Bengals MUST defend this against Carolina

[bengals67]

(09-20-2018, 09:41 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yes, tackle McCaffrey well on Defense, don't let Cam out of the pocket running and don't turn the ball over on Offense.

I think it is a simple strategy in beating this team.

Watch the Panthers all the time and you have nailed the keys to Bengals winning.

Cam is one of a kind running the ball and McCaffrey is really good making something out of screens and check downs.

Not a football expert so I do not know how to defend McCaffrey but they need a game plan.

They also need a controlled rush to keep Cam in the pocket. He is far from elite throwing the ball downfield and can give up a lot of picks if he is contained and placed under pressure even if not sacked.

[*SHRacerX*]

(09-21-2018, 09:24 AM)Au165 Wrote: No, you really can't. You can get away with guys following in zone on the outside, but not in the backfield because of the two way go. You'd have to have him playing man which means your not going to put zone behind that, it just would leave too big of gaps. The other issue is that means you are in dime personnel because you can't leave a LB out on a slot WR when they go 3 wide since a CB is taking the HB. Now we are in dime personnel all game, which puts us at a mismatch on the slot with Dennard on CMC and Phillips or Mcrae on DJ Moore, and so Carolina starts running a bunch of inside zone and killing us as their O line are now getting to the second level on DB's instead of LB's. When we sell out to stop the run from our dime personnel package they crush the slot mismatch. 

CMC is not going to single handily beat us catching check down passes. We will probably play zone mainly with some press man on longer 3rd downs. As someone else said you can slow down CMC by sending extra blitzers and making him stay in to block. You don't get too cute and break fundamental football concepts for CMC, he is good but he isn't as good as guys here are acting like Le'Veon Bell is better and we have bottled him up before. 

I don’t believe you have to stay in dime. You would essentially be playing Dennard as a nickel backer. If Shawn Williams can do it, Dennard could do it better.

If we rely on this LB crew to stay with CMC in space, it will be an easy day of pitch and catch for Cam and Co.

I remember WAY back when Marv played an extra LB in an effort to stuff Jamal Lewis, the Ravens RB, and it worked. Changed our entire strategy for one player.

I just don’t think the rest of that team is up to the task. Stop CMC, limit Cam to the pocket and they will win.

[Benton]

(09-20-2018, 05:45 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: We've been burned alive in these first two games underneath !

We're the 27th ranked D giving up 402 yards a game, 30th ranked pass D giving up 332 yards a game and the bulk of that has been underneath.

This D is better than that and they've got to quit playing so soft and giving up so much on the dinking and dunking.

I think that's by design though in trying not to give up the big play. It doesn't matter so much if we're giving up 500 yards a game... provided we're not giving up a score. We're doing "good enough" at that so far.

[Au165]

(09-21-2018, 12:20 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: I don’t believe you have to stay in dime.  You would essentially be playing Dennard as a nickel backer.  If Shawn Williams can do it, Dennard could do it better.  

If we rely on this LB crew to stay with CMC in space, it will be an easy day of pitch and catch for Cam and Co.  

I remember WAY back when Marv played an extra LB in an effort to stuff Jamal Lewis, the Ravens RB, and it worked.  Changed our entire strategy for one player.

I just don’t think the rest of that team is up to the task.  Stop CMC, limit Cam to the pocket and they will win.

If he is a nickle backer who is your slot? If you have 4 CB's on the field you are now in dime personnel, unless you are kicking a LB out into the slot (bad idea). That is considered a lite box and one the O coordinator would run against. The Cowboys contained him without violating standard football fundamentals I am sure we can too. 

This is all moot because they won't do it. Will we see Dennard on him if he is in the slot? Sure. Will he shadow him? No. It just creates way too many issues behind them if they tried something like that.

[thillan]

(09-21-2018, 12:30 PM)Benton Wrote: I think that's by design though in trying not to give up the big play. It doesn't matter so much if we're giving up 500 yards a game... provided we're not giving up a score. We're doing "good enough" at that so far.

I kinda agree, but the Panthers are a team that is built where you NEED to stop the underneath stuff. The only receiver they have that could burn us deep is DJ Moore.

I really hate to say it, but I think the Panthers are a team that is built to beat us right now. If our LBs get to the ball fast and play well, then the Panthers will be in serious trouble.

[grampahol]

Quote:Not a football expert ....

Don't sell yourself short. The only requirement required to be a football expert is the ability to form words and string them together in a semi coherent sentence once in awhile. Just listen to the announcers blather on in just about any given game. 

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(09-21-2018, 10:28 AM)Synric Wrote: To limit Cristian McCaffrey the linebackers and safeties need to tackle in space and limit his yards after catch.

The match up I don't like against Carolina is Kuechly vs Gio. Luke Kuechly just seems to matchup well against what Gio brings to the game.

Great point on Kuechly vs Gio. Kuechly is a great cover LB and is extremely quick sideline to sideline.

But one concussion and Kuechly is gone at anytime, sad to say.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(09-21-2018, 10:40 AM)bengals67 Wrote: Watch the Panthers all the time and you have nailed the keys to Bengals winning.

Cam is one of a kind running the ball and McCaffrey is really good making something out of screens and check downs.

Not a football expert so I do not know how to defend McCaffrey but they need a game plan.

They also need a controlled rush to keep Cam in the pocket. He is far from elite throwing the ball downfield and can give up a lot of picks if he is contained and placed under pressure even if not sacked.

Thank you, you nailed it as well, like Gramps says don't sell yourself short lol

Keeping Cam in the pocket is essential no question.

Our Secondary could feast on interceptions if we keep Cam in the pocket and tackle well on the checkdowns.

Have to force him to throw downfield like you say.

[Benton]

(09-21-2018, 12:44 PM)thillan Wrote: I kinda agree, but the Panthers are a team that is built where you NEED to stop the underneath stuff. The only receiver they have that could burn us deep is DJ Moore.

I really hate to say it, but I think the Panthers are a team that is built to beat us right now. If our LBs get to the ball fast and play well, then the Panthers will be in serious trouble.

It may not be a great matchup for the way we're (I think) approaching defense and the way they approach offense if you're right (and I haven't watched enough of Carolina this or last season to really weigh in one way or the other). But I wouldn't worry about it too much. We're ranked second in giveaways/takeaways. Teams with less big play ability run a bigger risk of us increasing our numbers there.

Sidenote: Cleveland is surprisingly ranked first in that area (thanks, Ben).

[SunsetBengal]

(09-21-2018, 03:06 PM)Benton Wrote: It may not be a great matchup for the way we're (I think) approaching defense and the way they approach offense if you're right (and I haven't watched enough of Carolina this or last season to really weigh in one way or the other). But I wouldn't worry about it too much. We're ranked second in giveaways/takeaways. Teams with less big play ability run a bigger risk of us increasing our numbers there.

Sidenote: Cleveland is surprisingly ranked first in that area (thanks, Ben).

I mentioned somewhere that this would be a great game to go with the 3 Safety look.  Fedj offers about the same stopping power and tackling ability as a LB, with the speed, athleticism, and coverage skills of a Safety.

[Benton]

(09-21-2018, 03:11 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I mentioned somewhere that this would be a great game to go with the 3 Safety look.  Fedj offers about the same stopping power and tackling ability as a LB, with the speed, athleticism, and coverage skills of a Safety.

Couldn't hurt, I think it would be interesting to see what happens.

[*SHRacerX*]

(09-21-2018, 12:43 PM)Au165 Wrote: If he is a nickle backer who is your slot? If you have 4 CB's on the field you are now in dime personnel, unless you are kicking a LB out into the slot (bad idea). That is considered a lite box and one the O coordinator would run against. The Cowboys contained him without violating standard football fundamentals I am sure we can too. 

This is all moot because they won't do it. Will we see Dennard on him if he is in the slot? Sure. Will he shadow him? No. It just creates way too many issues behind them if they tried something like that.

Maybe it does create too many issues, but they have had 10 days to prepare.  I hope they have keyed on him because he is, by far, the biggest threat.  Not to go deep and hit a bomb, but to slowly (but surely) cut us and watch us bleed.

To answer your initial question, if CMC is not lined up in the slot, then I would perhaps offer Shawn Williams on the slot WR, and go single-high safety with Jessie Bates. 

[*bengalfan74*]

(09-21-2018, 06:47 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Maybe it does create too many issues, but they have had 10 days to prepare.  I hope they have keyed on him because he is, by far, the biggest threat.  Not to go deep and hit a bomb, but to slowly (but surely) cut us and watch us bleed.

To answer your initial question, if CMC is not lined up in the slot, then I would perhaps offer Shawn Williams on the slot WR, and go single-high safety with Jessie Bates. 

The hoodie has ran up a pretty good record taking away the opposing teams biggest threats and I'm sure he doesn't do it by playing it safe all the time. We have to key in on Newton and McCaffery period.

I don't buy for a second that we have to play base defense and quiver in our boots. Play aggressive ! This soft defense is going to bite us before it's over. It keeps our defense on the field to much and it limits the time for our O to score. They have to play a perfect game when they're only on the field a few minutes a qtr.

[McC]

Our RB can do anything their guy can do and maybe more. Only way we lose this game is if Cam runs wild.

[*Synric*]

Also like to continue to throw out there....I still hate the McCaffrey pick for Carolina. Great running back I just have never felt he fit Cam Newton and the Carolina offense.

[*SHRacerX*]

(09-22-2018, 06:14 PM)McC Wrote: Our RB can do anything their guy can do and maybe more.  Only way we lose this game is if Cam runs wild.

We need a big play from Ross, or special teams.  I am really looking forward to this game.  

[thillan]

(09-23-2018, 10:16 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: We need a big play from Ross, or special teams.  I am really looking forward to this game.  

I'm nervous! BIG challenge coming up these next two weeks. Going 2-0 or 1-1 would be great for us moving forward.

[Goalpost]

In limited watchings of McCaffrey, he makes the first guy miss on the short passes. Very deceptive in short spaces.

[Bengalitis]

(09-20-2018, 09:56 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I love our DEs versus the Carolina Tackles.  However, they are aware that their Tackles are shit, and plan around it.  We're going to need for the LBs and Safeties to play the most disciplined game that they are capable of.  Go ahead, allow the DE's to run wild and cause chaos, the rest of the D needs to be ready to pick up those busted plays that Cam Newton is so good at making.

^^^^ This!  The busted plays is what concerns me.