Bengals @ Ravens Pregame Chatter

[BengalszoneBilly]

What a difference a year makes huh?

[kingwilly]

This is really a low point we have not see in quite a while. 

I'd say the window is slammed shut, all positions and coaches need a true objective evaluation. No one should be safe, except maybe Green. 

[HoosierCat]

Shrug. Anyone who didn't see today coming hasn't been paying attention. With Green and Gio hurt and Jones and Sanu gone, the O is toothless. I was listening on my cross-state drive this afternoon and if I had a dollar for every time I heard Dan say Dalton was back to pass...looking...looking....looking...and he throws it away, I would have had enough money to cover my gas costs. Hill is still just a guy, and then he got hurt and they were down to Burkheart (lol). I almost drove the car off the highway laughing when Nuge doinked the xp again. Huber is going downhill with every game too. O just has no talent worth taLking about, aside from possibly Eifert and maybe Dalton, and they can't do it alone. Oh, nice snap, Bodine. And Whit needs more vet rest, lots more, like 5 games and call it a career's worth.

I'd like to say the defense performed decently, except that Baltimore's O might actually be worse than ours. If they didn't have a Kryptonian kicker they would have scored 10 points. Oh well at least we got a look at Fedeljxplxyk or whatever his name is, he didn't look like total trash so there's that.

I see no reason to keep Zampese on as OC for one more minute. So that means he'll probably be extended.

[cincyhokie]

2 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

I see no reason to keep Zampese on as OC for one more minute. So that means he'll probably be extended.

I can't imagine they won't let Zampese coach out his 3 year contract.  So it'll be him for 2017 and 2018.

 

[COB]

58 minutes ago, cincyhokie said:

I can't imagine they won't let Zampese coach out his 3 year contract.  So it'll be him for 2017 and 2018.

 

This is a horrifying thought.  And if they're that loyal to him (or loyal to the concept of honoring contracts more likely), there's no way they'll get rid of Alexander.  Can you imagine having this OC two more years?  

Depression sets in.

[HoosierCat]

You want a really horrifying thought? Try "head coach Ken Zampese" on for size.

Theres a reason Mikey didn't go for the Marvin/Hue succession plan and I 100% guarantee you it was that he would never hire a guy like Hue as HC. An iron rice bowl toady like Ken, tho...

[COB]

10 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

You want a really horrifying thought? Try "head coach Ken Zampese" on for size.

Theres a reason Mikey didn't go for the Marvin/Hue succession plan and I 100% guarantee you it was that he would never hire a guy like Hue as HC. An iron rice bowl toady like Ken, tho...

So Ken Zampese.  One week ago he had our offense setting up in exotic split 3 piece formations.  Then trying to run back to conventional and jumping offsides.  By the time the linemen go through all the mental gymnastics, they can barely remember who to block, or, seemingly, how to block.  Then yesterday it was forget the exotics, let's try lining up in a conventional formation, then having the guards stand there turned around talking to Andy until the ball is a tenth of a second from being snapped.  Also fail.  

[AMPHAR]

Some things that have probably been mentioned already:

1. Marvin Lewis is just inept at running a game from the offensive side.   When he has Hue or Gruden it works pretty well when he doesn't get in the way.    That 3rd down conversion that wasn't, OMG, what an idiot.  First, he or someone on his staff should have a play that can be spit fired to get to the line a run before a review.   Of course, the play clock is run down.   OK,  just take the 5 yards.   Don't take a Timeout letting the Ravens review the mark of the ball.    That cost them a time out.  The yardage and another set of downs.    That is just an example of dumbass coaching.       IMO, you can't blame Zampese because I guarantee Marvin has his hands in the works.   A lot of this is similar in the last years of Brat.

2.  Alexander.   I've been more pro Alexander than I guess most Bengal fans.   Time to go.   1st the blocking isn't good.   2nd they've gone soft.  I sat and watched multiple time a different lineman stand there and shadow his man and have him blocked but stop trying to drive him before the whistle.  

3. Tackling is the worse, I've seen since Bresh.   From a group of guys that could tackle better a year ago.   The effort isn't there.   The technique isn't there.  I don't think conditioning level is there.   Did they quit.  Are they soft.

4. Run Blocking isn't good.  But Jeremy Hill, WTF?  When Gio came in it was a different gear.  Now Burkhead looks a couple steps faster at the hole.    

[AMPHAR]

11 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

You want a really horrifying thought? Try "head coach Ken Zampese" on for size.

Theres a reason Mikey didn't go for the Marvin/Hue succession plan and I 100% guarantee you it was that he would never hire a guy like Hue as HC. An iron rice bowl toady like Ken, tho...

This isn't correct.    The plan was offered and Hue admitted he didn't want to follow in Marvin's footsteps with his team as 1 of a few reasons he didn't accept.    Mikey offered it by all accounts.

 

 

 

[AMPHAR]

16 hours ago, kingwilly said:

This is really a low point we have not see in quite a while. 

I'd say the window is slammed shut, all positions and coaches need a true objective evaluation. No one should be safe, except maybe Green. 

Dalton.    That guy isn't getting the credit he deserves, IMO.        You have to do a hard evaluation on the line and blocking TE, no job should be safe.  Same with the backfield.

WRs, I think that's a young capable group including pass catching TEs with them. 

[COB]

1 minute ago, AMPHAR said:

This isn't correct.    The plan was offered and Hue admitted he didn't want to follow in Marvin's footsteps with his team as 1 of a few reasons he didn't accept.    Mikey offered it by all accounts.

 

 

 

That's what I recall.  That Marvin offered Hue the HC job after the '16 season, if he was willing to stay and run the offense this year.

This might be part of the problem.  I kind of wonder if the players look at Marvin as a lame duck coach.  

[HoosierCat]

11 minutes ago, AMPHAR said:

This isn't correct.    The plan was offered and Hue admitted he didn't want to follow in Marvin's footsteps with his team as 1 of a few reasons he didn't accept.    Mikey offered it by all accounts.

 

 

 

That's the story concocted later. The fundamental problem is Brown wouldn't sign off on the deal. If Hue had been uncomfortable with the plan it never would have gone to Mike in the first place.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/heres-why-hue-jackson-left-the-bengals-to-take-the-browns-job/

[AMPHAR]

1 hour ago, HoosierCat said:

That's the story concocted later. The fundamental problem is Brown wouldn't sign off on the deal. If Hue had been uncomfortable with the plan it never would have gone to Mike in the first place.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/heres-why-hue-jackson-left-the-bengals-to-take-the-browns-job/

Both Hue and Lewis admitted the job was offered.   That link confirms the existence of the deal and confirm Mike Brown was on board but not willing to put it in writing two years out.

Which there is a ton of good reason not to do that.  

But let's just assume Mike Brown is doing all this because he really wants Zampese to be the head coach.  A guy that he has paid for years as QB coach and didn't force a promotion into Offensive Coordinator several times.   It would have been easier and cheaper to not extend Lewis after 2016 and offer the same plan to Zampese if that was the ultimate goal.

Hue isn't going to piss off Browns ownership and their fan base at that time and say IF they would have put it in writing I wouldn't have considered the Browns.  But he could have been first in line for the Bengals job.

  

[HoosierCat]

I'm not saying Mike wants Zampese as HC. I'm saying he wants a pliable, go along to get along type, not an outspoken guy like Hue. Rule no. 1 in Cincy is don't rock the boat. Ask Sam.

[AMPHAR]

1 hour ago, COB said:

That's what I recall.  That Marvin offered Hue the HC job after the '16 season, if he was willing to stay and run the offense this year.

This might be part of the problem.  I kind of wonder if the players look at Marvin as a lame duck coach.  

I would say the players look at Marvin as front office.

The problem is:

2013 - Andy Dalton melted down in a 2nd half against a beatable opponent

2014 - Injuries struck and Dalton had not hit the next level

2015 - Dalton's thumb and Jeremy Hill fumbled.

Then the NFL system caught up with the Bengals as winners get promotions and paid.  The Bengals have 0 post season accomplishment to show for their best regular season teams in franchise history. 

I have absolute zero fear Mike Brown at 81 is going to step off his golf cart march his butt up into the war room.  Draw a big red X on the list of names Tobin, Marvin, and Katie have compiled and say you are getting Paul Alexander or Zampese and you'll like it.     IF that was his plan the following would have never happened

1. Mike Brown wouldn't have given up influence in 2010.

2. Marvin wouldn't have returned after 2010

3. Tobin would have interviewed for GM jobs.