(01-05-2025, 03:44 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: They're going to resign him and hope an offseason of knowing the G spot is his to loses leads to improvement there.

Bengals are going to give him a shot at becoming a starter and meeting a need. He's earned it.

(01-05-2025, 05:35 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: Love Ford as a pinch hitter in case on injury.

Not a fan of him being a starter, but I am a fan of replacing all three interior o-linemen, so we will see...

(01-05-2025, 05:42 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: There’s no reason to replace Karras. He has one more year left on his deal, and he’s had the best season of his career as a pass blocker (at least per PFF).

(01-05-2025, 05:42 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: There’s no reason to replace Karras. He has one more year left on his deal, and he’s had the best season of his career as a pass blocker (at least per PFF).

(01-05-2025, 05:42 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: There’s no reason to replace Karras. He has one more year left on his deal, and he’s had the best season of his career as a pass blocker (at least per PFF).

(01-05-2025, 06:05 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: My eyeballs disagree.

I am all for looking for better in free agency and the draft, unless they believe Lee is the future and swap the two.

(01-05-2025, 03:28 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: I just finished my first re-watch of the game and I will say that Ford had much less help than I remembered. I only counted twelve plays where he had blocking help. He definitely took some lumps but it was an impressive showing. Here are some notes I took on this specific match-up. Useful for the thread.

1. Ford had some really impressive reps against Watt. For example, early in the first, Watt faked outside and tried cut underneath Ford and he maintained his base really well and was able to neutralize him immediately. 
2.  The first Burrow fumble was a ford mistake. He should have squeezed down and blocked Queen since Queen had the more direct line to Burrow. However, he opted to block Watt and got whipped. If Queen didn't get there, Watt would have. 
3. Watt beat Ford bad enough to force Burrow to step up in the pocket. Not a bad rep for Cody but he got beat. Even worse rep for Volson, though. He was manhandled on this rep and his guy easily cleaned up for the sack. 
4. Watt recorded a sack fumble in the second quarter but it was nullified due to defensive holding. Ford was dominated on this rep. Watt was able to get the edge and dip around him.
5. Watt beat Ford badly again right before halftime. He was able to get the edge and froced Burrow to step up and quickly dump it off to Herbert. Herbert dropped it, but it would have been a loss of three. 
6. In the first half, Ford did a great job of preventing Watt from getting his hands inside and bullying him backwards. He handled the exchanges on stunts well but has struggled quite a bit when Watt utilizes his speed rush to get the edge. It's TJ Watt, though. I'm giving Ford some credit here. He lost some reps but has done a fine job.
7. Starting out the second half, Watt tries to get the edge again and Ford handles it beautifully. Burrow steps up but was never in trouble. This was an awesome snap by Ford. 
8. Just a note that when Watt goes out and Smith comes in, Ford dominates him. He's won every single rep that I have seen. 
9. Ford loses a rep with Watt going inside and Burrow escapes the pocket. This is his first snap back from injury. 
10. Another attempt by Watt to get the outside edge and Ford shuts him down completely. 
    

That's most of what I have got. Watt was completely irrelevant in the run game but this is partially due to the gameplan by Cincinnati, I think. They never really ran at him or to the edges much. If they did run to the edge, it was opposite his side. Watt won some reps and had impact but his biggest win was nullified by penalty. Ford probably saw Watt on somewhere between 30-35 of his snaps and had help on twelve of those. He gave up some pressures and a couple QB hits by my eyes (though probably not fitting the official definition) but that's it. If that is the performance you get from your back-up utility lineman then that is a victory IMO. Impressive game. 

(01-05-2025, 05:51 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Only way I want Karras starting in 2025 is if he's the LG and even then I am only so-so on it.

As per PFF if you wanna go with that route as well he's the 20th overall (below average) C because he's the 47th ranked C as a run blocker. As in there's a full set of NFL starters plus almost half a league worth of backup C who are better than him when it come to run blocking. Our center to be less soft when it comes time for 3rd and 1 so we don't have to throw deep balls or take sacks then.

I'm okay with Ford as a backup, but if he's a Week 1 starter then we learned nothing and we'll fix nothing. Earlier poster mentioned maybe he'll improve if he's guaranteed a starting role? The dude is going into his age 29 season. He is who he is.

(01-05-2025, 01:11 PM)sandwedge Wrote: Anyone else see a replay of Ford blocking an inside defender and the guy kind of piled on his ankle after the play? Ford just gave the guy a death stare.

(01-05-2025, 03:28 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: I just finished my first re-watch of the game and I will say that Ford had much less help than I remembered. I only counted twelve plays where he had blocking help. He definitely took some lumps but it was an impressive showing. Here are some notes I took on this specific match-up. Useful for the thread.

1. Ford had some really impressive reps against Watt. For example, early in the first, Watt faked outside and tried cut underneath Ford and he maintained his base really well and was able to neutralize him immediately. 
2.  The first Burrow fumble was a ford mistake. He should have squeezed down and blocked Queen since Queen had the more direct line to Burrow. However, he opted to block Watt and got whipped. If Queen didn't get there, Watt would have. 
3. Watt beat Ford bad enough to force Burrow to step up in the pocket. Not a bad rep for Cody but he got beat. Even worse rep for Volson, though. He was manhandled on this rep and his guy easily cleaned up for the sack. 
4. Watt recorded a sack fumble in the second quarter but it was nullified due to defensive holding. Ford was dominated on this rep. Watt was able to get the edge and dip around him.
5. Watt beat Ford badly again right before halftime. He was able to get the edge and froced Burrow to step up and quickly dump it off to Herbert. Herbert dropped it, but it would have been a loss of three. 
6. In the first half, Ford did a great job of preventing Watt from getting his hands inside and bullying him backwards. He handled the exchanges on stunts well but has struggled quite a bit when Watt utilizes his speed rush to get the edge. It's TJ Watt, though. I'm giving Ford some credit here. He lost some reps but has done a fine job.
7. Starting out the second half, Watt tries to get the edge again and Ford handles it beautifully. Burrow steps up but was never in trouble. This was an awesome snap by Ford. 
8. Just a note that when Watt goes out and Smith comes in, Ford dominates him. He's won every single rep that I have seen. 
9. Ford loses a rep with Watt going inside and Burrow escapes the pocket. This is his first snap back from injury. 
10. Another attempt by Watt to get the outside edge and Ford shuts him down completely. 
    

That's most of what I have got. Watt was completely irrelevant in the run game but this is partially due to the gameplan by Cincinnati, I think. They never really ran at him or to the edges much. If they did run to the edge, it was opposite his side. Watt won some reps and had impact but his biggest win was nullified by penalty. Ford probably saw Watt on somewhere between 30-35 of his snaps and had help on twelve of those. He gave up some pressures and a couple QB hits by my eyes (though probably not fitting the official definition) but that's it. If that is the performance you get from your back-up utility lineman then that is a victory IMO. Impressive game.