The Middle of the Field is Still Wide Open

[Fan_in_Kettering]

Now I know most of you on here hate to talk about defense but someone needs to ask Lou Anarumo about why the middle of the field is always open. Cooper Kupp got most of his yards on crossing routes or wheel routes in the middle of the field where the Bengals placed zero defenders. Zero. Think of that. The Rams feasted on that arrangement for most of the game.

What’s the answer? Well, dropping Germaine Pratt into coverage isn’t a solution, is it? That was an epic fail. I thought Lou was a secondary expert.

[THE PISTONS]

Well...so on passes the middle of the field is wide open. On runs, misdirection gets us. So do runs outside. Also we had 0 sacks of Goff so we get no pressure.

Fix those things...and we'll be in good shape on D.

[fredtoast]

So we had ZERO defenders covering receivers and Goff still completed just over half of his passes (55%)?

I did not see the game, but that just does not sound right.

[BengalsRocker]

(10-27-2019, 09:25 PM)fredtoast Wrote: So we had ZERO defenders covering receivers and Goff still completed just over half of his passes (55%)?

I did not see the game, but that just does not sound right.

Well at one point we had a bunch of guys in the middle of the field but they couldn't hang onto a pick!

[Fan_in_Kettering]

(10-27-2019, 09:25 PM)fredtoast Wrote: So we had ZERO defenders covering receivers and Goff still completed just over half of his passes (55%)?

I did not see the game, but that just does not sound right.

Jared Goff made a lot of completions across the middle where the Bengals did not defend. His incomplete passes were on the perimeter which the Bengals did defend.

[THE PISTONS]

(10-27-2019, 09:25 PM)fredtoast Wrote: So we had ZERO defenders covering receivers and Goff still completed just over half of his passes (55%)?

I did not see the game, but that just does not sound right.

McCrae I think it was...'covered' Cupp. He got abused.

We had other weird things like Pratt on a WR 30 yards down field. He got beat for a TD.

Cooks went out really early with a concussion too.

The Rams on defense...3-4 man blitzed us a decent bit and dropped max defenders into coverage.

[BengalFanInNJ]

No Jackson, Dennard or Kirk helped Goff. Not saying he wouldn't have had a big day, but, I would be willing to bet he wouldn't have been as successful had they been in.

[J24]

McRae got lit up by Cooper dude wasn't even in the same are code today.
Cup 7-10 for 220 yards 1 TD
Rest of Rams Wrs 10-21 172 yards.

[THE PISTONS]

(10-27-2019, 10:00 PM)BengalFanInNJ Wrote: No Jackson, Dennard or Kirk helped Goff. Not saying he wouldn't have had a big day, but, I would be willing to bet he wouldn't have been as successful had they been in.

Jackson played.

Precisely what the Bengals do though. We lose by 14 and 'Wow...had these guys played we would have won!'

Why make changes when you can rationalize?

[Brimey]

We let a much better CB than McRae go to Denver for nothing. Add talent evaluation to the list of massive problems

[*SHRacerX*]

(10-27-2019, 09:19 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Now I know most of you on here hate to talk about defense but someone needs to ask Lou Anarumo about why the middle of the field is always open.  Cooper Kupp got most of his yards on crossing routes or wheel routes in the middle of the field where the Bengals placed zero defenders.  Zero. Think of that.  The Rams feasted on that arrangement for most of the game.  

What’s the answer?  Well, dropping Germaine Pratt into coverage isn’t a solution, is it?  That was an epic fail.  I thought Lou was a secondary expert.

I think Pratt has actually been ok, but when I see our FS bailing out of the picture a good 30 yards downfield (and still backpedaling like he is fielding a punt) and then the WR or TE for the Rams catches a ball about 15 yards downfield, the FS rallies up to tackle (and usually misses).  It is the softest coverage and Akili Smith would be able to read those voids in coverage.  

I swear the defense is so bad right now....I have no idea where to start, but doing the same thing they have been doing surely isn't working.  

[*michaelsean*]

(10-28-2019, 07:57 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I think Pratt has actually been ok, but when I see our FS bailing out of the picture a good 30 yards downfield (and still backpedaling like he is fielding a punt) and then the WR or TE for the Rams catches a ball about 15 yards downfield, the FS rallies up to tackle (and usually misses).  It is the softest coverage and Akili Smith would be able to read those voids in coverage.  

I swear the defense is so bad right now....I have no idea where to start, but doing the same thing they have been doing surely isn't working.  

Yeah WTF was that?

[*psychdoctor*]

safeties played poorly and Bates has regressed like mofo this year. McCrae is a good guy but is always a step or two out of position.

[*bengalfan74*]

(10-28-2019, 07:57 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I think Pratt has actually been ok, but when I see our FS bailing out of the picture a good 30 yards downfield (and still backpedaling like he is fielding a punt) and then the WR or TE for the Rams catches a ball about 15 yards downfield, the FS rallies up to tackle (and usually misses).  It is the softest coverage and Akili Smith would be able to read those voids in coverage.  

I swear the defense is so bad right now....I have no idea where to start, but doing the same thing they have been doing surely isn't working.  

Yep

There was a play yesterday, don't remember if it was one of the Cupp plays or not ? But they showed an overhead view and the receiver was so wide open ! You could have parked a dozen Semi's in there with room to spare ! How the hell does that happen on an NFL defense ?

[*bengalfan74*]

(10-28-2019, 09:36 AM)psychdoctor Wrote: safeties played poorly and Bates has regressed like mofo this year.  McCrae is a good guy but is always a step or two out of position.

We have safeties ? 

[THE PISTONS]

(10-28-2019, 07:57 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I think Pratt has actually been ok, but when I see our FS bailing out of the picture a good 30 yards downfield (and still backpedaling like he is fielding a punt) and then the WR or TE for the Rams catches a ball about 15 yards downfield, the FS rallies up to tackle (and usually misses).  It is the softest coverage and Akili Smith would be able to read those voids in coverage.  

I swear the defense is so bad right now....I have no idea where to start, but doing the same thing they have been doing surely isn't working.  

They're legit bad at EVERY LEVEL. There is 0 pass rush too.

[sonofstat]

(10-27-2019, 10:39 PM)J24 Wrote: McRae got lit up by Cooper dude wasn't even in the same are code today.
Cup 7-10 for 220 yards 1 TD
Rest of Rams Wrs 10-21 172 yards.

Yeah, was frustrating....did not think Goff played that great 

He had loads of time in the pocket and we let him get away with it on the interception opportunities.

McRae is terrible right now and will continue to be victimized

[*SHRacerX*]

(10-28-2019, 09:31 AM)michaelsean Wrote: Yeah WTF was that?

I think the Bengals coaches would say "not giving up the deep play" but, if you ask me, 20 yards time after time is deep enough...

It almost looks like they are trying to lose?

[SadFaceBengal15]

our horrid linebackers cant get to their depth.

[reuben.ahmed]

They need to start givign super wide camera angles of the field so we can all see how horrible the coverage is behind the line. We all have widescreen TVs now, stop focusing so closely on the line! We miss half the play.