The Good, The Bad, and The Fugly; Preseason Game 2

[*bengalfan74*]

(8 hours ago)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: True, I think that Burrow is a bit crazy and risks himself at times when he shouldn't but at least he went out on a great note with that bad ass 
pass to Chuck. I don't see Burrow and this Offense being as rusty against the Stains as they were against the Pats last year for this very reason.

Me either, but I'm glad they've got some reps in.

The defense however is another matter.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(11 hours ago)Joelist Wrote: Looking at the film you see that a lot of the early defensive issues were of all things schematic, and mostly mental. not only did they play vanilla in terms of wrinkles but there was zero diagnosis and recognition going on - which is the disturbing part. You can play vanilla and still read plays and react correctly. Then of course DC on offense also opened up the playbook. and so you had ridiculous nonsense like us in a 4 man front with a cavernous gap in its center and only 2 linebackers....it would have been amazing NOT to get gashed on a run in that look. Sorry but they should have switched out of that stupid 4-2-5 look after one play. We have a large enough LB room to use 4-3-4 so use it.

Right around the middle of the second quarter the defense solidified. Part of it was Barrett Carter coming in a LB but also they went to a "heavier" look with some 4-3 in it. This took the easy runs away and forced passes - which got picked. So when we blast the defense remember they did not have a "Front 7" when the 1s were in - it was a "Front 6".

Looking at the big runs. 

The first one was on Burks. He took a bad angle. WR sweep. Battle gave him some extra yards with poor tackling.

The 2nd one, the 40 yarder up the middle, seemed a good play. They let the DTs penetrate and sealed them with a good scheme blocking on the others. Ossai got sealed. Stewart has no chance. Wilson jumps to his right and Knight to his left, leaving the middle completely open. Battle gets too far upfiled and is out of position to make a stop. 

The TD was on Knight. His fill was so deep that ot kept Wilson from being able to get to the hole. 

The Daniels TD was a scramble, but terrible tackling by Battle. 

I thought Gregory and Heyward had pretty good games though Heyward did miss a tackle. Not Tinsley, "I just made the team" good, but more than solid. 

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(8 hours ago)bengalfan74 Wrote: Me either, but I'm glad they've got some reps in.

The defense however is another matter.

Understandable. Still, even the Defense is fixable once they all get on the same page. Most of the players that made the mistakes have been good 
run stoppers in the past. Mentally being in the right place has been the problem along with communication. This can be fixed and if Golden is a good
DC he will fix it.

[Luvnit2]

I am an optimist, but last night gave me major concerns for our defense. The criticism is warranted by fans. I would rather get exposed in a preseason game and not week 1. Golden has a ton of teachable moments.

On the other hand, I thought our offense looks sharp and I don't think Burrow is playing at an elite level each pass yet. I also like our ST's play.

I hope we sign Risner and extend Trey. If so, I do think we will get better each week defensively and will need our offense to carry the burden while the defense reinvents themselves.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

Do I have the DNPs right?

O: Gesicki, All, Ford, Volson, Lee, Cochran
D: Hendrickson, BJ Hill, Turner, Stone, C. Johnson

[*bfine32*]

(8 hours ago)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: True, I think that Burrow is a bit crazy and risks himself at times when he shouldn't but at least he went out on a great note with that bad ass 
pass to Chuck. I don't see Burrow and this Offense being as rusty against the Stains as they were against the Pats last year for this very reason.

(8 hours ago)coachmcneil71 Wrote: He even mentioned that in his sideline interview. He said, "I, took a stupid sack", or something similar to that. 

What I loved about Burrow last night was that after halftime, all the other starters were in street clothes, yuking it up with each other. JB remained in full uniform/pads and was locked in until the final whistle. I also liked that it seems he and Trey were talking the whole game. There was also a 3rd with them but I cannot remember who it was; maybe OBJ

[Nepa]

Does someone here with a mind for defense alignment explain what happened those first two series by Washington, where they rolled up about 100 yards or so on the ground in just two series? There seemed to be huge holes for the runners. Not the Jayden Daniels run, which was just poor tackling. But there were plays were it seemed like the Bengals had half the players on the field that Washington had. I think the proverbial grandmother could have run through some of those gaps.

[Luvnit2]

(7 hours ago)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Do I have the DNPs right?

O: Gesicki, All, Ford, Volson, Lee, Cochran
D: Hendrickson, BJ Hill, Turner, Stone, C. Johnson

Murphy and I think J, Davis also sat.

Burton did not play at WR and ST nor did Lee at center

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(7 hours ago)bfine32 Wrote: What I loved about Burrow last night was that after halftime, all the other starters were in street clothes, yuking it up with each other. JB remained in full uniform/pads and was locked in until the final whistle. I also liked that it seems he and Trey were talking the whole game. There was also a 3rd with them but I cannot remember who it was; maybe OBJ

Yeah, that was OBJ. Also liked what Burrow said about the Defense so he isn't as concerned. Maybe Joe is lobbying for Trey now since he 
lobbied for his Offensive weapons earlier in the Offseason. Joe knows we need Trey.

[Luvnit2]

(7 hours ago)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, that was OBJ. Also liked what Burrow said about the Defense so he isn't as concerned. Maybe Joe is lobbying for Trey now since he 
lobbied for his Offensive weapons earlier in the Offseason. Joe knows we need Trey.

I liked Joe standing by Trey a lot during the game. To me, if Tobin abd Katie I get the message, extend the man and then see us standing on the winning podium at the SB.

[wanga]

Joe didn’t get hurt, Trey was there but not playing, the defence.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(7 hours ago)Luvnit2 Wrote: Murphy and I think J, Davis also sat.

Burton did not play at WR and ST nor did Lee at center

Thanks. I knew I was forgetting people. Murphy is sadly so easy to forget, even when he does play.

[Hammerstripes]

(10 hours ago)007BengalsFan Wrote: Realistically what is Golden going to be able to get that Lou couldnt?  Lou wasnt the problem.  The people that kept blaming Lou, Im wondering if they actually watched any games.  Lou lost Reader who was replaced with Sheldon Rankins and Rankins had all the health issues and was a nonfactor on defense.  The Bengals drafted two rookies counting on the fact they would be immediate contributors which is problematic to begin with and then both started the season injured which left Lou counting on people like Lawrence Guy.  That's a recipe for disaster and last year it was.


People blame Lou for not playing younger guys like Battle or Murphy over vets when it should be crystal clear why these guys didnt see more playing time.  "The scheme was too hard for them" to learn excuse.  Maybe, the problem was and is those guys just are not talented enough to run it.  "When Lou dumbed down the scheme they did better."  Maybe the reason they did better is because they played weaker teams at the end of the year.  We are playing a dumbed down defensive scheme in preseason and they are getting embarrassed but look who they have played, two of the better teams expected to make deep playoff runs.  I bet this defense looks much improved Saturday when they play the Colts, not because the defense is improving but because they are playing a lesser team.  Same as last year.

I cant believe anybody would look at the defense last year and think all we needed to do was change coaches.  The problem wasnt the coaching, it was and still is the lack of overall talent the defense has.  I do think the defense this year will end up doing better because the Bengals have added a little bit of talent to it.  Unfortunately the talent level is still subpar and I think you will see subpar play overall.  Lou wasnt the main problem last year and Golden is not the problem this year. 

Run a simple defense.  If I remember correctly, there was a ton of talk about how complex things were early in the year and that they simplified things after the Pittsburgh loss where Wilson threw for a ton of yards.  Not sure if it will work, but it did seem like we had quite a few less coverage lapses and mental errors the last few weeks

[WhodeyRay]

(Yesterday, 09:24 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Lucas Patrick belongs in the fugly category.

This is Bengals offensive lineman Lucas Patrick. Instead of blocking one of the three defenders chasing his quarterback, he decides to throw his hands up in the air. Absolutely incredible. #kywx pic.twitter.com/VFLH1yR5Ox

— Chris Bailey?️⚡️ (@Kentuckyweather) August 19, 2025

Maybe he saw a bear. Put your hands up and look big. Then make load noises.

[007BengalsFan]

(4 hours ago)Hammerstripes Wrote: Run a simple defense.  If I remember correctly, there was a ton of talk about how complex things were early in the year and that they simplified things after the Pittsburgh loss where Wilson threw for a ton of yards.  Not sure if it will work, but it did seem like we had quite a few less coverage lapses and mental errors the last few weeks

They have run a simple defense both preseason games and have looked horrible.  Have you not seen all the posts about Golden running a vanilla defense these first two preseason games?   Shouldnt these guys be smart enough to understand an NFL defensive scheme without needing to simplify it to basics?   Are we going to have fans use the same excuse this year that Golden's defense is too complicated and he needs to make it simple?   These 2nd, 3rd and 4th year guys shouldnt be expected to understand what is going on because it's too complicated?   That doesnt make any more sense than the people trying to use that same excuse last year.  Maybe a bunch of the guys are just mediocre to bad football players and thats why the defense struggled last year and is struggling again this year. 

[007BengalsFan]

(6 hours ago)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Thanks. I knew I was forgetting people. Murphy is sadly so easy to forget, even when he does play.

All he needs is to be coached up and he will play lights out.     

[Joelist]

(8 hours ago)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Looking at the big runs. 

The first one was on Burks. He took a bad angle. WR sweep. Battle gave him some extra yards with poor tackling.

The 2nd one, the 40 yarder up the middle, seemed a good play. They let the DTs penetrate and sealed them with a good scheme blocking on the others. Ossai got sealed. Stewart has no chance. Wilson jumps to his right and Knight to his left, leaving the middle completely open. Battle gets too far upfiled and is out of position to make a stop. 

The TD was on Knight. His fill was so deep that ot kept Wilson from being able to get to the hole. 

The Daniels TD was a scramble, but terrible tackling by Battle. 

I thought Gregory and Heyward had pretty good games though Heyward did miss a tackle. Not Tinsley, "I just made the team" good, but more than solid. 

Which is why I think they need to drop the 4-2-5 and run a 4-3-4. I'm not the only one wondering about the scheme. Having an actual MIKE flanked by two other LB makes a lot of these explosive run plays stop by making the area each backer covers smaller.