What I Want to See from the Bengals in Preseason

[*rfaulk34*]

(08-12-2021, 07:11 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: First of all, let’s get the preseason record issue out of the way; I don’t care if the Bengals finish 3-0, 0-3, or any other of the 27 possible permutations of a set of three events with three possible outcomes.

OFFENSE

My biggest concern is rushing; I want to see the Bengals pound the rock and pound it hard.  Certainly Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, CJ Uzomah and the rest of the receivers will get plenty of passes thrown their way but I want to see Frank Pollack’s retooled offensive line break upon some holes and create some seams.  Run blocking is, to me, the primary criterion for evaluating an offensive line’s cohesion because it’s a team effort. For example, to create a large seam through the right side A gap it takes the center blocking one defensive lineman one way while the right guard takes either another defensive tackle the other way.

Of course, pass blocking is critical as well and I want to see Brandon Allen have plenty of time to go through his receiver progressions, set his feet, and throw with velocity and accuracy.  The pocket should stay intact as long as possible and even move laterally if necessary.

Whether pass blocking or run blocking I want to see the offensive linemen lock up, engage, and move their player out of the play.  Once their assignment is complete I want them to look for another player to block.

I do not want to see Joe Burrow on the field in preseason — period.   If I had my way, Brandon Allen would get the majority of the snaps in preseason but the other quarterbacks on the current roster would also play limited snaps with both the first and second string teams.  Due to Joe Burrow being injured last year the Cincinnati Bengals need a solid second string quarterback and in preseason we need to definitively identify who that is.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Let Evan McPherson kick!  This kid looked awesome in preseason so let’s see if he can routinely kick accurate field goals in game situations from greater than 55 yards. If McPherson has this ability will take pressure from the offense...

AND MORE OFFENSE

...but this does not excuse the offense from improving in the Red Zone.   Lately, the Bengals’ offense has not exactly been effective inside the 20 yard line. Since 2016 the Bengals have often moved the ball well between the 20 yard lines but inside the Red Zone tend to stall. The best teams come away with seven points in the Red Zone, mediocre teams come away with three points in the Red Zone, but Cincinnati too often comes away with no points at all.  Maybe somebody on this board who is really good at keeping statistics can maintain a record of touchdowns, field goals, and total whiffs in the Red Zone.  

Also, knowing the success rate of pass vs. run inside the Red Zone is useful.

DEFENSE

Pain.  I want to see some serious thumping going on.  On defense energy and aggression can sometimes make up for the lack of proper technique.  Technique and defensive strategy can be taught but energy cannot. This is a mindset one must use to play successful defense in the NFL.  Lou Anarumo had the Bengals doing this in the second game against Pittsburgh last year; I’m not saying every hit has to be a slobber knocker like Von Bell did to Juju Smith-Schuster but we all saw how playing with energy and purpose led to a win.

Tackling should be aggressive. The players need to play physically but cleanly; I am done seeing Bengal defensive players dive for opposing ball carriers’ ankles and missing.  That’s bush league crap.  The defensive players need to aim for the center of mass and wrap up.  

So far in training camp I have seen very good play from the secondary. It is one thing play well against your own team in practice but I want to see solid coverage against our opponents in preseason.  Cushions belong on couches, not in the defensive backfield. Interceptions would be nice but seeing a lot of plays broken up would be welcome as well. When an opposing receiver does catch the ball I want to see a tackle happen immediately.  Cincinnati has not been good at limiting yards after catch since Mike Zimmer left. This is crucial if the Bengals are going to win and have playoff aspirations.

The defensive line needs to get after it! I want to see opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable, throwing on the run, and having to throw from their rear leg. More sacks would be extremely welcome too.  Those big guys need to shed blockers and stop opposing running backs for no gain. If the defense can do that the Bengals may have a winning season ahead.

The big unknowns for me are the linebackers. If the defensive line does a good job they can drop into coverage on pass plays and I want to see them shoot gaps and help stuff the run as well. Also, Bengal linebackers have not exactly been blitzing a lot for many seasons and this has to change.  I know the linebacker position has changed appreciably over the past 25 years or so and there is less blitzing of the quarterback all across the league but nothing scares the stuffing out of a quarterback more than seeing a linebacker come off the edge at full speed.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

To summarize, I want to see the Bengals play fast, play with energy, and play with purpose.  Go ahead and take some chances out there; see what works and what doesn’t and adjust the playbook accordingly.   I want to see outstanding execution individually and as a team and I want to see leaders emerge on both sides of the football.

This is crunch time for the coaching staff. I was lenient in 2019, upset in 2020, and I will be furious in 2021 if I do not see major improvement in every aspect of the game. Say what you will about the Front Office but they’ve been active in free agency and aggressive in the draft.  This is easily the most solid roster the Bengals have had since 2015.  If this particular collection of players cannot win then something is seriously wrong.

10 possible outcomes.