Browns @ Bengals Pregame Chatter/Game Thread

[HoosierCat]

Yeah, I know, we still have tonight's game against the Ravens, but Pokey Roger finally got off the dime and officially announced Joe Hayden's 4-game suspension, which will start this Sunday versus Cincinnati,

That can only help. Barring complete disaster against the Ravens I feel good about the Cleveland game.

Hell, even if tonight is a complete disaster I feel good about the Cleveland game.

[volcom69]

Weeden will pick this secondary apart LOL LOL

[BengalszoneBilly]

Weeden will pick this secondary apart LOL LOL

Don't laugh. There is likely high school QB's that could do the same.

[volcom69]

Weeden will pick this secondary apart LOL LOL

Don't laugh. There is likely high school QB's that could do the same.

I know its horrible, i have not seen this defense look this bad agaisnt the Ravens in sometime. I really do think Weeden will succedd against the bengals

[cincyhokie]

Haden out is a huge blow for the Browns.

This next game is not a must win, but if they lose it doesn't bode well for the rest of the season.

[ArmyBengal]

I don't care what happened last night, WHICH SUCKED, the Bengals will beat the Browns.

[redsbengalsbucks]

With Haden being out, I agree that the Bengals will beat the Browns. With Haden blanketing the only target of Gruden's pass happy offense that may not have been true.

[volcom69]

All I know is I hope last night was a huge wake up call not only for the players but the coaches as well. I know Zim usually has an answer for fixing his defense, but I think that's something to worry about all year. The secondary looked slow, and the front seven was getting no push and playing from the ground half the game. So if Zim has a miracle I hope it starts this week.

I did like the o-line play in the early going and the run game, so keep that going against the browns!

[HoosierCat]

Defensively, the Bengals need Dunlap back and in effective shape in the worst way. Jamaal Anderson was invisible last night, and I thought I heard/read someone say they even had Skuta lined up at DE at one point. Pressure up front is the only thing that's going to help our leadfooted secondary, and Atkins can't do it alone.

(And as raw as Kirkpatrick may be he can't do any worse than the crap we saw last night, so get well soon, Dre.)

I don't know what the eff to do about the LBs. Howard was the only one worth spit. Is Muck still out there? If so get him back now.

(And will someone go to Moch's house and kick him in his four-game-suspended nuts?)

I did like the o-line play in the early going and the run game, so keep that going against the browns!

Yup. They need to build on that fast because as weird as it sounds the O is going to have to carry this team until the D can figure out which is its a$$ and which is its elbow.

[ArmyBengal]

That's exactly why they say, "things are never as good or bad as they seem".

The Bengals establishing a running game with BJGE was a pleasant sight for sure.

They were picking up short yardage situations with regularity.

If they can continue to build upon that and see the return of Dunlap and Moch for a pass rush, things should turn around quickly. I also agree that Dre can't be to much worse than what we currently have out there in the secondary.

The Bengals still win next week with little thought.

Oh yeah, I didn't mention it anywhere to this point, but:

Geno Atkins is a beast !!!

[cHaD711Johnson]

Hopefully Dre can get back here and contribute. Clements and Newman are just old, and it shows against faster receivers. It doesn't help that Hall is coming off an achilles injury either.

We'll have to get Gresham more involved early on this week too.

[kingwilly]

The entire secondary is a risk. We've been pointing it out for quite a while, hoping things would work out but if last night is evidence of the capability of the defensive backfield, they are really in trouble.

Jones is not the player he once was, and is prone to injury (and biting on double pumps, a la Tory James).

Newman is plain old.

Clements, while maybe serviceable at safety, does not have the legs anymore.

Hall is not 100%

Dre is probably not ready, injured and a rookie.

Allen is an unknown, but hopes are not too high for him.

Others, like Ghee or Prater, dont even need to be mentioned....

Mays simply is a novelty player best suited to special teams. He is not an NFL strong safety....

Nelson is above average but barely...

The others are just young and inexperienced. Worth playing but at what point do folks say this is a rebuiding year? The D has loads of young talented guys but still has quite a few crap parts, specifically Geathers, Malaluga, and severe weakness in the secondary.

[volcom69]

The entire secondary is a risk. We've been pointing it out for quite a while, hoping things would work out but if last night is evidence of the capability of the defensive backfield, they are really in trouble.

Jones is not the player he once was, and is prone to injury (and biting on double pumps, a la Tory James).

Newman is plain old.

Clements, while maybe serviceable at safety, does not have the legs anymore.

Hall is not 100%

Dre is probably not ready, injured and a rookie.

Allen is an unknown, but hopes are not too high for him.

Others, like Ghee or Prater, dont even need to be mentioned....

Mays simply is a novelty player best suited to special teams. He is not an NFL strong safety....

Nelson is above average but barely...

The others are just young and inexperienced. Worth playing but at what point do folks say this is a rebuiding year? The D has loads of young talented guys but still has quite a few crap parts, specifically Geathers, Malaluga, and severe weakness in the secondary.

They need to start playing the ball and not the man. Hall could have tipped or swatted that pass that was a TD if he was playing the ball, but he was watching the TE and jumped to late. I noticed it all last night they need to start turning around and find the ball!

The front 7 besides Atkins though was a week point, getting pushed back on almost every play. They need to be stronger and more physical up front. More pressure will help out a secondary, and maybe some younger guys who can run with these speed guys.

[rwjcgc]

I liked Malaluga's play better as a rookie when he ran around and actually hit people once in a while. I think

the pre-draft rumors about his lack of "football IQ" are now coming into play. He now thinks he has the ability

to analyze and react and he is proving incapable of doing it fast enough to be effective.

[volcom69]

I agree Rey thinks way to much instead of just flying to the ball to make the tackle. I dont know maybe he is affaid to make a mistake, but either way something needs to be done.

I just read Hobsons write up where he said that Skuta might start for Lawson, and i about threw up in my mouth. Im sorry guys i like Skuta as a special teams guy, but if he is the best LB we have to start, then i say they are in trouble. Call back Muck, put in Burfict, do something, i just dont want to see Skuta start. I really miss Brandon Johnson right now!

I was also reading where Andre Carter was looking for a job, he may be older but he had 10 sacks last year. This team needs some pass rush, why not bring him in and see how he looks?? Im also wondering if there are any younger CBs out there who has speed, these CBs are going to get killed by these fast recievers, esp the ones in Pitt.

[cincy9275]

i watched the browns game last week. their offense is terrible, i mean real bad. the defense was ok that's only because vick kept the browns in the game with all his turnovers. mccoy was running through the browns defense very easily last week. if we lose this one then yeah i say it's time to worry. i expect the game to be close then the bengals pull away in the 2nd half. defense rebounds , dalton and green shine and bjge has a big game! 27-16 bengals!

[Stripes]

I'm feeling good about this game too. What I saw from BJGE and the newbies on the interior o-line was enough to keep me focused on the rest of the season. Last night's asswhooping is over forever, and I expect this team to understand that. Go kick the Browns around and establish a little momentum continuing through this patsie stretch. It's the Bengals' only hope this season.

[HoosierCat]

I think the defense will look so much better people will be saying, where the f**k were they last week? This will have to do a lot with the Browns having a much worse offense than the Ravens, but even more so that I don't expect the Bengals D to be playing scared (of Ray Rice) like they did last night. That was the root of the problem and Zimmer deserves a raspberry for that. Offensively...I actually expect them to struggle a bit. But I agree with cincy that they will pull away in the second half, though not by enough to turn it into a laugher. Figure something on the order of 26-16 Bengals.

[Wraith]

Bengals v. Browns is aways a tough game it does not matter what the records are or how good the players are the games are always rough, history shows us that this will be a close game. I hope I am wrong.

[HoosierCat]

The game is officially a sellout.

[volcom69]

The game is officially a sellout.

Scott and Dunlap practicing as well today.

[ArmyBengal]

The game is officially a sellout.

Thanks for the heads up.

That makes me smile !!!

[cincyhokie]

The game is officially a sellout.

Scott and Dunlap practicing as well today.

Glass Dunlap will be held out another week...but I hope I am wrong.

[volcom69]

The game is officially a sellout.

Scott and Dunlap practicing as well today.

Glass Dunlap will be held out another week...but I hope I am wrong.

Dunlap, Scott, and Allen all had some practice. Guess who didn't if you said Pacman you guessed right. When are they done with him he never never practices, and misses tackles. I would rather have a young CB who is going to bust there butts, and practice, and play fast over this guy anymore.

[HoosierCat]

Here's the skinny on practice from Hobs:

Running back Bernard Scott (hand) and left end Carlos Dunlap (knee) returned to practice Wednesday after long layoffs and were limited. Scott hasn't worked full go since the first week of August and Dunlap has been out since the Aug. 10 preseason opener. Also limited were cornerback Jason Allen (quad), who also missed Monday's game, and rookie safety George Iloka after he injured his ankle Monday. Tight end Donald Lee (thigh), a surprise scratch Monday, was out Wednesday, as was cornerback Adam Jones (illness). Rookie cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) has been ruled out for the second straight game.

Lewis indicated the starting safety spot opposite Reggie Nelson is still in flux. Jeromy Miles ended up playing quite a bit as Taylor Mays got run by for one touchdown, plus was called for a personal foul on a blatant head shot even though the pass was clearly incomplete. According to profootballfocus.com, Mays played 33 snaps and Miles 22.