Lou Staying For 2021

[Sled21]

(01-05-2021, 10:41 AM)ochocincos Wrote: No. The article that she wrote specifically said assistant coaches.
So if you thought "major shakeup" was supposed to be something other than assistant coaches, then you just didn't read the article or your chose to create your own narrative.


https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/allbengals-insiders-plus/bengals-major-shakeup-zac-taylor-coaching-staff



You are discrediting her for reporting news, but what has happened is exactly as she stated. The Bengals did, in fact, let go of multiple assistant coaches. OL coach, DL coach, WR coach, and an assistant defensive coach.

One left of his own volition to take another job. Not the same as being "let go". I called Turner and Eason. I've yet to see Bicknell confirmed anywhere, but I've never even heard of the other guy. Yeah, Nostradamus.

[wildcatnku24]

(01-05-2021, 11:04 AM)XenoMorph Wrote:  we had 3rd/PS cornerbacks starting against a Ravens team that is coming on at the right time


But they ran for 400+ yards not threw

Oh I know, I’m just saying that’s how bad our defense was.  Like some folks have said, the fact that we are seeing and hearing Margus Hunt’s name a bunch was quite telling.  

But let’s not kid ourselves, the Ravens have a scary good offense, and our defense did stop them a few times.  Problem in my eyes was our offense couldn’t give them a breather.  

I am a pretty big ZT defender to this point, but I was 50/50 on Lou.  It’s not upsetting to me that he’s staying, but I could’ve also been happy with another DC not named Teryl Austin.  LOL, we know we could do worse than Lou.

[*ochocincos*]

(01-05-2021, 11:14 AM)Sled21 Wrote: One left of his own volition to take another job. Not the same as being "let go". I called Turner and Eason. I've yet to see Bicknell confirmed anywhere, but I've never even heard of the other guy. Yeah, Nostradamus.

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/1/4/22211608/bengals-2021-coaching-staff-turnover-everything-to-know


And stop with the Nostradamus thing. She wasn't speculating or foreseeing anything. She was reporting what she had heard from her sources. Her sources were correct.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

Yay!

[CJD]

I think keeping Zac meant we were keeping both coordinators. The fact is, you aren't going to get a good coordinator to sign on with a head coach who is very likely coaching his final year on the team before being fired. Then, in 2022, when we bring on a new head coach, he'll want his own DC and OC. So the new DC we hired will be fired after one season.

No coach worth a damn would put themselves in that position so, if we fired Lou, we probably would have replaced him with someone just as bad, if not worse (if that's possible).

There are three scenarios that I think are likely for the 2022 off season:

1. ZT fails again. We fire the entire coaching staff, get a brand new head coach who then brings in his own staff.

2. We do well and make the playoffs. We decide to keep the entire staff, signing them to extensions even.

3. We do okay, maybe even make the playoffs (with Joe, it's definitely possible) but the defense was still bad. We sign ZT to an extension as we are now confident we can win with him, but fire Lou and search for a new DC. This would be different from this current offseason, because ZT will theoretically be off the hot seat and have a future in Cincinnati beyond one season, meaning the new DC won't have to worry about being fired after one season and therefore we're more likely to get a good DC to replace Lou.


Obviously, I'm hoping for option 2, as we all want the team to succeed. But option 3 is probably the most realistic scenario. Option 1 would be an abject disaster because it just means we completely wasted a year and should have made the change right now rather than in 2022.

[XenoMorph]

(01-04-2021, 11:12 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: The new offensive and defensive line coaches better be spectacular.  Getting mauled in the trenches since 2016 is getting old.

If they didnt line up to work for ZT and company 2 years ago i dont think the last 2 years helped create any buzz

[*ochocincos*]

Anarumo's defense 2019 vs 2020:

Category | 2019 | 2020
Points Against: 420 (25th) 424 (22nd)
Yards Allowed: 6299 (29th) 6227 (26th)
Pass Yards: 3917 (21st) 3859 (19th)
Rush Yards: 2382 (last) 2368 (29th)
Turnovers: 16 (28th) 17 (27th)

So there really isn't an improvement in this defense.
There is only an "excuse," which is they didn't have Waynes, Reader, healthy Atkins, and Dunlap (who they chose to trade) for most of the year.
I realize those are/were important pieces, but Dunlap and maybe Atkins won't be on the team next year. It's a gamble to keep a guy who has been in the bottom half of the league hoping he'll get this defense to Top 15.

[wildcatnku24]

(01-05-2021, 12:05 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Anarumo's defense 2019 vs 2020:

Category | 2019 | 2020
Points Against:     420 (25th)     424 (22nd)
Yards Allowed:     6299 (29th)    6227 (26th)
Pass Yards:          3917 (21st)    3859 (19th)
Rush Yards:         2382 (last)     2368 (29th)
Turnovers:           16 (28th)       17 (27th)

So there really isn't an improvement in this defense.
There is only an "excuse," which is they didn't have Waynes, Reader, healthy Atkins, and Dunlap (who they chose to trade) for most of the year.
I realize those are/were important pieces, but Dunlap and maybe Atkins won't be on the team next year. It's a gamble to keep a guy who has been in the bottom half of the league hoping he'll get this defense to Top 15.

So Lou did BETTER this year with far less to work with than last year, and that's not improvement?  What am I not seeing?  

[*ochocincos*]

(01-05-2021, 12:12 PM)wildcatnku24 Wrote: So Lou did BETTER this year with far less to work with than last year, and that's not improvement?  What am I not seeing?  

No more than 3 ranks better for each slot.
And when looking at the raw numbers, very little improvement.
Actually allowed 4 more points than 2019.
Less than 100 yards difference between 2019 and 2020. Divide that by 16 games and it's only 4.5 yards per game improvement.


So yes, it's a very slight improvement, but what if he only goes up another rank or two again in 2021? It would mean they're in the bottom half of the league yet again. Wouldn't you rather have a DC who has had a proven record of having good defenses?

If the answer is yes, then you should move on from Anarumo and pursue someone like Wade Phillips.

[XenoMorph]

(01-05-2021, 12:34 PM)ochocincos Wrote: If the answer is yes, then you should move on from Anarumo and pursue someone like Wade Phillips.

Cant hes Zachs buddy and for some reason we kept Zach

[*ochocincos*]

(01-05-2021, 12:35 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: Cant hes Zachs buddy and for some reason we kept Zach

Phillips worked with Zac too though in LA. You'd think that familiarity would make the hiring of Phillips make more sense.

[wildcatnku24]

(01-05-2021, 12:34 PM)ochocincos Wrote: No more than 3 ranks better for each slot.
And when looking at the raw numbers, very little improvement.
Actually allowed 4 more points than 2019.
Less than 100 yards difference between 2019 and 2020. Divide that by 16 games and it's only 4.5 yards per game improvement.


So yes, it's a very slight improvement, but what if he only goes up another rank or two again in 2021? It would mean they're in the bottom half of the league yet again. Wouldn't you rather have a DC who has had a proven record of having good defenses?

If the answer is yes, then you should move on from Anarumo and pursue someone like Wade Phillips.

Absolutely I would.  I'm not stuck on Lou, and really am surprised he's not being fired.  Although I don't think there's any REAL confirmation of that yet, as Zac said on Monday that he'd be making the decisions and it'd be this week.  For all we know, Zac does show him the door.  

I would absolutely prefer a proven DC that can provide us a great defense.  I'm just not convinced that can't be Lou.  We'll see, I reckon.

[wildcatnku24]

(01-05-2021, 12:35 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: Cant hes Zachs buddy and for some reason we kept Zach

I guarantee Zac isn't keeping him because he's his buddy.  Not when his job is on the line.  He (Zac) knows he won't get another chance if he bombs again this year.  I know many think Zac is dumb, but even if you think he's dumb, no way you think he's THAT dumb.  I know if I were him, I'd have to be 100% certain Lou is the right guy for next year, and if i'm anything below 100% sure, I'd be firing him and bringing in a proven DC.

[*ochocincos*]

(01-05-2021, 12:42 PM)wildcatnku24 Wrote: Absolutely I would.  I'm not stuck on Lou, and really am surprised he's not being fired.  Although I don't think there's any REAL confirmation of that yet, as Zac said on Monday that he'd be making the decisions and it'd be this week.  For all we know, Zac does show him the door.  

I would absolutely prefer a proven DC that can provide us a great defense.  I'm just not convinced that can't be Lou.  We'll see, I reckon.

What about Lou's resume has given you any indication he can run a Top 10 defense?

In the past 20 years, Anarumo has only been a DC two places - Miami Dolphins interim DC in 2015 and with the Bengals 2019-2020.
While in Miami, Anarumo took over DC duties from Kevin Coyle.
The year prior (2014), Coyle had the 20th defense in Points Against, 12th in Yards Allowed. In 2015, Coyle+Anarumo's defense was 19th in Points Allowed but 25th in Yards Allowed. The caveat of Points Allowed is that it actually went up 373->389 from 2014 to 2015. So even if it's 1 rank better, it's still more points allowed than the previous year.

So I've not seen any proof that Anarumo knows how to run a good defense.

[Waite Hoyt]

This team was painfully thin at the DL coming out of camp. We lost All pro Adkins and Reader for virtually the whole season. We lost a our starting CB for the season.

We have young LB’ers that will benefit from playing in the same system. Bates is stepping up and becoming one of the best safeties in the league. Lawson took a step forward. Find a edge rusher and add some depth on the line and we will be much improved. Starting from scratch agin is not the answer. Especially when dealing with young players.

[fredtoast]

(01-05-2021, 12:12 PM)wildcatnku24 Wrote: So Lou did BETTER this year with far less to work with than last year, and that's not improvement?  What am I not seeing?  

How do you figure "less to work with" when we added Alexander,  Bell, Bynes, Wilson, and ADG?

And the only reason we did not have an effective Dunlop is that the coaches ran him off.

[kalibengal]

(01-05-2021, 03:35 AM)Bengalholic Wrote: When was the last time an NFL team gave up 4,750 yards rushing at 4.9 ypc in 2 years and kept the DC?   

I just have to    everytime  the buffoonery of this teams management is revealed. Ive gotten so used to it it doesn't phase me anymore.
Meanwhile here in LA , the Chargers fired a much loved Anthony Lynn.....was that a hard decision ? absolutely! but they want to WIN NOW! while Herbert is on his rookie deal (and by the way he played, he will command BIG $ once his contract is up...clock is ticking)  thats the difference other than the obvious $$ and not paying a guy like Lou or ZT to not work . So theres 2 worlds: MBs and the REST OF THE NFL
 

[Wes Mantooth]

When you look at the his entire body of work the numbers are abysmal. When you cap off that body or work with a game in which you proceed to give up over 400 yards on the ground there should be no question this guy needed to hit the road.

People keep talking about injuries. Early in the year, when we were only missing Atkins from our DL, and every CB was healthy save Waynes, our defense was still bad. In fact, he gotta better performances after the injuries in the weeks leading up to the Ravens game.

There is no reason you keep a coach with these results. That Baltimore game alone should get ANY coach fired. I don't care if it's there 1st year or 10th year, and I don't care who you were missing. To give up 400 yards on the ground (in a game that wasn't close and the Ravens pulled starters in the 3rd quarter) is inexusable.

The only reason I can think of that they didn't move on is because they know they couldn't get anyone to join Taylor staff as DC. Which should tell that Taylor needed to go as well.

This, all of it, is an absolute joke. What a Mickey Mouse, clown show organization.

[3wt]

(01-05-2021, 03:00 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Given the problems with injuries this year I would almost be willing to give Lou another chance if there was anything on his resume to indicate that he could be successful.  But there is nothing.  He has never even been a coordinator before and he has never had any real success as a position coach.

If lack of talent was the problem then why did our defense disappear in the final 2 minutes of the half/game even with the same players on the field?

I agree.  I feel like he schemed games very inconsistently and did not adequately address chronic problems.   

Also there were rumors (no link - sorry) that the players (other than Dunlap) do not like him and specifically that players like Lawson threatened to walk if he was retained.  

I'm not sure who they could attract to come here right now, but if good players walk I will consider it a colossal mistake to have retained him.   

[GodFather]

Here are Bengals defense rankings in year one and two under Lou. 


And the Bengals thought....yeah lets keep him on? And you wonder why we win so little...