(01-06-2025, 11:47 AM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Link?
Good news if true. Getting ZT off play-calling duty would help.
But this shows they know they need to makes changes. Hopefully they modernize their contract structures, hire some scouts, and don't mess around with signing Tee, extending Chase (and maybe Trey), restructuring Burrow, and cutting some overpaid weight off the roster.
Do you keep or let Tee go? I hope keep- there’s not any other viable options on our team as of now.
(01-06-2025, 12:17 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: Hope they continue the purge with some of the players. Guys like Rankins and Cappa - maybe Pratt, too. Would they be any worse with ADG in Pratt’s place?
I am also hoping the D is improved by the return of healthy Wilson, Turner and Hall.
Pratt is absolutely fine in his old role: LB2, 75-80% snaps a game.
When Logan went down, he played those extra 10-15 snaps (all in coverage, basically) and he was exposed for being slowish and/or out of position. Logan plays those snaps, we see less bad Pratt and better defense on the whole from our LBs.
And I would agree that the D would be better with all those guys (who's Hall? You mean Hill?)
(01-06-2025, 12:23 PM)WhoDeyK Wrote: Agreed, as much as Zac has frustrated me this year I understand giving him another year. Part of me is sad though because I think this Offense would cook with Ben Johnson calling the plays.
100% on Tobin, the drafts have been so bad that he’s setting this team back. I mean Myles Murphy just completed his second season and hasn’t recorded a single sack! And don’t get me started on the Jermaine Burton debacle. Everyone knew what a head case he was and we still took him. Jalen McMillan was sitting right there.
The offense cooked with Zac! Why are people not acknowledging that we had a phenomenal year on offense? Because we don't call trick plays? Because we have a terrible oline so we can't do a lot of things that look flashy on-screen? If we had a 20th ranked offense, you are all correct, but FFS, the logic here is just out the window.
(01-06-2025, 12:26 PM)Timanky12 Wrote: It’s a team game, you need defense as well as offense. One score games and can’t beat the AFC north is a major problem.
3-3 against the North this year, potentially could've been 6-0.
2-4 last year, 3-3 in '22, 4-2 in '21. Looks pretty damn normal and .500 to me.
One score games mean a ton of things, have as much to do with coaching as they do 50 thousand other things.
In the past, 5 straight to end the season would have been enough to bring back everyone. So credit to the FO for not falling for that fool's gold. It wasn't the dead cat bounce, but close enough, and in the past it would have been enough to maintain status quo.
Also, don't underestimate Burrow's influence on the front office. I suspect that he is quietly accomplishing what Palmer tried and failed at publicly.
Now in defense of Lou, he was handed a bucket of crap at the start of the year. No Reader, no Bates, washed up Hubbard. Then season ending injuries at every level -- back end, LB's, DL. Defensive improvement came from rookies and young players developing -- Jenkins, Jackson, Ossai, Newton, Battle all got better as the season went on, and they all got better together. Lou and defensive coaches deserve credit for that.
Regardless, it was time to change the defensive staff. Past time to dump Pollack.
(01-06-2025, 01:27 PM)Speedy Thomas Wrote: In the past, 5 straight to end the season would have been enough to bring back everyone. So credit to the FO for not falling for that fool's gold. It wasn't the dead cat bounce, but close enough, and in the past it would have been enough to maintain status quo.
Also, don't underestimate Burrow's influence on the front office. I suspect that he is quietly accomplishing what Palmer tried and failed at publicly.
Now in defense of Lou, he was handed a bucket of crap at the start of the year. No Reader, no Bates, washed up Hubbard. Then season ending injuries at every level -- back end, LB's, DL. Defensive improvement came from rookies and young players developing -- Jenkins, Jackson, Ossai, Newton, Battle all got better as the season went on, and they all got better together. Lou and defensive coaches deserve credit for that.
Regardless, it was time to change the defensive staff. Past time to dump Pollack.
(01-06-2025, 12:33 PM)Housh Wrote: I was willing to try one more season with Lou but Pollack had to go.
No matter who you gave him we had a bad line
At a certain point that’s on the coach
A lot of the guys that ended up sucking had good grades we just couldn’t develop them
Look at Volson. Been here 3 years and is now more ass than before
Don't care what anyone says, Carman outplayed Volson from snap 1 in the PS of '22. Volson should have NEVER seen starter snaps unless someone was hurt.
(01-06-2025, 12:34 PM)dxdtdemon Wrote: I don't understand the firing of James Bettcher. I could've seen the defensive backfield coaches fired, but the linebackers weren't the problem.
They weren't as much of a problem as dline, but there was definitely some regression there: Logan didn't have a bad season, but his non-tackle stats were down across the board this year, lots of tackling issues in the first 2/3 of the season and it always seemed like one could get more out of the unit, IMO.
I'm not saying he should've gotten fired 100%, but I can see why.
(01-06-2025, 12:13 PM)pally Wrote: The good news is that this time the search for a DC should be easier than the last time. All a new coordinator will have to do is produce an average defense to show improvement
plus, defensive coaches should be chomping at the bit to coordinate a defense opposite our offense. Nothing makes a defense look better than being paired with an elite offense.
When we hired our last coaching staff, we basically had to settle for the people that couldn't get jobs anywhere else because our team had essentially no assets of any value.
This coaching search will be a whole new ball game
(01-06-2025, 12:55 PM)jj22 Wrote: Zac has long liked Dennis Allen so that is a name to keep an eye on.
God, I hope not. A lot of people like him, but he's been a failure/borderline failure everywhere and everything he's done. Like Dorsey or Alex Van Pelt.
(01-06-2025, 12:56 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Does anyone know Duke actual qualifications? Like did he go to college, did he come up as a scout, was he ever a coach, etc? Not a clue about this guy and if he's even credible at what he does.
Family been involved in the sport for a very long time. Like Shanahan, Callahan, Kubiak, Belicheck, Schottenheimer, Turner etc.
Well i think it's a good initial sign that we know this past season was unacceptable. I guess i have mixed feelings but it's more worries that we will hire improvements. Lou has been up and down but this may have been the worse defense I have ever seen the first over half the season. Pollack I don't think is the best scheme fit here atleast I've heard. We did have the most depth on the line it appeared in awhile but can't let Burrow be the most hit QB in the league.
Step 1 change is in the books now go out and make solid legitimate hires.
(01-06-2025, 01:44 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: Or KC shreds us every time we play them.
say what you want about Lou, but the bills have better regular season defenses that CRUMBLE in the postseason. I really hope it isnt like that moving forward.
It's because you are of such profound wisdom, Frank Booth. - SunsetBengal
(01-06-2025, 11:50 AM)kalibengal Wrote: Im surprised , but really wanted to see ZT on this...
that said:
Im hoping for a D coach thats willing to use and develop young talent and to switch to more of a speed rusher type of edge players VS the sam hubbard types
Well it’s ridiculously obvious the offense supports Zac and the Brown family. No way Zac survives without the support of Burrow and Karras and others. Brown talks to the players everyday. He’s there all day.
Romo “ so impressed with Zac ...1 of the best in the NFL… they are just fundamentally sound. Taylor the best winning % in the Playoffs of current coaches. Joe Burrow” Zac is the best head coach in the NFL & that gives me a lot of confidence." Taylor led the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990, ending the longest active drought in the four major North American sports, en and appeared in Super Bowl LVI, the first since 1988.
(01-06-2025, 01:48 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: say what you want about Lou, but the bills have better regular season defenses that CRUMBLE in the postseason. I really hope it isnt like that moving forward.
If our offenses hadn't been so bad with Dalton whether injuries or not we may have praised the defense in some of those playoff appearances. The defense needs rebuilt and we have to move on from the guy that just put the worse one in the league on the field.
(01-06-2025, 01:57 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: If our offenses hadn't been so bad with Dalton whether injuries or not we may have praised the defense in some of those playoff appearances. The defense needs rebuilt and we have to move on from the guy that just put the worse one in the league on the field.
having sam hubbard, sheldon rankins, rookie DT's, myles murphy, and geno stone certainly doesnt help
Im just saying. I understand why he was fired, I just hope the bengals' defense doesnt become a regular season stud that folds in the playoffs reminiscent of what buffalo does constantly
It's because you are of such profound wisdom, Frank Booth. - SunsetBengal
Good news is, when Zac was hired no one wanted the position here. Now with Burrow and the offense, with the results they put up in '21 and '22 and the numbers they put up this year, there should be plenty of candidates chomping at the bit to DC here.
"The measure of a man's intelligence can be seen in the length of his argument."
(01-06-2025, 01:32 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Don't care what anyone says, Carman outplayed Volson from snap 1 in the PS of '22. Volson should have NEVER seen starter snaps unless someone was hurt.
Carman has played offensive snaps in just 1 game for the Dolphins this year and in that game he gave up a sack strip (and Dolphins articles have him as allowing another) and had two penalties. PFF has him at a 42.2 grade, 43.0 pass blocking/47.5 run blocking.
I am the furthest thing from a Volson defender, but I think Carman might just be a turd and quite possibly will be out of the NFL next year.
(01-06-2025, 01:38 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: hope the defense doesnt turn into playoff pumpkins from here on out..
Step 1: Have a good enough of a defense that you can get INTO the playoffs.
Lou couldn't get past that step either of the last two years to show off his playoff defense.
On a serious note, they fired the coaches responsible for us not making the playoffs the last 2 years. Our tacking was atrocious (coaching) and our OL forced JB to have to get rid of the ball quickly, but as important, our running game has sucked for a long time.
Those who throw in Zac are silly. How many games in 2024 did Zac and the offense put us in position to win to have the defense give us the lead or kicker missed a field goal.
Zac's offense puts up over 30 points and we lose how any games.
Zac is a good young head football coach and like Shannahan teams would love to have as their HC.
Those who spent the day whining and saying Bengals would do nothing sure look stupid today.
ZT with new OL and DC coaches gives us the best chance to get back to the Super Bowl quickly.
I believe if you hire a DC and make him also the assistant head coach you can poach a DC from another team. If so, my choice would be Glenn from the Lions.
2024 may go on record as one of most underperforming teams in Bengal history. Bengal's FO has major work to do on defensive side of the ball. I say tag and trade Tee Higgins in 2025 to start with the rebuild.
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God, I hope not. A lot of people like him, but he's been a failure/borderline failure everywhere and everything he's done. Like Dorsey or Alex Van Pelt.
