(11-25-2021, 04:58 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Two year contract extension for Preston Brown then cut him 8 games into it.

(11-25-2021, 10:50 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: That's a pretty good one, although I think Webb was a band aid on an axe wound of a defense.  But that was a poor personnel choice.  I don't think he got rid of a solid player to start Webb, though.  He was simply trying to fill a hole with a veteran that knew his system.  

Like Ricardo Allen.  When I saw his name in the offseason, I was like "eh?", but he has proven to be a solid addition and allows Lou to rotate some "big nickel" looks with three safeties.  That is something the Pats almost do as their base defense, and it just gives a QB a little more "pause" because it creates some new looks and allows the pass rush another split second to get home.

Look, I know Anarumo has been the whipping boy around here, much like ZT before him, but I said I would give him this season as a "no excuses"-type season.  You know what?  He has done a damn good job.  In this division, and today's high-flying NFL offenses, he has done a damn good job.

The defense was extremely good the first seven weeks of the season.  SEVEN STRAIGHT WEEKS.  No clunkers at all.  Then, on their third straight road game, they got beat by the Jets.  They still should have won that game, up 11 in the 4th quarter, but it was a bad day for the defense.  They followed that up with another bad outing against the Browns.  Then, the Raiders game.  

They shut down their slot WR and completely eliminated their other WRs.  Waller had a solid day, but no one else did.  Against a desperate team, on the road, that has a pretty good offense and a veteran QB.  Held Derek Carr to 85 yards below his game average yardage, and forced two turnovers.  Held them to just 72 yards rushing. 

The remainder of the schedule has three more AFC North games, and he had great games against pitt and Baltimore.  Now, they get them at home.

I have no doubt the offense will put up 24 points or more every game.  Whether the Bengals make the playoffs will rest on Lou's shoulders.  He has earned my trust to this point.  10 games in and his defense has only had 2 poor outings.  Say they have two more poor outings down the final 7 games, then I would say the Bengals will be 11-6 and possibly win the division.  

Based on what this team had last year, if he does that, I think he should be in serious consideration of an assistant coach of the year award.  

Yes, there is a lot of time to go, but he has earned that discussion to this point.  

What has me so excited is that 5 of the next 6 are at home!  Almost no travel!  Look how the defense performed when they weren't on the road for three straight games (one of just two teams to have that on thier schedule). 

Who Dey!  

(11-25-2021, 11:04 AM)jason Wrote: I know... Outside of a couple games, I feel sorta petty to make a peep about Lou this year.

(11-24-2021, 08:44 AM)fredtoast Wrote: And this is exactly what proves my point about how clueless the Bengals coaches were.

Here are the stats for the FIRST FIVE GAMES of the season put up by the guy you claimed was "playing like garbage"

17 tkl.... 2 TFL.... 3 QB hits.... 1 sack... 2 PD

Now here are the FULL SEASON stats for the guys the coaches benched Dunlap behind

Bledsoe... 17 tkl.... 0 TFL.... 0 QB hits.... 0 sacks... 2 PD
Kareem... 19 tkl.... 1 TFL.... 2 QB hits.... 1 sacks... 0 PD

(11-24-2021, 09:14 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Again, by resume or the year he got demoted?  If we go by resume, then AJ Green would have stayed and kept Ja'Marr Chase on the bench.  And one thing that you can't see with the stats is what his assignment was and what he actually executed.  

He would take himself out of so many plays, taking that wide arc around the OT and the QB or RB could step right in to his lane.  I can't believe you didn't notice that.  It was pathetic "show off" football, just trying to luck in to a sack and not doing his assignment at all.  

Your next question will be "how do I know his assignment" and you would be correct.  Just like PFF, I don't know his assignment.  What I do know is the role of that position and he had no interest in containment or run defense.  He was trying to get stats that pad his paycheck and nothing else.  

(11-24-2021, 10:21 AM)fredtoast Wrote: he was still an "impact talent".  His production the second half of the season with Seattle proves this.

Only difference was coaching.

(11-25-2021, 10:34 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Those look to be team issues, and the challenge was "personnel decisions".  Where did he promote a turd and kick out a stud?

(11-23-2021, 10:58 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Avoiding the Dunlap debate. Yes this is a good team the coaches and FO have put together that obviously fits what
the coaches wanted to install. It shows on and off the field and I think this team could make a big time run as long
as they are prepared week to week.

(11-25-2021, 11:18 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: People also don't seem to give any credit for building the defense, and making the personnel work together in a relatively short amount of time. One guy that we all seem to really like (or love after the hit on JJSS) is Vonn Bell.  He seems to be a guy that helps everything work.  He and Bates are going to be huge down the stretch with a second shot against pitt, Baltimore, and Cleveland.  

I'm so excited at the prospect of effectively ending the steeler's chances and potentially taking the lead (barely) in the AFC North should the Browns be able to beat the Ravens on the road.  

(11-25-2021, 10:32 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Do you have a link for this?  Who was playing LDE last year?

(11-25-2021, 12:19 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: Well if Lou's coaching/use of personnel is bad than it's impossible to judge personnel changes. Bottom line is Carlos Dunlap and Lou were at a head and that happens. Dunlap was getting older and I think defensive end is one of the tougher positions to maintain a high level of play. To act like it was a lack of effort on his part or that his departure is a key reason the defense has been better this year is ridiculous in my opinion.

(11-25-2021, 12:28 PM)jason Wrote: Yep... Honestly Bell was the 2020 pickup I was most excited about. Admittedly I'm a shameless OSU, but you're right... Vonn Bell is not only a consistent and very solid player; he's also a proverbial glue guy.

(11-25-2021, 12:43 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Then you are calling Dave Lapham, one of the most dialed-in sportscasters you will ever see, ridiculous as he pointed this out time and time again.  

(11-25-2021, 12:35 AM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: I know that there's a lot to coverage's and defensive schemes and I'm not pretending to know anywhere near a coach at any level. But coaches can out think themselves or not adjust there scheme to match a certain situation that a casual fan can clearly see is a problem. I can tell watching the game that we can't give Mike White 400yds at 3.7YPA and maybe we should cover the running back. Now I might not be able to call the defensive to use to achieve this but apparently neither can Lou. But I'm not a NFL defensive coordinator. 

(11-25-2021, 01:18 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: Point being, the calls weren't that bad. Play zone, keep it in front of you and rally to the ball. If they want to throw it short, then let them and we'll tackle. The problem is, Cincinnati didn't tackle. I blame the players more than I do Lou and I'm not necessarily a Lou truther. 

(11-25-2021, 11:45 AM)SuperBowlBound! Wrote: I just sit back and laugh that Seattle ended up with Dunlap and now they suck!

(11-25-2021, 11:34 AM)SuperBowlBound! Wrote: Great job manipulating stats. 

I cannot believe you actually think Carlos Dunlap was having a good season and should not have been demoted. That is laughable. It is not that the coaches thought Bledsoe and Kareem were better it is because that is all they had.

(11-25-2021, 11:34 AM)SuperBowlBound! Wrote: Since it is hard to tackle people when you are not playing we should compare snap counts instead of games. 

Dunlap - 277 def snaps, 18 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFL (3 year 40 million)
Kareem - 259 def snaps, 19 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL (4 Year 3.65 Mil)
Bledsoe - 312 def snaps, 17 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 TFL (2 Year 1.39 Mil)

(11-25-2021, 01:41 PM)fredtoast Wrote: When one player can't cover his assignment I blame the player.  When the entire team suddenly has the same problem covering their assignment I blame the coach.  Individual players are up and down from game to game, but I don't see every single player suddenly go bad at the same time.

And even if it was all the players messing up at the same time the coaches have to make some kind of adjustments after 3 quarters of the EXACT SAME THING.

Back in '19 we played the Steelers when they had no rushing game and Roethlisbereger was out with injury.  Tomlin used a WR in the wildcat formation and ran all over us.  Lou just could not come up with any adjustment or answer to what they were doing.

(11-25-2021, 01:59 PM)fredtoast Wrote: If all you have are players that are worse then you don't bench the better player.  Taylor pulled the same exact shit with Dalton and Finley.




Great point.  Lets look at Dunlaps stats compared to what Bledsoe and Kareem combined for in OVER TWICE AS MANY SNAPS

..............Dunlap......Kar/Bled
TFL............  2............  1
QB hits......  3.............  2
Sacks.......... 1.............  1
PD.............. 2.............  2