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After meltdown, Sporting News predicts Bengals win


HairOnFire

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Interesting analysis from The Sprting News that I don't agree with entirely, but it should be an interesting jumping off point since they're predicting a 30-23 Bengal win.

Bengals at Seahawks

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS), Qwest Field

Bengals Keys For Success

1. Go back to using zone blitzes. For one reason or another, the Bengals didn't use the zone-blitz scheme against Derek Anderson in Week 2 despite the fact it worked so well in confusing Steve McNair in Week 1. By blitzing linebackers and safeties and having athletic ends Justin Smith and Robert Geathers drop into coverage to replace them, they can throw off quarterbacks, particularly on short passes into the flats and curls. The Bengals must use this again to befuddle Matt Hasselbeck and force needed takeaways.

2. Protect Carson Palmer. Although they failed to register a sack in their loss to Arizona, the Seahawks have a dangerous pass rush with defensive ends Patrick Kerney and Darryl Tapp and outside linebacker Julian Peterson. If the Bengals have success running the ball early and mix in some play-action passes, they can keep Seattle off-balance and prevent it from teeing off on Palmer. However, on obvious passing downs the Bengals will need to leave in an extra blocker in to help their protection.

3. Get the running backs and tight ends involved in the passing game. The Seahawks will try to keep wide receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh from beating them and will likely run soft shell coverage to prevent big plays. Palmer must make them pay for that by hitting running back Rudi Johnson and tight end Reggie Kelly on short routes to soften up the middle of Seattle's defense. This will make safeties Brian Russell and Deon Grant to creep up closer to the line of scrimmage, which can in turn reopen the sideline passing lanes for Johnson and Houshmandzadeh.

Seahawks Keys For Success

1. Control the clock. Facing a Bengals' offense that can almost score at will, the best way to slow it down is to keep it off the field. The Seahawks have an effective offense themselves and they must establish long, ball-control drives to eat up the clock. Expect a heavy workload for Shaun Alexander, who will look to take advantage of a Bengals run defense that surrendered 219 yards to Jamal Lewis last week.

2. Disrupt the timing of the Bengals' passing game. The Seahawks like to play mostly man-to-man schemes in coverage, but they will need to mix in more zone schemes because of Johnson and Houshmandzadeh. Cornerbacks Marcus Trufant and Kelly Jennings will get up close to the line of scrimmage and must get their hand on the Bengals' wide receivers within five yards and try to knock them off their routes. The Bengals' passing game is based on timing and if the Seahawks can disrupt that, they will have a chance to force some takeaways and limit Cincinnati's offense.

3. Protect the ball. Although they are prone to giving up huge yardage, the Bengals' defense is very opportunistic and takes advantage of any offensive mistakes. Their secondary often disguises coverage, forces a bad throw and then jumps all over it. Hasselbeck must see the whole field, be decisive in his reads and not be afraid to throw the ball away if he can't find an open receiver. Otherwise, he will be making his defense play on a short field against a very dangerous offense.

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I had the Seahawks game penciled in as a (weak) W for Cincy before the season. I thought the Bengals were a better team, but the game was in Seattle, the Bengals always suck on the West Coast, etc. Now...well, IMHO it comes down to the O. Alexander seems destined to run for about 400 yards versus our D, so they need to pile up the points.

Now having said that watch the game end up as a defensive battle. :rolleyes:

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The defense will probably play well.

Hmmm. Well;

Brooks (injured)

Jeanty (injured)

Miller

Landon Johnson

Lemar Marshall (signed August 23rd, and is injured)

Schlegel (just signed September 2nd)

Jones (just signed today.)

So let's hope that the offense comes in with guns a blazin', cause our LB corps looks pretty scary. And not in a good way.

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The defense will probably play well.

Hmmm. Well;

Brooks (injured)

Jeanty (injured)

Miller

Landon Johnson

Lemar Marshall (signed August 23rd, and is injured)

Schlegel (just signed September 2nd)

Jones (just signed today.)

So let's hope that the offense comes in with guns a blazin', cause our LB corps looks pretty scary. And not in a good way.

Overanalysis, IMO. I wouldn't think of guaranteeing a solid defensive game, but let's just say I'd be more surprised by a repeat of last week than an average or better performance. If they can't play decently after what happened Sunday, then yes... this is the worst defense ever.

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Bengals Keys For Success

1. Go back to using zone blitzes. For one reason or another, the Bengals didn't use the zone-blitz scheme against Derek Anderson in Week 2 despite the fact it worked so well in confusing Steve McNair in Week 1. By blitzing linebackers and safeties and having athletic ends Justin Smith and Robert Geathers drop into coverage to replace them, they can throw off quarterbacks, particularly on short passes into the flats and curls. The Bengals must use this again to befuddle Matt Hasselbeck and force needed takeaways.

Yeah. I don't know about you guy's, but in line of employment, if something works, I always immediately stop using it! :rolleyes:

More proof that Bresnahan is a loser and should be FIRED!

Jeeze. One reason or another my ass...IT WAS DUMBASS CHUCK! :angry:

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Overanalysis, IMO. I wouldn't think of guaranteeing a solid defensive game, but let's just say I'd be more surprised by a repeat of last week than an average or better performance. If they can't play decently after what happened Sunday, then yes... this is the worst defense ever.

I offer my own weak agreement. I wouldn't bother trying to predict whether the Bengal defense will play well or horrific, but even if they struggle I think it's unlikely that they'll be historically bad again. Far more likely is another soul-numbing performance where the other guy puts up "thirty-something"...forcing the Bengal offense into yet another shootout, which they could very easily win.

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Hell even PFT still ranked us 7 in power rankings.

I went to check out their explanation, but was unsurprised by their usual attention to detail. :rolleyes:

7. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1): The fact that the Bengals are ranked this high after giving up more than 50 points shows how weak the NFL is right now.
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Hell even PFT still ranked us 7 in power rankings.

I went to check out their explanation, but was unsurprised by their usual attention to detail. :rolleyes:

7. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1): The fact that the Bengals are ranked this high after giving up more than 50 points shows how weak the NFL is right now.

Maybe the offensively favored rules the NFL has come up with in recent years have finally come home to roost. I dunno.

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