalton was. I'm not as concerned from the D-Line of the Chargers as some of you are.

We built this new defense on RUN Defense with players who can tackle. I like this matchup more than most.

Sure low scoring game but a Bengals Dub by 10

(09-03-2020, 12:22 PM)QueenCity Wrote: The good news is Burrow isn't a statue like Dalton was. I'm not as concerned from the D-Line of the Chargers as some of you are.

We built this new defense on RUN Defense with players who can tackle.  I like this matchup more than most.

Sure low scoring game but a Bengals Dub by 10

It's a bit of a concern that Taylor is the starter simply because of his mobility.  The first few games of the season are likely to be extremely sloppy and a QB that can take off and run when the play breaks down will be a good asset for the Chargers, particularly against the young Bengals LB's.  Rush lane discipline will also be key for the DL.

So, my biggest worry is that you're taking a notorius check down QB, who can also move around extremely well, and pairing him with Austin Ekeler, who rated as the best receiving back in the league last year. Add to that, you have Hunter Henry to worry about as well.

Why is the such a worry for me? Because this is going to require our LB's to really play well in coverage, and getting to the outside to pick up dumps offs.

We have a career backup in Josh Bynes as our most experienced LB. The good news here though is he's been pretty stong in coverage when he's had the opportunity to play. The bad news is teams have elected to play him primarily only when people ahead of him have gone down. My best hope for him is he can be an average starter here. Middle of the road. And that would be ok, expect for the fact that he may be our best LB in 2020.

Then you have Germaine Pratt. Pratt flashed at times, but he's still a guy who graded out terribly poor last season (50.2 PFF rating). He's only got 9 career starts. The good news is that being a converted safety he should fare well in coverage. The bad news is we really don't know what to expect as a full time starter. He could take that next step and shows he's a legitimate starter, or he could prove to be well below average, and a liability until he can progress more.

And our last spot of course is a complete unknown. We don't even know who will be starting there yet. I know people are hyped about some of the young guys, but 3rd and 4th round picks don't generally excel in year 1. But who knows? I have no idea what to expect here. That, in and of itself, is concerning.

So, yeah, that's my fear with Taylor and his weapons. That he can completely exploit our LB's.

I know people are hyped about the new faces there, and for the future, but this group could prove to be a huge weakness this season. And this isn't exactly the best matchup for them week 1.

Hopefully they step it up. With everything I just said, Tyrod Taylor is still Tyrod Taylor. He's not going to kill you deep. And there is no reason we shouldn't expect to win this game. This is extremely winnable, being at home, against another last place team from 2019.

(09-03-2020, 11:33 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: The Chargers offense doesn't look very formidable, but they have a really good defense.

They really don't; they have 2 great edge rushers and a stud S who's done for the year. That's it.

I'd say a solid, below-average to average defense on the whole, but not really good at all.

For perspective sake, we had (in 2019):

- More sacks
- Same INT
- More FF

The only area they were significantly better, was in yards given up, where they were quite good (and until the bye, we were historically bad). The last 5 weeks though, we were better in yards given up (outside of the Miami game), than they were.

Burrow throws for 4 TDs - 2 INT, Mixon adds a TD & The Bengals shock the world by arriving early and playing a monster game winning 38-17 in front of cardboard cutout fans.

Tyrod throws 2 INT as well as 2 fumbles and the Bengals D-line has the twitterverse raising it's eyebrows.

(09-03-2020, 01:00 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: So, yeah, that's my fear with Taylor and his weapons.  That he can completely exploit our LB's.

Wit no preseason games for the rookies and facing a run heavy team like the Chargers we will possibly see Bynes play more snaps than he does any other game.

I think Pratt is the real deal.  He barely played at the beginning of last season, but he showed consistent improvement over the course of the season.  He played over 70% of the snaps over the last four games of the season and his numbers were very good.

Game..snaps...tkl...solo..asst..blitz..TFL
1-4 ........ 25... 4..... 1..... 3..... 1..... 0
5-8 ........ 76...12.... 9..... 3..... 6..... 0
9-12.......148...22...14..... 8..... 7..... 0
13-16.....187...34...23.....11....14..... 4

Project that last quarter of the season over a full 16 games and you get 136 tackles and 16 tackle for loss.  That would be an awesome year from any of our LBs.

I know 4 games is a small sample size, but I am noit just picking a fluke 4 game stretch. INstead you can see the steady, consistent improvement over the entire season

(09-03-2020, 11:55 AM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: If the defense comes out and plays week 1 with the energy they played with in week 1 last year we will be in good shape. We made Russel Wilson look human for most of the game and got after it. Hoping to see that version of our defense a lot more this season.

The first game of last year is one of the biggest mysteries in Bengal history.  How did we do so many good things in that game against a good team and then look like absolute shit for the rest of the season?

Do you guys remember how we all felt after that game?  It is hard to imagine now.

(09-03-2020, 11:33 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: will the offense line hold up or does Bosa just camp out in the backfield all day.

We may see a huge dose of Gio as Burrow's protector.

(09-03-2020, 01:55 PM)fredtoast Wrote: The first game of last year is one of the biggest mysteries in Bengal history.  How did we do so many good things in that game against a good team and then look like absolute shit for the rest of the season?

Do you guys remember how we all felt after that game?  It is hard to imagine now.

I was at that game, Bengal fans were high fiving and hollering even after the loss. We were convinced it would be a great year smh.

(09-03-2020, 02:44 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: , Bengal fans were high fiving and hollering even after the loss. 

I'm sorry, but this is embarrassing.

Good thing about going up against Tyrod is we have the best scrambling QB in our division we will face twice this year. It's a good litmus test to see how the defense reacts to the lesser version of Lamar before we actually have to face the real deal.

(09-03-2020, 02:56 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: I'm sorry, but this is embarrassing.

The team looked great that day. We didn’t expect to go into Seattle and put up much of a fight. We came away with a chance to win and lost the ball on a bad call fumble which was really a forward pass.

I don’t think there was anything embarrassing about the excitement surrounding that first game.

(09-03-2020, 09:38 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Not trying to be dismissive or sarcastic, but I thought it would be good to share Tyrod Taylor's last three seasons as a starting QB:


2016 Buffalo Bills(15 games)-  269/436 for 31.7% Comp%, and 3023 yards, 17 TDs, 6 INTs, QB rating 89.7

2017 Buffalo Bills(15 games)-    263/420 for 62.6% Comp%, and 2699 Yards, 14 TD, 4 INTs,  QB rating 89.2

2018 Cleveland Browns(4 games)-  42/85 for 49.4% Comp%, 473 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, QB rating 64.5

Now, where Taylor has been most effective at moving the chains and sustaining drives is with his legs.  Here are his rushing totals for those three seasons:

2016 Bills- 95 rushes, 580 yards, 6 TDs
2017 Bills-  84 rushes, 427 yards, 4 TDs
2018 Browns- 16 rushes, 125 yards, 1 TD

I think the defense comes out in a lot of the same formations that led to Russell Wilson being sacked a number of times in last year's opener.  I just hope the improvements at LB, S, and slot CB can hold down their RBs and TEs from easy completions.  

Tyrod Taylor is 31 years old.  For some reason, he seems like he should be a lot older.

Good stuff, it will be similar to playing a sucky Lamar Jackson, keep him in the pocket and make him beat you with his arm.

Ekeler is my biggest concern on that Offense, don't let this guy get free and punish him on the dump offs.

If our Offense can play decent I think we can beat these guys pretty good but that Defense is pretty stacked.

Especially the D-line.

Agree with others that I think this will be a low scoring game.

(09-03-2020, 01:59 PM)Sled21 Wrote: We may see a huge dose of Gio as Burrow's protector.

My worry is that Gio or Mixon will be helping him up off the ground a lot. I see a lot of pressure coming his way, no reason to expect otherwise.

As long the Bengals can keep a lead on Taylor
You limit his effectiveness downfield. He's not going
To all of a sudden hit vertical 45 yd strikes

(09-03-2020, 04:25 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Good stuff, it will be similar to playing a sucky Lamar Jackson, keep him in the pocket and make him beat you with his arm.

Ekeler is my biggest concern on that Offense, don't let this guy get free and punish him on the dump offs.

If our Offense can play decent I think we can beat these guys pretty good but that Defense is pretty stacked.

Especially the D-line.

Agree with others that I think this will be a low scoring game.

I honestly think our defense is better, at least without Derwin James out there.  

(09-03-2020, 04:28 PM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: My worry is that Gio or Mixon will be helping him up off the ground a lot. I see a lot of pressure coming his way, no reason to expect otherwise.

This is what makes Burrow special.  If they blitz him, he will find an open man and torch them.  You could rattle Dalton.  I don't think you can rattle Burrow.