Merril Hodge says Bengals can compete with the Patriots

[BonnieBengal]

(09-29-2015, 02:38 PM)Trademark Wrote: He said on ESPN that the Bengals can compete with the Patriots and he called Eifert a mini Gronk he said there isn't any doubt that the Bengals can play with them defensively and offensively and he said that we are probably more explosive than the Patriots and showed our defense and said it would be an interesting matchup f they cross paths in the playoffs. Thought that was pretty good insight, thoughts ?

The thought of having Merrill Hoge on our side is terrifying.  

[BFritz21]

I think that we could beat them in the cold up there (or down here) if we are healthy and Hill gets the majority of the carries again with Dalton playing from under center because we can't win a shootout with them or hope to outplay Brady. We'd need to pound the ball between the tackles and use Eifert to beat them at their own game (I loved the corner route he ran down by the goal line because a backer can't cover that and a safety has troubles getting over there and stopping it even if he does, not to mention it takes him away from the rest of the play).

Lining up in the shotgun wouldn't work against them, so we'd need to have Dalton under center, pound the ball with Hill, and abuse their weak secondary with AJ, Eifert, and Jones (who I never was big on but now I'm all aboard that train).

On defense, let our corners try and cover Edelman, put a slot corner on Gronk and a safety over the top, bring the pressure on Brady with extra blitzers, and roll the dice.

[Johnny Cupcakes]

Merrill Hoge is a really great human being. I went to church with him for a while when I was younger, and he was always one of the nicest and most down-to-earth guys there.

He's always seemed like a good football analyst to me as well, though I may be a bit biased.

[Daddy-O]

(09-29-2015, 04:17 PM)Au165 Wrote: Everyone will say "They said the same thing last year", but that doesn't make it wrong this year. Remember at this point last year Jones was gone, Eiffert was gone, Injuries on defense and the line were around the corner. Geno still had not recovered leaving our pass rush toothless. Dalton last year struggled to punch it in the red zone, versus his ability to convert touchdowns this year. I really thing we are seeing what could have been last year with a healthy team. That in itself is the magic answer, if this team stays healthy it could be special, and if Burffict comes back, they could be dominate. It all comes down to if this team can stay intact and healthy.

Agree with all of this, plus I think our running game will get into gear as it get's colder.  You never know what you're going to get in NE in January, it could be -5 with 20mph winds.

But that is a long way off and we have a lot of road to cover before that is even remotely possible.  But all that said, if we do make it I'd like our chances because it would mean we have continued to find that winning formula.

[Slappy from New Haven]

Hoge is a blow hard. Good he said something favorable but he blows. Hell even Manziel went after him

[Fresno B]

You guys are a bunch of pons. Had he said the exact opposite (which is the historical norm), you guys woulda been like "who gives a ****". Now that he's on our side, the whole conversation is up for debate. Carry on

[bonesaw]

Louis Riddick was on the radio today and said the Bengals and pats are on a collision course. He knew our roster well and knew that most of it was home grown drafted talent.

[fredtoast]

(09-29-2015, 09:35 PM)Slappy from New Haven Wrote: Hell even Manziel went after him

You think that makes Hoge look bad?

[BonnieBengal]

(09-29-2015, 09:12 PM)Johnny Cupcakes Wrote: Merrill Hoge is a really great human being. I went to church with him for a while when I was younger, and he was always one of the nicest and most down-to-earth guys there.

He's always seemed like a good football analyst to me as well, though I may be a bit biased.

usually he picks against us, and we win.  Now the tables are turning.

[BFritz21]

(09-29-2015, 09:12 PM)Johnny Cupcakes Wrote: Merrill Hoge is a really great human being. I went to church with him for a while when I was younger, and he was always one of the nicest and most down-to-earth guys there.

He's always seemed like a good football analyst to me as well, though I may be a bit biased.

He sent me a signed book while my old man was doing work for him, which I emailed him to say thanks, and he replied with a nice email.

He did owe my old man a bunch of money for the work he did shortly after that and my old man seemed resigned to just letting it go, but I never did hear if he ended up paying him or what.

[Utts]

(09-29-2015, 02:38 PM)Trademark Wrote: He said on ESPN that the Bengals can compete with the Patriots and he called Eifert a mini Gronk he said there isn't any doubt that the Bengals can play with them defensively and offensively and he said that we are probably more explosive than the Patriots and showed our defense and said it would be an interesting matchup f they cross paths in the playoffs. Thought that was pretty good insight, thoughts ?

The Patriots are still an order of magnitude better than the Bengals right now. That might not be true come playoff time, but for now that's the way it is.

[GreenCornBengal]

(09-29-2015, 07:12 PM)BonnieBengal Wrote: The thought of having Merrill Hoge on our side is terrifying.  

Hahahaha my thoughts exactly when I saw this.

WELL SHOOT NOW WE GONNA LOSE

[Sled21]

Simply amazing. Some are saying there's no way we could beat the Patriots with BB coaching against ML. And some are saying we can almost compete with the Patriots. Seems to me the last time we played the Patriots, the Bengals sent Bill Belacheat and crew home soaking wet with a loss.....

[CJD]

(09-29-2015, 05:58 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Because the Bengals could never ever beat the Patriots with Tom Brady starting.....



Oh, wait, nevermind........

You're right.

We just need to get a torrential downpour every time Tom gets the ball.

Then we can probably beat him.

[CJD]

(09-30-2015, 08:22 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Simply amazing. Some are saying there's no way we could beat the Patriots with BB coaching against ML. And some are saying we can almost compete with the Patriots. Seems to me the last time we played the Patriots, the Bengals sent Bill Belacheat and crew home soaking wet with a loss.....

So did you repress the entire season last year, or just the one game where we got our asses handed to us 43-17?

[rungiorun25]

unless we somehow finish in front of them in standings and get them in the jungle. Hard time seeing a Marvin Lewis led Bengals team defeating double B and the Pats in Foxsborough.

I realistically think we have a fantastic roster and 1-53, tops in the league..but until proven otherwise, we come up virtually small in national TV games.

[Daddy-O]

(09-30-2015, 09:02 AM)rungiorun25 Wrote: unless we somehow finish in front of them in standings and get them in the jungle. Hard time seeing a Marvin Lewis led Bengals team defeating double B and the Pats in Foxsborough.

I realistically think we have a fantastic roster and 1-53, tops in the league..but until proven otherwise, we come up virtually small in national TV games.

The past does not dictate the future, regardless of how much you'd like to dwell on it.

[xavierdude]

(09-29-2015, 03:03 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Who was coaching the Pats in '13?

Brady isplaying exactly like he did the year after spygate, and that may mean the Pats are not going to get beaten.  But when you just look at how the teams are playing the Bengals would match up with the Patriots just fine.  the Pats defense this year is not elite.

you said pretty much the same thing last year at this time and new england clobbered us four days later

[xavierdude]

(09-30-2015, 09:11 AM)Daddy-O Wrote: The past does not dictate the future, regardless of how much you'd like to dwell on it.

most of the time the "past" does dictate the future and  will until the team actually wins a playoff game..or two..

[XenoMorph]

(09-30-2015, 09:41 AM)xavierdude Wrote: most of the time the "past" does dictate the future and  will until the team actually wins a playoff game..or two..

no football past never dictates the future... hince the phrase any given sunday.