Ask Jim Owczarski

[fredtoast]

Paul Alexander has obviously been hearing a lot of the criticism of Bodine. Is it all from media/fans, or is also coming from inside PBS?

[GreenCornBengal]

What kind of impact do you think Burney will have on the D-line. Coach Hayes was here for quite a while, I thought he was the better of the Hayes brothers. Now that he is gone, what can we expect to change from the defensive front, if anything?

[MaineBengal]

My biggest concern for this team is with the coaching turnover from last year. Obviously Hue will be missed a lot, but my question is on the other side of the ball: I love PaulieG and I think he's very much an up-and-coming coordinator in the NFL. Do you think his personality is strong enough to unify the defense again this year, given new position coaches for the entire defense? Also, each of these new position coaches is more experienced than PaulieG with strong personalities of their own (except maybe Coyle). Will they follow PaulieG?

[Bengal Dude]

(05-05-2016, 05:39 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: What kind of impact do you think Burney will have on the D-line. Coach Hayes was here for quite a while, I thought he was the better of the Hayes brothers. Now that he is gone, what can we expect to change from the defensive front, if anything?

I'm sure Jim will answer your question, but Jay Morrison just posted his thoughts on Burney.

Says he makes Zim and Hue look tame and is brutally honest with struggling rookies.

[BengalChris]

(05-06-2016, 04:51 PM)Bengal Dude Wrote: I'm sure Jim will answer your question, but Jay Morrison just posted his thoughts on Burney.

Says he makes Zim and Hue look tame and is brutally honest with struggling rookies.

Will he be just as brutally honest with our struggling backup DEs?

We didn't draft or sign anyone who's going to the 3rd DE, so like many I'd love an update on how Hunt and Clarke are progressing, or if they are progressing.

[SunsetBengal]

(05-06-2016, 01:26 PM)MaineBengal Wrote: My biggest concern for this team is with the coaching turnover from last year. Obviously Hue will be missed a lot, but my question is on the other side of the ball: I love PaulieG and I think he's very much an up-and-coming coordinator in the NFL. Do you think his personality is strong enough to unify the defense again this year, given new position coaches for the entire defense? Also, each of these new position coaches is more experienced than PaulieG with strong personalities of their own (except maybe Coyle). Will they follow PaulieG?

Interesting question, indeed.  I would like to add one thought of my own.  Perhaps, Paul Guenther wants his position coaches to be the ones with the strong, boisterous personalities;  While remains more of a big picture Xs and Os guy, watching his scheme be implemented and taught to the players by the position coaches.

[Bengal Dude]

Jim,

Should we view Zach Hocker and Jon Brown as legit competition for Nugent or are they the usual guys to give Nugent a break.

[BengalFanInNJ]

(05-09-2016, 05:17 PM)Bengal Dude Wrote: Jim,

Should we view Zach Hocker and Jon Brown as legit competition for Nugent or are they the usual guys to give Nugent a break.

When Josh Brown hit the game-winning (and Division-winning FG) against the Steelers, I hoped the Bengals re-signed him and let Nugent go. I honestly don't think Nugent hits that. I just have no faith in Nugent and hope the Bengals don't wait too long to replace him if he struggles again.

[jowczarski]

Thanks all!


From all you`ve seen and experienced, who has the longer leash, Hunt or Clarke? What is the consensus on who will be backup DE #1 at the start of the year; Hunt or Clarke?

Well, considering the team is in year four of the Hunt experiment, I’d say he does at this point. They took a chance on him and have nothing to show for it. Last year was Clarke’s first year at a heavier weight, but I think Hunt gets first look to spell Johnson/Dunlap. I don’t think there is a consensus like there was Gilberry. Hardison will get his shot to play rush end in that combo role as well.


Isn't Skyline Chili just awesome?

It’s OK. I had it because I had to try it, but it’s not for me.

In your opinion, who is ahead of whom for DT: DeSean Williams or Hardison? We know Hardison's the draft pick, but they were quite high (it seemed) on Williams all year last year.

Hardison is the draft pick and they carried him on the roster all year. He flashed just as much as Williams did in the preseason. They like Williams and he likes to be here (Story here!) but Hardison will get more reps to prove himself.


Warsaw or Krakow
Heh. Warsaw only because there’s a restaurant by that name back home in Chicago I’ve gone to!


Paul Alexander has obviously been hearing a lot of the criticism of Bodine. Is it all from media/fans, or is also coming from inside PBS?

The real heat is coming from the outside, but let’s be real – the team knows (as he admitted) that Bodine hasn’t been as good as they thought when trading up to get him. Bodine admitted as much to me after Alexander’s defense. Bodine’s contract is up after 2017, and I don’t thin there will be a rush to extend him early unless he takes a huge leap in 2016.

What kind of impact do you think Burney will have on the D-line. Coach Hayes was here for quite a while, I thought he was the better of the Hayes brothers. Now that he is gone, what can we expect to change from the defensive front, if anything?

Great question. Immediately, he’s a much different voice. He’s loud. He’s intense. He’s in their face (at least the rookies – but I guess his meetings are pretty passionate as well). We’ll see if that carries over to the vets in the full squad OTAs in May – it’s easier to break down an undrafted college guy than Geno. But we’ll see. I can’t really do a comparison now, but Burney is very, very, very respected around the league. He was out of the game last year because of his contract situation, so don’t read into that too much. They must feel good about him because they didn’t do anything to upgrade that backup DE position.


Will he be just as brutally honest with our struggling backup DEs? // We didn't draft or sign anyone who's going to the 3rd DE, so like many I'd love an update on how Hunt and Clarke are progressing, or if they are progressing.


I would think so. Why not? They haven’t done anything to earn a long leash. Hunt said he’s gone back to some of his old training ways to recapture that draft run-up form. To me, they’re total unknowns until we get to full squad, padded practices vs. Whit and Ogbuehi. Everyone usually looks great in shorts and a t-shirt at this level. These guys have been in the league long enough now that they’ve got to do it when they thud up.


My biggest concern for this team is with the coaching turnover from last year. Obviously Hue will be missed a lot, but my question is on the other side of the ball: I love PaulieG and I think he's very much an up-and-coming coordinator in the NFL. Do you think his personality is strong enough to unify the defense again this year, given new position coaches for the entire defense? Also, each of these new position coaches is more experienced than PaulieG with strong personalities of their own (except maybe Coyle). Will they follow PaulieG?

I personally like the change over because the top voice, Marvin, has been here so long. New voices for veteran guys can’t be bad, I don’t think. And trust me – even with a former HC in Haslett and a former DC in Coyle – and Burney’s loud baritone – Guenther definitely has the room. I think he’s very comfortable in his skin, and down the line he’ll be another branch off the Lewis tree as a head coach. They will follow Guenther. Haslett wanted to coach linebackers again and turned down other opportunities. Coyle had his shot at DC - it's the nature of the business where you go back to being a position guy. Let's say the team has a top 5 defense again, Guenther could be on his way out and the door opens in Cincy for the DC spot. They're all pros.


Should we view Zach Hocker and Jon Brown as legit competition for Nugent or are they the usual guys to give Nugent a break.

To me, about Hocker, yes. I’m not sure if Marvin Lewis totally views it that way – but he’s an NFL kicker they liked coming out of college and they did sign him. Now, he wasn’t really that accurate either in his first go-round last year but I think they’ll give him more of a shot to make kicks in practice and preseason than Obarski. Brown, no. Too raw.

[OBX Bengal]

Great answers and insight to all of the questions.  I really appreciate your participation on this message board.  I enjoy reading your coverage of the Bengals.  Your writing style is the right combination of detail and brevity.  I always enjoy the Bengals Beat Podcast and Beyond the Stripes.  Thank you for passion and enthusiasm.

[grampahol]

Jim, are you going to tell Nick Vigil about the Nick Vigil Fan Club and his newly acquired powers? It's a lot more to live up to than merely being drafted in the third round.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Thanks for answering, Jim, really appreciate you taking the time to answer!

Too bad about Skyline; I'm a chili nut and here in Canada (now live in the West, no longer the East), there is nothing of the sort, thus when I had, "Mediterranean Chili," for the first time at the stadium and then at Skyline, I was hooked. Different strokes for different folks!

[PV Bengal]

(05-12-2016, 05:10 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Thanks for answering, Jim, really appreciate you taking the time to answer!

Too bad about Skyline; I'm a chili nut and here in Canada (now live in the West, no longer the East), there is nothing of the sort, thus when I had, "Mediterranean Chili," for the first time at the stadium and then at Skyline, I was hooked. Different strokes for different folks!

We live in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico now and have friends mule down the "Cincinnati Chili Mix" spice packets. Not as good as Skyline but not too bad, either. Every time we go to a party, we bring "Cincinnati Chili Dip" (cream cheese, chili and shredded cheese) and it usually gone in a flash. Everyone here loves it !!!

[3wt]

(05-13-2016, 12:53 PM)PV Bengal Wrote: We live in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico now and have friends mule down the "Cincinnati Chili Mix" spice packets. Not as good as Skyline but not too bad, either. Every time we go to a party, we bring "Cincinnati Chili Dip" (cream cheese, chili and shredded cheese) and it usually gone in a flash. Everyone here loves it !!!

Dude I know, that's a deadly dip that needs to come with a disclaimer about it's addictive qualities.  I sat down at someone's Christmas party and about finished one of those off by myself... then promptly left in ignominy.

[fredtoast]

Any idea what the team plans on doing with Uzomah? Any chance he surpasses Kroft or Hewitt for playing time?

[fredtoast]

Any chance the Bengals take a look at Dwight Freeney?

[bengalguy71]

Okay, let me weigh in here with a few questions:

1. Do you think that the schedule of Pittsburgh in game 2 was intentional, because of the Burfict suspension? (I don't think Pitt wants any part of Burfict and if Rooney had his way, he would have had game 1 and game 3 be against the Bengals.)

2. Do you think the new OC will give Andy the same green light on pre-snap audibles that Jackson did?

3. The way I see things now with the Pittsburgh rivalry, is that the Bengals have shown they are no longer intimidated by Pittsburgh, and I think Pitt knows that which is why you are seeing them pushing the Bengals buttons and lashing out with the helmet slapping (Brown at Kirkpatrick), the hair pulling of Reggie Nelson, etc. I believe the next step for the Bengals, now that they are no longer intimidated, is for this team to play under that poise that Lewis has tried to instill. If not, I see the Steelers continuing to own them. Agree? Disagree? Comments?

4. Is there anything at all, you can put a finger on, as to why this team, for the history of the franchise, continues to struggle in 'big stage games' (prime time season games and all playoff games)?

[EatonFan]

Have you heard any rumors as to whether the Bengals are still in the market for a veteran WR and which ones they might be looking at?  (A.  Boldin would be awesome, but I doubt we have the cap room to spare)

[TecmoBengals]

I'm saddened to hear you didn't like Skyline. I've moved away from Cincinnati and miss it dearly!

[BengalChris]

Jim,

A comment and a question. Comment first, for me the best way for the Bengals to handle Pittsburgh this year is to just lay a 40 burger on their defense and smother their offense. We can do both, if healthy. Embarrassing them on the score board is worth 10 blows to the head in my book.

The question, is Core really get any time at returner? If yes, and I hope the answer is yes, then how is that working out?