17 little things I noticed from tape

[MontanaHawk05]

I try not to get worked up by Week 1. It's the hardest week to judge, because everyone's rusty and new schemes are still being deployed. This is the week in which the Patriots have become known for losing to the Bills, for heaven's sack. My proof of this: Wagner, McDougald, and Kendricks each had a big play given up in coverage. It wasn't just Tedric.

* Cincy came to play and could be dangerous this year. They installed new offensive masterminds and Dalton executed great. Their OL, however, is not the vaunted improvement their fans were hoping for. Quinton Jefferson most likely evaporates next week against a real one (I hope not).

* Wilson's sacks were partly a reflection of his dislike of zone coverage. Seven-step drop, doesn't see anyone open, and Cincy was cheating the zone coverage far up enough to where Wilson didn't like his hot options or late flat stuff. You do see Wilson usually reach his first progression and decline. So there's a little coverage sack in there, or scheme familiarity, or Wilson conservatism, or all three.

* On the first one, Dissly chipped and flashed open late, and Wilson saw him but chose to eat the sack instead. That's part on him, part on the Bengals, part on Pocic getting mixed up in the scrum and blocking nobody allowing Geno Atkins to cut off Wilson's escape.

* The second is more on the OL. Ifedi might or not be blocking the wrong guy, but he doesn't give enough and Atkins threatens. Britt gets bulled hard into Wilson's escape lane. But it's also good zone by Cincy to limit his comfort.

* On the Carson loss, Britt got straight-up tossed to the ground and Carson missed as a backup plan. Wilson slipped, which didn't help, but that's largely on Britt.

* The very next drive, Schottenheimer starts mixing in slants to neutralize the zone (and you can hear the announcer call the strategy as the first one leave's Wilson's hands), and Dissly and Metcalf each get one. Drive ends in Carson's first TD.

* Mychal Kendricks got frozen by the flea-flicker. Good game otherwise, but it was a wrinkle from Cincy's new offensive gamemind. Due credit.

* On the Metcalf bomb, Metcalf actually alerts Carson to a blitz and Carson picks it up. Both of them were absolutely epic on that play in more ways than one.

* Schotty threw in two successful RB screens(!) that went for 10+ yards(!!). Too bad Carson fumbled one.

* Wilson's third sack was a corner blitz, and Wilson has to get it out to the uncovered perimeter guy (Metcalf in this case) when that happens.

* Fourth sack was on the OL. No chance. Ifedi got beat, Britt looked bored, Pocic pushed back too far. Didn't help that it was 2nd on 19, and therefore a predictable play.

* Al Woods was manful on that fourth-down stuff. Great pickup.

* On Metcalf's crazy catch, Britt got beat like Walter Mondale. He had a terrible game. I wonder if it's because of that early injury.

* Carson's 3rd-and-1 run close to game's ending was encouraging, because you saw Fant, Brown, and Pocic absolutely stonewall their men to give him a hole. That much spirit that late in the game is good to see.

* Rasheem Green got a forced fumble he didn't deserve. Terrible call.

* Shaquill Griffin had an excellent game. He needed it.

* Anyone still want to claim that Tedric Thompson is just disliked because he's not Earl Thomas?

 

[John63]

I try not to get worked up by Week 1. It's the hardest week to judge, because everyone's rusty and new schemes are still being deployed. This is the week in which the Patriots have become known for losing to the Bills, for heaven's sack. My proof of this: Wagner, McDougald, and Kendricks each had a big play given up in coverage. It wasn't just Tedric.

* Cincy came to play and could be dangerous this year. They installed new offensive masterminds and Dalton executed great. Their OL, however, is not the vaunted improvement their fans were hoping for. Quinton Jefferson most likely evaporates next week against a real one (I hope not).

* Wilson's sacks were partly a reflection of his dislike of zone coverage. Seven-step drop, doesn't see anyone open, and Cincy was cheating the zone coverage far up enough to where Wilson didn't like his hot options or late flat stuff. You do see Wilson usually reach his first progression and decline. So there's a little coverage sack in there, or scheme familiarity, or Wilson conservatism, or all three.

* On the first one, Dissly chipped and flashed open late, and Wilson saw him but chose to eat the sack instead. That's part on him, part on the Bengals, part on Pocic getting mixed up in the scrum and blocking nobody allowing Geno Atkins to cut off Wilson's escape.

* The second is more on the OL. Ifedi might or not be blocking the wrong guy, but he doesn't give enough and Atkins threatens. Britt gets bulled hard into Wilson's escape lane. But it's also good zone by Cincy to limit his comfort.

* On the Carson loss, Britt got straight-up tossed to the ground and Carson missed as a backup plan. Wilson slipped, which didn't help, but that's largely on Britt.

* The very next drive, Schottenheimer starts mixing in slants to neutralize the zone (and you can hear the announcer call the strategy as the first one leave's Wilson's hands), and Dissly and Metcalf each get one. Drive ends in Carson's first TD.

* Mychal Kendricks got frozen by the flea-flicker. Good game otherwise, but it was a wrinkle from Cincy's new offensive gamemind. Due credit.

* On the Metcalf bomb, Metcalf actually alerts Carson to a blitz and Carson picks it up. Both of them were absolutely epic on that play in more ways than one.

* Schotty threw in two successful RB screens(!) that went for 10+ yards(!!). Too bad Carson fumbled one.

* Wilson's third sack was a corner blitz, and Wilson has to get it out to the uncovered perimeter guy (Metcalf in this case) when that happens.

* Fourth sack was on the OL. No chance. Ifedi got beat, Britt looked bored, Pocic pushed back too far. Didn't help that it was 2nd on 19, and therefore a predictable play.

* Al Woods was manful on that fourth-down stuff. Great pickup.

* On Metcalf's crazy catch, Britt got beat like Walter Mondale. He had a terrible game. I wonder if it's because of that early injury.

* Carson's 3rd-and-1 run close to game's ending was encouraging, because you saw Fant, Brown, and Pocic absolutely stonewall their men to give him a hole. That much spirit that late in the game is good to see.

* Rasheem Green got a forced fumble he didn't deserve. Terrible call.

* Shaquill Griffin had an excellent game. He needed it.

* Anyone still want to claim that Tedric Thompson is just disliked because he's not Earl Thomas?

Pretty good. Having also rewatched it I agree with most not all but most.

I dont agree with the sacks were a partial result of his dislike of zone coverage. This is backed by him being top 5 in qb rating against zone. Having relloked at all the sacks they were a by product of horrible oline, bad play call/design, down and distance. And PC risk aversion philosophy.

I do think Britt was hurting after he came back in. I also agree Posic was worthless

 

[MontanaHawk05]

I dont agree with the sacks were a partial result of his dislike of zone coverage. This is backed by him being top 5 in qb rating against zone. Having relloked at all the sacks they were a by product of horrible oline, bad play call/design, down and distance. And PC risk aversion philosophy.

I said dislike, not inability. If Wilson holds the ball and ends up improvising, it's more often than not against zones, so that explains the statistical success without the first read or two being actually productive. If it's man, he tends to pull the trigger more readily.

Or Seattle will call up zone-beating concepts, which Schotty did in adjustment to the Bengals' scheme. The result was the drive ending with the Carson rushing TD.

I'm not saying Russ had a whole lot of time on these plays - boomboomlooksack. But the options were there in the gameplan, and Cincy did a good job going after them.

 

[Northwest Seahawk]

I'm going to leave it at this Britt and Pocic have to play better than that if were going to be any real threat this year.

 

[John63]

So I charted all 3 sacks.

Sack 1 2nd and long, the man who sacked him came from the left and also in the lane to TE who had a man about 2 yards behind him. If wilson throws it it could get tipped and if it gets by would result in no more than 2 yards if that. The guy open missed the chip block on the the person who got the sack. Sack came in under 2.5 seconds. Cause bad/missed block on te.

2nd sack- again long TE again missed block, no one open. Cause another TE miss.

3rd sack - again TE whiffed under 2 seconds, there was a player open on left side but was third read and there was no time to get to it.

4th sack - Infefi total whiff way under 2 seconds.

Summation really bad oline and TE play.

Other things I saw, carson may have scored 2 times but was not good. A drop, fumble 2 blown blocks.

Dissley not good.

 

[John63]

Another thing was our avg distance on 3rd down was over 11 yards, not good.

 

[Fade]

So I charted all 3 sacks.

Sack 1 2nd and long, the man who sacked him came from the left and also in the lane to TE who had a man about 2 yards behind him. If wilson throws it it could get tipped and if it gets by would result in no more than 2 yards if that. The guy open missed the chip block on the the person who got the sack. Sack came in under 2.5 seconds. Cause bad/missed block on te.

2nd sack- again long TE again missed block, no one open. Cause another TE miss.

3rd sack - again TE whiffed under 2 seconds, there was a player open on left side but was third read and there was no time to get to it.

4th sack - Infefi total whiff way under 2 seconds.

Summation really bad oline and TE play.

Other things I saw, carson may have scored 2 times but was not good. A drop, fumble 2 blown blocks.

Dissley not good.

This is what I got too.

The whole lets have the TE block/chip the DE 1-on-1, needs to die in a fire. Holmgren hated that protection scheme and never used it because of what we saw on Sunday. And this has happened many times over the years w/Cable as well. They even laughably did it with Jimmy Graham.

Holmy knew/knows what's up.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

First of all, there were four sacks.

Second, none of them were under 2 seconds. First two were over three seconds, second two were between 2.5 and 3 - borderline blame-sharing between Wilson and OL. I flat-out called the fourth sack as the OL's fault, Ifedi getting annihilated.

Third, the third sack was a corner blitz that left Metcalf wide open. Corner blitzes are naturally going to happen very quickly, and the trigger needs to get pulled.

 

[John63]

First of all, there were four sacks.

Second, none of them were under 2 seconds. First two were over three seconds, second two were between 2.5 and 3 - borderline blame-sharing between Wilson and OL. I flat-out called the fourth sack as the OL's fault, Ifedi getting annihilated.

Third, the third sack was a corner blitz that left Metcalf wide open. Corner blitzes are naturally going to happen very quickly, and the trigger needs to get pulled.

Um the announcers said he had no time, I timed them they were under 2.5, as to the corner blitz I explained it, the announcers explained it. So I will go with I dont agree with your analysis, but you are entitled to your opinion. I am entitled to mine. Agree to disagree.

 

[Jazzhawk]

First of all, there were four sacks.

Second, none of them were under 2 seconds. First two were over three seconds, second two were between 2.5 and 3 - borderline blame-sharing between Wilson and OL. I flat-out called the fourth sack as the OL's fault, Ifedi getting annihilated.

Third, the third sack was a corner blitz that left Metcalf wide open. Corner blitzes are naturally going to happen very quickly, and the trigger needs to get pulled.

Why bring you say chuckles, I mean far be it for me, or the announcer to think what we saw is right. Clearly only you know what's what. Good bye

Since I've read Montana for many a year now, his history shows that his observations have a high bit of accuracy.

 

[BubbaGump]

Did anyone notice how aggressive Flowers played after that BS PI that was called against him? He was laying some wood and was pumped up. He seemed to play better after that call. Anyone notice that?

 

[John63]

First of all, there were four sacks.

Second, none of them were under 2 seconds. First two were over three seconds, second two were between 2.5 and 3 - borderline blame-sharing between Wilson and OL. I flat-out called the fourth sack as the OL's fault, Ifedi getting annihilated.

Third, the third sack was a corner blitz that left Metcalf wide open. Corner blitzes are naturally going to happen very quickly, and the trigger needs to get pulled.

Why bring you say chuckles, I mean far be it for me, or the announcer to think what we saw is right. Clearly only you know what's what. Good bye

Since I've read Montana for many a year now, his history shows that his observations have a high bit of accuracy.

Okay does not mean he is right. He has an opinion and nothing he has provided has proven my stance is wrong. Only his opinion and mine are different. Others on this board and the announcers agreed with me. Whatever opinions vary.

 

[HawkGA]

I'm not going to go back and watch the plays, but can we at least agree that the amount of time somebody has before they are sacked isn't an opinion? It's a measurable, verifiable number.

 

[mistaowen]

* Shaquill Griffin had an excellent game. He needed it.

* Anyone still want to claim that Tedric Thompson is just disliked because he's not Earl Thomas?

Shaq played very well, was impressed. The game reminded me of old Sherm where the Bengals seemed to avoid his side of the field.

Pete's presser yesterday said there will be competition at safety, have to assume TT is out of the starting job. He checked like all 3 boxes for what actually pissed PC off as a safety on that end of half play. At year 3 it's clear he isn't a starting caliber player. Unsure if Blair gets a shot or McDougald slides to FS with Hill going to SS.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Not only was he solid in his coverage, he was VERY good at leaving his coverage to help make the play. He saved Toast Thompson a couple times.

 

[HawkGA]

I was surprised Thompson came out in the second half. I fully expected him to get benched after that play.

 

[HawkGA]

The call at the end was horrible but I almost wonder if it was a make-up call for the three penalties they gifted Cincy on their earlier touchdown drive.

I will say I think it was unlikely the Bengals would have been able to win the game with 9 or 10 seconds left, but still.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Game was over regardless

 

[Trrrroy]

Thanks for taking the time to write this up, Montana. These in depth pieces were one of the reasons I loved this forum.

 

[2_0_6]

Tedric has no reason being the starter next week. The play he whiffed on is taught early and often in all levels of football.