I'm sick of the optimism!

[Roland]

The defense has obviously suffered from a young secondary along with Chido not being at 100%. But considering that is a known problem with the team, wouldn't it be nice if Zac Turner adjusted his play calling accordingly? Maybe instead of going for it on 4th down at mid-field or trying a 60 yard field goal in the first quarter he could try backing up the opponent and helping out the defense.

[2MinutesHate]

(12-06-2023, 05:52 AM)Roland Wrote: The defense has obviously suffered from a young secondary along with Chido not being at 100%.  But considering that is a known problem with the team, wouldn't it be nice if Zac Turner adjusted his play calling accordingly?  Maybe instead of going for it on 4th down at mid-field or trying a 60 yard field goal in the first quarter he could try backing up the opponent and helping out the defense.

Good point. I just figured that was Zac's flailing attempt at being aggressive and winning the game everyone expected us to lose.  Maybe even Zac himself.


I wouldn't want to see it again, but I was ok with it at the time.

[Daddy-O]

(12-05-2023, 07:18 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Nice post Go Cards as usual. All true and we did miss CTB last night and we still were able to pull it off. Turner will just get better.

Chido still doesn't quite look like himself either, we will see how he looks against the Colts next week.

Turner was in really good position all night.  The JAGS made some plays but they have a very dynamic receiving group so that's going to happen.

They are really young on the back end.  Additionally, they drafted DJ Ivey late and he looks to eventually be that taller replacement for Flowers.  That will bode well for the future when we need a corner type to run with the athletic TE's around the league.

It's going to take time with these young players so these experiences will be invaluable for the future.

I'm more concerned with Germaine Pratt and our pass rush, or lack thereof.  Pratt looks out of position a lot and appears to be lacking effort.  Hope that contract didn't go to his head and affect his play.

[Daddy-O]

(12-05-2023, 10:20 PM)2MinutesHate Wrote: Balance the offense.  Keep running the ball.  Let our new players develop.  Those are the keys in my opinion.

We've got 3 very winnable games coming up and I think we've got a shot.  Don't understand why anyone would want us to tank.  Losing games usually means replacing players and coaches.  Winning games usually means the opposite.  

Seems like a no brainier to me.  I'm all for continuity and winning.
Let's see what Jake does at home this week in front of a good crowd.
I know I'm pretty excited!   Call me an optimist.

This tanking talk is just plain silly.  It's not like we're going to miss out on a franchise QB, we already have that.  The rest of the draft is a crap shoot.

For shit sakes we are still in the hunt for a playoff spot - it's not like we're 2-10 for crying out loud!

[Roland]

(12-06-2023, 10:00 AM)Daddy-O Wrote: They are really young on the back end.  Additionally, they drafted DJ Ivey late and he looks to eventually be that taller replacement for Flowers.  That will bode well for the future when we need a corner type to run with the athletic TE's around the league.

From your lips to God's ears.  Could we please get through one game without a long pass to a tight end?

[Roland]

(12-06-2023, 10:04 AM)Daddy-O Wrote: This tanking talk is just plain silly.  It's not like we're going to miss out on a franchise QB, we already have that.  The rest of the draft is a crap shoot.

For shit sakes we are still in the hunt for a playoff spot - it's not like we're 2-10 for crying out loud!

Exactly.  I want nothing to do with a team that doesn't have the pride and professionalism to fight for every game.

[Soonerpeace]

(12-06-2023, 09:55 AM)2MinutesHate Wrote: Good point. I just figured that was Zac's flailing attempt at being aggressive and winning the game everyone expected us to lose.  Maybe even Zac himself.


I wouldn't want to see it again, but I was ok with it at the time.

Not for sure Tyler executed correctly.

[Graphicguy]

(12-05-2023, 03:55 PM)Tlawsonmariat82 Wrote: Let's be completely honest and completely clear this team is done because this defense is as bad as I've ever seen..Lou anarumo is having a terrible season as a coordinator, as evidence exhibit A last night with 2 minutes remaining against a backup quarterback bout as cold as the north pole what did lou do??he played prevent and let them walk down the field to ultimately end up in field goal range..This defense is horrible at every level,rushing 3 last night on 3rd and 7 someone is open right away for a 1st down how does that happen??

This team as constructed cannot play zone coverage affectively, assignments are always voided with this crew simplify it please!The secondary either hates playing press or the coordinator likes off coverage either way something has to give with all these 7-10 yard cushions every play there's a reason we're getting carved up by everybody and that's one of em right there..We also lack aggression, how many times did lou send more than 4 last night??We have to mix it up to get teams off the field way too many 3rd and longs being converted, no way this team can do anything with this defense playing this bad that's just the truth..

I love my team with all my heart, but I refuse to buy into all of the we can make the playoffs hoopla because this defense really takes the air out of my sails..The linebackers are not playing well, the secondary is confused more often than not and the front four can't generate any pressure at all which is a recipe for disaster..The sad part about it is going forward I don't have a clue about how to fix this and that's the scary part about this defense..

I think you found the wrong WEB site for the WRONG team.  If you don't believe in this team, and look at it with the "glass half empty" eye, you clearly never played competitive sports past Pop Warner.  

Don't watch the games.  Don't post.  If the sky is falling as badly as you believe, why bother?  

This is my team.  They have more heart than just about any other team I've watched over the last 5 years.  Lose some of their best players to FA?   They find others.   Put their best WR out?  They come back.  Put their starting QB out?  They still come back.   

I love this team...probably more than any of the other iterations over the last 10 years.

[casear2727]

(12-05-2023, 11:02 PM)sandwedge Wrote: I am not sure of Turner. Yes, he's a rookie, but he seems very inconsistent and doesn't play the ball very well. Hoping he is learning, just fall on the ball at the end of games...

Turner has been very good.  He definitely should have fallen on the ball but he has made some excellent plays.  He is a rookie playing the 2nd most difficult position in football.  He has been beaten and will get beat more, all CBs do and rookies usually more, opposing offenses will go at a rookie QB with all they have in their playbook. 

Turner has shown a willingness to come up and stop the run, he has been very sticky at times, and shown some great recovery speed.  The experience he is getting this season should bode well for him and us the next 3 years.

[Graphicguy]

(12-06-2023, 05:52 AM)Roland Wrote: The defense has obviously suffered from a young secondary along with Chido not being at 100%.  But considering that is a known problem with the team, wouldn't it be nice if Zac Turner adjusted his play calling accordingly?  Maybe instead of going for it on 4th down at mid-field or trying a 60 yard field goal in the first quarter he could try backing up the opponent and helping out the defense.

I like the aggressiveness.  Sometimes it works...sometimes it just looks stupid (TB play).  But, I do think TB go a little anxious and had no idea of what he was looking at.  I'm sure that looked like a winner in practice.  Game speed it looks a lot different.

Guess what?  Tuck that away and see how it's executed further down the road.  And, opposing defenses now have something else to think about since we've shown it once.

[3wt]

(12-05-2023, 05:01 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: I don't think we're all of a sudden back on track, and I certainly don't see us as a Super Bowl threat even if we do get in.

But we just went on the road in Prime Time, with a backup no-name QB, and beat a team vying for #1 in the AFC. That's quite a thing.

Maybe it hurts us in terms of draft position, but I'm just happy to see my Team win a game I didn't think we're even really compete in.

This.   I want the elite draft picks too.  But I'd rather have the team rise up and overcome the loss of their QB and grow their young talent and become a team deeper than their franchise QB

[Sled21]

(12-05-2023, 05:01 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: I don't think we're all of a sudden back on track, and I certainly don't see us as a Super Bowl threat even if we do get in.

But we just went on the road in Prime Time, with a backup no-name QB, and beat a team vying for #1 in the AFC. That's quite a thing.

Maybe it hurts us in terms of draft position, but I'm just happy to see my Team win a game I didn't think we're even really compete in.

I'd just point out Brock Purdy was the 3rd string QB when he got into the game.... Browning will not supplant Burrow in any shape or fashion, but it wouldn't shock me in the least for him to start somewhere else. 

[ezekiel23]

Defense is underperforming.I know they can do better.Now would be a good time for them to put it all together.Maybe CTB will be back if we make the playoffs.That would be nice.

[TheCincinnatiKid]

(12-06-2023, 02:45 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I'd just point out Brock Purdy was the 3rd string QB when he got into the game.... Browning will not supplant Burrow in any shape or fashion, but it wouldn't shock me in the least for him to start somewhere else. 

Of course, Browning could go on to have a career of some kind. He's getting a shot to show if he's any good, and he may not turn out to be a total no-name QB. But he largely was when we kicked off that game. 

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(12-06-2023, 10:00 AM)Daddy-O Wrote: Turner was in really good position all night.  The JAGS made some plays but they have a very dynamic receiving group so that's going to happen.

They are really young on the back end.  Additionally, they drafted DJ Ivey late and he looks to eventually be that taller replacement for Flowers.  That will bode well for the future when we need a corner type to run with the athletic TE's around the league.

It's going to take time with these young players so these experiences will be invaluable for the future.

I'm more concerned with Germaine Pratt and our pass rush, or lack thereof.  Pratt looks out of position a lot and appears to be lacking effort.  Hope that contract didn't go to his head and affect his play.

Nice post Daddy-O. DJ Turner has those fluid hips and as he gets more experience he will start to make the instinctual game 
changing plays. That is what is nice about having fluid hips and elite speed at Corner, you can keep up with anyone and stay 
in good position. It would be great if Ivey became that Corner that slows down the TE.

Seems every game the TE is the one that hurts us the most.

I am also concerned with Pratt the most of all the players. He looks slow, uninspired and is just ripping at the ball instead of 
making sure tackles. Honestly saw some good from ADG against the Jags, maybe Pratt needs to go back to being just a 2 
down LB'er again. 

(12-06-2023, 01:04 PM)Graphicguy Wrote: I think you found the wrong WEB site for the WRONG team.  If you don't believe in this team, and look at it with the "glass half empty" eye, you clearly never played competitive sports past Pop Warner.  

Don't watch the games.  Don't post.  If the sky is falling as badly as you believe, why bother?  

This is my team.  They have more heart than just about any other team I've watched over the last 5 years.  Lose some of their best players to FA?   They find others.   Put their best WR out?  They come back.  Put their starting QB out?  They still come back.   

I love this team...probably more than any of the other iterations over the last 10 years.

This is a Bengals fan right here.

[Shake n Blake]

I've watched Jeff Blake take us to a 31-13 lead only for our defense to give up 5 consecutive TD's and lose 31-49.

I watched the 1999 team give up a franchise record 460 points.

I watched the 2002 team allow at least 27 points in 13 of 16 games.

I watched the 2018 team allow 414 yards and 28.4 ppg, including 45 to KC and 51 to NO.

What we've seen this year isn't up to our recent standards, but I have higher (lower?) standards for "horrible".

If Jake Browning could play like this the rest of the year, we could be competitive. Never say never.

That said, just knowing what I know, I'm not sure it's wise to assume Browning continues to set the world ablaze. You often see backups with little to no film on them come in and have a huge game. Then defenses adjust and take away what made them successful, and we find out why that QB was a backup.

I doubt Browning is a Warner, Brady, Romo, Purdy success story. The best case realistic scenario is that he's another Case Keenum or someone who can come in, post some good stats and win some games.

[KillerGoose]

(12-06-2023, 04:09 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I've watched Jeff Blake take us to a 31-13 lead only for our defense to give up 5 consecutive TD's and lose 31-49.

I watched the 1999 team give up a franchise record 460 points.

I watched the 2002 team allow at least 27 points in 13 of 16 games.

I watched the 2018 team allow 414 yards and 28.4 ppg, including 45 to KC and 51 to NO.

What we've seen this year isn't up to our recent standards, but I have higher (lower?) standards for "horrible".

If Jake Browning could play like this the rest of the year, we could be competitive. Never say never.

That said, just knowing what I know, I'm not sure it's wise to assume Browning continues to set the world ablaze. You often see backups with little to no film on them come in and have a huge game. Then defenses adjust and take away what made them successful, and we find out why that QB was a backup.

I doubt Browning is a Warner, Brady, Romo, Purdy success story. The best case realistic scenario is that he's another Case Keenum or someone who can come in, post some good stats and win some games.

I agree. Browning is more likely to become the next Matt Flynn rather than Warner or Romo. It isn't impossible for Browning to all of a sudden light the world on fire, but it is unlikely. If he can just play well and make the games fun to watch, then I am on board. 

[TecmoBengals]

(12-06-2023, 04:09 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: The best case realistic scenario is that he's another Case Keenum or someone who can come in, post some good stats and win some games.

Best case is Nick Foles 2.0 and the 2023 Bengals are like the 2011 NY Giants: an average team that wins the Super Bowl.

[Sled21]

(12-06-2023, 04:09 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I've watched Jeff Blake take us to a 31-13 lead only for our defense to give up 5 consecutive TD's and lose 31-49.

I watched the 1999 team give up a franchise record 460 points.

I watched the 2002 team allow at least 27 points in 13 of 16 games.

I watched the 2018 team allow 414 yards and 28.4 ppg, including 45 to KC and 51 to NO.

What we've seen this year isn't up to our recent standards, but I have higher (lower?) standards for "horrible".

If Jake Browning could play like this the rest of the year, we could be competitive. Never say never.

That said, just knowing what I know, I'm not sure it's wise to assume Browning continues to set the world ablaze. You often see backups with little to no film on them come in and have a huge game. Then defenses adjust and take away what made them successful, and we find out why that QB was a backup.

I doubt Browning is a Warner, Brady, Romo, Purdy success story. The best case realistic scenario is that he's another Case Keenum or someone who can come in, post some good stats and win some games.

And since we have Burrow, that's totally fine with me. A backup that can win some games. If he goes on a winning streak here, we won't be able to afford him next season. But until we are eliminated from the playoffs, I hope he wins them all.

[The D.O.Z.]

Ngl, when Burrow went down, I was super deflated. Being a fan from the 80s, I felt "I've seen this song and dance before." The losing streak, and the deflating loss to the hated Stoolers compounded that. The Buckeyes losing to TTUN yet again added to my glum. The Bearcats were ass this year. I seriously felt like football season was over for me. If my Bengals, Buckeyes (yeah they get a high bowl game but c'mon...), and Bearcats are out of it, football-on-tv-time is replaced with PS5 and Adult Swim. I just don't care much until draft stuff starts up.

Our win on MNF brought me back from the brink. It showed me this team CAN win with a backup QB, even if the defense is still giving up chunk plays and 28+ points. It showed me this team knows it can make the playoffs still, and are still fighting. They could have collectively mailed it in after the Burrow injury and subsequent poor showing against Pittsburgh. They didn't.

If the coaches scheme and call plays like they did against SF, Buff, Jax and the players continue to execute like they have against those teams named, we CAN still make the playoffs. And from there...who knows? A lot of "if's" I know, but I'm back to being optimistic!