(12-29-2015, 06:21 AM)Stonyhands Wrote: I couldn't figure out why the issues with the play clock.  It seemed like mass confusion coming out of the huddle.  Then the throw to Gio on a third down after he was clearly trying to get off the field due to fatigue or injury.  Hue did no favors in this game with his shitty slow play calling.  My best guess was that having Hewitt leave the game early really messed up his game plan and he never fully recovered.  Plays were very late getting in and substitutions were embarrassing to say the least.  

Not to mention when you play good teams in prime time you have to score every chance and having an inconsistent kicker like Nugent really hurts.

(12-29-2015, 06:28 AM)wolfkaosaun Wrote: From Coley Harvey "AJ Green basically misread safety. Saw something early in route that caused that. He said he shouldn't have stopped. "

So when you have Green, someone who has seen cover 2's, going one way, and someone who hasn't seen NFL cover 2 much throwing another way, things like this are bound to happen. Miscommunication.

Not really a missed FG away. The Broncos were at the Bengals 38 with over a minute to go and 2 timeouts. It only would have been a 20-17 game at that point.

He did well in the beginning. I agree completely with that. But he struggled in the 2nd half. It's not how you start games, it's how you finish them.

And that playoffs weren't on the line. A bye week was. This was like a playoff game. There are no qualifiers. You win or lose. Period.

(12-29-2015, 06:32 AM)wolfkaosaun Wrote: With the way McCarron was playing, I'm surprised that they didn't keep him in some type of rhythm. I may be critical of him, but he did have a solid first half. It's the second half I have an issue with.

The Broncos played up tight with the receivers after awhile. That's why quick passes didn't really do too well. It seemed they were willing to give up the deep pass and stay tight with the receivers.

(12-29-2015, 10:55 AM)gobobro Wrote: I think AJM looked like a solid kid making his second start in the NFL. He, like the rest of the team, almost played well enough to win.

I was happy enough with his performance to think he can lead us to victory next week if available, and understanding enough of where he is in the growth process to hope like Hell Andy can make it back for the playoffs...

AJM is, for now, exactly what you hope for in a backup. He's good enough for you to have a chance any week he starts. Any projections beyond that are tough to make.

(12-29-2015, 10:55 AM)gobobro Wrote: I think AJM looked like a solid kid making his second start in the NFL. He, like the rest of the team, almost played well enough to win.

I was happy enough with his performance to think he can lead us to victory next week if available, and understanding enough of where he is in the growth process to hope like Hell Andy can make it back for the playoffs...

AJM is, for now, exactly what you hope for in a backup. He's good enough for you to have a chance any week he starts. Any projections beyond that are tough to make.

(12-29-2015, 07:48 AM)PDub80 Wrote: You guys bashing AJ McCarron for his play are just out of control. Go take 2 mins to read the play by play for the 2nd half of the game. You will be disgusted. The Bengals went short or run with OVER 90% of their plays. Even on the fumble at the end it was 2nd and 10 and there were 2 guys running 3 yard routes, which was on par for the whole 2nd half. http://espn.go.com/nfl/playbyplay?gameId=400791578

AJ McCarron went on the road on Monday Night against one of the best teams in football with one of the best defenses in football and didn't wilt. He stepped up and had the Bengals in position to win all night. It was his teammates who missed their opportunities and his coaches who shrunk away from putting the game out of reach by going safe. AJ didn't cause the Bengals to fall behind. Didn't cough up stupid INTs. Didn't throw almost intercepted passes. AJ McCarron didn't kill drives out of ineptness. He didn't get confused or look lost. He didn't force anything. He made some amazing throws, great plays with his legs, and some great decisions (throwing it away when the play was dead) on as bright a stage and with as much on the line as there has been in the NFL ALL YEAR.

He had some spectacular throws and scrambles. Absolutely spectacular! He played much better than AD did against a lesser opponent, the Texans, earlier this season on Monday night. Might I add that that game was at home.

Before people get all worked up over his fumbled snap....


- Classic Marvin Lewis conservative turtle mode in the 2nd half neutered the offense. Don't believe me... Then why were the Bengals moving the ball and able to score when behind? Because they were throwing down field. Why weren't they moving the ball when they were ahead? Because they were calling mostly short plays. PERIOD. It wasn't AJ being confused by the zone or anything BS like that. The coaches turtled. 
- Missed FG ended up being huge.
- Poor 2nd half D.
- Running game got nothing in the 2nd half which killed play action, which was working.
- AJ Green admittedly quit on a route that he shouldn't have. AJ McCarron put that up after seeing him beat his man and put it in a spot that, had he kept running, only AJ would have caught it... in stride. It was the right pass, accurately thrown. By his own admission after the game, the WR quit and said it was 100% on him. And he is 100% right.
- Another deep ball well thrown down the middle in stride and dropped right into AJs hands. CB made a good play, but should/could... wasn't caught.

McCarron had ONE bad play all night. It happened to be at a time when it mattered most. I guess I just look at all of the BS that went down to even bring it into that moment. I am not discouraged at all by McCarron's play. Not at all. And neither should anyone else. The 2015 Bengals are going to be better in the playoffs for what happened in Denver. All of them (with the exception of the turtle minded coach).

It was an impressive game from a guy in his 2nd NFL start. I am NOT saying he is better than AD or should start over him or anything like that. But, from watching the game, he actually wasn't worse than what AD can be in those moments so I am not discouraged in the least and came away 100% impressed and encouraged for the playoffs.

(12-30-2015, 11:16 AM)gobobro Wrote: For what it's worth, I listened to Lap discuss the game (and I put a ton of stock in what he says). He thinks the Bengals would have won the game by a couple of touchdowns with Dalton, and way more than that with Dalton and Eifert.

In essence:

1. Andy's pre-snap reads would have checked them out of many of the drive killers (I saw someone tweet a screen cap in which the Broncos had 9 defenders in the box and AJM still ran the run play to Hill).

2. Andy's post snap quickness would have gotten the ball to open receivers AJM just couldn't see.

3. The move to zone coverage by the Broncos wouldn't have hindered Dalton, and he'd have destroyed that zone with Eifert.


None of that is a knock on AJM, who showed great stuff. It's just the difference between a guy making his second start, and a fifth year QB having a Hell of a season. AJM can't see everything Andy can, can't make the checks Andy can, and the game hasn't slowed down enough for him to react quick enough. It happens. All QBs have this adjustment period. The positive for AJM is that he's trending well for a guy at his experience level.

(12-30-2015, 12:13 PM)Beaker Wrote: The exact reasons why AJM needs to play against the ravens. He needs the experience. The more D he sees and learns to read, the better he will perform in the next game. Which in this case will be playoffs.

(12-30-2015, 11:16 AM)gobobro Wrote: For what it's worth, I listened to Lap discuss the game (and I put a ton of stock in what he says). He thinks the Bengals would have won the game by a couple of touchdowns with Dalton, and way more than that with Dalton and Eifert.

In essence:

1. Andy's pre-snap reads would have checked them out of many of the drive killers (I saw someone tweet a screen cap in which the Broncos had 9 defenders in the box and AJM still ran the run play to Hill).

2. Andy's post snap quickness would have gotten the ball to open receivers AJM just couldn't see.

3. The move to zone coverage by the Broncos wouldn't have hindered Dalton, and he'd have destroyed that zone with Eifert.


None of that is a knock on AJM, who showed great stuff. It's just the difference between a guy making his second start, and a fifth year QB having a Hell of a season. AJM can't see everything Andy can, can't make the checks Andy can, and the game hasn't slowed down enough for him to react quick enough. It happens. All QBs have this adjustment period. The positive for AJM is that he's trending well for a guy at his experience level.

(12-30-2015, 01:31 PM)Wyche Wrote: Which are things I suggested in the GameDay thread.....but I was "just going off of what dumbass Jon Gruden said" when it came to the part about reading zones....

(12-30-2015, 01:50 PM)Joelist Wrote: I know that well. I also think that Andy would have eaten them alive in that zone package.