Brian Simmons

[buck3y3d]

What a game for Simmons! Probably his best in recent memory.

Winslow was held in check. He had the int and what a play to force the fumble. He often takes a lot of heat on here but besides the late hit (which wasnt that late) he had a great game.

[Kazkal]

About people saying him losing a step,did you see him chase down green last week he was fing flying

[Stripes]

Simmons has played well in both games with Odell out. I'm glad to see him step up, because we've certainly needed it against two thousand yard backs in the first two weeks. Willie Parker next.

[membengal]

I admit to advocating at various times over the last 20 months or so to cut him and free up cap room, and to being wrong in my thinking. He has been a revelation and a pro wherever ML asks him to line up. Very valuable.

Mea culpa.

[schweinhart]

B Simmons was a force today and was wicked quick in everything he did. I like him at MLB, maybe better than I do Thurman there. And Landon Johnson had a great game. If the Bengals continue to win w/o Odell, I see no reason to make changes. If it ain't broke don't fix up, especially when it means giving back a starting job to an eff up who can't be counted on. Of course if Pollack is out, I can see Odell taking back over the middle and Landon going back to strongside like he did last year when Pollack was out.

[HoosierCat]

The thing to remember about Simmon is that he was a very good starting MLB for us for years, so this is old home week(s) for him. Plus he often used to be described as the brains of the defense; MLB is often the guy who makes the calls on defense. Talk about an improved defense, you have to wonder if putting the vet back in the middle doesn't help in more ways than one. He has looked very good so far...and in my mind helped raised what Spain might call "the real ?" Which is, does Marvin have a clue what he is doing with LBs?

First, he let TKO go. It would have cost money and there would have been that "buy in" issue, but really would that have mattered once we started to win?

Kevin Hardy? 'Nuff said.

Khalid Abdullah gone. Caleb Miller...well, maybe he's finally making something of himself. Odell? Great talent but we are all familir with his issues. Pollack? Hurt...again. Webster, ak.a. Ray-Ray Jr.? Gone.

Basically his best pickups are Landon, a solid find, CFL castoff Jeanty, and Marcus Wilkins, a.k.a. Canute Curtis II.

I remember a few years back when one of the few bright spots on the team was the LB corps. Really, its been a wreck under Marvin.

[aaronburr]

...I remember a few years back when one of the few bright spots on the team was the LB corps. Really, its been a wreck under Marvin.

That's an interesting take. I can't really fault your analysis of individual players, but I would say that it misses the forrest for the trees.

My take is that Marvin puts a greater importance on LB's and consequently, has been swinging for the fences when developing that part of the defense. I think he's always looking for big playmakers there, is willing to take bigger chances with a higher number of people there, and still hasn't quite hit that homerun yet. Or 3 homeruns at the same time, as the case may be.

I also don't think you can really talk about Hardy and Webster in the same context as guys like Pollack and Thurman --- the former were intended to be short-term solutions needed to get the team back on track; the latter are intended to be long-term starters that you would mold the rest of the defense around. Worst case scenario: Pollack and Odell never fully recover from their particular problems and are only average players. Hardy and Webster are already afterthoughts.

Of course it's frustrating as h*** to always be talking about what might be, but aside from questioning his early draft picks, I don't know that you can really knock Marvin that badly for the state of his backers. If you have Pollack, Odell, Simmons, Landon, Jeanty, and Brooks all ready to play at the same time, you're going to have a pretty good defense.

As for Simmons...I think Marvin expected him to bring an understated veteran presence to the team, not to necessarily lead the defense. Great that he's been able to do that, but bad that it's necessary for him to do so.

[HoosierCat]

My take is that Marvin puts a greater importance on LB's and consequently, has been swinging for the fences when developing that part of the defense. I think he's always looking for big playmakers there, is willing to take bigger chances with a higher number of people there, and still hasn't quite hit that homerun yet. Or 3 homeruns at the same time, as the case may be.

Oh, I agree. It isn't as if Marvin's ignored the position...but whether it's bad luck or bad decisions, I'm still waiting for him to put together a group that can consistently get on the field together and perform at a level that the old Spikes-Simmons-Foley trio did.

Of course it's frustrating as h*** to always be talking about what might be, but aside from questioning his early draft picks, I don't know that you can really knock Marvin that badly for the state of his backers.

It's his team. There's no one else to knock. All I can do is call 'em as I see 'em. And what I see at LB right now is less than satisfactory.

If you have Pollack, Odell, Simmons, Landon, Jeanty, and Brooks all ready to play at the same time, you're going to have a pretty good defense.

Probably -- but at this point Brooks is an unknown; Pollack is out, possibly for the year; and Odell is one toke from being over the line. Simmons, Jeanty and Landon (and Miller) are good players but as you note, the home run swings keep going foul.

[derekshank]

When Marvin first came here I remember reading an article about Simmons talking about how he didn't want to be a leader of the defense, and preferred being quiet and to himself. It sounded a lot like the Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers thing, where Simmons didn't feel like it was his job to develop young players.

I think that was a sign to Marvin that he probably shouldn't have a guy who didn't want to lead as the guy in the middle being the leader of the entire defense.

While Marvin has drafted a lot of LB's who have yet to become "home-runs" we still have pretty amazing depth, where one injury doesn't kill the team (i.e. Pollack), and where there is still loads of potential for greatness to emerge (i.e. Odell, Brooks).

[WorldBFree]

What a game for Simmons! Probably his best in recent memory.

Winslow was held in check. He had the int and what a play to force the fumble. He often takes a lot of heat on here but besides the late hit (which wasnt that late) he had a great game.

The late hit was called on Simmons, but if you look at the play, #40 was actually the one who was guilty.

[cincy9275]

i think simmons , johnson have been very good to start the season . i also like what i have seen out of jeanty and miller . yea none of these guys are superstars but they are very solid and are getting the job done . would like to see aj and brooks get activated and get some playing time . even if it's a game here or a game there . they would learn more in 1 game then they would in a month of practices .

[schweinhart]

The thing to remember about Simmon is that he was a very good starting MLB for us for years, so this is old home week(s) for him. Plus he often used to be described as the brains of the defense; MLB is often the guy who makes the calls on defense. Talk about an improved defense, you have to wonder if putting the vet back in the middle doesn't help in more ways than one. He has looked very good so far...and in my mind helped raised what Spain might call "the real ?" Which is, does Marvin have a clue what he is doing with LBs?

First, he let TKO go. It would have cost money and there would have been that "buy in" issue, but really would that have mattered once we started to win?

Kevin Hardy? 'Nuff said.

Khalid Abdullah gone. Caleb Miller...well, maybe he's finally making something of himself. Odell? Great talent but we are all familir with his issues. Pollack? Hurt...again. Webster, ak.a. Ray-Ray Jr.? Gone.

Basically his best pickups are Landon, a solid find, CFL castoff Jeanty, and Marcus Wilkins, a.k.a. Canute Curtis II.

I remember a few years back when one of the few bright spots on the team was the LB corps. Really, its been a wreck under Marvin.

No doubt the LB sitch has been much like the DT one -- a disappointment on the whole with Marvin players not accounting for much to improve the defense. Now where are Riall Johnson, Dwayne Levels and the inherited Adrian Ross when he needs them

Some of the washout at LB might have to do with their scheme approach under Leslie Frazier....light and quick. Of course Hardy was neither but was a vet and probably about the best Marv could lure to town in the early stage. Oompa Loompa sure looked like a mistake from the start but maybe he would have been serviceable if not injured.

A lot of what the Bengals have done with defensive personnel under Marv has made me wonder about how many clues are at work there, but for 2006, what I see looks good enough to support the offense for a Super Bowl bid. Count me satisfied with the way it has panned out for now.

[Kirkendall]

When Marvin first came here I remember reading an article about Simmons talking about how he didn't want to be a leader of the defense, and preferred being quiet and to himself. It sounded a lot like the Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers thing, where Simmons didn't feel like it was his job to develop young players.

If my memory serves me right -- and remember, I've contributed 20% to Mexico's GDP for the past three years -- it wasn't that Simmons didn't want to be a leader. It was that Simmons didn't want to be the "emotional" leader.. lead by example, that type of thing. I by no means think he wants to be "to himself". Maybe he does. But it wouldn't seem like a "Marvin guy". Just an observation.

As for the discussion regarding Marvin's linebackers. I think one thing that's been missed is the improved personnel at d-line. Thornton is off to a fast start and Sam Adams is a TRUCK! Smith, Geathers, and Robinson have done more than I was really expecting. But previous d-lines? YIKES!

But I side with "rotten luck" in Lewis' linebackers that he's brought in.

[rishipatel]

All in all, I'm very happy with our LB depth. Yeah, some people look at it as "swinging for the fences, and only coming up with foul balls so far", but I think that it's less of a concern that Pollack is injured as we have capable players to fill his role.

My big concern is the lack of safety depth, and the huge drop off in our defensive solidity with D Jax hurt. I like Kaes as a guy to come in for a play here and a play there to give the starters a breather, but for him to play the whole game makes me very worried about our defense for the next few games. Hopefully its just two games and the bye, and D Jax is back...time will tell.

[HoosierCat]

As for the discussion regarding Marvin's linebackers. I think one thing that's been missed is the improved personnel at d-line. Thornton is off to a fast start and Sam Adams is a TRUCK! Smith, Geathers, and Robinson have done more than I was really expecting. But previous d-lines? YIKES!

The D-line is definitely improved, tho even there it seemed to take a few years for Marvin to get the fact he needed a big guy or two in there. Speed is good at LB but you need some heft in da middle! And the secondary is way better than it ever was. But for whatever reason, LB has just been snakebit.

[Kazkal]

I for one am also happy with our LBs and if our young ones pan out theyll be a insane corps...even now landons a smart player with good speed ya hes not very big but hes still a good LB...Caleb if it was for his damn ankles for 1st 2 years I think would have gotten more time to shine....and rashad was a steal from the CFL....If brooks pans out to the LB who was suppossed be top 5 and Odell cleans up and david comes back healthy this is will be a awesome corps.

[HairOnFire]

I remember a few years back when one of the few bright spots on the team was the LB corps. Really, its been a wreck under Marvin.

I found myself agreeing with several of the points you were making, but disagreeing completely with your final conclusion. Until last season Lewis made do with a LB corp that was laregely made up of marginable FA pickups, 4th round picks, and players who made the roster due to their value as special team players. Solid and steady Brian Simmons has been the only constant. Now that Pollack has been lost for the season it's easy to conclude that several of the moves seem to have been snakebit, but progress never stopped and as a result it's now a mostly young group that boasts better than average starting talent and truly outstanding depth. Their best days should be ahead of them, and if half of them pan out as planned it could be a very bright future.

Frankly, you can ding every defensive unit, D-line, LB's, and secondary, for repeatedly underachieving under Marvin, but in each case those units now seem to be suddenly deep and manned largely by young players. All things considered, Marvin inherited a cupboard that was almost bare...yet somehow has built a defense that is on the verge of taking that next step, a remarkable achievement when you consider how much attention has been paid to the offensive side of the ledger.

[turningpoint]

AllI can say told ya so.

Idiots who ever thought he should of been cut or benched.

[jditty47]

i repeat i love simmons. doing what he does once again year after year.

and hes had better games than that. look at his career stats...nothing to sneeze at.