Cincinnati Bengals Message Board / Forums - Home of Jungle Noise
Howard Cross III - Printable Version

+- Cincinnati Bengals Message Board / Forums - Home of Jungle Noise (https://thebengalsboard.com)
+-- Forum: Cincinnati Bengals / NFL (https://thebengalsboard.com/forum-3.html)
+--- Forum: JUNGLE NOISE (https://thebengalsboard.com/forum-2.html)
+--- Thread: Howard Cross III (/thread-40757.html)

Pages: 1 2

RE: Howard Cross III - Sled21 - 08-08-2025

(08-08-2025, 03:24 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote:
What is Cross's number again?

I liked what I saw from McKinnley Jackson, he had 2 TFL's and had at least one pressure constantly pushing his guy back. Don't know
why he was playing with the 3's and 4's. He should be playing with the 2's IMO.

He did have the penalty roughing the LS though that lead to the last TD though, so up and down. I didn't see the penalty either so it 
could of been a bad call.

95. And as I said elsewhere, I wouldn't read too much into McKinley not playing with the twos. The coaches watched him all last season, so they pretty much know what he brings. They may have just wanted to get an extended look at Cross and some of the other DTs

RE: Howard Cross III - Nate (formerly eliminate08) - 08-08-2025

(08-08-2025, 03:52 PM)Sled21 Wrote: 95

Thanks man. Wally Gilberry's old number. Mellow

RE: Howard Cross III - bfine32 - 08-08-2025

(08-08-2025, 09:11 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Well that's not what I want to hear...

It was his first time playing against men. I can see him making the PS at a minimum, but not sure about the 53.

WTS, he looked every bit as good as that former 1st Rounder we signed. I was much more disheartened by his performance.

RE: Howard Cross III - ochocincos - 08-08-2025

(08-07-2025, 03:47 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Haven't seen Cross at camp, I don't even know his number but watched him at Notre Dame and was really surprised he went undrafted.

Hopefully this is not a knock on Kris Jenkins or McKinnley Jackson. Hopefully all of them are playing really well.

I heard Jackson was playing with the 3rd teamers last night.
If so, that's not good, especially with Hill not even playing last night.

RE: Howard Cross III - Nate (formerly eliminate08) - 08-08-2025

(08-08-2025, 03:59 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I heard Jackson was playing with the 3rd teamers last night.
If so, that's not good, especially with Hill not even playing last night.

Maybe McKinnley did something wrong off the field or something. He played really good last night and was our best DL IMO.

2 TFL's and good push up the middle. He can play Nose Tackle and rush the passer. Hopefully his play last night gets him some playing 
time with the 2's where he should be. McKinnley had the terrible penalty, maybe he has been a bit of a head case or something, but this
time of year we read into everything too much.

RE: Howard Cross III - Sled21 - 08-08-2025

(08-08-2025, 04:29 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Maybe McKinnley did something wrong off the field or something. He played really good last night and was our best DL IMO.

2 TFL's and good push up the middle. He can play Nose Tackle and rush the passer. Hopefully his play last night gets him some playing 
time with the 2's where he should be. McKinnley had the terrible penalty, maybe he has been a bit of a head case or something, but this
time of year we read into everything too much.

Again, I think maybe the coaches just wanted to watch some of the new DT's like Cross to see what they can do. I really doubt McKinley has moved down the depth chart.

RE: Howard Cross III - dr tarzan - 08-08-2025

I was impressed with Cross' play. he has a great first step and real quicks which was on display when he blew up the play the Stewart finished.
I honestly could see him taking Cam Sample's DE/DT spot as Cam didn't look like he recovered the speed and quickness he showed in Last years camp before the achilles.

RE: Howard Cross III - J24 - 08-08-2025

(08-08-2025, 04:29 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Maybe McKinnley did something wrong off the field or something. He played really good last night and was our best DL IMO.

2 TFL's and good push up the middle. He can play Nose Tackle and rush the passer. Hopefully his play last night gets him some playing 
time with the 2's where he should be. McKinnley had the terrible penalty, maybe he has been a bit of a head case or something, but this
time of year we read into everything too much.

3 TFLs actually! Your point remains the same though dude is explosive!

RE: Howard Cross III - Nate (formerly eliminate08) - 08-09-2025

(08-08-2025, 08:33 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Again, I think maybe the coaches just wanted to watch some of the new DT's like Cross to see what they can do. I really doubt McKinley has moved down the depth chart.

I like it Sled. Smirk

(08-08-2025, 08:52 PM)dr tarzan Wrote: I was impressed with Cross' play.   he has a great first step and real quicks which was on display when he blew up the play the Stewart finished.
I honestly could see him taking Cam Sample's DE/DT spot as Cam didn't look like he recovered the speed and quickness he showed in Last years camp before the achilles.

According to Bfine Cam Sample was our best End against the Eagles, I doubt his spot is in any jeopardy.

(08-08-2025, 09:51 PM)J24 Wrote: 3 TFLs actually! Your point remains the same though dude is explosive!

Nice, I was just counting what I saw the first time around in the condensed version on Gamepass. Thanks brother. Wink

RE: Howard Cross III - Luvnit2 - 08-09-2025

(08-08-2025, 04:29 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Maybe McKinnley did something wrong off the field or something. He played really good last night and was our best DL IMO.

2 TFL's and good push up the middle. He can play Nose Tackle and rush the passer. Hopefully his play last night gets him some playing 
time with the 2's where he should be. McKinnley had the terrible penalty, maybe he has been a bit of a head case or something, but this
time of year we read into everything too much.

Jackson plays with a chip on his shoulder, he looked great to me. I like his passion and yes he dominated against Eagles 2nd and 3rd team guys, but how many times do we see guys who are upposed to dominate, don't do it.

I loved Jenkins last night as well. Our 2 second years DT's seem to be way ahead of where they were 1 year ago in TC. Our best defenses under Lou had a 8 man DL rotation. Get Trey back and we may have a 9 man rotation.

RE: Howard Cross III - Nate (formerly eliminate08) - 08-09-2025

(Yesterday, 12:47 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Jackson plays with a chip on his shoulder, he looked great to me. I like his passion and yes he dominated against Eagles 2nd and 3rd team guys, but how many times do we see guys who are upposed to dominate, don't do it.

I loved Jenkins last night as well. Our 2 second years DT's seem to be way ahead of where they were 1 year ago in TC. Our best defenses under Lou had a 8 man DL rotation. Get Trey back and we may have a 9 man rotation.

Exactly, dominate who you are supposed to dominate. I saw one good run stop from Jenkins too and you and Synric say he played well.

I just saw Kris get washed out of a play or two so that probably influenced my dislike of his overall play. But yeah, if McKinnley and Kris take 
that next step to being good pros this Defense could be decent.

RE: Howard Cross III - Nepa - 08-09-2025

(Yesterday, 04:46 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Exactly, dominate who you are supposed to dominate. I saw one good run stop from Jenkins too and you and Synric say he played well.

I just saw Kris get washed out of a play or two so that probably influenced my dislike of his overall play. But yeah, if McKinnley and Kris take 
that next step to being good pros this Defense could be decent.

In the "Good, the Bad, and the Fugly" thread, Synric posted a video showing 7 snaps of Jenkins where he was just excellent (page 8 of the thread). It was beautiful to watch. It would be nice to find a simpler compilation of Jackson since he was terrific at the end of the season last year and apparently he did well in this first preseason game.

RE: Howard Cross III - Synric - 08-09-2025

(Yesterday, 04:55 PM)Nepa Wrote: In the "Good, the Bad, and the Fugly" thread, Synric posted a video showing 7 snaps of Jenkins where he was just excellent (page 8 of the thread). It was beautiful to watch. It would be nice to find a simpler compilation of Jackson since he was terrific at the end of the season last year and apparently he did well in this first preseason game.



Here are a few of Jackson's reps. He is a penetrating Nose Tackle most at the 1T. He is more of a 1 trick pony as a nose but that trick is splitting doubles with his first step in thr A-Gaps getting into thr backfield. He missed a couple times in thr backfield which caused a bigger run plays behind him but it's not in the clip. 




RE: Howard Cross III - Nepa - 08-09-2025

(Yesterday, 05:04 PM)Synric Wrote: Here are a few of Jackson's reps. He is a penetrating Nose Tackle most at the 1T. He is more of a 1 trick pony as a nose but that trick is splitting doubles with his first step in thr A-Gaps getting into thr backfield. He missed a couple times in thr backfield which caused a bigger run plays behind him but it's not in the clip. 



Thanks for the clips and insights.

RE: Howard Cross III - J24 - 08-09-2025

(Yesterday, 05:04 PM)Synric Wrote: Here are a few of Jackson's reps. He is a penetrating Nose Tackle most at the 1T. He is more of a 1 trick pony as a nose but that trick is splitting doubles with his first step in thr A-Gaps getting into thr backfield. He missed a couple times in thr backfield which caused a bigger run plays behind him but it's not in the clip. 



I watching goodberry last night and he said the Dline was slanting a lot! So wouldn't that make Jackson perfect for this type of defense? 

Jackson ability to penetrate is something that can't be taught and quite frankly we need his type of explosion athleticism on defense.

RE: Howard Cross III - Synric - 08-10-2025

(Yesterday, 09:56 PM)J24 Wrote: I watching goodberry last night and he said the Dline was slanting a lot! So wouldn't that make Jackson perfect for this type of defense? 

Jackson ability to penetrate is something that can't be taught and quite frankly we need his type of explosion athleticism on defense.


Yes. The Eagles ran alot of mid and outside zone. Against that slanting your DL is typical instead of playing pure gap control. Belicheck in thr Patriots/Rams super bowl is a good example.

Normally you'd like your NT to also be able to plant his feet and hold thr point of attack in gap control too. Which would be massive for short yardage situations.

RE: Howard Cross III - Sled21 - 08-10-2025

(Yesterday, 05:04 PM)Synric Wrote: Here are a few of Jackson's reps. He is a penetrating Nose Tackle most at the 1T. He is more of a 1 trick pony as a nose but that trick is splitting doubles with his first step in thr A-Gaps getting into thr backfield. He missed a couple times in thr backfield which caused a bigger run plays behind him but it's not in the clip. 



I don't know how anyone can be unhappy with that.

RE: Howard Cross III - Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 - 08-10-2025

(08-08-2025, 03:52 PM)Sled21 Wrote: 95. And as I said elsewhere, I wouldn't read too much into McKinley not playing with the twos. The coaches watched him all last season, so they pretty much know what he brings. They may have just wanted to get an extended look at Cross and some of the other DTs

That is what I am hoping. Looking at Bryan's PFF grades, he seems a berter pass rusher than run stopper and his size screams 3T not NT. Maybe the coaches wanted to see how he would hold up vs the run as more of the run stopper with Cross ar 3T? 

Golden seems to value versatility, so they maybe wanted to see Bryan in another spot? 

RE: Howard Cross III - bfine32 - 08-10-2025

(08-08-2025, 12:16 AM)bfine32 Wrote: I saw him in a game and he was not very good. 

Seems PFF agreed with my assessment (39.6)