Bills Fan Here...

[thebandit27]

(10-15-2015, 05:49 PM)Benton Wrote: I haven't watched a lot of this year's Bills, so I could be off on some of this. Feel free to criticize anything I may be assuming too much on. But...

Ryan likes to blitz. That's ok when you've got players in the back that can shut down the occasional big play that blitzing gives up. But you don't have anyone that can stop Green 1-on-1. Your safeties and nickel corners don't pair up well with our guys on mid to long plays. So that means Rex is either going to blitz anyway (and risk giving up another 40ish point game if it goes the same way as last time) or he's going back off and cover against the pass, which lets up do what Marvin likes to do —  chew up yards and eat up clock.

The only thing I'd pick nits with is the idea that they can't (or maybe more accurately, won't) match up 1-on-1 with Green.  I'd be shocked if they don't stick Gilmore (my preference because he's bigger) or Darby on an island against Green.  For better or worse, Rex is likely to live or die by his CBs (and it's worked very well so far--those two guys aren't giving up anything).  Robey, the nickel corner, isn't a slouch, but he's a clear cut (or two) below those two, so he's probably a guy that will split wins/losses in coverage against a guy like Sanu (for example).

EDIT:  Rex really likes to do it this way because most teams can't keep up with Buffalo's defensive front for prolonged drop-backs, which forces them to get the ball out very quickly.  Dictating this style of offense to opposing teams limits their playbook.  That said, the LBs and safeties have to do a better job of play recognition and tackling than they did against NE and the Giants to make it work.

Where Buffalo's safeties lack is in intermediate coverage--they're all former CBs, so they've got deep speed and good ball skills, which protects them (generally) from the bigger plays.  They do, however, get hit with the 15 and 20-yard stuff...that's where Brady and Eli made their money against this defense.

[thebandit27]

Signing off for now...will check back later (or tomorrow), so feel free to keep questions/comments coming.

Be well.

[McC]

(10-15-2015, 05:49 PM)thebandit27 Wrote: I see...so in your opinion, Buffalo shouldn't bother showing up?  Well, suffice to say: I disagree.

As to home field advantage, yes, we have one.  For certain.  It's quite the hostile environment.

Again though, we shall see.

I never said they had no chance.  How can you have home field advantage with two losses in five games played.  Have you won a home game?

My opinion has way more to do with where the Bengals are than where the Bills are.  The Bengals, last January, got to that place where they finally said F this, we're done being who we were.  They finally said enough is enough and acted on it.  And so far, they are playing on a different level than ever before, and this is a team with 40 wins the last 4 years.  This is a level the Bills haven't gotten to yet.

The Bengals know how to attack Rex's D.  It goes back farther than the 49 points.  And there have never been this
many weapons or this QB playing at this level.

The Bengals D has given up some big play and way too many yards.  But when it was money time, they have made the clutch plays.   They have gotten the stops.

I just think the Bengals are farther along in their development than the Bills.  Because of that, your guys will have to be too close to perfect to sustain a 60 minute win.  Is that possible?  Maybe.

Maybe your D will do what no other has done so far.  Maybe your offense will do what no other has done. 

And just hope your coach doesn't have your team TOO amped up.  Just hope his desperation doesn't become their desperation.

To me, it comes down to margin for error.  Believe it or not, the Bengals have made plenty of mistakes so far and have much that needs to be and can be improved.  That's the scary part of the story.  The Bengals can and will be considerably better than they have been so far.

[Interceptor]

This will be a good game to watch. Rex likes to change up alignments and disguise blitzes. I would say Bills have the pieces, they just needed a coach who knows how to use them. I think definitely a good game.

[Sovereign Nation]

(10-15-2015, 03:44 PM)thebandit27 Wrote: Hello, and good luck this Sunday.

I’ve started this thread to promote discussion (not necessarily trash talk, but do what you must) of this Sunday’s game, and to clear up a few misconceptions I read on your board.

First off, you’re all visiting the WRONG forum for real Bills discussion.  There’s no forum like The Stadium Wall over at twobillsdrive.com.  Here’s the link:

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/forum/1-the-stadium-wall/

Now, onto what you need to know about the Bills for this Sunday.

Offensively…

The skill position players are very good.  No joke.  Sammy Watkins is a stud; don’t let the middling numbers from his rookie year fool you.  He had over 900 yards and 6 TDs (quite comparable with AJ Green and Julio Jones as rookies) playing in Doug Marrone and Nate Hackett’s offense, with Kyle Orton at QB.  He needs to be doubled or have coverage rolled to him at all times.  Let me put it this way: the Colts have Vontae Davis, one of the top 5 CBs in the NFL, and they covered Sammy with Davis AND a safety over the top about 90% of the time.

Behind Sammy, Robert Woods and Percy Harvin have been consistently getting open against single coverage.  Marquise Goodwin is one of the 3 fastest players in football (behind only Chris Johnson and Dri Archer), and needs to be accounted for when he’s in the game (I’m sure you all remember his last-minute TD to tie the game against Cincinnati two years ago).  Chris Hogan is an underrated athlete who can make plays.

Charles Clay has been a great get as a FA, as he’s been a reliable safety valve.  There were plays last week where Tennessee was triple-covering Clay (you can do that with Sammy out of the lineup).

The RB position has been racked with injuries, and it looks like we’ll be down at least Karlos Williams this Sunday, which takes the “hammer” element out of the run game.  Shady seems more likely to play than I might have expected, which is a huge bonus, as I’d be worried about Boom Herron carrying the load.  Nevertheless, this team can run the ball pretty reliably, averaging 4.3 YPC, which ranks 8th in the NFL.

The offensive line is pretty solid from LT to C, but weakens as you move toward the right side.  Rookie RG John Miller has been a roller coaster, while second-year RT Seantrel Henderson has underwhelmed to say the least.  If I’m Paul Guenther, this is where I’m attacking Buffalo’s front.

QB-wise, Taylor has been exciting, though erratic at times.  He is an exceptional athlete, and has a very, very good deep ball.  If he’s healthy, he’s a real dual-threat.  Amongst starting QBs, he ranks 11th in YPA and 7th in passer rating and completion percentage.  If he can’t go, the drop off to EJ Manuel isn’t huge, but they are definitely different players.  EJ can’t kill you in the run game, but he’s almost Big Ben-like in his ability to extend the play.  He’s also got a terrific deep arm, though it seems his release isn’t quite as quick as Taylor’s.  He does, however, hit the seam throws better than Taylor does.

Defensively…

The defensive line needs no introduction.  They are all dominant in their own ways.  Jerry Hughes is a force on the edge; he absolutely owned Joe Thomas to the point where Cleveland was giving the best LT in the game help against him.  Dareus is a monster against both the run and the pass.  Kyle Williams looks like your typical lunch-pail guy, but watch him drop into coverage and chase down Marcus Mariota at full-stride, and you know he’s an athlete.  Mario Williams is an anchor against the run, and needs to be doubled in pass-protection.  In short, these four are the biggest reason this team is 7th in yards/carry allowed, 4th in yards/pass attempt allowed, and 6th in QB rating against.

I’ve seen some banter on this board that Buffalo isn’t as good on the back end…that’s false.  The boundary corners are as good a pairing as there is in the NFL.  Yes, I said that, and I mean it.  Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby rank 3rd and 2nd in the NFL in passes defended, and are both ranked in the top 5 in QB rating against when targeted by opposing QBs.  Keep in mind that this is a pairing that faced Tom Brady, Andrew Luck, and Eli Manning thus far.  Slot CB Nickell Robey is small, but very aggressive and an excellent blitzer.

The safety play has been inconsistent, as both Corey Graham and Aaron Williams have missed some time, as has primary backup Bacarri Rambo.  With Williams now on IR-DTR, and Rambo still recovering from a Week 4 injury, Duke Williams will get the call opposite Corey Graham on Sunday.  To any Bills’ fan, that’s scary.  I’d look for Rex to use Duke as a blitzer as often as he can, since that’s his best skill to this point.

The LB trio of Preston Brown, Nigel Bradham, and Manny Lawson are a mixed bag.  Brown is sensational against the run, but middling against the pass.  Manny Lawson is the exact opposite, though he played the run very well last week against Tennessee.  Bradham hits like a truck, but he tends to get very aggressive and over-pursue.

How I’d game plan against Cincinnati…

On defense, I’m looking to neutralize Green and Eifert first and foremost.  I’m probably sticking Gilmore on Green, because he’s bigger and a bit more physical than Darby, and I think Gilmore wants the assignment given that last time around he was trying to play against Green with a massive club over his hand and couldn’t tackle for anything.  I don’t expect Gilmore to shut him down altogether, but I think he’ll hold his own.  I’d then expect Darby to play the boundary against either Jones or Sanu—Bengals fans won’t like hearing this, but I feel really comfortable that Darby wins that match-up.  Robey draws slot duty against whichever of Jones or Sanu doesn’t line up on the boundary…that’s probably a 50/50 match-up, since both sides are fairly accomplished.

With regard to Eifert, I’d expect bracket zone coverage where Lawson draws the short zone (he’s got excellent speed for a LB—ran a sub-4.5 at the combine years ago).  I think this would’ve been Aaron Williams’ assignment had he been healthy since he’s their biggest safety, but I don’t think I want Corey Graham, who’s only 5’11”, matching against the much bigger Eifert 1-on-1.  More likely that Lawson draws the short zone and Graham plays over the top.

In the run game, I’m letting the DL plus Brown/Bradham patrol the box, which they’ve done quite well through 5 weeks.

For me, the biggest concern is handling Bernard out of the backfield, since you can’t exactly get a jam on a guy that lines up 12-15 yards from the coverage.  I’ll be interested to see how Rex game plans for that.

Offensively, I’m looking to exploit Cinci’s run defense, which is 29th in the NFL at 4.8 YPC allowed.  I’d look to compliment that with intermediate route combinations on the boundary and interior isolation concepts that get Clay matched up with either a LB or a safety, where he’ll win that matchup much of the time.

There’s your primer on your opponent this Sunday.  If you have questions or comments, feel free; I’m happy to answer.  As I said before, I don’t really talk trash, but do what you must…just don’t get upset if you say something patently incorrect and I’m forced to educate you (haha).

I love this analysis.  It is full of strengths and insights. 

Yes, we are very aware of Lawson's capabilities.  Just like Fitzpatrick was, he used to wear the stripes as well.  A good solid LBer, with above average speed.

My wife is a Dolphin fan and Hogan was one of her favorite players.  7-11 cause the dude is always open.  Yet the Dolphins cut him.

If I were the Bengals, I would continue doing what they have been doing all season long.  That is, let Dalton make his reads at the line and check into the proper play.  With so many weapons, he is able to make his reads and get the ball out quickly.  Which will help neutralize the Bills pass rush. 

I like Gillmore, I think his is a great CB, but I don't think he will be good enough to stop Green by himself.  If Green is doubled, then good luck stopping Jones and Sanu.  I don't think many LBers playing will be good enough to stop Eifert (one of the reasons I wanted him in stripes).

On D.  I would say that we need to keep getting pressure on the QB, whether he be Taylor or Manuel.  You do have weapons, but we do have the defenders needed to limit their ability.  The real question is... Can either QB perform under pressure?  Taylor and Manuel don't have as much experience being under pressure as other QBs in the league.  The Bengals can usually get pressure without having to blitz.  If that happens, how will the Bills QBs respond?

I do wish your team good luck.  Even though I want a Bengals victory.

[BonnieBengal]

(10-15-2015, 05:53 PM)thebandit27 Wrote: Harvin is actually Tyrod's favorite WR (they know each other from HS ball).  His big dropoff the past 2 seasons was his own doing; piss poor attitude, really.

I'm gauging run D on yards/carry; that's probably why the rankings differ (I just find it to be a better indicator than yards/game, since rushing totals can be inflated/deflated depending upon game situations).

I hate facing teams with good D-lines, and Cinci has one for sure.  I'd probably focus my double-team on Atkins and hope that Richie (who's actually having a nice rebound season) can handle Peko 1-on-1.  I don't so much worry about Glenn at LT.  The real worrisome guy is Henderson having to handle either Dunlop or Johnson on the edge.  If Shady is healthy, he can chip with the best of 'em, so that would be a big help.  Otherwise I think we're compromising a passing target to help out, which I don't want to do.

Even though our Run D does not look good on paper, I am actually more worried about covering Watkins than anything else.

[Storer50]

Anybody see what Watkins said to the media? The Rex effect has begun.

[*jason*]

(10-15-2015, 04:16 PM)Wyche Wrote: First off, welcome to BengalsBoard.net......hope you enjoy your visit! You're in the wrong forum though.....JungleNoise is for Bengals fans only....but I don't see the mods really having a problem with rational discussion such as this, but just letting you know why if this post gets moved or deleted.

Second, being an avid FSU fan, I'm well aware of the impact the two players I put in bold font have, and you're absolutely correct there.

Third, very in depth analysis, thanks for the insight.  We have seen Tyrod Taylor in relief from his days as a Raven.  After watching that slippery dude run all over the field that day, I'm kinda glad he's dinged up against us, although I hate seeing anyone injured.

Fourth, in your synopsis, you left out Marvin Jones and Rex Burkhead    There's a lot of weapons on that unit....even OT Jake Fischer has a 31 yard reception....lol.

I will enjoy seeing this thread develop.

Funny.  I don't remember that.  I do  remember Carlos Dunlap intercepting him, juking him outta his shoes before scoring, and then jumping into the crowd a few rows in front of me....  Damn it was cold that day.

[*jason*]

(10-15-2015, 07:09 PM)Storer50 Wrote: Anybody see what Watkins said to the media?  The Rex effect has begun.

What did he say?

[J24]

Buffalo is no joke especially at defensive line but the OP is underrated the Bengals. 1 Marvin Jones and Sanu are good 2 and 3 options, green can't be covered, Eifert is awesome ( would destroy Lawson 1 on 1), and our Defensive Line is also pretty good. I wouldn't be shocked if the Bills won but I think the Bengals are the better team.

[*rfaulk34*]

(10-15-2015, 04:14 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: So your team is pretty much perfect...right on. 

Yeah. I was thinking the same thing. I don't think the Bengals should bother to show up Sunday. 

Either that, or he's trying real hard to convince himself. 

Bengals always have trouble in Buffalo. I don't expect this time to be any different. I'd expect pretty much a replay of what happened in '13.

[Anderson HOF]

(10-15-2015, 04:31 PM)thebandit27 Wrote: It's hard to have too much negative analysis; they're a pretty darn good team.

They do have their weak points like I said: the right side of the OL, the banged-up RB position, and the interior of the back-7 in pass defense (safeties and LBs).

I'd probably write a very similar style summary of the Bengals; I figured you folks didn't need me to tell you what's good/not so good about your team.

The weak point, in my opinion, for the Bengals is the back 7 on defense.  Everywhere else I'd feel really confident, though I do think that Buffalo's DL and CBs can match up against anyone.  Even Brady--he got about 85% of his 466 passing yards against safeties and LBs (that game plan was horrible--ugh).

I just don;t see how good your back 7 is on Defense if the Bills are 27th ranked in NFL against the pass... 

[Aquapod770]

(10-15-2015, 05:35 PM)thebandit27 Wrote: I would imagine so playing against Pittsburgh and Baltimore twice/year.

:)

I like this guy already

[*pally*]

ONe of the greatest strengths of the Bengals is their depth. Becauase we can shuttle in and out players we wear down the opposite line so other than a couple of garbage time TDs in Oakland we have won the 4th quarter. This team is healthy going into this game so we have options.
Something also not mentioned is that we tend to win the field position game. They seldomly go 3 and out...maybe 6 and out but not 3...add in Kevin Huber who is having a great season and gunners who have been very successful in downing the ball deep and the opponants have been operating in a long field.

This team has been where Buffalo is now (except we had to deal with Balt and Pitt). They've made the mistake of believing the hype , paid the price, and won't do it again. The Bengals' aren't taking the Bills lightly...they shouldn't make the mistake of doing that with the Bengals.

[GreenCornBengal]

Will Watkins even be on the field? McCoy? Williams? I'm sorry but your offense is decimated... Taylor????

Charles Clay is a nice weapon, but when he is the only guy out there, I don't see much working for you guys.

You underrate the Cinci corners mightily, and you will be surprised how long your QB has to hold onto the ball until a WR comes open.

As for our offense against your defense, we don't need to score 30+ points. 20 points will win this game with how much trouble your offense will have moving the ball. It's not even about Cinci's defense being good, its about your offense being decimated with injuries. If you guys were healthy, this would be a great game.

[samhain]

(10-16-2015, 03:12 AM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: Will Watkins even be on the field? McCoy? Williams? I'm sorry but your offense is decimated... Taylor????

Charles Clay is a nice weapon, but when he is the only guy out there, I don't see much working for you guys.

You underrate the Cinci corners mightily, and you will be surprised how long your QB has to hold onto the ball until a WR comes open.

As for our offense against your defense, we don't need to score 30+ points. 20 points will win this game with how much trouble your offense will have moving the ball. It's not even about Cinci's defense being good, its about your offense being decimated with injuries. If you guys were healthy, this would be a great game.

In theory, I agree with everything you said with the exception of the running backs.  Our defense just had a 3rd-string UDFA back go for 160 on them last Sunday.  This was all done behind what people spent all week calling a trash offensive line.  A couple of weeks ago, I'd wager that almost no casual fan even knew who he was.   

Our run defense has work to do, and I wouldn't write off any back in this league against them until they show otherwise. 

[yellowxdiscipline]

(10-15-2015, 03:44 PM)thebandit27 Wrote: Hello, and good luck this Sunday.

I’ve started this thread to promote discussion (not necessarily trash talk, but do what you must) of this Sunday’s game, and to clear up a few misconceptions I read on your board.

First off, you’re all visiting the WRONG forum for real Bills discussion.  There’s no forum like The Stadium Wall over at twobillsdrive.com.  Here’s the link:

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/forum/1-the-stadium-wall/

Now, onto what you need to know about the Bills for this Sunday.

Offensively…

The skill position players are very good.  No joke.  Sammy Watkins is a stud; don’t let the middling numbers from his rookie year fool you.  He had over 900 yards and 6 TDs (quite comparable with AJ Green and Julio Jones as rookies) playing in Doug Marrone and Nate Hackett’s offense, with Kyle Orton at QB.  He needs to be doubled or have coverage rolled to him at all times.  Let me put it this way: the Colts have Vontae Davis, one of the top 5 CBs in the NFL, and they covered Sammy with Davis AND a safety over the top about 90% of the time.

Behind Sammy, Robert Woods and Percy Harvin have been consistently getting open against single coverage.  Marquise Goodwin is one of the 3 fastest players in football (behind only Chris Johnson and Dri Archer), and needs to be accounted for when he’s in the game (I’m sure you all remember his last-minute TD to tie the game against Cincinnati two years ago).  Chris Hogan is an underrated athlete who can make plays.

Charles Clay has been a great get as a FA, as he’s been a reliable safety valve.  There were plays last week where Tennessee was triple-covering Clay (you can do that with Sammy out of the lineup).

The RB position has been racked with injuries, and it looks like we’ll be down at least Karlos Williams this Sunday, which takes the “hammer” element out of the run game.  Shady seems more likely to play than I might have expected, which is a huge bonus, as I’d be worried about Boom Herron carrying the load.  Nevertheless, this team can run the ball pretty reliably, averaging 4.3 YPC, which ranks 8th in the NFL.

The offensive line is pretty solid from LT to C, but weakens as you move toward the right side.  Rookie RG John Miller has been a roller coaster, while second-year RT Seantrel Henderson has underwhelmed to say the least.  If I’m Paul Guenther, this is where I’m attacking Buffalo’s front.

QB-wise, Taylor has been exciting, though erratic at times.  He is an exceptional athlete, and has a very, very good deep ball.  If he’s healthy, he’s a real dual-threat.  Amongst starting QBs, he ranks 11th in YPA and 7th in passer rating and completion percentage.  If he can’t go, the drop off to EJ Manuel isn’t huge, but they are definitely different players.  EJ can’t kill you in the run game, but he’s almost Big Ben-like in his ability to extend the play.  He’s also got a terrific deep arm, though it seems his release isn’t quite as quick as Taylor’s.  He does, however, hit the seam throws better than Taylor does.

Defensively…

The defensive line needs no introduction.  They are all dominant in their own ways.  Jerry Hughes is a force on the edge; he absolutely owned Joe Thomas to the point where Cleveland was giving the best LT in the game help against him.  Dareus is a monster against both the run and the pass.  Kyle Williams looks like your typical lunch-pail guy, but watch him drop into coverage and chase down Marcus Mariota at full-stride, and you know he’s an athlete.  Mario Williams is an anchor against the run, and needs to be doubled in pass-protection.  In short, these four are the biggest reason this team is 7th in yards/carry allowed, 4th in yards/pass attempt allowed, and 6th in QB rating against.

I’ve seen some banter on this board that Buffalo isn’t as good on the back end…that’s false.  The boundary corners are as good a pairing as there is in the NFL.  Yes, I said that, and I mean it.  Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby rank 3rd and 2nd in the NFL in passes defended, and are both ranked in the top 5 in QB rating against when targeted by opposing QBs.  Keep in mind that this is a pairing that faced Tom Brady, Andrew Luck, and Eli Manning thus far.  Slot CB Nickell Robey is small, but very aggressive and an excellent blitzer.

The safety play has been inconsistent, as both Corey Graham and Aaron Williams have missed some time, as has primary backup Bacarri Rambo.  With Williams now on IR-DTR, and Rambo still recovering from a Week 4 injury, Duke Williams will get the call opposite Corey Graham on Sunday.  To any Bills’ fan, that’s scary.  I’d look for Rex to use Duke as a blitzer as often as he can, since that’s his best skill to this point.

The LB trio of Preston Brown, Nigel Bradham, and Manny Lawson are a mixed bag.  Brown is sensational against the run, but middling against the pass.  Manny Lawson is the exact opposite, though he played the run very well last week against Tennessee.  Bradham hits like a truck, but he tends to get very aggressive and over-pursue.

How I’d game plan against Cincinnati…

On defense, I’m looking to neutralize Green and Eifert first and foremost.  I’m probably sticking Gilmore on Green, because he’s bigger and a bit more physical than Darby, and I think Gilmore wants the assignment given that last time around he was trying to play against Green with a massive club over his hand and couldn’t tackle for anything.  I don’t expect Gilmore to shut him down altogether, but I think he’ll hold his own.  I’d then expect Darby to play the boundary against either Jones or Sanu—Bengals fans won’t like hearing this, but I feel really comfortable that Darby wins that match-up.  Robey draws slot duty against whichever of Jones or Sanu doesn’t line up on the boundary…that’s probably a 50/50 match-up, since both sides are fairly accomplished.

With regard to Eifert, I’d expect bracket zone coverage where Lawson draws the short zone (he’s got excellent speed for a LB—ran a sub-4.5 at the combine years ago).  I think this would’ve been Aaron Williams’ assignment had he been healthy since he’s their biggest safety, but I don’t think I want Corey Graham, who’s only 5’11”, matching against the much bigger Eifert 1-on-1.  More likely that Lawson draws the short zone and Graham plays over the top.

In the run game, I’m letting the DL plus Brown/Bradham patrol the box, which they’ve done quite well through 5 weeks.

For me, the biggest concern is handling Bernard out of the backfield, since you can’t exactly get a jam on a guy that lines up 12-15 yards from the coverage.  I’ll be interested to see how Rex game plans for that.

Offensively, I’m looking to exploit Cinci’s run defense, which is 29th in the NFL at 4.8 YPC allowed.  I’d look to compliment that with intermediate route combinations on the boundary and interior isolation concepts that get Clay matched up with either a LB or a safety, where he’ll win that matchup much of the time.

There’s your primer on your opponent this Sunday.  If you have questions or comments, feel free; I’m happy to answer.  As I said before, I don’t really talk trash, but do what you must…just don’t get upset if you say something patently incorrect and I’m forced to educate you (haha).

-From Recent reports it appears that Sammy is trying to work his way out of Buffalo.. Why else would you take your agent with you to tell the coaches and management that you're not getting enough targets?

[thebandit27]

I see there's been some action since I signed off--much appreciated. I'll try to get to everything.

(10-15-2015, 06:48 PM)Sovereign Nation Wrote: I love this analysis.  It is full of strengths and insights. 

Yes, we are very aware of Lawson's capabilities.  Just like Fitzpatrick was, he used to wear the stripes as well.  A good solid LBer, with above average speed.

My wife is a Dolphin fan and Hogan was one of her favorite players.  7-11 cause the dude is always open.  Yet the Dolphins cut him.

If I were the Bengals, I would continue doing what they have been doing all season long.  That is, let Dalton make his reads at the line and check into the proper play.  With so many weapons, he is able to make his reads and get the ball out quickly.  Which will help neutralize the Bills pass rush. 

I like Gillmore, I think his is a great CB, but I don't think he will be good enough to stop Green by himself.  If Green is doubled, then good luck stopping Jones and Sanu.  I don't think many LBers playing will be good enough to stop Eifert (one of the reasons I wanted him in stripes).

On D.  I would say that we need to keep getting pressure on the QB, whether he be Taylor or Manuel.  You do have weapons, but we do have the defenders needed to limit their ability.  The real question is... Can either QB perform under pressure?  Taylor and Manuel don't have as much experience being under pressure as other QBs in the league.  The Bengals can usually get pressure without having to blitz.  If that happens, how will the Bills QBs respond?

I do wish your team good luck.  Even though I want a Bengals victory.

Appreciate the kind words. I don't think Rex expects Gilmore to shut down Green completely--more like he anticipates he'll hold him in check relative to what other teams have done.

I also don't think they'll single up Eifert--I expect bracket-style coverage with a LB taking the short zone and a safety over the top.

As to how the QBs will respond, if Taylor does indeed play, I expect lots of roll-outs, moving pockets, etc. to keep him on the move. When NE and Miami played lots of coverage against him, this was how Roman responded.

(10-15-2015, 07:09 PM)Storer50 Wrote: Anybody see what Watkins said to the media? The Rex effect has begun.

I actually had no issue with what Watkins said...he's right; they don't target him enough.

(10-15-2015, 08:51 PM)J24 Wrote: Buffalo is no joke especially at defensive line but the OP is underrated the Bengals. 1 Marvin Jones and Sanu are good 2 and 3 options, green can't be covered, Eifert is awesome ( would destroy Lawson 1 on 1), and our Defensive Line is also pretty good. I wouldn't be shocked if the Bills won but I think the Bengals are the better team.

I can understand why someone might think I'm underrating your team; believe me, I'm not.

I don't, however, think that Green can't be covered. He can, and he has been in the past. If memory serves, he's had some struggles against the more physical corners of the league--Joe Haden comes to mind. Gilmore may not get the same national attention as Haden, but he's at least as physical, and is both bigger and faster. Again, I don't expect that he'll shut down Green the same way he did with Beckham, but I do think he can compete with him just fine.

Jones and Sanu are indeed good options, which tells you just how much I think of Ronald Darby (and I HATED that pick when they made it...I actually wanted Jake Fisher). He's been sensational thus far, so it's hard for me to see a guy that's been so good against guys like Andre Johnson, Odell Beckham (they didn't match against him; just let whoever was on that side take him), Jarvis Landry, etc. struggling against Sanu and/or Jones.

As I told Sovereign above, Eifert won't be 1-on-1 with Lawson...I expect Lawson draws the short zone against him with safety help

I don't disagree that it sure looks like the Bengals are the better team right now.

[thebandit27]

(10-15-2015, 09:41 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Yeah. I was thinking the same thing. I don't think the Bengals should bother to show up Sunday. 

Either that, or he's trying real hard to convince himself. 

Bengals always have trouble in Buffalo. I don't expect this time to be any different. I'd expect pretty much a replay of what happened in '13.

Again, I don't see how you can read my post that way, unless you missed my comments about the weaknesses along the right side of the OL, the erratic QB play, the mixed bag at LB, and the inconsistency at safety (which I suppose I understand given how long it was).

I have no need to convince myself of anything. I watch the team with quite the critical eye.

(10-15-2015, 09:54 PM)Anderson HOF Wrote: I just don;t see how good your back 7 is on Defense if the Bills are 27th ranked in NFL against the pass... 

Well, that's because of two things: 1) you're looking at yards/game, which can easily be skewed by garbage time yards (which Indy and Miami had a TON of), and 2) Brady burned them for over 450 yards, which is going to inflate any numbers.

As I said in the OP, the team is 4th in yards/pass attempt allowed and 6th in QB rating against, which are generally more telling stats.

It's also noteworthy that both Gilmore and Darby are in the top 3 in the NFL in passes defended, and rank in the top 4 in QB rating against.

(10-15-2015, 10:46 PM)Aquapod770 Wrote: I like this guy already

Hah! Yeah, I notice trends in officiating.

(10-15-2015, 11:48 PM)pally Wrote: ONe of the greatest strengths of the Bengals is their depth. Becauase we can shuttle in and out players we wear down the opposite line so other than a couple of garbage time TDs in Oakland we have won the 4th quarter. This team is healthy going into this game so we have options.
Something also not mentioned is that we tend to win the field position game. They seldomly go 3 and out...maybe 6 and out but not 3...add in Kevin Huber who is having a great season and gunners who have been very successful in downing the ball deep and the opponants have been operating in a long field.

This team has been where Buffalo is now (except we had to deal with Balt and Pitt). They've made the mistake of believing the hype , paid the price, and won't do it again. The Bengals' aren't taking the Bills lightly...they shouldn't make the mistake of doing that with the Bengals.

Good insights on the field position game...thanks.

I can assure you that nobody in the Buffalo locker room is taking Cincinnati lightly. I can also assure you that everyone in the Bills' locker room believes that they can win the game.

[thebandit27]

(10-16-2015, 03:12 AM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: Will Watkins even be on the field? McCoy? Williams? I'm sorry but your offense is decimated... Taylor????

Charles Clay is a nice weapon, but when he is the only guy out there, I don't see much working for you guys.

You underrate the Cinci corners mightily, and you will be surprised how long your QB has to hold onto the ball until a WR comes open.

As for our offense against your defense, we don't need to score 30+ points. 20 points will win this game with how much trouble your offense will have moving the ball. It's not even about Cinci's defense being good, its about your offense being decimated with injuries. If you guys were healthy, this would be a great game.

Watkins - yes
McCoy - according to his twitter this morning, yes
Williams - we'll find out this afternoon if he's cleared from concussion protocol, but my guess is no
Taylor - a little birdie tells me that he plans to play as long as the medical staff doesn't forbid it...he took first team reps yesterday at practice

I don't think it's so much about underrating the Cinci corners as it is believing that Buffalo's receiving corps is solid. I expect Watkins to get open the same way you expect Green to be open--sitting in the stands at the game, it's astonishing how often he's open and doesn't get the ball...it's nowhere near as bad with Roman at the helm, but Hackett...my word. Watkins was SMOKING Darelle Revis routinely last year, and he got 3 targets that whole game. Bleh.

Another item I neglected to mention about the WRs is this: they are very good blockers. Dial up Tyrod's TD run from the Tennessee game for an example, as Hogan gets downfield and fits up on a safety, and Woods comes in at the last minute to knock two defenders to the ground with a single block. Sammy is actually the best blocker in the WR group, which is yet another reason the fans up here love him.

(10-16-2015, 09:06 AM)yellowxdiscipline Wrote: -From Recent reports it appears that Sammy is trying to work his way out of Buffalo.. Why else would you take your agent with you to tell the coaches and management that you're not getting enough targets?

That would really surprise me given that he grew up a Bills' fan. Who knows why he would take his agent with him...I do know that the "report" omitted a fairly important quote:

@sammywatkins: @TyDunne Wish you could have added the part we have so many playmakers and me not caring about numbers I care about winning.. Grow up.. Sir.

Sammy's a good kid; I don't think there's any issue here.