(07-11-2025, 11:01 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Stop it. 

We're talking about one guy who does his job well. 

If you have 5, 6 or 7 guys blocking and one guy clearly doing his job well, you still have 4, 5 or 6 guys who can **** it up.

On top of that, if the RB goes the wrong way, the play is dead. 

I just don't understand why people are downplaying how well All blocks in the run game. He's not turning the Bengals into a top 5 rushing team but he's solidifying what he's being asked to do, better than a lot of other guys. 

(Yesterday, 12:36 PM)XsandOs Wrote: I was at this game and All stood out. Physically, he looked as big as the OL. But his speed was amazing, in not only taking simple tosses/flats for good gains, but also in blocking.

He lined up in-line, in the backfield, and on the perimeter. 

On our first TD (8:24 mark) what this video doesn't show is that he was lined up outside with a CB on him, before he came across the entire formation to seal the LB for Brown's TD. 

Then coming out of half time, he caught the first ball for a first down, then had three great blocks for Brown that led to 40+ yards, putting us in the Panthers red zone. One of the blocks was on a safety 10 yards downfield on a swing pass to Brown. 

These plays signified to me that he is truly a complete TE. With him, you can show a power run and simultaneously a pass, from the same formation. 

Last year he caught 20 of 22 targets for 7.9 yards per. Taylor was opening the passing game for him with some curls and outs, but the unfortunate happened. 

(Yesterday, 01:28 PM)ochocincos Wrote: In my context, I was told 4.1 YPC earlier in the thread is "below average" for RBs last year, which I believe the average was 4.3.
4.3 and 4.1 is not so big of a difference (to me) that I would be so hugely concerned.
Maybe I'm still stuck in the past where anything 4.0 or above is satisfactory, but that's where I stand.

(07-11-2025, 07:00 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Yes, I agree. It's different when you have a naturally athletic TE that not only embraces blocking, but absolutely excels at it. For example, Drew Sample is a good blocker, but he can't pull off the wham nearly as smoothly and efficiently as a guy like All. Given a full healthy season, I feel like All could also show his value as an intermediate level receiving TE as well. As it is now, we're just hoping that he recovers well enough to even be able to play football again.

(Yesterday, 01:28 PM)ochocincos Wrote: In my context, I was told 4.1 YPC earlier in the thread is "below average" for RBs last year, which I believe the average was 4.3.
4.3 and 4.1 is not so big of a difference (to me) that I would be so hugely concerned.
Maybe I'm still stuck in the past where anything 4.0 or above is satisfactory, but that's where I stand.

(10 hours ago)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I think part of the problem with our 4.1 is that it's based off incredibly low number of attempts. We're not grinding out the tough yards (we famously chose to throw back-to-back bombs on 3rd and 4th and short) or running out games in the 4th quarter with a lead when teams know we are going to run it.

So that 4.1 is inflated by a lack of carries in situations when you innately get less yards per carry. 30th in carries, 30th in yards per game.

(It's a similar situation to how Germaine Pratt was graded better against the pass back when he was a 2-down LB. It's easier to hide being bad at something if you just don't do it much.)

(8 hours ago)XsandOs Wrote: If you both recall when Steelers would run all over our defense, and we knew they were going to run at us. There are game situations that each side knows what is coming, so it is a matter of who wins the rep.

When you run and the defense knows you are running, averaging 4 YPC is excellent. 

Therefore; a below average running game is one that can't consistently generate that YPC average on obvious run downs. 

We were last in the league in first downs gained by running the ball. In the four games against KC, Eagles and two Ravens games, we averaged 63 yards rushing per game. 

If we had a run game, we would have beaten the Ravens the first game. Up by 3 points, ball on the Ravens 38 yard line, first and 10, with less than 4 minutes left in the game. This is the classic example of situational football. This is grind and kill the clock time. But Burrow throws an INT. 

(8 hours ago)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Great post XsandOs. If we get a scary run game our Offense could be unstoppable. Sure hope the additions of Peters as OL Coach, Fairchild,
Patrick, Perine and Tahj Brooks help. I think we will be better this season, but how much is the question.

(9 hours ago)ERIC1 Wrote: Ali unfortunately is and has been...severely suppceptible to injuries..that is not going to change

(8 hours ago)XsandOs Wrote: If you both recall when Steelers would run all over our defense, and we knew they were going to run at us. There are game situations that each side knows what is coming, so it is a matter of who wins the rep.

When you run and the defense knows you are running, averaging 4 YPC is excellent. 

Therefore; a below average running game is one that can't consistently generate that YPC average on obvious run downs. 

We were last in the league in first downs gained by running the ball. In the four games against KC, Eagles and two Ravens games, we averaged 63 yards rushing per game. 

If we had a run game, we would have beaten the Ravens the first game. Up by 3 points, ball on the Ravens 38 yard line, first and 10, with less than 4 minutes left in the game. This is the classic example of situational football. This is grind and kill the clock time. But Burrow throws an INT. 

(Yesterday, 01:27 PM)ochocincos Wrote: If the Bengals really wanted to improve their running game, they should have invested in better IOL first and foremost.

But if we're just focusing on TEs, are Bengals in worse shape without Erick All compared to Cam Grandy?
Looking at last year, here are the PFF run blocking scores and run blocking snaps of All, Grandy, and Sample
All (109 snaps) - 49.9 run block grade (60.7 grade overall)
Sample (295 snaps) - 50.2 run block grade (48.5 grade overall)
Grandy (38 snaps - joined the Bengals after All went out for the year) - 65.6 run block grade (63.5 grade overall)

Can Grandy not be at least close to the level of blocking that Erick All was able to do?


The way I see it, this year, Bengals have Gesicki and Hudson as the pass catching TEs with Sample and Grandy as the run blocking ones.
It doesn't seem like the Bengals have an all-around TE with All out, but that's their fault for not getting (a better) one in the draft or FA.
I'm not expecting a big dropoff in the running game though compared to with or without All.
There may be some things the Bengals can't do (as well) with All out, but I would expect they can or should be able to adjust playcalling and adapt and succeed without relying solely on one role player.

(7 hours ago)ochocincos Wrote: The Steelers were a far different style of offense (and way better defense) when they were doing that compared to how the Bengals are now.
If that's the type of offense you want, they probably need more drastic changes than having Erick All on the field.