Bengals @ Colts Game Thread

[HoosierCat]

Gresham back at practice today.

Wright out again, looks like he's a no-go.

AJ not even dressed today.

[cincyhokie]

Gresham back at practice today.

Wright out again, looks like he's a no-go.

AJ not even dressed today. :(/>

AJ plays Sunday. Book it.

[gregcook68]

Gresham back at practice today.

Wright out again, looks like he's a no-go.

AJ not even dressed today. :(/>/>

AJ plays Sunday. Book it.

I know they are really CYA on concussion protocol but it's the playoffs for crying out loud!

[ArmyBengal]

Just clear AJ and trot his ass out on the field.

Make them account for him regardless of how little he's used.

Didn't they basically do that in the Houston playoff game when they didn't throw to him for a whole half without a concussion ??

[volcom69]

They have won without AJ before, the defense has to be spot on no mental errors, feed Jermey Hill the ball 30 plus times, throw Gio in the slot, use Rex Burkhead!!!! Don't get cute, use what got you to this point, you run right at them!

Don't use AJ as an excuse just win the damn game'

[HoosierCat]

My guess is that it's Cobi Hamilton time. Which is sort of like peanut better jelly time except with no peanut butter, jelly or .

[ArmyBengal]

That's just it, Cobi Hamilton time equals a loss in my book. That would be getting cute. If he has to play, fine. Hell, throw a couple passes his way.

However, if they make the mistake of making someone else the focus, like they did with Gresham, they will lose this game.

Run the f*cking ball. It's not working ?? Run it some more. Still behind in the 2nd half ?? Yep, run the f*cking ball some more.

I know they have to balance things out, but their identity is a running team now and have shown that well in the 2nd half. The Colts haven't seen it and are worried about it. They may know it's coming, but they should be forced into trying to stop it. The Bengals have to want it more and go smack them in the mouth. Line up a jumbo package, whatever, just keep running the ball.

[HoosierCat]

Bell officially ruled out in Pitt. So there's that, at least.

[HoosierCat]

Final injury report:

OUT: Wright

DOUBTFUL: Green

?ABLE: Gresham, Peerman

For Indy, Thornton in out, Shipley is doubtful and Trent Richardson is questionable with an illness.

[Stripes]

Indy is well aware the Bengals want to run the ball all day long, so I fully expect them to defend accordingly. Dalton has excelled against such gameplans before; we'll see if it can work in a playoff game. Of course I do want Hill getting a shit pile of carries either way.

[Stripes]

Without Green, Wright, Sanzenbacher, and potentially Gresham, Dalton will have absolutely nobody to throw to. Sanu will have to step up big time like he did early in the season, and Gio cannot have one of his totally ineffective outings.

How fortunate are the Colts to likely get us twice in one season without Green?

[HoosierCat]

Hmmm. Sanu, Little and Hamilton. I'll set the O/U on combined dropped passes at 8. And I'll take the over.

[redsbengalsbucks]

Hewitt, Hill and Gio should be game planned into the passing game. Quick passing routes and run the football is the way to beat Indy's pass rush.

[kingwilly]

Sanu, Hamilton and Little give Dalton some very limited options. I doubt they get more than 3 targets ech this whole game, so its hard to have more than eight drops from 9 attempts. not impossible, mind you, just very hard to imagine.

Go heavy and run the ball. Load up with the dinosaur line and simply grade out some field turf.

only chance they have.

My personal hope is this is Gresham's last game in stripes.

[gregcook68]

That's just it, Cobi Hamilton time equals a loss in my book. That would be getting cute. If he has to play, fine. Hell, throw a couple passes his way.

However, if they make the mistake of making someone else the focus, like they did with Gresham, they will lose this game.

Run the f*cking ball. It's not working ?? Run it some more. Still behind in the 2nd half ?? Yep, run the f*cking ball some more.

I know they have to balance things out, but their identity is a running team now and have shown that well in the 2nd half. The Colts haven't seen it and are worried about it. They may know it's coming, but they should be forced into trying to stop it. The Bengals have to want it more and go smack them in the mouth. Line up a jumbo package, whatever, just keep running the ball.

Again I say, I say, I say, it again, (Yosemite Sam) it worked great last year for the Pats against Indy. I think Hill is as good as Blount, the Bengals OL as good as Pats, problem is the Indy D was kept honest with the Brady and receivers threat.

Without Green, Wright, or Sanzenbacher, the only hope is Sanu, and they need to show Indy that he IS a threat.

[ArmyBengal]

I hate hearing how the Bengals are going to have a hard time with a plan to run the ball.

The Chargers came into Cincinnati last season for the playoff game with a middle of the pack rushing attack, going up against the 5th best run defense during the regular season. What did they do ?? The ran the ball anyway and limited the amount of times Rivers had to throw the ball. Tell me why the Bengals can't go into Indianapolis with one of the better run attacks in the league, against a poor run defense and not come out of there with a win ??

I care that AJ won't play, but that can't be an excuse. Stop worrying about who won't be on the field and plan for who will. Stick to what you do best and impose your game plan on them. Like King said, load up the o-line and make it happen. It's gutcheck time. The o-linemen always say how much they love that stuff, well, here's their chance. Who wants it more ??

Be the bully.

[gregcook68]

I hate hearing how the Bengals are going to have a hard time with a plan to run the ball.

The Chargers came into Cincinnati last season for the playoff game with a middle of the pack rushing attack, going up against the 5th best run defense during the regular season. What did they do ?? The ran the ball anyway and limited the amount of times Rivers had to throw the ball. Tell me why the Bengals can't go into Indianapolis with one of the better run attacks in the league, against a poor run defense and not come out of there with a win ??

I care that AJ won't play, but that can't be an excuse. Stop worrying about who won't be on the field and plan for who will. Stick to what you do best and impose your game plan on them. Like King said, load up the o-line and make it happen. It's gutcheck time. The o-linemen always say how much they love that stuff, well, here's their chance. Who wants it more ??

Be the bully.

ROUGH!!!!! ROUGH!!!!!! Sic 'em Army!!

[walzav29]

Are we in agreement that no one who missed practice all week and was listed as doubtful on Friday actually played on Sunday?

[walzav29]

There is a small theory that when a QB has a Mega-Star Receiver they tend to force it to them instead of going to the other options. I have zero confidence right now because after 24 years. I just can't imagine winning a playoff game. I know that our secondary is good and their running game is bad. But whatever. I'm sick.

[HoosierCat]

I hate hearing how the Bengals are going to have a hard time with a plan to run the ball.

I don't think it's a question of having a hard time running the ball. They will run the ball and likely do it well. The question is whether it will be enough. It wasn't in 2009. Benson ran for 169 yards against the Jets and the Bengals still lost by 10 points.

Someone (preferable someones) -- Tate, Sanu, Hamilton, Little -- has to Step. The. F**k. Up.

Oh, and defense? Guess what, boys, conditions just went to defcon 1. The O isn't going to put big points on the board without a boatload of help. The D leads the league in dropped interceptions. That MUST stop Sunday. And I don't care how you do it, Andrew Luck needs to be NAILED to the Lucas Oil Stadium turf early and often.

[TJJackson]

My personal hope is this is Gresham's last game in stripes.

err, what about the game the week after this Sunday?

[cincyhokie]

Damn! Damn! Damn!

[TJJackson]

I have a pretty good feeling about this game

I am not a big fan of AJ Green, honestly, and I am actually looking forward to another game without him

I'd like to see Sanu have another double digit catch game like he did many weeks ago

I'd like to see at least one big play downfield by Cobi

I'd mostly like to see (like most of you) a ton of runs and a strong defensive effort, including (with two three starting Colts linemen out) some significant pressure on the QB, even if it has to come from blitzes

[ShulaSteakhouse]

I'd be shocked if the Bengals' win, but stranger things have happened. Pitt stacked the line and forced Dalton to throw downfield - which turned into dink-and-dunk stuff and not enough 1st down conversions. And of course Indy shut them out last time.

QB's stand out in the post season, and they have Luck, so it's just hard to get too excited or feel good about this one.

It will probably take a monumental defensive effort like the one vs Denver, and Hill will have to be all-world again. And of course the key to this team winning games is to avoid turnovers and keep the chains moving, more so than other teams.

[HoosierCat]

Doom Watch: Gregg Doyle jumps on the Jeremy Hill bandwagon.

/>http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/columnists/gregg-doyel/2015/01/02/doyel-forget-27-0-and-remember-the-name-jeremy-hill/21167413/