Paul Dehner - The Athletic

[Soonerpeace]

Excerpts from his article today

Why the Bengals’ dire situation has glimmer of hope as defense seeks answers

…. A day later, the feeling hadn’t subsided from the coaching staff and players off to the worst start since 2019 and a defense that’s allowed more points per drive through five games than any Bengalsteam this decade.

They’ve allowed at least 108 yards rushing to every opponent, an average of 151 per game and a defensive rushing success percentage of 47.1, 5 percentage points worse than anyone else in football. And when they sold out to stop it Sunday, Lamar Jackson lit them up for 348 yards and four touchdowns through the air. This just two weeks after Jayden Daniels and the Commandersscored on every possession excluding kneeldowns, with him completing a rookie-record 91 percent of his passes.

Somehow, an offense that scored 33, 34 and 38 points over the last three weeks won only once.

Now the Bengals just lost their most consistent starting cornerback, Dax Hill, for the season with a torn ACL.

Only 9 percent of teams to start 1-4 over the last decade made the playoffs.

No, it’s not all that dumb to write them off. Recalibrating their situation after Sunday’s loss, the prospects are undeniably dire.

That doesn’t mean they are done.

There are too many factors keeping hope alive — none pumping more blood than Joe Burrow and the offense.

Joe Burrow through first five games
STAT 2021 2022 2023 2024
Total Yards 1293 1401 1055 1409
Cmp% 71.7% 64.9% 62.4% 72.3%
TDs 11 10 5 12
Turnovers 6 6 4 3
Sacks 14 18 11 11
Teams playing at their level right now don’t keep losing, no matter how bad the defense. They just don’t. In fact, they’ve never lost at this level in the first place.

At 2.93 points per drive, the Bengals rank second in the NFL behind only the Commanders. That ranks 19th best by any team this century through the first five games of a season.

Of the 80 best offensive starts in that span, not a single other team won only one game. Only the Bengals.

Here are the five teams that won two games or fewer while posting at least 2.5 points per drive this century.

Offenses through five games since 2000
RK YR TEAM WINS FINAL
6th 2021 team-logo-46-50x50.pngChiefs 2 12-5
19th 2024 team-logo-37-50x50.pngBengals 1 ?
28th 2005 team-logo-56-50x50.pngChargers 2 9-7
55th 2016 team-logo-50-50x50.pngSaints 2 7-9
56th 2020 team-logo-47-50x50.pngDolphins 2 10-6
59th 2020 team-logo-39-50x50.pngCowboys 2 6-10
Just five teams won only twice. Notable among the group at 2-3 despite a dominant offense were the 2021 Chiefs, whom the Bengals beat in the AFC Championship Game. Their young defense came together just enough over the second half of the season for Patrick Mahomes to pull them back to the title game. Even they managed two wins to build on.

What the Bengals just pulled off over the first five weeks of the season is essentially unprecedented in modern football.

Breaking a decades-long precedent has to contain fluky finishes. A fourth-and-16 conversion by Mahomes via a penalty in Kansas City. A bad field goal hold by Ryan Rehkow against Baltimore. Two walk-off field goal losses. Four one-possession defeats by 15 total points.

They haven’t closed out games despite countless opportunities. That’s a potentially fatal flaw, maybe even more concerning than the defense. When scoring 30-plus points every week, that really shouldn’t matter. Right now, it has them buried.

[THE PISTONS]

The offense played very well against the Ravens...except with the 3 runs in OT to try a 53 yard FG. That likely was a season-defining failure.

[casear2727]

(10-08-2024, 04:50 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The offense played very well against the Ravens...except with the 3 runs in OT to try a 53 yard FG. That likely was a season-defining failure.

Im not sure why this keeps being said?  Zac did call a pass on one of those plays.  The 3rd down run was likely just to set up Evan at midfield.

[Essex Johnson]

(10-08-2024, 04:50 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The offense played very well against the Ravens...except with the 3 runs in OT to try a 53 yard FG. That likely was a season-defining failure.

We nothing out of 3 runs, though the Int with us driving in FG was a game changer 

[*rfaulk34*]

(10-08-2024, 05:39 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: We nothing out of 3 runs, though the Int with us driving in FG was a game changer 

Yeah, Ja'Marr ran a pretty weak route, didn't he?

[Soonerpeace]

(10-08-2024, 05:24 PM)casear2727 Wrote: Im not sure why this keeps being said?  Zac did call a pass on one of those plays.  The 3rd down run was likely just to set up Evan at midfield.

Pure agendas and lack thereof something

[THE PISTONS]

(10-08-2024, 05:24 PM)casear2727 Wrote: Im not sure why this keeps being said?  Zac did call a pass on one of those plays.  The 3rd down run was likely just to set up Evan at midfield.

How many teams play for a 53 yard fg in OT?

The 3rd run getting positioned at the middle. Why not throw to get closer?

[*bfine32*]

I think all the "In the past 1-4 teams have..." is kinda outdated. All that was based on a 16-game season

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(10-08-2024, 05:54 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: How many teams play for a 53 yard fg in OT?

The 3rd run getting positioned at the middle. Why not throw to get closer?

On the other side of that coin, what if Joe gets sacked or has to hurry a throw and it gets tipped/picked?

With Evan, any kick is doable, inside 60 yards.

[casear2727]

(10-08-2024, 05:54 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: How many teams play for a 53 yard fg in OT?

The 3rd run getting positioned at the middle. Why not throw to get closer?

Im not saying he was correct, he was being conservative.  The fact is he did call a pass play, not 3 runs.

I see the reasoning.  The oline was getting ate up, Cappa especially.  Due to the pressure the following are very real threats:
A sack takes them out of FG range.
A hold takes them out of FG range.
Defenders were jumping routes because they knew Burrow had no time.  (See the interception)

A shot to Chase in 1 on 1 coverage is enticing, but also risky.

[Housh]

(10-08-2024, 05:24 PM)casear2727 Wrote: Im not sure why this keeps being said?  Zac did call a pass on one of those plays.  The 3rd down run was likely just to set up Evan at midfield.

I think we all gotta prepare ourselves for it to come out that Zac lied here


I watched the All-22 and Burrow didn’t audible at all.

Unless he says Burrow changed the call in the huddle then it was always meant to be a run.

Burrow isn’t a punk if he changed the call he would’ve said so



Also if this was a lie Zac needs to be fired

You can’t be ass and untrustworthy at the same time

[Soonerpeace]

(10-08-2024, 06:20 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: On the other side of that coin, what if Joe gets sacked or has to hurry a throw and it gets tipped/picked?

With Evan, any kick is doable, inside 60 yards.

For sure 

[Soonerpeace]

(10-08-2024, 06:34 PM)Housh Wrote: I think we all gotta prepare ourselves for it to come out that Zac lied here


I watched the All-22 and Burrow didn’t audible at all.

Unless he says Burrow changed the call in the huddle then it was always meant to be a run.

Burrow isn’t a punk if he changed the call he would’ve said so



Also if this was a lie Zac needs to be fired

You can’t be ass and untrustworthy at the same time

Joe changed the call. End of story not in eithers DNA to lie. Zac is comfortable in his own skin as much as any coach in the NFL. If anything Zac is covering for Joe.

[Soonerpeace]

(10-08-2024, 06:33 PM)casear2727 Wrote: Im not saying he was correct, he was being conservative.  The fact is he did call a pass play, not 3 runs.

I see the reasoning.  The oline was getting ate up, Cappa especially.  Due to the pressure the following are very real threats:
A sack takes them out of FG range.
A hold takes them out of FG range.
Defenders were jumping routes because they knew Burrow had no time.  (See the interception)

A shot to Chase in 1 on 1 coverage is enticing, but also risky.

Heck a false start by Orlando is brutal too.

[casear2727]

(10-08-2024, 06:34 PM)Housh Wrote: I think we all gotta prepare ourselves for it to come out that Zac lied here


I watched the All-22 and Burrow didn’t audible at all.

Unless he says Burrow changed the call in the huddle then it was always meant to be a run.

Burrow isn’t a punk if he changed the call he would’ve said so



Also if this was a lie Zac needs to be fired

You can’t be ass and untrustworthy at the same time

BURROW DID SAY HE CHANGED THE PLAY.  

How did you miss that?  This is embarrassing Housh, I recommend you delete asap.

[*bfine32*]

(10-08-2024, 06:34 PM)Housh Wrote: I think we all gotta prepare ourselves for it to come out that Zac lied here


I watched the All-22 and Burrow didn’t audible at all.

Unless he says Burrow changed the call in the huddle then it was always meant to be a run.

Burrow isn’t a punk if he changed the call he would’ve said so



Also if this was a lie Zac needs to be fired

You can’t be ass and untrustworthy at the same time

Go to the 1:30 mark of the following interview:
https://www.bengals.com/video/joe-burrow-week-5-postgame-press-conference

Have you prepared yourself for Zac told the truth and went the extra mile to defend Joe by saying checking out of the pass was the right call?

Of course, you're not.


The part I found "telling" in the interview was when they were talking about the INT and JB was asked what he thought about JaMarr saying he ran a "crappy route".  Joe didn't dispute that, he merely said the CB made a good play. 

[*rfaulk34*]

(10-08-2024, 06:58 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Joe changed the call. End of story not in eithers DNA to lie. Zac is comfortable in his own skin as much as any coach in the NFL. If anything Zac is covering for Joe.

It's not really the end of the story. I just went back and watched the replay. Burrow did not change any plays.

EDIT: Weird. It must have been cut out of the condensed version. I just went back and watched the full version and he does go up to the LoS after being in shotgun and change the play. 

[casear2727]

(10-08-2024, 09:08 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: It's not really the end of the story. I just went back and watched the replay. Burrow did not change any plays.

Burrow said he did.  I have watched them as well, if he did it was very subtle...unless of course it was some kind of RPO that didnt require a major audible?

[*rfaulk34*]

(10-08-2024, 09:12 PM)casear2727 Wrote: Burrow said he did.  I have watched them as well, if he did it was very subtle...unless of course it was some kind of RPO that didnt require a major audible?

I just edited my post. It was pretty clear he changed the play. I didn't see him walk back up to the LoS on the condensed version and that part didn't look cut...but it was. 

[casear2727]

(10-08-2024, 09:23 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: I just edited my post. It was pretty clear he changed the play. I didn't see him walk back up to the LoS on the condensed version and that part didn't look cut...but it was. 

I am watching the condensed version as well, what down was it?  2nd down Im guessing?