Bill Simmons on Breshnahan

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Bill Simmons, ESPN Page

BRONCOS (-3) over Bengals

Someone In The Know once told me, "Bet against Chuck Bresnahan against any good coach. He stinks. Smart coaches and smart QBs always have a field day against him." Of course, last week I ignored the advice and picked them over the Colts. No way I'm taking them against Shanahan.

Nice shot of confidence in our lame d-coordinator. Geesh I wish Marvin would fix his now 4-year defensive problem. Tired of it.

Too much talent on defense for them to be as bad as they are so often. I wish Marvin would just take it over and make Brat or Zamp an assistant HC and take over the offense or something.

[duus]

Bill Simmons, ESPN Page

BRONCOS (-3) over Bengals

Someone In The Know once told me, "Bet against Chuck Bresnahan against any good coach. He stinks. Smart coaches and smart QBs always have a field day against him." Of course, last week I ignored the advice and picked them over the Colts. No way I'm taking them against Shanahan.

Nice shot of confidence in our lame d-coordinator. Geesh I wish Marvin would fix his now 4-year defensive problem. Tired of it.

Too much talent on defense for them to be as bad as they are so often. I wish Marvin would just take it over and make Brat or Zamp an assistant HC and take over the offense or something.

Couldn't you see that? Marvin pulls a Billick, only on defense. That would be cool. I for one am for it ... even with 2 games remaining.

[skyline]

I'm not typically one to criticize coaches, but I have been more than underwhelmed by Chucky Boy. I wouldn't cry if he were relieved of his duties.

[HoosierCat]

Well, let's also remember that Chucky is only doing The Master's bidding. Leslie Frazier got dumped over "creative differences" with Marvin -- Frazier liked a blitzing, attacking style while Marvin wanted, well, what we got -- and Bresh came in willing to do it Marvin's way.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

I'm not typically one to criticize coaches, but I have been more than underwhelmed by Chucky Boy. I wouldn't cry if he were relieved of his duties.

Part of the problem is there's no deception in his schemes. Vince Young and his 6 on the Wonderlic could read Chucky's schemes. For Peyton, forget it. Just hope he can get the heat on the rookie.

[HairOnFire]

I'm suddenly reminded that on the day Bres was hired someone posted a link to a Raider message board that was filled with posters complaining about his habit of falling into conservative prevent-style schemes. Other Raider fans pointed out the fact that Bres coached a defense that made it to the Super Bowl with older marginal talent.

Nothing to add I guess. Just pointing out that the criticism has been heard before.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Well, let's also remember that Chucky is only doing The Master's bidding. Leslie Frazier got dumped over "creative differences" with Marvin -- Frazier liked a blitzing, attacking style while Marvin wanted, well, what we got -- and Bresh came in willing to do it Marvin's way.

So Marvin's Baltimore, Pitt and Redskin' defenses were not blitzing/attacking defenses? I can't speculate about what I don't ultimately know, but I do know Bresh is the D-coordinator, and was blitzing much more the last 4 weeks, and less zone cover-2.

But I do think the over-all game plan was obviously terrible Monday night, on both sides, as well as predictable/simplistic, and Marvin surely is accountable for that.

Yet I just don't see any consistent improvement under Breshnahan, and am just growing tired of it.

[CBin2k7]

I had jumped off the Chuck hate bandwagon, but now I am firmly back in place. This team changes defensive schemes every game. There is not one good defense in this league that changes it's defensive philosphy every game.

If an offense is gonna beat you, let them beat you, while you are doing what you do best. The Bengals try to damn hard to adjust to what the opponents offense does, hell with that. You have your players, find out their strengths and play to it.

Can you imagine Baltimore or Chicago or even Pittsburgh changing their defensive schemes from game to game. They better generate a plan on defense soon, they better establish what their strengths are,

whether that be blitz happy, coverage happy, pressure with the front four, man to man, 3 safeties...Whatever. The lack of a defensive philosphy is tiring and it's getting old to keep switching it from game to game.

[HairOnFire]

whether that be blitz happy, coverage happy, pressure with the front four, man to man, 3 safeties...Whatever. The lack of a defensive philosphy is tiring and it's getting old to keep switching it from game to game.

I hear ya', and I agree. Then again, you can't dictate to an opposing team without having the talent to back up your play. As for the Bengals, they lack a single interior defensive lineman with the ability to penetrate and put pressure on the passer, the entire linebacking corp is being held together with string and baling wire, and for all of the talent that seems to exist in the secondary, well....it's hard to dictate terms when you're standing 20 yards from the line of scrimmage.

I guess I'm just saying....I miss David Pollack.

[delhole]

I had jumped off the Chuck hate bandwagon, but now I am firmly back in place. This team changes defensive schemes every game. There is not one good defense in this league that changes it's defensive philosphy every game.

If an offense is gonna beat you, let them beat you, while you are doing what you do best. The Bengals try to damn hard to adjust to what the opponents offense does, hell with that. You have your players, find out their strengths and play to it.

Can you imagine Baltimore or Chicago or even Pittsburgh changing their defensive schemes from game to game. They better generate a plan on defense soon, they better establish what their strengths are,

whether that be blitz happy, coverage happy, pressure with the front four, man to man, 3 safeties...Whatever. The lack of a defensive philosphy is tiring and it's getting old to keep switching it from game to game.

Well Bengals strength definatly isn't in coverage. Only time dropping back works is against an average to below average O-line. They just don't get the pass rush that is needed against a decent O-line, partly due to Smith not having his best year and partly due to big sam just being there to clog up a gap(or two). I say blitz the hell out of Cutler. Chances are Denver is expecting it but just drop him a couple times and that will be all that's needed to ruffle his feathers. He was sacked only 1 time in his only win and 7 times in his two losses.

[Kazkal]

I guess I'm just saying....I miss David Pollack

Agreed....even after oakland game I still wanted a new DC

[schweinhart]

Changing defensive schemes isn't a bad thing if the team has the personnel to do it -- like New England -- and the change is to take advantage of a weakness of the other team's offense -- like keeping Big Ben in the pocket the way the Pats did 2 years ago in the AFC title game.

But if it ain't working during the course of the game, adjustments need to be made and they never were vs. Indy.

The secondary should've been better than it's been this year based on personnel but that just hasn't happened and they've been gashed even worse than when they had Ohalete on patrol. Of course the run D has been sharp with the exception of the Pats game, LT in the red zone, the Addai gash and a couple huge QB scrambles caused by Andre Frazier playing out of position and Domata Peko getting crushed vs. Indy.

They can fire and hire DCs until they're blue in the face but Marv won't take over the reins until -- like Billick -- it's a matter of losing his job.

[CBin2k7]

Changing defensive schemes isn't a bad thing if the team has the personnel to do it -- like New England -- and the change is to take advantage of a weakness of the other team's offense -- like keeping Big Ben in the pocket the way the Pats did 2 years ago in the AFC title game.

But if it ain't working during the course of the game, adjustments need to be made and they never were vs. Indy.

The secondary should've been better than it's been this year based on personnel but that just hasn't happened and they've been gashed even worse than when they had Ohalete on patrol. Of course the run D has been sharp with the exception of the Pats game, LT in the red zone, the Addai gash and a couple huge QB scrambles caused by Andre Frazier playing out of position and Domata Peko getting crushed vs. Indy.

They can fire and hire DCs until they're blue in the face but Marv won't take over the reins until -- like Billick -- it's a matter of losing his job.

You make a good point about changing D's. But the Pats are known for their changing D philosphy, and it's because of their coaching that they can do it so well. They plug pretty much anyone into their D and it doesn't drop off that much.

Who knows if a coordinator change will do the trick. But I think some of the position coaches on that side of the ball have to be looked at. If it's a matter of personnel, than stop drafting the BPA and start filling your needs on the defensive side of the football.

I also agree about the secondary, while Madieu has made some plays, he has played no where near the level of his rookie season.

[BlainThePain]

I'd like to see us try to steal Rob Ryan away from the Raiders.

[jjakq27]

Unfortunately I think they will point to the injuries and Odell's absense as a reason to keep Bresh. They will also point to the four game stretch where we "dominated" on defense. However look at the games against SD, Atlanta and Indy and it will show how far this defense has to go still.

While we sit here and wonder about getting a new running back or what Skylar Green can do for us or getting a TE, the real truth is that the defense is still the downfall of this team. Unless they take an O-lineman, I can't see any reason to take an offensive player in the first round next year. Upgrading at any of the three position groups on defense is a priority.

My fear is that we will switch to a 3-4 and then have to deal with the learning curve for that and another year of two of "development" with no improvement.