(01-11-2024, 06:05 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: It's a minor detail that has a big impact.

We were bottom 3 in the league in giveaways the past two years. The Bengals TAKE CARE of the football - don't fumble or throw interceptions. They also take the ball away a decent amount - top 10 the past two years. They were top 5 in turnover differential in 2022 and 2023.

This team is not perfect by any means, but taking the ball away and not giving it away can off set a lot of the deficiencies this team has - especially on defense.

It's probably not a good idea to rely on it and I'm not sure its super sustainable, but it's definetly a part of this teams identity and you can tell its coached/preached. It's becoming a trend.

(01-11-2024, 06:05 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: It's a minor detail that has a big impact.

We were bottom 3 in the league in giveaways the past two years. The Bengals TAKE CARE of the football - don't fumble or throw interceptions. They also take the ball away a decent amount - top 10 the past two years. They were top 5 in turnover differential in 2022 and 2023.

This team is not perfect by any means, but taking the ball away and not giving it away can off set a lot of the deficiencies this team has - especially on defense.

It's probably not a good idea to rely on it and I'm not sure its super sustainable, but it's definetly a part of this teams identity and you can tell its coached/preached. It's becoming a trend.

(01-11-2024, 06:05 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: It's a minor detail that has a big impact.

We were bottom 3 in the league in giveaways the past two years. The Bengals TAKE CARE of the football - don't fumble or throw interceptions. They also take the ball away a decent amount - top 10 the past two years. They were top 5 in turnover differential in 2022 and 2023.

This team is not perfect by any means, but taking the ball away and not giving it away can off set a lot of the deficiencies this team has - especially on defense.

It's probably not a good idea to rely on it and I'm not sure its super sustainable, but it's definetly a part of this teams identity and you can tell its coached/preached. It's becoming a trend.

(01-11-2024, 08:07 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yes, cannot rely on this all the time. Especially getting turnovers on Defense, cannot turn the ball over on Offense though and that is the 
reason we weren't able to make the Playoffs this year with Jake IMO. We are also one of the least penalized teams over the last few years 
which is a product of good coaching I must say which is a great thing.

(01-11-2024, 08:39 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: We only had 2 losses where we had a negative turnover margin and 1 of them was a Burrow game. (We had 5 in '21.)

In fact we only had 3 games win or loss where we had a negative turnover margin, Ravens (1), Jaguars, and Steelers (2).

(01-11-2024, 10:18 PM)TKUHL Wrote: That’s all great but 2 of the games were against AFCN teams. We have got to build this team to compete in our division.

(01-11-2024, 06:05 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: It's a minor detail that has a big impact.

We were bottom 3 in the league in giveaways the past two years. The Bengals TAKE CARE of the football - don't fumble or throw interceptions. They also take the ball away a decent amount - top 10 the past two years. They were top 5 in turnover differential in 2022 and 2023.

This team is not perfect by any means, but taking the ball away and not giving it away can off set a lot of the deficiencies this team has - especially on defense.

It's probably not a good idea to rely on it and I'm not sure its super sustainable, but it's definetly a part of this teams identity and you can tell its coached/preached. It's becoming a trend.

(01-11-2024, 10:26 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: That's great, but I was replying to the idea that giving the ball over too much, and with our backup QB in particular, was why we didn't make the playoffs.

We didn't make the playoffs because our run game is non-existing and our defense is bad. Not because of offensive turnovers. I don't disagree with the fact that we need to beat the AFCN, I just don't see how what I said has anything to do with it. 

We went 0-2 when our offense committed 0 turnovers against our division rivals. On the year we went 1-3 when our offense didn't give the ball over a single time. Turnovers on offense wasn't why we didn't go to the playoffs.

(01-11-2024, 08:39 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: We only had 2 losses where we had a negative turnover margin and 1 of them was a Burrow game. (We had 5 in '21.)

In fact we only had 3 games win or loss where we had a negative turnover margin, Ravens (1), Jaguars, and Steelers (2).

(01-11-2024, 10:26 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: That's great, but I was replying to the idea that giving the ball over too much, and with our backup QB in particular, was why we didn't make the playoffs.

We didn't make the playoffs because our run game is non-existing and our defense is bad. Not because of offensive turnovers. I don't disagree with the fact that we need to beat the AFCN, I just don't see how what I said has anything to do with it. 

We went 0-2 when our offense committed 0 turnovers against our division rivals. On the year we went 1-3 when our offense didn't give the ball over a single time. Turnovers on offense wasn't why we didn't go to the playoffs.

(01-12-2024, 02:29 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yes, but if Browning doesn't turn the ball over in those stealer games we make the Playoffs is all I am saying.


True to a point. I still think we beat the stealers if Browning doesn't turn the ball over as much as he did. That was killer interception in 
our first game against them in the RZ and he threw 3 ints against them the other time. I guess I am more talking about the stealer games
as if we win both of those games we are in.

(01-12-2024, 03:04 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: We lost that second game 11-34, Nate. Mason Rudolph had a 124.0 QB Rating and George Pickens had 4 catches for 195 yards and 2 TDs.

They took their foot off the gas in the 4th quarter and ran on 13 out of their 15 plays in the 4th quarter or else it would have been much worse than the 23 point loss it was.

With 0 turnovers, we still lose because our defense was awful.

- - - - - - -

The first game Zac Taylor decided to run the Joe Burrow offense with Browning and had the RBs run the ball just EIGHT TIMES. Think about that. A backup QB making his first career start, it's against a top-10 scoring defense that is below average against the run in both volume and efficiency, and the HC/Playcaller had a non-QB run just EIGHT TIMES.

Meanwhile the defense, still with DJ Reader on it, gave up over 150 rushing yards at almost 5 yards per carry and 9 catches for 120 yards to Pat Freiermuth, the only guy Kenny Pickett's little hands could throw the ball to.