AMPHAR

Yes it was. It was very similar to the Kenny Picket fake slide that had the NCAA change rules. He clearly slows and leans back and as soon as the defender let up, he decides to go for more yards. Its complete BS. The slide rule I think came in to play to protect QBs from the 85' Bears Defense. Help them get out of the way and then get down to avoid blood thristy defenders. It wasn't intended to let the QB scramble down the field then push it to the last yard to avoid contact and now start fake slides. Just remove the rule and let these QBs enjoy the thrill of being a running back. I rather them remove it vs. making the on field ref use judgement. The competition committee will either ignore or ignorantly make it a judgement call by the ref. Bad idea. Just get rid of it. Same should be done along the sideline. If you are going to push it to the first down marker, then getting hit in the white is perfectly reasonable.

As always the league needs to review some of its rules and how offenses are now taking advantage. The Allen 52 yard TD scramble is not a great play at all. Its bullshit. A fake slide? The reason the slide is available to QBs is to avoid them taking hits. I would also say ton of RBs and QBs take advantage of the sideline rules. IMO, the league just needs to remove all these bullshit rules to make the game easier to regulate. If a ball carrier is hugging the line down the sidelines and try to duck out last minute. It should be no penalty if they are hit in the white. KC actually got a huge play out of it vs. Bengals. RB slowed up on sideline just a little and as soon as the defenders relaxed he went down field for a big gain. Won the AFC Championship game with the same kind of BS. Also if WRs need protection from big hits. Then don't run patterns through zone defense within 15 yards of LOS. Its coordinators and QBs that's putting those players at risk most of the time, not cheap shot defenders. Then of course the QBs that supposedly need protection are shoved into the LOS by a running back anytime there's a 3rd and 1. I'm glad Allen beat the Steelers, but that's just bullshit slowing down, leaning back and then as soon as defenders let up he takes advantage and scores a TD. Allen doesn't need protections running the ball. Most of these running QBs don't.

Happy for that young lady and Jake. Hopefully Bengals get him a raise and secure his services past next season. Its funny the first time she popped up on TV after a Jake Browning TD. I thought to myself IF he continues playing this way by the end of this thing she'll be Taylor Swift light. Last game of the season she's all pimped out, I'm guessing people got in here ear that she's been on TV several times in the previous weeks.

Cleveland had a decent season given their injuries. I think Pitt took advantage of the Burrow injury the most. Cleveland certainly has a lot of roster work ahead. Not impossible to mange but Watson becoming a high level QB is certainly the biggest factor. You can't have a QB costing that much and then a street Free Agent massively out plays you. I think Pitt is smoke and mirrors thanks to Tomlin. I look forward to the day all Pittsburgh fans get their wish and Tomlin leaves. Maybe the ownership finds a 4th coach that can win 140+ games in the NFL. I don't think there's a whole lot of talent. There's talent in spots (actually reminds me of the mid 90, Blake Bengals). Upper level coaching, accountable lockeroom could have easily put Blake, Pickens, Scott in the wildcard round a couple of times. Especially if they were letting 7 teams in. As for the Bengals. They replayed the 2022 AFC Championship game. Higgins is a monster. Tag him. Where was that Ossai all year? Health of the QB certainly is the biggest issue. Not similar to Cleveland but same issue you can't have that much cap room sitting on the sideline. I think Zac has to adjust the off season focus. The O-line buffoonary in the Titans, and Home Pittsburgh game clearly bring about prepared issues. You can't go period of looking horrible on the OL then to periods of looking capable. Just seems like a coaching problem.

Same. I can't wait for Browns, Steelers, and Chiefs to lose. Hopefully that's the case.

Maybe it works. Maybe it don't. Big "what if". It was rumored years ago the Patriots wanted Keith Rivers over Mayo, but the Bengals took Rivers right before Patriots and they ended up with Mayo.

Because he's better than what Bengal fans think. He's got a lot of NFL references. He's worked with alot of successful starting NFL QBs. He's got an A+ resume 1. His dad Superbowl Head Coach Raiders. College head coach Nebraska. Currently know as one of the best NFL line coaches. Coached Zac Taylor at Nebraska. Zac Taylor infamously son in law to Mike Sherman. So that's a ton of contacts and references. 2. Peyton Manning speaks highly of Callahan. 3. QB coach for Stafford and Derek Carr. Since being with Bengals he's got Burrow and the sudden emergence of Jake Browning. I wouldn't say he's a hot prospect until you start seeing offers.

I'd go San Diego No. 1. You have a QB that would be a top 10 pick in the last few drafts in place and top 5 pick with a high probability of an elite WR being there.

Belichick not shy about mentioning Paul Brown as his big influence. He might be the greatest NFL coach ever. I think he was Bill Parcels secret sauce to the those Giants championship teams. You just got to laugh at that 1995 Browns Coaching staff that was fired after the season and not allowed to continue in Baltimore. Something like 9 total future Head Coaches and GMs. Including Saban.

I don't think its crap. We'll see if its true or not. The fact is they'll be starring at multiple players in the first two rounds with similar grades. You recognize the difficulty in projecting a tackle from college. Its a league wide issue there's plenty of average o-line like Jonah Williams getting drafted. However, draft one high enough that can only be a back up then you've got problems. NFL doesn't platoon OL and QBs very often. They platoon every other positional group. A Jackson Carmen, Smith, Hill sit around waiting for someone to get hurt or block PATs. Myles Murphy, DJ Turner, DJ Ivey, Zach Carter are at least getting some snaps each week.

Given the churn of bottom of the league QBs. Jake Browning certainly can throw his hat in the ring as starting caliber QB. I would say a highly limited starting QB but top 32? Sure, why not? Bottom half of QBs, the league is going to churn through those guys at a high pace. I'd want the Bengals to get at least a top 150 pick in a trade. IMO, he's the perfect back up right now. Unfortunately Burrow was out the remainder of the 2024 season but Browning with his legs could easily bridge the gap for the rest of a game or 2 pending the opponent. That's kinda what you need is a QB that can generate enough confidence it rally's the team. RT? I don't see the Bengals using a Round 1 or 2 pick on tackle based on what was stated last year. If what was said last year wasn't complete crap, I would expect them to try to resign Williams but ultimately drop 7-10m in cap room on a starting RT via FA.

Its awesome if he ends up participating. It seems he already has a top 15 grade based on some mocks. I hope he goes and competes.

It was rough for Battle too. I'm not sure what PFF is grading. Battle was involved in several bad pursuit angles that led to bigger gains almost every week it seemed. I think CTB, Dax, and Battle all have tremendous upside, IMO.

Hmmm only two good seasons since 2003. Tough crowd.

Didn't he come from the Raiders?

Is the offensive consistency really coordinator driven? Or is it the fact they rely upon Joe Burrow at the LOS a lot and he hasn't been available to practice in August for two years? Then somehow an average at best OL plays better football post bye week almost every year. The early season stats are just way different than what they do post bye week. I think the work they aren't doing in OTAs and TC are the issue. Zac does not put them in pads for benefit of the player.

They don't really have any critical Free Agent issues. Seems like a straight forward situation. Tag Tee. Then resign/replace marginal players. Hopefully Chase gets a summertime pay day.

Free Agency is basically 2 days of hot activity then slows down afterward the following weeks. Then every team goes into a hole focusing on the draft. 1. Reader. That's a summertime deal. Its unlikely any team swoops in and signs him up given the injury. Maybe bengals can get him short term deal in the summer as his recovery timeline is more known. I think they need to focus on adding youth to D-line via draft. 2. Higgins. Tag. Takes him off the market in the rush period. Prevent WR needy teams from crossing that off their list. Maybe they can get a big deal done, maybe not. If it comes to trade at least they may control his landing spot. What you do not want to happen is to have some AFC WR needy team sign him first hours of FA. Disaster, IMO. 3. Boyd - Walk. He's probably going to get more than Bengals want to pay. Replacements may already be here. Also dependent on Tee Higgins. Chase will also get paid. 4. TE. I'd resign Irv, Sample and Hudson. Roll it back. I'd only consider major investment via draft falling that way AND if it looks like Higgins is moving on. Can only line up 11. All these dudes are cheap and they clearly settled into roles in the offense. I assume the Bengals will offer them at minor increases and replace accordingly. 5. Jonah Williams - This is the classic 2 for 1 Tobin deal. Williams will sign in a range of 12-18m of cap room. Tobin will sign 2 vet FAs for that combined room. I just think he'll be too expensive for the Bengals. Hopefully they'll have the same amount of success as in the past. 6. Chido - Not sure if they'll resign him but they'll need to find a decent replacement. Literally can't have a weak spot in CBs spots 1-4 now a days. The "Mixon" crowd. Get over it. He's not the problem with the run game. The line and really team identity is the problem with run game IF they even see it as a problem at all. I don't really think they do. Mixon is lined up a good cap price. Only look to replace if the draft board falls. Dust settles then get a Chase extension done. If they so happen to get Higgins and Chase locked up long term that's one of the best offseasons.

Zac probably needs to bite the bullet and admit club med attitude during practice only goes so far. The Bengals look soft run blocking and soft run defense. Quit worrying about the injury boggie man and put the pads on a little more during August and throughout the season. Tackling and tackling pursuit angles were horrible this year. During these all-22 reviews that seemed to pop up a bunch. There were a lot of protection scheme break downs you wouldn't expect with the vets they have along the line. At times it seems like the Bengals are the worse team still in dealing with looping End and DT stunts. Even late in the season they aren't getting those handled correctly. Bengals front office seem pretty good at identifying talent so its hard to believe its a "talent" issue across the board. To me it just sounds like a lot of "not enough" practice reps crap.

That's actually not a bad list of possible "key" FAs considering $70m in cap room.

DJ can walk. Boyd can walk. Higgins - Tag. Hopefully long term deal, should listen to trades. Chido - Walk Williams - probably should try to re-sign but not a the price he'll get, walk. Jake Browning - Exclusive rights obvious keep. Irv Smith - walk I think they need some youth and freak athletes along the D-line. Would be great to have a versatile d-line defender that raise hell at DT/DE. That's the biggest area needed to battle both Cleveland and Baltimore. It will also help you against mobile QB in Buffalo and KC. How big you invest at TE depends on what happens with Higgins. CB and Secondary - just a position group that will always need to be added to.

Maybe Mike Brown ate yo baby! Bengals have a FA acquisition battling for NFL sack lead but yeah they'll probably sit on their hands and do nothing.

They didn't have a losing record either in 2022. They also beat a AFC North rival in the playoffs. Zac Taylor was 2-10 in his start vs. AFC North. Knowing he's won the division twice. Won playoff games. Since those season, does that record really concern you today? Are you waking up at night knowing Ryan Finley sucked so bad it cost them a chance beating the Steelers at home in 2019? I'm not. Then Zac is 0-5 this year. 0-2 is largely effected by Burrow's play which was incredibly bad due to practice time lost due to his injured calf. Then when you have 16 quarters of AFC North football left to play when Burrow was throwing up 100 ratings. Zac Taylor gets 2 quarters of that. I'm not concerned at all what happened post Joe Burrow injury. I'm actually encouraged because the team got itself back into the playoff race. The AFC North win/loss record is wasted blabbering. It means nothing to the Bengals. Nobody in the real world is basing anything off a slanted data point. While it sucks missing the playoffs. It was a heck of coaching job getting through the first part of the season with bad QB play and then late in the season with an undrafted cut several times QB. I

Yeah I have a little concern the Bengals overall will not be trying to put the best team on paper to win the Superbowl. I'm not sure what Hoosier was trying to state.

I'm pretty sure the Bengals won the division in 2021 and 2022.