Bengals vs Colts

[HoosierCat]

To be fair, the Colts are missing their two top DTs, Corey Simon (300) and Montae Reagor (285). Simon has been out with some mystery illness and Reagor was in a car accident. Both are on IR.

[Tasher]

Wow, all the media is talking about how small the Colts are in the front seven, but wow!

Looking at the Colts' depth chart:

end to end 245, 300, 274, 268 (2nd string 271, 275, 288, 257)

backers 228, 235, 227 (236, 243, 240)

Just for comparison, the Bengals go:

end to end 304, 350(listed), 297, 275 (2nd 265, 325, 319, 295)

backers 245, 240, 228 (259, 225)

I'm not sure what depth chart you're looking at for the Bengals... but our starting LB's are very small too. Caleb Miller (not Brian Simmons) is our starting MLB, and is the smallest in the league at 225 lbs. Landon Johnson is playing the weak side listed at 228 lbs. Jeanty is a good size at 245 lbs... but even that's not huge for a SSLB (Pollack is 10 lbs heavier than that).

Thankfully our D-Line is huge... and more than makes up for it (a luxury the Colts lack at this point) Sam Adams is way more than 350 (believe it. I've seen him in person) - and 3 of our 4 D-Line starters right at or over 300.. not to mention the 300+ lb depth in Peko and S. Smith.

We were incredibly small on the D-Line last year starting B-Rob and Thornton in the middle, with Geathers and J. Smith on the ends. We were too small, and got ran on. We've beefed that up about 100 lbs, and are suddenly a stout run defense. Funny how simple the game of football can be sometimes, isn't it?

I'll bet the Colts go looking for the biggest, fattest, stop-gap, over the hill DT in the league in the off-season, just like we did. It works wonders.

Your point about our LBs is valid, although I think my point is valid too, the Colts have 2 LBs that go 240 or better, whereas the Bengals have three in the rotation, and in running situations you go Jeanty, Brooks and Simmons in some order, Strong, Middle, Weak and that gives you 240, 245, 259, so vs the run we are a lot more stout than the Colts. My point was more focused on the D-Line size differential than the LBs.

Add to that, that the Colts have a ton of injuries as well, and you compound the problem. Simon, Reagor are both on IR...

[derekshank]

Your point about our LBs is valid, although I think my point is valid too, the Colts have 2 LBs that go 240 or better, whereas the Bengals have three in the rotation, and in running situations you go Jeanty, Brooks and Simmons in some order, Strong, Middle, Weak and that gives you 240, 245, 259, so vs the run we are a lot more stout than the Colts.

I'm not sure if that is completely accurate either. Simmons comes in at MLB in passing situations... but I'm pretty sure Caleb stays in on running downs. He might not be in there on the goalline (I'm not sure... I'd have to go back and look) but Simmons hasn't been in there on running downs... and I'm pretty sure Brooks is only playing MLB right now... which would mean we are either really small, or really inexperienced in short yardage situations.

Either way... it doesn't seem to be a big weakness. The D-Line is doing more than its share... and the LB's are maintaining their gaps. That's all you need from your LB's when your D-Line is playing well.

[skyline]

I want to see the Bengals come out passing the football like mad. So much is being said about the Colts lack of run D, and you know they're going to be working on fixing that problem all week. If they go in with a mind towards stopping the run, and we lay a few big passes on them to start the game, then I think it'll completely demoralize their D. At that point the run should be wide open.

[semiotter]

I'll be rooting for you guys. You win, we win, the Ravens are smelling home field advantage.

Man how sad is that! but I love the boobiemiesters avatar your showing

[Tasher]

MUST...

...STOP...

...LOOKING...

...AT...

...OTTER'S...

...SIG...

...NATURE...

...SO...

...HARD...

...TO...

...DO...

[HoosierCat]

Bengals-Colts is the freebie game breakdown on sportingnews.com this week...

http://warroom.sportingnews.com/nfl/matchu...e/overview.html

[Tasher]

Bengals-Colts is the freebie game breakdown on sportingnews.com this week...

http://warroom.sportingnews.com/nfl/matchu...e/overview.html

I don't know, maybe it is just me, but that review did not tell me anything that we do not already know.

shrug...

Here's a tidbit:

Jax rushed for 375 yards vs the Colts last week. This total ranks SECOND in the modern era behind what team? And what was the rushing yardage total?

Doh!

If I were the Colts, I'd hate to be looking at that team coming in NEXT!

[derekshank]

I want to see the Bengals come out passing the football like mad. So much is being said about the Colts lack of run D, and you know they're going to be working on fixing that problem all week. If they go in with a mind towards stopping the run, and we lay a few big passes on them to start the game, then I think it'll completely demoralize their D. At that point the run should be wide open.

You'll probably get your wish. I don't remember seeing a steady dose of Rudi in the first possession of a game since week 7 of last year against Pittsburgh. The minute Brat found out that Palmer had the ability to set up the run with the pass, he's been attempting to use that to its full advantage.

And just for the record... I'm not against that in the least. It is actually quite effective. Getting the ball in Chad, Housh, and Henry's hands early just makes Rudi's job that much easier later on. And if Rudi's job is easy and effective in the 2nd half... it's basically game over.

[HoosierCat]

I want to see the Bengals come out passing the football like mad. So much is being said about the Colts lack of run D, and you know they're going to be working on fixing that problem all week. If they go in with a mind towards stopping the run, and we lay a few big passes on them to start the game, then I think it'll completely demoralize their D. At that point the run should be wide open.

You'll probably get your wish. I don't remember seeing a steady dose of Rudi in the first possession of a game since week 7 of last year against Pittsburgh. The minute Brat found out that Palmer had the ability to set up the run with the pass, he's been attempting to use that to its full advantage.

And just for the record... I'm not against that in the least. It is actually quite effective. Getting the ball in Chad, Housh, and Henry's hands early just makes Rudi's job that much easier later on. And if Rudi's job is easy and effective in the 2nd half... it's basically game over.

Yup. If one of the first three offensive plays isn't a rerun of that 70-yard bomb to Henry they threw in the playoff game last year (minus the injury to Carson, of course) I will be stunned.

[HoosierCat]

Apropos of nothing (great book, BTW), found this nugget about Manning on ESPN (emphasis added)...

He threw for 313 yards in the Colts' loss at Jacksonville, but he didn't produce enough big plays and at one stretch threw nine straight incomplete passes. The Colts are 1-6 when Manning throws the ball 50 times or more (he threw 50 times Sunday).

Roethlismanning?

[duus]

Apropos of nothing (great book, BTW), found this nugget about Manning on ESPN (emphasis added)...

He threw for 313 yards in the Colts' loss at Jacksonville, but he didn't produce enough big plays and at one stretch threw nine straight incomplete passes. The Colts are 1-6 when Manning throws the ball 50 times or more (he threw 50 times Sunday).

Roethlismanning?

Cool. We should just put 11 guys on the line then.

(I hate these types of statistics ... if they can even be called that)

[Stripes]

I'd assume most QB's lose often when they have to throw 50 times... Favre and Bulger come to mind.

[Kazkal]

Some good news injury wise....Clark is out who killed us last time and stok is out.

[AGrizzlyBaer]

Clark (knee, out), Stokley (Achilles, out), running back Joseph Addai (foot, questionable), safety Antoine Bethea

(shoulder, questionable), offensive tackle Ryan Diem (groin, questionable), cornerback Nick Harper (ankle, questionable), safety/cornerback Marlin Jackson (shoulder, questionable), wide receiver Aaron Moorehead (back, questionable), running back Dominic Rhodes (wrist, questionable) and safety Bob Sanders (knee, questionable).

Bethea and Jackson each left Sunday’s game against Jacksonville with injuries, and with Sanders and safety Mike Doss (injured reserve, knee) out, Dexter Reid and Matt Giordano finished the game as the Colts’ two safeties.

wow they are really beat up!

[MacD BengalFan]

Those who are listed as questionable usually play at some point during the game unless they are listed on the inactive list the day of the game. I would not lend credance to those who are on the "questionable" list until Monday, when the inactive list.

[HoosierCat]

CHFF has updated its statistical examination of the Colts run defense, which is on course to go down as one of the worst of all time. Scary thing is that the 2006 season actually features three teams set to join the list of the worst run D's of all time: not just the Colts, but also the Saints and Rams.

http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Article.php?Page=1188

This, of course, begs the question: if the Super Bowl is Saints vs. Colts, is either team really going to need a QB?

[Tasher]

CHFF has updated its statistical examination of the Colts run defense, which is on course to go down as one of the worst of all time. Scary thing is that the 2006 season actually features three teams set to join the list of the worst run D's of all time: not just the Colts, but also the Saints and Rams.

http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Article.php?Page=1188

This, of course, begs the question: if the Super Bowl is Saints vs. Colts, is either team really going to need a QB?

The Cincinnati Reds? Worst Run Defense of all time? Wow, and I thought the modern day media picked on us, back then they just made up stuff about a baseball team playing football!

[Tasher]

Interesting discussion on FoxSports on 1530 with Jeff Fischer...

He notes that the Colts troubles start with the missing starters on D: Reagor, Simon, Doss and Sanders.

Doss and Sanders being the two safeties.

Hmm. Seems I recall that the Bengals LAST YEAR had a TON of troubles when we were missing Williams and Herring all season long and we tried to replace them with Ohalete and others. Not to mention this year when we were without Jackson for a few games. It certainly is not coincidental that the resurgence of our defense corresponds to getting very good play from our safeties, Williams, Jackson and Kase.

And if I remember correctly, our problems were both in the run game and the passing game. Arguably, the Colts are missing a lot more key starting pieces this year than we were last year.

That can't be good.

[HoosierCat]

http://www.bangcartoon.com/cartoons/index....hive|coltsd.swf

[Tasher]

http://www.bangcartoon.com/cartoons/index....hive|coltsd.swf

What's a snipe?

[Kazkal]

Last year going in you wanted to stop the run (when Peyton Manning threw for 365 yards). Do you still feel the same way?

CB: Absolutely. You have to stop the run because of all that hard play-action snaps they try to do. That’s where they’re going to get you biting up and he’s got such an accurate arm he can pinpoint those little seam passes in there. If you take that out of there, that really helps you. They’ve got two solid backs.

We are so doomed.

[Tasher]

In the Words of the Ultimate Doomsayers, The TaeKwonDoDos...

"Doom On You, Doom On You, Doom On You!"

[Kazkal]

[ShulaSteakhouse]

I say throw it deep early and often - with Indy's safeties amounting to crap back-ups - their LB's all but non-existent, do what they're not expecting.

Everyone and their grandma thinks the Bengals' will try to shove Rudi down their throats - well, do it after you soften them up by having Chad and Henry exploit their safeties downfield and TJ over the middle and underneath when there's not enough time.

This game will be less about coaching/game plans and more about talent winning out on both sides.