Early look at Bengals

[PatriotSeven]

Remember that part of the reason Gonzales was so effective is that Matt Ryan threaded the needle. Dalton, not so much. In contrast, the Bengals have a run game. Can we stop it?
Biggest worry is Bengals DL stopping the run and getting to Brady.

They're good. That's as far as I'm willing to go. Same for their running game.

We're good too, but making bigger strides towards better each week than they are.

Tough game, but we have the better QB and taking the bigger strides -so far, knock on wood. And we're playing at home.

They're good enough, that when they're at their best, can beat a team like Green Bay. They're inconsistent enough to lose to the Cleveland Browns. It depends which Bengals team shows up, but that's something we are lucky enough not to worry about.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Leave Talib on an island with no safety help on Green and blitz 5 on every down.



Seriously though, Dalton would probably toss 4 picks if we did that.

 

[JMC00]

And we're playing at home.

Game's in Cincinnati

 

[PatriotSeven]

Game's in Cincinnati

My bad, I thought this would be at home. Well, I don't think that will change things much.

I'm just so excited to watch this team play again, I can't freaking wait. This week will feel like an eternity.

It's been awhile since I had no idea what to expect. Really looking forward to seeing Tom and our rooks grow each and every week and you truly can see it from week to week. Thankfully we haven't seen any setbacks yet, just improvements. Hopefully they don't take any major steps back, and if they do, let it be on a day when Gronk comes back.

I badly want to see this O with Gronk in there. And then eventually with Amendola.

 

[VrabelJr]

Eifert and Gresham are both on pace for 700 yard seasons. And that's on a team with a #1 who will get 1300+ yards and also a team that runs the ball a lot.

In regards to the comment that suggests we should be able to stop a 2 TE offense because we had such a good one, please explain why we've been getting ripped by TEs for the last 3 years :/

 

[JackBauer]

Dalton isn't below average. He is average and slowly progressing. Kind of reminds me of Matt Schaub.

Talk about damning with faint praise.

 

[PatriotSeven]

Talk about damning with faint praise.

True. I think Dalton has a bit more fire in him than someone like Matt Schaub.

He's on the Bengals though with Marvin Lewis so knowing that, Dalton's doing exactly what the Bengals are and will continue to be. Mediocre.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Expect the TE's to run wild again while Green is the point of our attention. The key is up front though can we stay stout against he run minus Vince. If so we can win this on D. If not we'll need a repeat performance of Sunday night from the offense.

I hope Bolden is okay because I still don't feel comfortable with Blount as the #2 and I loved the first TD drive dominated by Ridley/Bolden. That's how I envisioned this run game to excel this year. I give Blount all the credit in the world for ripping off the 2 big runs last couple weeks and his effort on 3rd and 1 late last Sunday which was not rewarded but the rest has not been good. Still not completely sold on him but hopefully his ability to close keeps up as the season goes on.

 

[borg]

Looking ahead at the next two weeks, NE will be facing what I consider their kryptonite. The midget scat back. First G. Bernard and then Sproles. These two guys can exploit what I consider NE's major weakness on D....LB speed. Atlanta opened the game feeding the RB out of the backfield and NE was at a loss stopping it. Why Atl stopped ...I don't know. If NE adjusted....I guess I missed it. Was job #1 for the DE to disrupt the scat back release? If so, then this may explain the unimpressive QB pressure by the ends. Trade offs that must be made in the NFL I guess.
What Sproles did to Miami is what I fear both these scat backs can do to NE.

 

[PatsDeb]

It seems like we always play well against the Bengals. BB routinely out-coaches Marvin Lewis, so we have that on our side. Shutting down Green is the first thing we have to do, and hopefully we have enough to plug up the middle in the absence of Wilfork. We did fine last week, even though he went down early, but that could be because Atlanta abandoned the run. I'm guessing we just have to live with short gains by the TEs over the middle in our normal "bend don't break" philosophy.

Our O line has been doing a good job protecting Brady, so hopefully that will continue and the rooks will get open. I also look for surprise targets like our fullback (sorry name escapes me at the moment) and Mulligan to continue getting looks to shake things up. Sadly, I bet neither Gronk nor Amendola return this week. A head scratcher as to why Gronk wasn't put on PUP, but I guess it hasn't hurt us so far.

 

[SVN]

According to BB presser today Bengals are "A two tight end, one back team, primarily." So Iam guessing the most focus is going to be on the TE's which is the weak spot of our defense.

 

[PatsDeb]

According to BB presser today Bengals are "A two tight end, one back team, primarily." So Iam guessing the most focus is going to be on the TE's which is the weak spot of our defense.

LOL, have you not followed BB forever? Have you seen AJ Green in action? He is their whole offense. Subterfuge, my friend, subterfuge.

 

[Oswlek]

A head scratcher as to why Gronk wasn't put on PUP, but I guess it hasn't hurt us so far.

NE probably expected him back by now, but even under the assumption he comes back after NO, he'll be much further ahead by having practiced for a month. Keeping him off PUP was the right move to make.

 

[JMC00]

People wondering why Gronk wasn't put on PUP

If put on the PUP list, a player is not permitted to practice or play during the first six weeks of the season

That is why.

 

[PatsDeb]

NE probably expected him back by now, but even under the assumption he comes back after NO, he'll be much further ahead by having practiced for a month. Keeping him off PUP was the right move to make.

I guess, but if he isn't back by Week 8 (and that's where I think it's going), then we have wasted a roster spot for nothing. Plus, while it probably helps Gronk to be able to practice with the team (how much, I don't know), how does it help the team that has to go out and win this week? Any plays they are running which focus on him can't be used.

 

[PatsDeb]

People wondering why Gronk wasn't put on PUP



That is why.

I know what the rules are, but see my answer above.

 

[Oswlek]

I guess, but if he isn't back by Week 8 (and that's where I think it's going), then we have wasted a roster spot for nothing. Plus, while it probably helps Gronk to be able to practice with the team (how much, I don't know), how does it help the team that has to go out and win this week? Any plays they are running which focus on him can't be used.

It isn't for nothing if Gronk can pretty much hit the ground running in week 8. You are underestimating the benefits of those extra weeks of practice.

 

[Deus Irae]

Looking ahead at the next two weeks, NE will be facing what I consider their kryptonite. The midget scat back. First G. Bernard and then Sproles. These two guys can exploit what I consider NE's major weakness on D....LB speed. Atlanta opened the game feeding the RB out of the backfield and NE was at a loss stopping it. Why Atl stopped ...I don't know. If NE adjusted....I guess I missed it. Was job #1 for the DE to disrupt the scat back release? If so, then this may explain the unimpressive QB pressure by the ends. Trade offs that must be made in the NFL I guess.
What Sproles did to Miami is what I fear both these scat backs can do to NE.

Last year's losses were to the Cardinals, Ravens, 49ers and Seahawks. The year before, they lost to the Giants twice, the Steelers and the Bills. In 2010, they lost to the Jets twice, and to the Browns.

Where are the midget scat backs beating them?

 

[BradyFTW!]

I thought you said this was an early look at the Bengals? Reads more like "why we're going to win."

I know we all love to poke fun at the Bengals and call them the Bungles but this is a team that's been to the playoffs two years in a row.

On offense they have AJ Green, another top flight WR. His play style is a bit different than Julio Jones though so it will be interesting to see how we combat him. AJ Green has a gigantic catch radius and is very acrobatic.

Greshman and Eifert is a nice TE duo. They both help out in the run game, too.

Giovani Bernard isn't a very well known name yet but he looks well on his way to becoming one. He has the looks of a dynamic, three down RB. Every week he's taken more and more carries away from BJGE.

Sanu, my WR binkie from a year ago and for some reason the only Rutgers player we didn't draft, looks to be shaking off mental issues and playing pretty solid. Another big body.

Dalton isn't below average. He is average and slowly progressing. Kind of reminds me of Matt Schaub.

Yes, the Bengals lost to the Browns last week but that is a division game. Imagine if people wrote us off just because we lost to a team in our division?

Their front seven is stout against the run and they have some DTs that can make moves inside. Geno Atkins is dominant. They have big, big DEs. Getting the run game going early is going to be both important and hard to do. Burfict is a more athletic version of Spikes. He's very downhill and nasty. Leon Hall is a great corner. Safety is about their only big weakness on defense. Would be a nice week to have Gronk back. Jordan Cameron had a big game against them last week.

I'm looking forward to another good game.

Agreed - Bernard is going to be a huge problem for the post-Wilfork defense, I think. Think young Ray Rice.

I'm not sold on Eifert yet--I think he'll get there, but for now he flashes some great plays and disappears for long stretches. Gresham is underrated, though, and I expect that they'll both give us problems. Also not sold on Sanu yet, although he's a credible receiver. He may be able to do some damage against the single coverage that he's sure to get, we'll see.

Most of all, though, I'm just really worried about the interior pass rush destroying Wendell and getting to Brady. I expect Thompkins to be a non-factor thanks to Leon Hall, so hopefully we'll have one or both of Gronk/Amendola back.

 

[PatsDeb]

It isn't for nothing if Gronk can pretty much hit the ground running in week 8. You are underestimating the benefits of those extra weeks of practice.

Maybe, but if the rumors are true (don't know if they are) then a rift has been developing between player and team about his return date, and familiarity may breed contempt. We'll have to see. You don't think he's playing this week, do you?