How many sacks can Dalton take?

[walzav29]

Do you think it's because they are rotating centers? Is he holding the ball too long? Is it because the #2 WR keeps changing and they aren't in sync? I'm hoping they just start Cook the whole game Sunday vs Baltimore and then go with him in the playoffs. Can they fix it? 9 sacks in 2 weeks are too many.

[skyline]

I think it's a combination of all those things.

Marvin swore up and down that center play had nothing to do with some of the sacks, so I suppose we have to listen since he's broken the tapes down far more than we have.

[ArmyBengal]

I had a comment all prepared for this and then realized I might talk something into happening and I would be pissed.

Superstition can be a bitch some times.

That being said, they really need to figure out the o-line breakdown over the past two games.

Maybe it really is they just played two VERY good pass rushing teams in the Eagles and Steelers, but I suspect it's something else. They didn't have this problem for the majority of the season. Marvin can say it isn't Cook, but it sure doesn't look that way when watching the game. While he might not give up a sack, he appears to constantly get pushed backward, contributing to the pocket collapsing and not allowing Dalton to step into throws.

[HoosierCat]

You also have to consider the defenses. The Eagles attacked our two rookie guards with fresh stunts they hadn't seen before and yesterday they were playing the top defense in the league.

[cincy9275]

I had a comment all prepared for this and then realized I might talk something into happening and I would be pissed.

Superstition can be a bitch some times.

That being said, they really need to figure out the o-line breakdown over the past two games.

Maybe it really is they just played two VERY good pass rushing teams in the Eagles and Steelers, but I suspect it's something else. They didn't have this problem for the majority of the season. Marvin can say it isn't Cook, but it sure doesn't look that way when watching the game. While he might not give up a sack, he appears to constantly get pushed backward, contributing to the pocket collapsing and not allowing Dalton to step into throws.

well hampton blew bye him to stuff bjge on 2nd and 2. then cook let mclenden bull rush him for a sack. also let troy go right bye him for another sack. he has to recognize the blitz and at the very least chip troy. keep him from having a free run at our qb. to me robinson needs to start. i have seen enough from both that proves robinson is the better player.

[TJJackson]

GIMME A LINEMAN

A lot of this depends on whether or not they decide to re-sign or let go the Flesh Zeppelin

But Whit is in his 7th year and it'd be nice to groom his successor early - so either way I see them taking an OT early - hard to say if it'll be a RT or a LT at this point

I'd like to see them pick up a dominant Center as well, but I realize 2 OLs is a lot to ask in the first 3 rounds

Ultimately, I do think we have more needs on the offensive side than we do defensive, and I don't think our o-line is as strong as some have made it out to be

[volcom69]

You also have to consider the defenses. The Eagles attacked our two rookie guards with fresh stunts they hadn't seen before and yesterday they were playing the top defense in the league.

I would imagine every team will play the bengals offense that way from now on. The bengals better learn how to defend it. I don't know who is setting protection Cook or Dalton, but they are doing a horrible job!

[HoosierCat]

I would imagine every team will play the bengals offense that way from now on.

They can try, but not everyone has the pass rushing talent of the Eagles or Steelers.

The bengals better learn how to defend it. I don't know who is setting protection Cook or Dalton, but they are doing a horrible job!

Actually I thought that once the Steelers stopped blitzing every play (which they did for much of the first quarter) that Dalton's protection was pretty good. At least half his sacks were pure coverage sacks and there were a couple during which he could have baked a cake in the pocket.