I know the Browns just beat them so the league isn't fully in love with the Colts, but if our secondary can do what they did against Baltimore, Rivers will throw at least two INTs. He forces it in there, a la Brett Favre but doesn't have the arm. I think the defense needs to stay on the high it was the 2nd half last week and force a couple INTs. I LOVED seeing them blitz with Phillips. He blitzed 8 times and broke up the play on 5 of them. Outstanding.

On offense, I am going to look back on how Burrow performed coming off a loss, or even a bad day at the so-called "training camp". He would always correct the mistakes and be that much better. Look at how he played against Jax coming off the 8 sack game against Philly. Yes, it was Jacksonville and the Colts had the #1 ranked defense in the NFL before the Browns game. I have that much faith in Joe. He will get them back on the 30 point train.

Get this win, and maybe they get on a roll. He's not done. He won't give up.

The Colts have a strong pass rush (strong defense overall). I am looking for some improvement from Joe and tossing the ball away when he has the opportunity, but I don't see a 30 point game. I think Joe is put under heavy pressure again and Cincinnati loses a stinker.

Bad offensive line play means no easy games even against teams worse than the bengals.

Colts have the edge especially after they saw our blitz pick up last week

I'm looking for better play at the LG spot. I re-watched the game and Jordan was awful. Hopefully they iron out the communication. 

(10-14-2020, 01:05 PM)Gdale_Bengal Wrote: Bad offensive line play means no easy games even against teams worse than the bengals.

Colts have the edge especially after they saw our blitz pick up last week

Colts pass rush from the line, not with heavy blitz, so I don't really think that will be a problem... Their D forces a lot of turnovers, but they have played Hayseed, Minshew, Foles, Jets and Cousins (who is a pick machine this year, for some reason), all QBs that don't take care of the ball very well/prone to long streaks of bad play and turnovers.

Burrow does take care of the ball and he's not streaky (at least, between the last 2 years and this season), so I don't see the Colts winning the turnover battle this time around, like they have in every game (outside of Jax). In addition, I don't see as poor a game by our line, this time around; Mixon will get his on the ground, I feel (maybe not 120+ yards, but 80-90 is doable) and that should be enough to open things up a bit.

This is a weird game, projection-wise.

(10-14-2020, 01:11 PM)Hoofhearted Wrote: I'm looking for better play at the LG spot. I re-watched the game and Jordan was awful. Hopefully they iron out the communication. 

Not to sidetrack my own thread, but I can't help but wonder if XSF shouldn't play there and keep Redmond at RG.  We will see how Redmond progresses until after the bye, but at least he can run block.  

(10-14-2020, 01:11 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Colts pass rush from the line, not with heavy blitz, so I don't really think that will be a problem... Their D forces a lot of turnovers, but they have played Hayseed, Minshew, Foles, Jets and Cousins (who is a pick machine this year, for some reason), all QBs that don't take care of the ball very well/prone to long streaks of bad play and turnovers.

Burrow does take care of the ball and he's not streaky (at least, between the last 2 years and this season), so I don't see the Colts winning the turnover battle this time around, like they have in every game (outside of Jax). In addition, I don't see as poor a game by our line, this time around; Mixon will get his on the ground, I feel (maybe not 120+ yards, but 80-90 is doable) and that should be enough to open things up a bit.

This is a weird game, projection-wise.

Hopefully they can contain Justin and Buckner. Really the only two I see being a headache for us as well. This is a weird game, because Bengals have struggled heavily vs good pass rushers, but I don't see this as a game where Bengals can't sneak up on them and pull out a win. At the very least not get embarrassed lol  

(10-14-2020, 01:18 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Not to sidetrack my own thread, but I can't help but wonder if XSF shouldn't play there and keep Redmond at RG.  We will see how Redmond progresses until after the bye, but at least he can run block.  

That is his "natural" position. I see no reason why they shouldn't do it, Jordan just isn't ready. 

(10-14-2020, 12:53 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: The Colts have a strong pass rush (strong defense overall).

 

Their pass rush is just as effective as the Ravens. Their pressure percentage is almost identical (Ravens 25.9%, Colts 25.0%), but they have opposite styles.  Ravens have the second HIGHEST blitz percentage in the league (44.5) while the Colts have the second LOWEST (13.6).

To me it seems like the Bengals problems in pass protection have more to do with failure to pick up blitzes and stunts than just being overpowered.  Over a third of our sacks allowed (7.5 of 22) have been by defensive backs.  And opposing DBs also have 9 QBHits.

Hopefully we will hold up better against the Colts than the blitz crazy Ravens.  But we even have problems picking up DL stunts like loops and twists.

We don't have a lot of talent on our O-line, but a lot of the problems have to do with coaching.  If one player is screwing up you look at the player.  whne the entire unit is screwing up you look at the coach.

In his career Rivers has played the Bengals 7 times. He has a 3-4 record in those games going 164 / 255 for 1895 yards, 64.31 comp %, 11 TDs and 6 INTs.

This season only 4 TDs and 5 INTs as he looks to have lost a little bit with age.

This game is winnable, but the Bengals have to find a way to stop the rush without Reader and as always, they have to slow down the pass rush or it won't matter.

It's a winnable game.......if they can somehow, someway keep Burrow somewhat upright.

(10-14-2020, 01:25 PM)fredtoast Wrote:  

Their pass rush is just as effective as the Ravens. Their pressure percentage is almost identical (Ravens 25.9%, Colts 25.0%), but they have opposite styles.  Ravens have the second HIGHEST blitz percentage in the league (44.5) while the Colts have the second LOWEST (13.6).

To me it seems like the Bengals problems in pass protection have more to do with failure to pick up blitzes and stunts than just being overpowered.  Over a third of our sacks allowed (7.5 of 22) have been by defensive backs.  And opposing DBs also have 9 QBHits.

Hopefully we will hold up better against the Colts than the blitz crazy Ravens.  But we even have problems picking up DL stunts like loops and twists.

We don't have a lot of talent on our O-line, but a lot of the problems have to do with coaching.  If one player is screwing up you look at the player.  whne the entire unit is screwing up you look at the coach.

I agree, that is exactly what I have seen. There is a communication issue and it is really screwing everything up. Something needs to get figured out in order to give this offense a chance. 

Hopefully that offensive line is embarrassed by their performance in Baltimore, and comes out ready to redeem themselves.

A win against the Colts would be a definite boost to the team. It would be the first victory against a winning team in the Taylor era.

(10-14-2020, 01:23 PM)Hoofhearted Wrote: That is his "natural" position. I see no reason why they shouldn't do it, Jordan just isn't ready. 

Jordan has been awful in virtually every phase.  At least Price, Johnson, and Redmond were already backups.  

Put XSF at LG and have Redmond continue to get his legs under him and the line might be serviceable for this season...In other words, don't get Burrow killed. 

Colts strengths are our weaknesses. Their new RB is really good.

The only saving grace we might get is Rivers pulling a classic Rivers in the 4th quarter.

I have a horrible feeling the Colts are gonna blow the Bengals out.. That beaten by Baltimore, I think some guys have cashed it in. Just look at the body language during the game..

(10-14-2020, 05:53 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: Colts strengths are our weaknesses. Their new RB is really good.

They are 20th in rushing yards and 31st in yards per carry (3.6).

There rushing game is worse than ours.

(10-14-2020, 06:02 PM)Tony Wrote: I have a horrible feeling the Colts are gonna blow the Bengals out.. That beaten by Baltimore, I think some guys have cashed it in. Just look at the body language during the game..

There defense is legit.  They may shut us down, but they are not going to blow us out like the ravens.

(10-14-2020, 06:02 PM)Tony Wrote: I have a horrible feeling the Colts are gonna blow the Bengals out.. That beaten by Baltimore, I think some guys have cashed it in. Just look at the body language during the game..

Your talking about a single game though. When your down by 27, what kind of language are you gonna put off? And seriously, I didn't see anyone that cashed it in but AJ. Hopefully he doesn't continue, or he will leave Cincinnati with a bad taste on the way he handled this season. You've heard the saying, "Nobody remembers your achievements as much as they do your last mistake?" That's his road if he keeps traveling it. He milked this organization last year. I have a bad feeling he will try and do it again.