Keys to the Game

[*bengalfan74*]

1. Must be able to run the ball:

There's little to no chance without success running the ball. We can't let the Steelers bum rush Dalton constantly being behind the chains.

2. Win on 1st down:

Goes hand in hand with #1. We have to have 2nd and four, 3rd and two etc.

3. Penalties:

We've got to keep our heads and cool ! 10 penalties for 120 yards against Pittsburgh is a recipe for disaster. Turning 3rd and two into 3rd and seven with a false start is a killer.

4. Defense on 3rd down:

When we get them in 3rd and long we have to get off the field ! This defense has a long and storied history this season of giving up way to many 3rd and forevers ! Can't happen in this game.

5. Turnovers:

We badly need this defense to step up and get a turnover or two, give us a short field. And likewise we have to limit our turnovers.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Nice list, i agree completely.

Guess this goes hand in hand with winning on 3rd down but when our pass rushers get a shot at the Pig, need to bring
him down. Dunlap really has had some problems with this in the past, makes a great move, has him and does not finish.

Lawson has a nice matchup in my opinion against Villanueva. What i love about The Law is he gets his shoulder so low
to the ground that he can be a nightmare for taller LT's. Also need to shoot those gaps with our Linebackers and not let
Bell just sit around back there waiting for a hole.

Don't get beat deep and need to contain AB once he gets his hands on the ball.

On Offense i just hope we continue to block like we did last game cause like you said Bengalfan74, have to be able to
run it some to keep the Defense honest. More Hewitt please.

Play action is big in this game as i believe this is where their Defense is really vulnerable with Haden out.

[*bengalfan74*]

(11-29-2017, 07:26 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Nice list, i agree completely.

Guess this goes hand in hand with winning on 3rd down but when our pass rushers get a shot at the Pig, need to bring
him down. Dunlap really has had some problems with this in the past, makes a great move, has him and does not finish.

Lawson has a nice matchup in my opinion against Villanueva. What i love about The Law is he gets his shoulder so low
to the ground that he can be a nightmare for taller LT's. Also need to shoot those gaps with our Linebackers and not let
Bell just sit around back there waiting for a hole.

Don't get beat deep and need to contain AB once he gets his hands on the ball.

On Offense i just hope we continue to block like we did last game cause like you said Bengalfan74, have to be able to
run it some to keep the Defense honest. More Hewitt please.

Play action is big in this game as i believe this is where their Defense is really vulnerable with Haden out.

Agree Nate,

Play action could be huge if we can get the running game going at all. Their DB's aren't the best'

But if we start the game with 12 carries for 15 yards play action looses it's punch. Successful running is critical !

[SunsetBengal]

the key to winning this game will be to outscore the Steelers.  The Bengal defense has been underwhelming lately, to say the least.  The best we can hope for is to get a few hard sacks by the pass rush, and possibly a couple of interceptions.  I have little faith in being able to shut down the running game.

So, offensively everyone is going to have to have their best game of the year, and this includes our much maligned offensive line.  The play calling is going to have to find some favorable matchups, and exploit them to the fullest.  I'm thinking they need to get into a rhythm with the short throws, use the backs in space, force the Safeties to cover the TE. and selectively execute the deep ball.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-29-2017, 07:30 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Agree Nate,

Play action could be huge if we can get the running game going at all. Their DB's aren't the best'

But if we start the game with 12 carries for 15 yards play action looses it's punch. Successful running is critical !

Yeah, I'm not banking on the OL opening many holes.  So, the play action might be a pipe dream.

[*bengalfan74*]

(11-29-2017, 07:38 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Yeah, I'm not banking on the OL opening many holes.  So, the play action might be a pipe dream.

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying we have to shove the ball down Pittsburgh's throat, ain't gonna happen. I don't buy into the whole the O-line is now fixed thing.

What I am saying is this team has to figure out some way to run the ball with success. Run some delayed draws, bring Hewitt in to lead block, run on passing downs from spread sets.

Last game Hill had 4 carries for seven yards. Gio had 3 carries for eight yards. Mixon had 7 carries for 48 yards including a 25 yard run. Take away that break away and it's 6 carries for 23 yards.

That's 13 carries for 38 yards. That's 2.9 yards per carry and we only had 14 carries by the RB's, we can't win like that, can't sustain drives, play action doesn't work and on and on.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-29-2017, 08:02 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Don't get me wrong I'm not saying we have to shove the ball down Pittsburgh's throat, ain't gonna happen. I don't buy into the whole the O-line is now fixed thing.

What I am saying is this team has to figure out some way to run the ball with success. Run some delayed draws, bring Hewitt in to lead block, run on passing downs from spread sets.

Last game Hill had 4 carries for seven yards. Gio had 3 carries for eight yards. Mixon had 7 carries for 48 yards including a 25 yard run. Take away that break away and it's 6 carries for 23 yards.

That's 13 carries for 38 yards. That's 2.9 yards per carry and we only had 14 carries by the RB's, we can't win like that, can't sustain drives, play action doesn't work and on and on.

They need to be executing the extended handoff, a.k.a. passes to the RBs in the flats.  It worked well in the Green Bay game.  Not sure why they don't do it more often.

[kevin]

Key To Game Is To Win. Bengals need this game more than Steelers do. WE need some blocking or we don't have a chance. O Line players need to step up and get their big fat bodies on somebody. A good game out of the defense. Stay together. Whatever comes out of the gates, we have a better chance if we stay together. Oh wait, that's the TV and Gladiator is on. Well heck, stay together anyway and that includes the 12th man if they didn't sell all their tickets to Steelers fans. Don't talk Green Bay Packers which we lost because Steelers are better. It will take Bengals best team effort of season to win. Nothing short of best team effort across the board. Woody Hayes would say in a game like this you can't afford to give Steelers fumbles, interceptions, turnovers, dumb penalties. We only need to look at 2015 season play-off game to know Woody Hayes is right.

THE GAME is set, Monday Night....Fire off that line and block. Hit them. Get after them. On Defense win in the trenches. On offense win as often as we can in the trenches. Don't read their press clippings. Don't read our press clippings. Suit up, line up, GET AFTER THEM....Often Bengals have lost to Steelers but came back in same season and beat them. Monday is a whole new game starting at 0 to 0. Last game points don't carry over. ATTACK, GET AFTER THEM. ...WIN, JUST WIN BABY. .....and RESTORE THE ROAR Monday Night in THE JUNGLE, no Boo Birds, but a Can Full of Who Dey Whip Ash.

[*bengalfan74*]

(11-29-2017, 09:05 PM)kevin Wrote: Key To Game Is To Win.   Bengals need this game more than Steelers do.  WE need some blocking or we don't have a chance.  O Line players need to step up and get their big fat bodies on somebody.  A good game out of the defense.  Stay together. Whatever comes out of the gates, we have a better chance if we stay together. Oh wait, that's the TV and Gladiator is on.  Well heck, stay together anyway and that includes the 12th man if they didn't sell all their tickets to Steelers fans.  Don't talk Green Bay Packers which we lost because Steelers are better.  It will take Bengals best team effort of season to win.  Nothing short of best team effort across the board.  Woody Hayes would say in a game like this you can't afford to give Steelers fumbles, interceptions, turnovers, dumb penalties. We only need to look at 2015 season play-off game to know Woody Hayes is right.

THE GAME is set, Monday Night....Fire off that line and block. Hit them. Get after them. On Defense win in the trenches. On offense win as often as we can in the trenches.  Don't read their press clippings. Don't read our press clippings. Suit up, line up, GET AFTER THEM....Often Bengals have lost to Steelers but came back in same season and beat them.  Monday is a whole new game starting at 0 to 0.  Last game points don't carry over.  ATTACK, GET AFTER THEM. ...WIN, JUST WIN BABY. .....and RESTORE THE ROAR Monday Night in THE JUNGLE, no Boo Birds, but a Can Full of Who Dey Whip Ash.

Agree Kevin,

It's going to take the "A" game from everybody including the coaches to win this one.

[grampahol]

One overlooked key would be to NOT allow squeelers to get inside anyones heads through intimidation, trash talking or any other nonsense.. They get the shits just like everyone else.. 

[kevin]

(11-30-2017, 03:40 AM)grampahol Wrote: One overlooked key would be to NOT allow squeelers to get inside anyones heads through intimidation, trash talking or any other nonsense.. They get the shits just like everyone else.. 

Right, and often Bengals have did more Trash Talk than Steelers.  Steelers use to laugh at all the pregame Trash Talk by Ocho Cinco and others because you have to win more than Bengals did before teams even listen to it.  So as they say, A LITTLE LESS TALK, AND A LOT MORE ACTION. ...Cut the corn and just get after them and Win The Game....You are right, Trash Talk doesn't win jack.  The only thing that matters is making the plays. Winning in the trenches is 1000 times better than who wins in talking school yard trash talk.  More legs and butts moving and less lips moving.

[Bilbo Saggins]

I'd like to see more TE chip action as well as Winston starting at a tackle spot.  Maybe some un-balanced line action could help to establish the run/allow for shots downfield. 

[kevin]

(11-30-2017, 05:07 AM)Bilbo Saggins Wrote: I'd like to see more TE chip action as well as Winston starting at a tackle spot.  Maybe some un-balanced line action could help to establish the run/allow for shots downfield. 

Well a blind man can see what Steelers will do.  Jacksonville, Tennessee, Pittsburg, all teams have had great success blowing Ogbuehi away at left tackle or Fisher at right tackle.  Man, they speed rush and Ogbuehi ends up on the ground with Dalton.  All Pro Harrison and one year Bengal is one person who can eat Ogbuehi alive, but there are others.  Steelers are going to get after our weak O Line and try to stuff our run and get us in 3rd and longs so they can blow up Dalton.  They know we will be using those Bengals dink screen passes to wide receive behind line of scrimmage, that garbage isn't fooling any teams any more. It sure isn't winning any games for Hue in Cleveland either.  Nope, defenses are all over those dink screens and throwing them for losses. ....We can try chip action or un-balanced lines or whatever but it comes down to Bodone snapping the ball and blocking somebody and the guards blocking somebody and the tackles blocking somebody.  If Steelers stuff our run and we only get 20 or 30 yards rushing we are doomed because once in 2nd and long and 3rd and long Steelers will blitz as they always do, and they will be all over Dalton. Green and others won't get the ball with Dalton getting slammed to the turf. ......None of the X's and O's will work if Ogbuehi to Bodine to Fisher across the O Line aren't giving us some blocking. I expect them to get beat on some plays by a good Steelers team, but if our O Line gets whipped all game long, we don't stand a chance and no X's and O's in the playbook can make up for lack of talent / lack of blocking.  NO, they have to step up their game and block, that's all there is to it.  I said what happens if we only get 20 or 30 yards rushing.  Now if we can run the ball and stay out of 3rd and long, it cuts their blitz down and we can win this game.  If we see Mixon or Gio breaking through for some runs, that will be a good sign. I'm not talking that delayed run garbage of ours that gets stuffed because defenses are too fast. If we can smash mouth some runs up the gut or between the tackles and pound the inside the Steelers won't be able to load their D up on the outsides as they like to do. They love to load up the outside and beat those tackles which blows up the QB and any sweep or screen pass. If you can punch Steelers up the gut, it throws their game off. Now Patriots have dominated Steelers passing every play, but we don't have Brady or the Patriots O Line. Patriots do show that Steelers can be beaten.

[The Caped Crusader]

Keys to the game...not hurting anyone near by or becoming an alcoholic

[bengalsturntup5532]

The key to winning this game is same as last time for me,mixon and green have to be good.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(11-29-2017, 07:38 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Yeah, I'm not banking on the OL opening many holes.  So, the play action might be a pipe dream.

What are the Steelers ranked in stopping the run i wonder? I have seen a lot of monster holes this season and last 
game when Jamaal Williams ran on them. Probably doesn't matter with our HC cause we never seem to run on them
no matter what they are ranked which has always been pretty damn perplexing to me.

Just man up and block, shit.

(11-30-2017, 05:07 AM)Bilbo Saggins Wrote: I'd like to see more TE chip action as well as Winston starting at a tackle spot.  Maybe some un-balanced line action could help to establish the run/allow for shots downfield. 

Like these thoughts and agree with Sunset on the extended handoff and screens to the TE, RB or WR's.

Sure would make my day to atleast see John Ross used on a screen pass, oh wait, we don't even dress the fastest man
who is great in space and reminded me of Antonio Brown in college...

[*PhilHos*]

Key to winning the game: score more points than the Steelers before the end of the 4th QTR.

But, seriously, the key to winning the game is for grampahol to go fishing!

[*Awful Llama*]

(11-30-2017, 01:48 PM)PhilHos Wrote: Key to winning the game: score more points than the Steelers before the end of the 4th QTR.

But, seriously, the key to winning the game is for grampahol to go fishing!

Can we really count on either one of those things happening?  

Plan B: an entire team misses its charter flight.

[*Go Cards*]

Said in other thread but say it here again.

Got to stop Bell to have a chance. Can not let them run it down our throat.

[Interceptor]

Score at least 1 more point than the Steelers by game's end.