interesting tidbits from pro football weekly

[AGrizzlyBaer]

*A Bengals observer wonders if OLB Brian Simmons, a longtime standout, may be losing a step.

*Some close to the Bengals are categorizing DT Matthias Askew as a bust, as the big interior lineman has yet to be active for a Cincinnati defense that can’t stop the run.

*We hear the Cardinals were pleasantly surprised by the play of DT Langston Moore in his first real action of the season vs. the Titans, particularly against the run.

[buck3y3d]

*A Bengals observer wonders if OLB Brian Simmons, a longtime standout, may be losing a step.

I said i saw this in training camp and got blasted for it. The fact is most people inside the franchise know Simmons is over the hill and we'll like see a new corps of LBs with Johnson, Pollack, and Thurman. That being said, we need a big DT in the middle if this is going to be our linebacking corps.

[turningpoint]

I don;t think simmons has lost anything he looks just like he did 6 years ago.

The problem is when he's the best you got in your front 7 thats not saying much about your defense.

he should be our 2nd best Lb and we should ahve a stud on the D line,but we have niether.

Don't tell me Odell is our best LB.

[AMC]

Simmons just appears slower next to Thurman, Johnson and Pollack...

It's all a matter of Einsteinian relativity theory...HA....

[membengal]

You are not alone buck, there are a bunch of us who think the same thing about simmons...that he has lost a step, and his time here is coming to a close.

He is due almost seven million dollars over the next two years on his contract. If people think the Bengals are going to pay him $3.4 million for 2006, they are out of their minds.

[Spain]

s**t I was wndering if he ever had it! the was never all that, reminds of James francis, good player but nothin special!

[The Big Orange]

Simmons looked embaressing against the Bus a few weeks back...it was like he was running away from him...bring on any willing tackler please...his numbers are beyond mediocre this year.

[BengalszoneBilly]

bring on any willing tackler please.

How 'bout this guy. We know he can lay a hit on people!

[The Big Orange]

Done...he's our new DT...Thornton, you're backup Sunday

[alleycat]

AFter watching the bengals/packers short-cuts a few times I can say two things:

First, Simmons. Watch the runs off-tackle. He engages his blocker a few yards off the LOS, then GETS PUSHED BACK several yards before turning around and joing the tackle from behind. Almost every outside run. Get's no penetration, does nothing to jam the block to reroute the runner. I truly believe that those who continue to support Simmons as some kind of great player are not watching him as the play develops, but are seeing him in the tackle and thinking he still shows up. A good linebacker is one who blows up his blocker, sheds, and makes the play - not what Simmons does.

Second Steinbach. Athletic, but highly susceptible to the bullrush. Again, I watched the game once focusing only on Steinbach, and the majority of times Carson got pressured, it came from his man (the Al Harris sack was just an overload and can't be blamed on the blockers. But Steinbach was also frequently missing his man when pulling and very often failed to sustain his blocks. Again, he's very hyped, but the more I watch him this year the more I wonder why.

[membengal]

Great post alley. Agree with you 100% on Simmons and will have to go back and look at Steinbach for that again. I like Steinbach on his run blocks, particulaly when he is pulling, for what it is worth.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Yeah I agree on Simmons - kind of symptom of the whole LB corps this year - standing around letting lineman get on them and then not shedding blocks quickly or filling the lanes, over-pursuing or getting caught up in traffic way too much. They don't attack the LOS or react quickly enough, almost as if they're being coached that way.

That said I was impressed with Landon Johnson last week early on, really got after it and seemed to play more like he did last season, same with Thorton. I think Landon is a better LB at this point than Simmons.

As for Steinbach - he's too athletic to be a bad lineman IMO - guy really can get out on LB's and get downfield quickly - haven't watched him much though as I always see him hustling and getting after people so I don't have much of a problem with him.

What I do have a problem with at this point is Paul Alexander's underperforming crew every year - he can't develop anybody - they never seem to improve. I wish they'd get a real 0-line coach, really, the guy sucks. And unlike some others I was woefully unimpressed with his Central Michigan draft picks this year after seeing them on the field.

Rickey Hunley needs to go also - his group has been terrible from day one really - and the way they are coached, they just don't seem to be doing their jobs at all - how your team can finish so low in the league rankings against the run every year and keep your job is beyond me.

A lot of this is coaching, development and scheme - there's too much talent on this team for them to be this bad half the time.

I really hope some of these assistants are looked at or let go after this year - Paul Alexander ecspecially, but we know that probably won't happen if they have a winning season...which is too bad.