AMPHAR

Yeah Lap let it be known the league thinks that was a TD. I do believe the defense is and has been soft. They simply have never been "Zimmer like" under Lou. Lou for the most part has bend but don't break unit that has come up huge in several important games. But it bleeds yards. If the offense is stuck in low gear it exposes that defense, IMO. Patriots didn't roll up a bunch of points, but they were able to bleed time and limit possessions because of missed or I think mostly soft tackling. Offense puts up a smidge of production in the first half, the Pats can't sit back there and play dump off, run the ball and expect to win. Unfortunately due to a TO on the goal line and another TO early in the first half it cemented the Pats ability to play stall ball. But the defense is soft. The All-22 constantly show bad angles, bad run fits, and just flat out poor effort in tackling and/or tackling the ball for TO. Which has rewarded them at times. Some of that is not being in game shape because they simply don't practice hard in TC. Even the prized Free Agent from big bad Baltimore defense had a horrible missed tackle.

Hard to defend Chase if any of that is true. $36m per year average.

I said this before the season. If they are not running 70 plays a game this is the problem you'll run into. Its up to Joe to convert 3rds. He couldn't and as a result could only run 48 plays. He just wasn't good and if the pressure numbers are correct then it looks even worse. However, I think 2 sacks came on 3rd downs. But if you are only running 48 plays you can't run all these guys in and out.

The Pats game seemed like a mirror image of last year's home opener vs. Ravens. Inconsistent on O. Turnovers. Inability to score early allows the running team to play their way. Lou's defense has never been a lock down defense top 10 yardage, I don't think. It seems like its always been Bend/Don't break - tighten up in red zone. Fine. His defenses have had big moments. But in a game were the offense can't sustain drives that defensive reality just dooms them over the game. Then you put the ball on the ground on a punt return. Bengals 4 drives in the 2nd half. 2 scoring. The 2 non scoring they threw the ball short of the markers on 3rd or 4th down. 1 was a 4th and 2 and they threw a 1 yard pass. I hate to point to the finger at Joe Burrow but on a 3rd and 10 are WRs not open down field to target, the best option is a 5 yard pass to a RB. Then again 1 yard pass to WR on a 4th and 2. Is the protection breaking down so fast? Guys not open? Missing open guys?

Schemes only go so far. People accept a bad O-line so much its not looked at a critical factor. Fans and especially local meida don't like to say bad things about Joe Burrow. They ran 48 plays. This is directly related failures on 3rd down and the occasional 4th down attempt. I'll wait for the All-22 break downs but I believe 2 of the sacks came on 3rd down and they threw short of the markers multiple times that did not convert into 1st downs. NFL rules are pretty clear you have 4 downs to gain 10 or you don't get anymore plays. They can't feed the ball to any one particular player running 48 plays. The OL is an accepted failure, fans are tired of harping on it. 3rd down is a QB's down and Burrow flat out didn't get it done while probably facing pressure on most of them. Factor in 2 TOs and poor soft tackling allowing the Pats to grind off time before they punt and the game flips pretty easily. The NFL isn't SEC vs. OVC. You give any NFL team those advantages historically you lose.

Time to run on our own gas! Chase really needs a huge day. Talk about a PR disaster for him. He admits the organization is there on $$$ just need to move some things. Combined with the leaks that the contract would make him the highest paid and he comes off as a diva the whole weekend. So your mad at the organization for trying to make you the highest paid WR 2 years early? Then you throw up 64 yards. He really could use an elite day in KC.

Just bad on 3rd down. Pay a QB that much. You must protect him better on at least 3rd down and he's got to convert them. Couldn't do it today, so it translates to 48 plays being run. Can not feed the ball to anybody with that 3rd down performance and that number of plays.

Watson has a 100% guaranteed contract. Cutting him does nothing for the Browns other than destroy their cap for a couple seasons.

On second thought. Check down all day. Once again no protection. No points. A whole lot of cap room hung up on that offense and not scoring until the 3rd quarter blows. 3 sacks again. Just the standard around here anymore.

Here we go again. Prime time football week 3 looking to avoid 0-3 to save the season from disaster. The formula to beat them is out there. 2 deep. Rush 4. Grind it out on offense. Franchise tag player sitting on the sidelines. Another WR can't sign the highest WR contract in the league based on structure is a 10 yard average WR. This is why when he asks for a JJ contract you point out he's never produced JJ numbers. Never. Line sucks again. Standard 3 sack game if full effect along with constant pressure off and on again running room.

This isn't the SEC vs the OVC. Its week 1 NFL. 1. Upsets happen straight up and even more against the spread. Every year. Survivor pools are normally cut in half or greater. 2. Superbowl contention is nil and void week one or even 1st month. Just manage the first month and try avoid putting your playoff chances on life support. 5-5 after 10 games will have you alive for numerous playoff paths. Everyone is all fired up because this team hopefully does great things. I hope they will. Remove all the emotion and the hot takes. They could lose this game with Chase/Higgins and still be the best team come playoff time. I think they win, but if they don't I'll never confuse Joe Burrow with Andy Dalton. Like never.

Chase already confirmed he's playing.

Its coming from gambling and fantasy reports. Those articles are notorious click bait as people are setting their line up. Both Chase and Higgins have no leverage at this point. Its play, produce, or don't get all of what you demand. Simple. Higgins can't be in and out of the line up coming off a sub-700 yard season and expect his top offer. If Chase goes nuclear and starts effing around, then the Bengals sit on him for 3 seasons and only consider trading when they can fleece somebody. It beyond obvious there's a significant offer he could sign today. Going nuclear just puts that enormous pay day at risk.

Just beat the Patriots. Then I'll worry about the Chefs.

The refs could have called more penalties on both team's tackles. Jawaan Taylor and Staley are constantly moving early and lining up in the backfield. Its pretty obvious neither tackle is confident blocking in pass pro vs. whatever rusher they were going against. Hopefully nothing gets better for either team. If one of the edges struggles that badly it makes it very hard to slide protect to an elite rusher.

Its week 1 so can't bank on anything. Both teams didn't look at their best. I love how Collinsworth is scared to call out Lamar and insist on calling him a pocket passer. IMO, Lamar is an elite play maker on the ground. He is very inconsistent throwing and I think struggles to read defenses. Both KC and Baltimore have tackle issues, both QBs took a number of hits. The addition of Henry was just depth for Lamar Jackson. Again week 1 so hard to conclude anything concrete but based on week 1 that addition was way overblown because the Ravens could already run the ball at an elite level prior to Henry. Now they are stuck trying to design an offense for Lamar's running or Henry's running but it doesn't really produce more points. Ravens have always been a top offense when Lamar was healthy. On to New England!

I say he's going to play. Will it be his customary 100% snaps? Don't know. Chase pulling a Cordy Glenn would destroy his chance of getting the highest WR deal in the short term. National media has hot takes out the ass. Some have even gone as far to blame the Bengals for Hamilton County selling TVs.

Hope they get it done. The rumors or speculation through TC was Chase was secretly working out with the QB assistant coach in the practice bubble. How much work he needs to be a factor vs. the Pats will be known soon enough.

Bengals have moved forward plenty. I don't know why fans/media are determined to hold on to the 90s mindset. Maybe its time to revisit Ki Jana Carter drying off with a hand rag? Its fact the Bengals have voted "No" in the minority or lone wolf on several issues in the past and their point of view is latter accepted by the majority and even sometimes influence policy. Not all the time. Until the salary cap and revenue sharing platforms significantly change the rest is ALL hot air. The blow hard media that overwhelming are hacks with spout off when the Rams are buying a Superbowl "does the cap even exist?, the salary cap is a myth". Very few of them will point out when that same franchise is dead last in cash spending. Credit to the Rams though, because they haven't fallen off the cliff in terms of football W/L despite their spending levels. Truck Stop owner up in Cleveland is spending his ass off. We'll see if he has done a good job of building a football foundation when eventually his spending will decrease significantly. So far the Brown family has 2013,2015,2021,2022 Division Champ. 2021 AFC Champs. 2022 AFC runner up and Cleveland a big fat 0 since his ownership. All the ownership configurations they've since the reboot haven't produced a division champ since the return.

Weird things happen week 1. The worse Zac Taylor team should have won up in Seattle a few years back. Anyhoo - The radio is saying J'mar Chase is scheduled to talk to media on Friday.

Out on the twitter verse..... Chase dressed for practice. We'll see.

Is that official? I thought Zac gave they'll "We'll See". when asked?

There's only so long you can go cash over cap no matter who is providing the cash. The Rams predictably are at the bottom after buying a Superbowl. So are the Cowboys. Eventually the top spender in Cleveland will find themselves at the bottom.

Mega owners vs. Family has been a thing since the Salary Cap era. Metrics change or whatever. At the end of the day, the salary cap is what it is. Teams can go cash over cap but eventually they must pay the piper no matter what uninformed media wants to print. The salary cap is 48% of designated revenues not the full 100%. If you take a gander at the Cash spending there are mega owner Rams and Cowboys sitting at the bottom this year. Rams were dead last year along with Glazer family, Krafts, and whatever Commanders management group is funded by. It goes back to the Marvin Lewis year of not getting done. The bengals front office has been at the top of finding and building rosters for a longer time before Joe Burrow. You got to fire you best shot while you have the talent. Pending on what happens with Chase. That window could be extended for a while.

I would guess international expansion would be the best for them. It gives them access to new media markets and companies to sell broadcast rights to. Any market in the US is already consuming the NFL at some level so the bump wouldn't be nearly as great.