I'm not confident any of the other defensive assistants will do any better.

Mark Duffner is probably one of the candidates but what on his resume says he's done anything decent in his 24 years of coaching?

Al Golden is another likely candidate but once again nothing special, hell he coached TE's at his last stop in Detroit for a period of time.

Honestly looking at Zac's list of assistants most are from his good ole boy network who have never won much in their careers.

Yeah thats my fear. People keep bringing up Wade Phillips, and though I don't think they could bring him in as a coordinator because its too hard to switch up that much mid-season, they could bring him in as a Defensive Consultant with the understanding he could take over D-Coor next year. Just a thought, doubt it would happen, but probably the best case scenario.

He needs to be allowed to coach through the end of the season.

(10-26-2020, 09:55 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: He needs to be allowed to coach through the end of the season.

Can you please elaborate as to why? 

(10-26-2020, 09:56 AM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: Can you please elaborate as to why? 

To help further develop the players on the field with one scheme.  And to see if he can improve.  The team wouldn't benefit at all by having someone else call the formations that is an understudy to him now.  

Remember, it was only two weeks ago we were singing his praises about how he played the ratbirds.  We need to see how he handles piggy and the boys.  

(10-26-2020, 09:58 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: To help further develop the players on the field with one scheme.  And to see if he can improve.  The team wouldn't benefit at all by having someone else call the formations that is an understudy to him now.  

Remember, it was only two weeks ago we were singing his praises about how he played the ratbirds.  We need to see how he handles piggy and the boys.  

1 week out of 24 does not a good DC make. Look id like to see ZT gone, but that isn't happening. You just had two back to back weeks where QBs who have not been good this year shredded them. Along with all the other defensive sucking games. Letting teams score at the end of halves every damn game...etc. he doesn't deserve to coach the rest of the season. 

(10-26-2020, 10:02 AM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: 1 week out of 24 does not a good DC make. Look id like to see ZT gone, but that isn't happening. You just had two back to back weeks where QBs who have not been good this year shredded them. Along with all the other defensive sucking games. Letting teams score at the end of halves every damn game...etc. he doesn't deserve to coach the rest of the season. 

Easier for me to just post what I said in another thread:  

Bengalholic Wrote: Wrote:The issue is that those 2 guys, making a combined 25m, aren't outperforming backups or practice squad guys. 

People will breeze over this because they are tired or hearing about Geno and Carlos, excuse me, Employee96.  

However, this is dead on.  

These are two premium players, the best we have had on defense over the last decade, that we have gotten absolutely zero production from.  I love them both for their past contributions, but they have been a major disappointment this season.  

If Dunlap was playing like he was the last 8 games of the season last year, and Geno wasn't injured and started the season healthy and played like he did last year, this team would be 5-2.  Yes, I am putting that much on their "disappearance".  Think how things would have been for Reader, Hubbard, and Lawson if these two were playing up to their potential. 

I don't care what you say about the coaches and playcalling....these two have killed this season.

(10-26-2020, 10:07 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Easier for me to just post what I said in another thread:  


People will breeze over this because they are tired or hearing about Geno and Carlos, excuse me, Employee96.  

However, this is dead on.  

These are two premium players, the best we have had on defense over the last decade, that we have gotten absolutely zero production from.  I love them both for their past contributions, but they have been a major disappointment this season.  

If Dunlap was playing like he was the last 8 games of the season last year, and Geno wasn't injured and started the season healthy and played like he did last year, this team would be 5-2.  Yes, I am putting that much on their "disappearance".  Think how things would have been for Reader, Hubbard, and Lawson if these two were playing up to their potential. 

I don't care what you say about the coaches and playcalling....these two have killed this season.

Think how much better our secondary would be also....when the opposing qb has all day to throw, the secondary has no chance.  I can't believe how much time the clowns qb (sorry, just saying his name makes me puke) had to throw.  Absolutely no pressure at all.

(10-26-2020, 10:21 AM)No-huddle Joe Wrote: Think how much better our secondary would be also....when the opposing qb has all day to throw, the secondary has no chance.  I can't believe how much time the clowns qb (sorry, just saying his name makes me puke) had to throw.  Absolutely no pressure at all.

Synergy. There is some on offense, but there is NONE on defense because the front four can't generate any pressure.  I will say this, it is sure allowing them the opportunity to evaluate the man coverage skills of their secondary and LBs because they have to cover a lOOOONG time.  

I'm not defending Lou but changing DC's now may not make us a better defense this year. Getting healthy might help the most right now, but getting a real pass rusher would help the most of all in general and that probably cant happen until offseason, whether its Lou or someone else. Our LB's are young so they are kind of getting a pass for me. Logan Wilson is showing flashes and so is ADG. Pratt hasnt played well though and that has been a little dissapointing.

We need to replace Carlos and Geno, two guys we all hoped would play well this season. I think most of us were counting on those guys having good seasons with the other additions to the defense, but they have been two of the least productive players on D instead. Also, Lawson I know gets pressures and what not but his nickname may as well be "almost". He is decent but not the answer for us at DE the way it looks. We've seen enough of him to know, imo. He gets lots of close calls but doesnt finish nearly enough. He almost won us the game yesterday though... almost.

With Reader, Hubbard, WJ3 and Waynes, I really think yesterday would've looked a little different. If Dunlap wasnt acting like a clown it might help too. We dont have a DT that really disrupts right now with Reader out. Hubbard brings a lot to the table too and we are missing him big time.

We can call for Lou's head and thats fine, whatever. But the truth is, he called man coverage yesterday which is what a lot of us fans complained about against the Colts, and our guys got owned. So what is he supposed to do? We get owned in zone and get owned in man. We have no one that can beat a block and get QB pressure. Perhaps neither scheme work until our CBs are healthy and we get some pass rush help. Maybe its not just Lou, ya know.

(10-26-2020, 10:07 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I don't care what you say about the coaches and playcalling....these two have killed this season.

I agree 100% with this statement.

(10-26-2020, 10:27 AM)bengaloo Wrote: We need to replace Carlos and Geno, two guys we all hoped would play well this season. I think most of us were counting on those guys having good seasons with the other additions to the defense, but they have been two of the least productive players on D instead. Also, Lawson I know gets pressures and what not but his nickname may as well be "almost". He is decent but not the answer for us at DE the way it looks. We've seen enough of him to know, imo. He gets lots of close calls but doesnt finish nearly enough. He almost won us the game yesterday though... almost.

With Reader, Hubbard, WJ3 and Waynes, I really think yesterday would've looked a little different. If Dunlap wasnt acting like a clown it might help too. We dont have a DT that really disrupts right now with Reader out. Hubbard brings a lot to the table too and we are missing him big time.

I agree with both of those bolded statements.  Now, I just blasted the defense for not being able to come up with a single defensive stand to win the game yesterday.  However, I cannot support firing Lou Anarumo at this point in the season.

Aside from the obvious allowing opposing teams to score more points than the Bengals, I do feel like the defense played as hard and as spirited as they could, given the personnel they had available at game time.

The fact that the players that were available played hard tells me that they have not given up, or lost confidence in what Lou is asking them to do.  In fact, I sort of feel like firing Lou right now, would likely push the entire team into an irreparable state of chaos and calamity.

Lou and ZT will not be fired during the season. ZT will be here for another year at the very least. To be honest, the defense has improved from last year even without the contributions from the free agents signed in the offseason (though most are injured now).

I think the focus on defense should be getting to the QB. I think the secondary is pretty decent but without anybody providing pressure, their job is that much more difficult. The Defensive line has been utterly decimated with injuries, but, they weren’t doing much before anyway. Finding a pass-rusher may indeed be where they go with the first pick next year even though it should be OT.

It's worth noting that Al Golden is calling the defensive plays on 3rd down.

I have no idea why one coach would be calling plays on 1st and 2nd down and another coach would be calling plays on 3rd down, but it has not been working out, as we are allowing a 47.7% conversion percentage on 3rd down, good for 11th worst in the league.

I don't want Al Golden to take over for Lou is what I'm saying...

I'd go with Livingston. He's supposedly a good coach and has developed our safety's and secondary in his time with the team. We should see if what he has to offer.

He also knows Zimmers playbook and came up under him.

(10-26-2020, 09:58 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: To help further develop the players on the field with one scheme.  And to see if he can improve.  The team wouldn't benefit at all by having someone else call the formations that is an understudy to him now.  

Remember, it was only two weeks ago we were singing his praises about how he played the ratbirds.  We need to see how he handles piggy and the boys.  

We may as well keep him since ZT and his crap coordinators seem like a package deal but that Steelers game isn't likely to tell us anything new.  Our trenches on both sides of the ball versus theirs look extremely one sided. 

(10-26-2020, 10:57 AM)Nately120 Wrote: We may as well keep him since ZT and his crap coordinators seem like a package deal but that Steelers game isn't likely to tell us anything new.  Our trenches on both sides of the ball versus theirs look extremely one sided. 

Yep.  Cincinnati has a college team that is looking like their pro team and has a pro team that looks like their college team.  

(10-26-2020, 11:01 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Yep.  Cincinnati has a college team that is looking like their pro team and has a pro team that looks like their college team.  

With the Steelers specifically their lines are so good and ours are so bad it just looms like a foreboding shadow over the game. 

(10-26-2020, 10:42 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I agree 100% with this statement.



I agree with both of those bolded statements.  Now, I just blasted the defense for not being able to come up with a single defensive stand to win the game yesterday.  However, I cannot support firing Lou Anarumo at this point in the season.

Aside from the obvious allowing opposing teams to score more points than the Bengals, I do feel like the defense played as hard and as spirited as they could, given the personnel they had available at game time.

The fact that the players that were available played hard tells me that they have not given up, or lost confidence in what Lou is asking them to do.  In fact, I sort of feel like firing Lou right now, would likely push the entire team into an irreparable state of chaos and calamity.

I was calling for Lou's head out of frustration and emotion the last 2 weeks, but honestly the more I think about it, the more I think you are right about that. The answer right now is to part ways with Carlos and try to get healthy.

(10-26-2020, 09:41 AM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: Yeah thats my fear. People keep bringing up Wade Phillips, and though I don't think they could bring him in as a coordinator because its too hard to switch up that much mid-season, they could bring him in as a Defensive Consultant with the understanding he could take over D-Coor next year. Just a thought, doubt it would happen, but probably the best case scenario.

It gives him half a year to look at what he has. That’s if he’d take the job.

(10-26-2020, 11:15 AM)Nately120 Wrote: With the Steelers specifically their lines are so good and ours are so bad it just looms like a foreboding shadow over the game. 

And the fact that we have Joe Burrow instead of Andy Dalton (whom I always supported) makes me think they can still find a way.