How to Stop the Bengals?

[TheBaronPatriot]

I would provide over the top help for Chad and TJ
Force the #3 option to beat you over the middle and force/invite them to run the ball. I'd also throw in double teams in situations which the Bengals have shown to favor either receiver... IE 2nd and long, TJ gets the ball 47% of the time, as opposed to Chad who gets it 33% of the time in those situations.

Of course, disguise coverages, while showing blitz is a standard patriots practice which I think will be over-emphasized tonight given the lack of stability of the Bengal's o-line (they rotate 8 o-linemen). A cohesive unit has enough issues trying to block the Pats but this one should have more trouble given a lack of consistent play together and unfamiliarity.

Keeping the offense on the field should also be the #1 focus.
Last year Maroney had his best day on the ground against them which would align with the keep away strategy (127 yards).

This will also help minimize turnovers via INT which their defense is good at getting.

So a pretty standard formula of run, run, run, run, play action to moss.
I also think they will be susceptible to screens/ draws given the nature of a young/fast/undisciplined defense.

What do you guys think?

 

[SVN]

iam never a big fan ball control offense theory. IMO that should be the game plan of every game unless you are playing joey harrington or someone, where the defense has a better opportunity to score.
Bottomline..play red zone defense, get off on 3rd down- we have been found wanting on it a lot.
Be aggressive as usual and go for scoring points instead of playing keep away.

 

[Phokus]

Considering they have no linebackers, i say just ram it down their throats.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Last season the D-line played their best game of the season with regards to putting pressure on the QB. With little blitz help I may add.

That is the key to this game. Not even Champ Bailey can cover CJ if the Bengals line gives Palmer enough time.

That and clock killing drives by the offense.

 

[Flying Fungi]

punch them in the mouth

get after Palmer and knock him down as much as possible--make him hear footsteps and mess with his timing

score fast and score a lot--make them a one-dimentional team trying to play catch up and then tee off

this game shouldn't even be close

 

[Ring 6]

I think we just do what we do. This is a mismatch heavily in our favor. They will not be able to stop our offense.

Focussing on the Bengals, they are like many teams in that they are very good when down and distance favors them. They do add the component of being able to make plays in unfavorable situations because of the QB/WR talent.
As always, we need to shut down the run, and out them in long yardage situations. Tackle well. The Bengals big plays typically come on 2nd and 3rd and short, where you need to expect the shorter throw, and cover it, then they double move to get deep. Take away the deep ball, and you control their offense. Tackle well.
How do you take away the deep ball? Stop the run, stay in long yardage down and distance. Tackle well. Play cover rather than blitzing. Tackle well. Pick your spots to bring the blitz, and make it a heavy blitz that forces them to throw short against it. Tackle well. If its 3rd and 10, and you bring heavy pressure, and play soft on the WR, Palmer will hit the quick hot route, and then you just need to tackle. Tackle well.


OK, let me give the shorter version. If we do a good job tackling, they will not score a lot of points. That is the key to defense in this game, tackling. Missed tackles in the run game, sets them up in good down and distance. Missed tackles in the passing game creates yards after the catch. We will play them in front of us for the most part on pass D. It is probably inconsequential if they hit 1 or 2 deep balls, but a big problem if we are missing a lot of tackles.

 

[Ring 6]

Offensively, I expect us to throw to set up the run. This is a run D that is susceptible to big plays. I think we throw (I do not believe they can cover us, or mount a pass rush on our OL) a lot early. I expect we will use the enitre field, short, deep, intermediate, middle of the field, sidelines, screens (IIRC the Bengal D is ripe for the quick screen to the WR). Spread them out, then give the ball to Maroney who will have plenty of openings.
I would expect a well-conceived, controlled passing game (I'm guessing something like 28-35-310) with the running game getting fewer carries than normal, but getting huge gains, and a big ypc.
Of course, that is basically the first half. The score will dictate whether we continue that in the 2nd, or take the air out of the ball. If the Bengals are scoring points, Bradys #s will be bigger, if we run out to a big lead, they will be less.

 

[theONLYJerseypatsfan]

punch them in the mouth

get after Palmer and knock him down as much as possible--make him hear footsteps and mess with his timing

score fast and score a lot--make them a one-dimentional team trying to play catch up and then tee off

this game shouldn't even be close

Totally agree with this one, the bengals corners and safeties are gonna wish the stayed in bed tonight when its the 4th quarter and sammy morris is barreling down on them

 

[Holy Diver]

Roll out the gameplan we used in the first superbowl win against the Rams.


1. Hit their receivers
2. Hit the QB
3. Tackle the $h!t out of 'em.

 

[Joker]

Just show the Bengals any clips of Worst Quarterbackeverton and the Rats...they'll be laughing so hard they'll crack a bunch of ribs and go I.R. for the night

 

[Ring 6]

punch them in the mouth

get after Palmer and knock him down as much as possible--make him hear footsteps and mess with his timing

score fast and score a lot--make them a one-dimentional team trying to play catch up and then tee off

this game shouldn't even be close

I agree with the conclusion, and for that reason disagree with the plan.
This is a mismatch. Football is about giving something up to get something else.
What you give up in order to heavily pressure a QB, is that if the rush doesnt get there, you sacrifice a lot of big plays. You can't gameplan 'knock the QB down' without saying we are going to blitz the life out of them. By doing that if they pick it up, those receivers will be making big plays all game.

I think there is definitely a place for the blitz tonight but a heavy blitzing gameplan gives them the opportunity to overcome the disparity in the talent on the teams by getting big plays.
I will much more heavily gamble that they cannot move down the field in 5 yard chunks than that they can't pick up the blitz and burn us deep.

When you have more talent, your gameplan should force the other team to beat you in many areas. A heavy blitzing game plan narrows down what the Bengals have to do to succeed to picking up the blitz.
Its much easier to have a good night of protecting your QB from the blitz than it is to go toe to toe and beat a better team across the board.

 

[FlyingElvis75]

Offensively, I expect us to throw to set up the run. This is a run D that is susceptible to big plays. I think we throw (I do not believe they can cover us, or mount a pass rush on our OL) a lot early. I expect we will use the enitre field, short, deep, intermediate, middle of the field, sidelines, screens (IIRC the Bengal D is ripe for the quick screen to the WR). Spread them out, then give the ball to Maroney who will have plenty of openings.
I would expect a well-conceived, controlled passing game (I'm guessing something like 28-35-310) with the running game getting fewer carries than normal, but getting huge gains, and a big ypc.
Of course, that is basically the first half. The score will dictate whether we continue that in the 2nd, or take the air out of the ball. If the Bengals are scoring points, Bradys #s will be bigger, if we run out to a big lead, they will be less.

Hmm, I'm actually expecting them to come out with two TEs and run more than pass on the first & second series or so. I was kind of expecting the Bengals to overplay Moss and Welker early, and the Pats to punish them with the run to keep them honest. Then open up the passing game later in the game...I guess we'll see.

 

[FlyingElvis75]

I think there is definitely a place for the blitz tonight but a heavy blitzing gameplan gives them the opportunity to overcome the disparity in the talent on the teams by getting big plays.
I will much more heavily gamble that they cannot move down the field in 5 yard chunks than that they can't pick up the blitz and burn us deep.

When you have more talent, your gameplan should force the other team to beat you in many areas. A heavy blitzing game plan narrows down what the Bengals have to do to succeed to picking up the blitz.
Its much easier to have a good night of protecting your QB from the blitz than it is to go toe to toe and beat a better team across the board.

Agreed. A heavy blitz is what you do when you think your defense is not going to get the job done in normal coverage. You risk big plays for the chance at a few sacks and hurried incompletions. I think the Pats would rather take away the deep ball and force Palmer to throw short, into linebacker territory, where the Pats' strength is.

I think Palmer was right in saying that Belichick's normal M.O. is to take away an offense's strengths and force them to beat you with their weaknesses. Well, the Bengals' strength is the long ball, so make 'em throw short and run...

 

[BelichickFan]

To hit this with the very simplistic "blitz against bad QB, cover against good ones". Heavy, heavy bliting is asking for trouble with good WR, a top QB and a good offensive line. We'll "blitz" by sending a LB or two but I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see lots of Nickel with Samuel, Hobbs and Gay along with two Safeties out there A LOT.

 

[Flying Fungi]

I guess I didn't phrase my views properly. I am not advocating a blitz-happy scheme, but rather am thinking that the NEP strength of DL is sufficiently better than the Bengals OL and will cause disruptions in timing, knockdowns and batted passes simply by playing their game and winning the battle in the trenches. The blitzing won't come until later, when the Carson Palmer face makes its appearance.