If You’re Concerned About the Lack of Offensive Firepower in the Preseason…

[Fan_in_Kettering]

…please don’t be.

This is how championship caliber teams run the preseason. While there may be some actual rehearsal going on, most of what we are seeing from the coaches is primarily evaluation for (1) current depth and (2) potential for the future.

What we see in the 2023 preseason guides the 2024-27 draft, free agency, and trade needs. Bad teams draft for immediate improvement that season. Great teams draft looking two or more seasons ahead.

[*bengalfan74*]

I don't get to broke up about preseason games. However, I didn't get to watch the first half so I am kinda anxious to see what the problem was with our backup QB? Siemian of course, 88 yards of offense?

[Soonerpeace]

(08-19-2023, 08:40 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: …please don’t be.

This is how championship caliber teams run the preseason. While there may be some actual rehearsal going on, most of what we are seeing from the coaches is primarily evaluation for (1) current depth and (2) potential for the future.

What we see in the 2023 preseason guides the 2024-27 draft, free agency, and trade needs. Bad teams draft for immediate improvement that season. Great teams draft looking two or more seasons ahead.

And their preseason offense is ridiculously basic. But we’ve done awful in backup QB’s. But any team with a top 10 QB is toast if they have to go to their backup. Mason Rudolph is third team for Pittsburgh but making 5 million. But he’s tons better than Browning or Sieman.But we need that money. Personally I think Frank Pollack is not great at scheming. He’s okay at technique.

[Fan_in_Kettering]

(08-19-2023, 09:46 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: And their offense is ridiculously basic. But we’ve done awful in backup QB’s. But any team with a top 10 QB is toast if they have to go to their backup.

The fall-off in talent and ability from Joe Burrow to, well, anybody is huge. However, the Bengals don’t need Trevor Siemian to do all Joe Burrow does. He merely needs to keep the offense moving and string some first downs together. Thanks to Lou Anarumo’s defense the Cincinnati offense does not need to score at least 30 points per game to win.

[RegularGuy22]

(08-19-2023, 08:40 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: …please don’t be.  

This is how championship caliber teams run the preseason.  While there may be some actual rehearsal going on, most of what we are seeing from the coaches is primarily evaluation for (1) current depth and (2) potential for the future.  

What we see in the 2023 preseason guides the 2024-27 draft, free agency, and trade needs.  Bad teams draft for immediate improvement that season.  Great teams draft looking two or more seasons ahead.

If your #1 and #2 are correct the Bengals are not in a good position at all. They look out of sync and time on both sides of the ball. Still can't run the ball, D secondary gives up too many catches to 2nd and 3rd offense, no pass rush, Jake and Trevor look to be hurried and our 2nd O line is spotty. Saw several plays where Carman was beat easily and just watched his man finish a pressure.

Last week GB and now Atl backups have no problem marching down the field on our backups. And I don't buy the vanilla schemes either, GB and Atl were running vanilla schemes too.

[NUGDUKWE]

I'm not gonna get too worried about the offense in the preseason. I think backup QB you really want to either hit on a draft pick or find that past starter that has accepted the backup situation and pay. Maybe Siemian fits that mold he just isn't that good. The only thing that concerns me is short yardage. Last year our play designs were terrible in that regard. Now this game 4th and 2 we let Siemian read it instead of a designed play were last year we would constantly take it out of Burrows hands with a designed play so maybe it's a sign of things to come and we'll give Burrow the ball and let him cook.

I thought the offense was better this week at least in protection and 2nd half QB play.

Side note: On the backup QB to find a former starter willing to accept a backup role. I wonder if Dalton would take that role in a year or two with a chance to get a ring? I think it would be fun to win a super bowl with him as a backup. It would really solidify his time here and add to the debate of his play level as one could say "he got a ring".

[NUGDUKWE]

(08-19-2023, 10:05 AM)RegularGuy22 Wrote: If your #1 and #2 are correct the Bengals are not in a good position at all. They look out of sync and time on both sides of the ball. Still can't run the ball, D secondary gives up too many catches to 2nd and 3rd offense, no pass rush, Jake and Trevor look to be hurried and our 2nd O line is spotty. Saw several plays where Carman was beat easily and just watched his man finish a pressure.

Last week GB and now Atl backups have no problem marching down the field on our backups. And I don't buy the vanilla schemes either, GB and Atl were running vanilla schemes too.

The thing that worries me with the defense is if we have the physicality to replace the safeties we lost. Or maybe it's physicality and/or inexperience causing hesitation. Just the difference in stopping an outside run or a short pass for no gain or letting them pick up 5-7 yds. Probably impossible to tell until the games matter but stopping Chubb week 1 is not gonna be an easy task and would really like to see players excelling in this in the preseason.

[M.W.]

The only thing that concerns me about any preseason game is injuries.

[Soonerpeace]

(08-19-2023, 09:57 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: The fall-off in talent and ability from Joe Burrow to, well, anybody is huge. However, the Bengals don’t need Trevor Siemian to do all Joe Burrow does. He merely needs to keep the offense moving and string some first downs together. Thanks to Lou Anarumo’s defense the Cincinnati offense does not need to score at least 30 points per game to win.

True and I meant their preseason offense is so basic

[QueenCity]

I didn't plan on Bengals scoring 25+ points in pre-season but it's been awful to watch. I hope all of this lack of offense is on the back up QB because the rest of the team is future starters that need to show something.

[sandwedge]

(08-19-2023, 08:40 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: …please don’t be.  

This is how championship caliber teams run the preseason.  While there may be some actual rehearsal going on, most of what we are seeing from the coaches is primarily evaluation for (1) current depth and (2) potential for the future.  

What we see in the 2023 preseason guides the 2024-27 draft, free agency, and trade needs.  Bad teams draft for immediate improvement that season.  Great teams draft looking two or more seasons ahead.

I'm not to worried about it. To me, it's an evaluation process. Coaches need to see these 2nd and 3rd string guys in certain situations, are they going to hesitate, make the same mistake over and over again.  I doubt that there is much game planning going on.

[chrisball96]

(08-19-2023, 10:27 AM)QueenCity Wrote: I didn't plan on Bengals scoring 25+ points in pre-season but it's been awful to watch. I hope all of this lack of offense is on the back up QB because the rest of the team is future starters that need to show something.

I think the issue too is that you have some starters playing next to backups and in some cases practice squad guys. So there really can’t be much cohesion due to the lack of talent and the fact that guys who practice next to each other aren’t playing in the game next to each other. The lack of continuity is tough to watch but I think that’s just what you get in the preseason.

[Joelist]

There's a difference between lack of offensive firepower and no offensive firepower at all - which is what we are seeing. What it is showing is both backup QBs are too inaccurate to function as legit NFL caliber backup QBs. Also Zac not playing the offensive starters at all is a problem again, and just like last season will bite us in the first couple of games as they are rusty and out of sync. Unfortunately this year we open with 2 divisional games, so they are both critical games for conference and thus playoff seeding.

[jj22]

I remember when they used to say the run game would show up when the season started….

[NUGDUKWE]

(08-19-2023, 10:58 AM)Joelist Wrote: There's a difference between lack of offensive firepower and no offensive firepower at all - which is what we are seeing. What it is showing is both backup QBs are too inaccurate to function as legit NFL caliber backup QBs. Also Zac not playing the offensive starters at all is a problem again, and just like last season will bite us in the first couple of games as they are rusty and out of sync. Unfortunately this year we open with 2 divisional games, so they are both critical games for conference and thus playoff seeding.

I can't say the offense has looked good. But I think it's important to take note that the offense drove down against the Falcons 1st defense and only stalled on a 4th and 2 in field goal range. I'd have to rewatch the drive as I don't remember how they got down there but it was against legit competition.

[NUGDUKWE]

(08-19-2023, 11:03 AM)jj22 Wrote: I remember when they used to say the run game would show up when the season started….

That's what I think. I think the run blocking as much as anything on the team takes continuity and we keep mix matching the line right now it's gonna be hard to consistently run the ball. I would like to see us keep our backs in motion under neath. I hate watching the RB come out of the backfield and just sit in the flat. It puts no pressure on the LB. All of our guys are quick and good pass catchers. Have them come out and run past the QBs face and make the LB chase him. 

[*Nately120*]

This team has only looked good without Burrow on the field a handful of times in the past 35 years.

[chrisball96]

(08-19-2023, 10:58 AM)Joelist Wrote: There's a difference between lack of offensive firepower and no offensive firepower at all - which is what we are seeing. What it is showing is both backup QBs are too inaccurate to function as legit NFL caliber backup QBs. Also Zac not playing the offensive starters at all is a problem again, and just like last season will bite us in the first couple of games as they are rusty and out of sync. Unfortunately this year we open with 2 divisional games, so they are both critical games for conference and thus playoff seeding.

I do wonder if game 3 will be a time when we see more consistent PT from our starters. Probably won’t be a ton of time but at least more than what we have seen so far.

[*Nately120*]

(08-19-2023, 12:36 PM)chrisball96 Wrote: I do wonder if game 3 will be a time when we see more consistent PT from our starters. Probably won’t be a ton of time but at least more than what we have seen so far.

Playing starters in the pre-season seems to be falling out of favor league wide, but we are taking to the next level.  I actually could see Burrow being the first QB to never play in a pre-season game in his entire career.  I assume everyone has at least gone out there for a bit, and I don't think Burrow has taken a snap in the preseason for one reason or another so far, right?

No sense having Siemian throwing hospital balls to Tee or Chase or anyone we've heard of unless it's a game that counts, right?

[Mike M (the other one)]

(08-19-2023, 10:19 AM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: The thing that worries me with the defense is if we have the physicality to replace the safeties we lost. Or maybe it's physicality and/or inexperience causing hesitation. Just the difference in stopping an outside run or a short pass for no gain or letting them pick up 5-7 yds. Probably impossible to tell until the games matter but stopping Chubb week 1 is not gonna be an easy task and would really like to see players excelling in this in the preseason.

Stopping Chubb? Unless Cleveland changes it's game back to giving it to Chubb on just about every snap, then we will be fine.
Just look at Chubb's stats once Watson started playing. Cleveland is working on being more of a passing team now. I'm not saying he will suck, i just don't think that Chubb won't be as big of a factor as he has been.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/american-sports/nick-chubb-deshaun-watson-browns-30361303

The running back is one of the largest offensive threats for the Browns, picking up 6,341 rushing yards and running for 48 touchdowns since being drafted back in 2018. Chubb ran for 12 touchdowns last season, but they all came in the first 11 games, as he failed to score once Watson was reintroduced.