Bob Bratkowski, Unsung Hero

[HoosierCat]

Uh-oh. Conan's not gonna like this...

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/7897443

The money quote:

Bob Bratkowski, offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals offense is finally getting some support from the defense and the team is 3-1 in its last four games. To not have to play from behind all the time gives Bratkowski a chance to have his whole game plan at his fingertips. Last week on the road in Washington against the No. 1 defense in the NFL, the Bengals offense jumped out to a 17-0 lead, converted 8 of 17 third downs and won the game. Rudi Johnson is closing in on a 1,000-yard rushing season and Cincinnati is in the middle of a midseason run similar to the one it had last year. Eighty-six points in the last four games is a good sign Bratkowski's offense is starting to click.

[Kirkendall]

If Bratkowski shows he's willing to continue to rush the ball with 8 minutes left in the 4th Quarter and only down by 3; I'll support him -- eventually. And I'm not talking about yesterday or 4 weeks ago; this was a heavy criticism of mine way back when...

[schweinhart]

Eighty-six points in the last four games is a good sign Bratkowski's offense is starting to click.

[HoosierCat]

7 of that 86 was directly the result of a Madieu TD pick and a whole lot of pts. were set up by picks and strips. Clearly, it is misleading to say that the pt. total is indicative that Brat's gameplan is starting to click.

It's more a matter of the turned up D and Carson getting it together better too.

Oh, totally. If anything, Brat's inopportune play calling (such as that series at the end of the half in DC you mentioned where he's throwing in FG range) continues to threaten to sink us. I thought Kirwan was way off the mark.

[richmond_mat]

Rather than start a seperate thread I'll revive this one.

The play calling in the second half was less than good. It was predictable and unimaginative. It relied too much on a rookie beating a great defensive football team. Where were the tight end and the full back in the passing game? :player:

I like chucking it down the field for 20, but I'm happy making first downs and eating some clock. You cannot expect the O-line to hold up for plong passroute every other down. How about a swing pass in the flat to a running back???

It was frustrating watching the offense in the second half.

Brat must go! Brat must go! Brat must go! :player:

[BengalszoneBilly]

The play calling in the second half was less than good.

That's like saying the actor Danny DeVito is less than tall!

I'm not sure what happened to the running game, but it vanished in the second half, and without it, the opposing defense will just sit on the pass!

[STRAYCAT]

7 of that 86 was directly the result of a Madieu TD pick and a whole lot of pts. were set up by picks and strips. Clearly, it is misleading to say that the pt. total is indicative that Brat's gameplan is starting to click.

It's more a matter of the turned up D and Carson getting it together better too.

Oh, totally. If anything, Brat's inopportune play calling (such as that series at the end of the half in DC you mentioned where he's throwing in FG range) continues to threaten to sink us. I thought Kirwan was way off the mark.

You think maybe Marvins frustration was towards Brat. He did inherit him

[jditty47]

i now agree. I dont think palmer does well in brat's offense. an offense needs to be built around him, but brats aint working. also penalties killed us.

[BengalBax]

Everything about this offense is offensive right now

[HoosierCat]

I'm not sure what happened to the running game, but it vanished in the second half, and without it, the opposing defense will just sit on the pass!

Yup. The running calls were actually there, but it seemed every time Rudi gained some good yardage there was a holding call and it came back. And when it's 2nd and 20 and you're inside your own 10 it's tough to run. And there was at least one incomplete aimed at Rudi. I'm sure the Bengals would have liked to play more of the short passing game they succeeded with in DC and against Dallas, but their own sloppy play kept putting them in second- and third-and-long situations that dictated a downfield pass.

[Kirkendall]

Another thing missing, was the deep down field throw on first downs. Brat-I-never-call-anything-that-actually-makes-sense-owski made things too predictable as others have said. Run, pass, pass, punt. Almost like Pittsburgh knew what we were doing. Sure penalties killed us, but there was little Bob did to make the Steelers confused or anything remotely close to competitive.

But while Bob predictable calls, the players still have to perform.

[HoosierCat]

But while Bob predictable calls, the players still have to perform.

There ya go. A few weeks back in Cleveland, it wasn't the playcalling, it was the inability of the wideouts to catch the ball. This week, it wasn't the playcalling, it was the inability of the offense to run the ball without getting called for a penalty.

Of course, this is a no-win argument. If It's 2nd and 20 and Brat throws the ball, then the "look at Brat abandon the run" crowd screams. If it's 2nd and 20 and he calls a run, then the "no killer instinct/playing to lose" gang piles on.

[Kirkendall]

This week, it wasn't the playcalling, it was the inability of the offense to run the ball without getting called for a penalty.

I'd be willing to say anyone associated with the offense is to blame. I think it can go around to everyone and it should.

But I have to give some credit to Pittsburgh's D, Carson couldn't find an open guy on his first two options and was forced to either panic or throw a ball into covered players...

[Bobcat Bengal]

Carson couldn't find an open guy on his first two options and was forced to either panic or throw a ball into covered players...

judging by that performance, I'd say both..

[schweinhart]

This was one game where Brat's calls didn't seem as disturbing. Other than one series that proly should've been run, run, run, the pass-run split seemed alright especially in 2nd half given the 1st and 2nd and long plays due to penalties.

The playcalling has seemed way more conservative over the last few games. The vertical game w/ Chad is in tact but there's little called to throw other team's D off. Brat called the dive/WR reverse w/ or w/o handoff to RB over and over again in pre-season and for first several games then it tapered off to maybe 1 reverse per game for last 5 or 6 games. They ran a wrinkle of it w/ Rudi on a pitch instead vs. Steelers but they've pretty much abandoned the play.

Brat's gotta do something to mix things up more but last week's loss wasn't his to bear. It was more on Palmer's shoulders than anyone else's IMO.

[JPW]

This was one game where Brat's calls didn't seem as disturbing. Other than one series that proly should've been run, run, run, the pass-run split seemed alright especially in 2nd half given the 1st and 2nd and long plays due to penalties.

Bob Bratkowski "called" all of six running plays in the entire 2nd half.

And three of the plays were called back due to penalties....

Third Quarter:

1) 1-10-CIN19 (12:42) R.Johnson left tackle to CIN 21 for 2 yards (D.Townsend).

2) 1-10-CIN16 (7:30) R.Johnson right guard to CIN 17 for 1 yard (L.Foote; C.Hoke).

3) 1-10-CIN28 (2:37) R.Johnson right tackle to CIN 35 for 7 yards (T.Polamalu).

PENALTY on CIN-C.Johnson, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at CIN 30.

[This play was "Counted" as a 2 yard gain for R.Johnson even though we Lost 8 yards Due to the Penalty and the Down was played Over as a 1-18-Cin20.]

4) 1-10-50 (:46) R.Johnson right end to PIT 46 for 4 yards (C.Haggans).

PENALTY on CIN, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at 50 - No Play. No violator identified on penalty.

[No Play Due to the Penalty 1-20-Cin40.]

Fourth Quarter:

5) 2-22-CIN24 (10:17) R.Johnson right end to CIN 32 for 8 yards (T.Polamalu).

PENALTY on CIN-C.Johnson, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at CIN 29. R.Johnson (CIN#32) credited with 5 yards due to penalty.

[Once again this play "counted" as a 5 yard Run for Rudi even though we Lost 5 yards Due to the Penalty and the Down was played Over as a 2-27-Cin19]

6) 1-10-CIN11 (6:47) R.Johnson left end to CIN 16 for 5 yards (C.Hope).

I don't know WTF is up with the NFL "counting" it as a running play when a Penalty is called past the LOS and giving the RB "credit" for the difference between the spot of the penalty and the LOS, as Rushing Yards Gained.

I mean, The BALL went BACKWARDS and the Down was Player Over.

But whatever....

What I am getting at here is that the Bengals only used "Three Downs" as Running Plays in the Entire 2nd Half.

Yea the "1st and 2nd and LONG plays" did do a lot to take us out of our running game.

But there were still times that we could have gone to the Run.

It got to the point that the Steelers were Coming with the Blitz on virtually every play.

I really feel that we should have let Rudi Bang the Ball at them a little more than three times in the 2nd Half.

I for one, was not Thrilled with Brat's Play calling.....

[bengalboomer7]

I wonder more about him being here next year thatn Rudo. Personally I think he's a putz and I get really mad when I caan call out the plays before they happen He's just too vanilla right now

[schweinhart]

Brat definietly could have run more. No doubt.

If you take away the plays w/ penalties and exclude the last series w/ 2 plays ending in the safety, the O breakdown was 3-8yds Rudi on ground, 5-11-45yds pass, and 2 sacks. So out of 16 plays w/o penalties, Brat only called run 3 times.

Yes, he could have called run more and hopefully will next time around now that it's been demonstrated once again that the 2nd half pass game falters, especially when hit by penalties that bad.

CP was under the gun, but, good God, make some plays $47 million man

[JPW]

Brat definietly could have run more. No doubt.

If you take away the plays w/ penalties and exclude the last series w/ 2 plays ending in the safety, the O breakdown was 3-8yds Rudi on ground, 5-11-45yds pass, and 2 sacks. So out of 16 plays w/o penalties, Brat only called run 3 times.

Yes, he could have called run more and hopefully will next time around now that it's been demonstrated once again that the 2nd half pass game falters, especially when hit by penalties that bad.

CP was under the gun, but, good God, make some plays $47 million man

Not to nit-pick but I have Palmer as 5-12 for 45 yards without the last two plays.

But why not count the last two plays ?

First and ten at your own nine yard line, the Steeler "D" showing no concern for the run what-so-ever and over 3 minutes left.

IMO that was one place that we could have stayed on the ground, tried to bang out a little more room to work with and at the same time at least Remind them that we do Have a RB.

Anyway not that it makes much difference, but that would make it 3 run plays out of 19.

[schweinhart]

I didn't count Carson's intentional grounding as a pass attempt because it was a penalty. The 1st intentional grounding that is, not the 2nd that was a safety because he fled backwards into the end zone to throw the ball like a Klinger squirrel turned loose out of the cage.

But Carson's 2 sacks are in there, not that there was much he could do about Levi getting beat by Porter.

It's true there was plenty of time to run in the last "drive". The last thing I'm trying to do is defend Brat. I'm all for letting Rudi run as much as he can. W/o question 3 out of 19 plays is not enough runs, but for Chrissakes let's see more than 19 plays in the half

And let's see the QB make some damn plays