Don’t Mess with the Defense (Much)

[Fan_in_Kettering]

Who else is happy Lou Anarumo didn’t get the Giants’ head coach job?

Lou did miracles with the defense once he got “his guys” in place via free agency and the draft.

The Bengals’ defense needs very little offseason tweaking. Given BJ Hill’s situation there might be a need for an additional defensive lineman or two to rotate fresh personnel in throughout the game. Getting Joseph Ossai and Larry Ogunjobi back will help as well.

Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson are the best linebackers we’ve seen in Cincinnati in decades. Wilson is terrific at breaking up passes and making interceptions while Pratt tackles like Vontaze Burfict without the crazy streak.

The secondary is solid but much depends on Jessie Bates’ situation. If he goes elsewhere we’ll need to get someone awesome. As for Eli Apple he’s good against the run but against the pass his hands turn into Dan Coats. This is fixable.

What else do we need on defense?

[Interceptor]

I would like an island CB and an intimidating tackler - a real bell ringer but in the legal way.

[Nicomo Cosca]

We need another high end pass rusher to go with Hendrickson. We all like to think that will be Ossai, but you can’t count on that based solely off some pre-season flashes (see Hodge this year).

The only other thing we really need is a better CB2. Ideally we bring back Apple, but in a backup role - like what was originally intended.

I say go out and buy our OL, and draft talent to develop on the defense. So basically the opposite of what we’ve done the last couple years.

[007BengalsFan]

(02-18-2022, 11:20 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: We need another high end pass rusher to go with Hendrickson. We all like to think that will be Ossai, but you can’t count on that based solely off some pre-season flashes (see Hodge this year)...

We don't really know how Hodge would have done in a regular season game because he didnt have the chance to show.  Then he was cut to make room for Hargreaves.  I thought both Hodge and Ossai showed promise during the preseason.  Too bad we didnt get to see what they could do in regular games but like you said you just never know, it was preseason.  I do think Ossai will help make the defense better when he has a chance to get out there.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(02-19-2022, 12:04 AM)007BengalsFan Wrote: We don't really know how Hodge would have done in a regular season game because he didnt have the chance to show.  Then he was cut to make room for Hargreaves.  I thought both Hodge and Ossai showed promise during the preseason.  Too bad we didnt get to see what they could do in regular games but like you said you just never know, it was preseason.  I do think Ossai will help make the defense better when he has a chance to get out there.

Hodge played in 4 regular season games before the Bengals cut him. Only a handful of snaps on defense, but he did see the field. Miami never played him either after the PED suspension. That’s 2 different coaching staffs that he couldn’t convince he was worthy of playing.

[fredtoast]

They sure as hell better do something about our defense because right now we are missing a starting FS, a starting CB, a starting DT, and our back up DT and NT who each played about 50% of the defensive snaps.

Picking at 31 we should not plan on getting an instant rookie starter.  So we are going to have to burn a lot of free agent money replacing all these key defensive players.  We really don't have many promising young guys waiting to step in to starting rolls like we did at LB this year.  I really like the potential of both Ossai and Sample, but neither of them play a position where we are losing a starter.  Shelvin did not show much, but I don't judge a player based on a poor rookie season.  I could live with letting him taking Tupou's back up slot.

[007BengalsFan]

(02-19-2022, 01:52 AM)fredtoast Wrote: They sure as hell better do something about our defense because right now we are missing a starting FS, a starting CB, a starting DT, and our back up DT and NT who each played about 50% of the defensive snaps.

Picking at 31 we should not plan on getting an instant rookie starter.  So we are going to have to burn a lot of free agent money replacing all these key defensive players.  We really don't have many promising young guys waiting to step in to starting rolls like we did at LB this year.  I really like the potential of both Ossai and Sample, but neither of them play a position where we are losing a starter.  Shelvin did not show much, but I don't judge a player based on a poor rookie season.  I could live with letting him taking Tupou's back up slot.

Very true.  The defense played a huge part in the Bengals making it to the Super Bowl.  If not for the defense, they would not have had the season they did.   They need to keep these guys together

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(02-18-2022, 10:22 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Who else is happy Lou Anarumo didn’t get the Giants’ head coach job?

Lou did miracles with the defense once he got “his guys” in place via free agency and the draft.  

The Bengals’ defense needs very little offseason tweaking. Given BJ Hill’s situation there might be a need for an additional defensive lineman or two to rotate fresh personnel in throughout the game.  Getting Joseph Ossai and Larry Ogunjobi back will help as well.

Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson are the best linebackers we’ve seen in Cincinnati in decades.  Wilson is terrific at breaking up passes and making interceptions while Pratt tackles like Vontaze Burfict without the crazy streak.  

The secondary is solid but much depends on Jessie Bates’ situation.  If he goes elsewhere we’ll need to get someone awesome.  As for Eli Apple he’s good against the run but against the pass his hands turn into Dan Coats.  This is fixable.  

What else do we need on defense?

Kettering coming in hot with their take.

The defense finished...
17th Scoring
18th Overall
26th Passing
5th Rushing
12th in Sacks
17th in Turnovers
22nd in 3rd Down %
27th in Penalties

The rush defense was very very good, and they were above average in sacking QBs, but overall it actually wasn't an above average defense. Let alone "miracles".

- - - - -

Also, Pratt is definitely not Burfict (go back and watch early Burfict highlights if you start believing otherwise) and if a highly drafted CB has bad hands, that isn't something you can just fix in their 7th NFL season. No doubt some HS coaches and some college coaches have already tried before the NFL, and NFL coaches have tried for 6 years. To use the classic line, that's why he is a CB instead of a WR.

[Whacked]

TheLeonardLeap Wrote:The defense finished...
17th Scoring
18th Overall
26th Passing
5th Rushing
12th in Sacks
17th in Turnovers
22nd in 3rd Down %
27th in Penalties

Wow. I would have assumed much better in several categories.

[Daddy-O]

(02-19-2022, 02:56 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Kettering coming in hot with their take.

The defense finished...
17th Scoring
18th Overall
26th Passing
5th Rushing
12th in Sacks
17th in Turnovers
22nd in 3rd Down %
27th in Penalties

The rush defense was very very good, and they were above average in sacking QBs, but overall it actually wasn't an above average defense. Let alone "miracles".

- - - - -

Also, Pratt is definitely not Burfict (go back and watch early Burfict highlights if you start believing otherwise) and if a highly drafted CB has bad hands, that isn't something you can just fix in their 7th NFL season. No doubt some HS coaches and some college coaches have already tried before the NFL, and NFL coaches have tried for 6 years. To use the classic line, that's why he is a CB instead of a WR.

I think some of these numbers would look better if not taking the entire year into consideration, which I realize is cherry picking.  But down the stretch they seem to get it together and played a lot better.  And in the playoffs and SB played really well.

If they can keep most of the pieces in tact next year they should start off a lot better.