Quick Hits

[AROS]

Most of us knew this was going to be a 50/50 game. So you wouldn’t think we should be that surprised or upset that we lost. I’m not saying don’t be pissed or upset because of circumstances where we could or should have won. I’m with you there. But at the end I am not shocked we lost to this tricky Bengals team starting to climb out from their poor 1-3 start.

What in the hell DK?! When will this dude ever learn? Costing us yet another 15 yard penalty for a completely hot headed needless violent shove of a defenseless player in front of a ref after the play was well over. KNOCK IT OFF!! Imagine if DK had Tyler’s smarts and Tyler had DK’s physique. Lord have mercy.

I reeeeeeally want Geno to learn the beauty of bootlegs. Too many times he drops straight back into a sack. Roll out more often bud. Give yourself more of a chance. That 4th down could have gone different had you bootlegged out instantly.

Pete is an amazing inspirational coach. He’s just not an amazing game planning and adjusting coach.

For those of you overreactors BREATHE.

We will be 4-2 one week from this moment.

The Seahawks almost always play better coming off a loss. Cardinals are feisty no doubt but barring a worse game than we played today, 4-2 baby.

And if we get back on a roll, we can outlast a tough Browns team at home and make it to 5-2.

I don’t ask for much in life. But one thing I would like to request is that we:

DON’T LOSE TO THE BROWNS AT HOME WEARING OUR THROWBACKS!!!!!

Don’t be the Bucs man. Losing to the Lions at home in your dreamy creamies.

Over and out.

 

[NoGain]

The Browns beat the 49ers, the Jets beat the Eagles, the Texans beat the Saints...and we lost to a SB contending team on the road in a game that our offense was given every chance to win it.

We're okay. This would have been a marque win had we pulled it off.

On to next week...

 

[nwHawk]

Browns are only allowing an average of 200 total yards per game this year. This offense might struggle again.

One thing that I think affected this team, and I might have this wrong, but did Bobo get pulled from the game after he took that big hit?

Agreed on DK. Pete needs to sit him down and set rules for his harmful behavior.

 

[NoGain]

Agreed on DK. Pete needs to sit him down and set rules for his harmful behavior.

He got bailed out for that needlessly awful penalty by Tyler and one of Geno's best throws of the day on the next play. This has got to stop.

 

[Maelstrom787]

I think the bootleg thing is on the OC. Geno really shouldn't be rolling out instantly if it isn't a designed rollout. That's disruptive, bad football.

 

[AROS]

I think the bootleg thing is on the OC. Geno really shouldn't be rolling out instantly if it isn't a designed rollout. That's disruptive, bad football.

Well then design more bootlegs because they can’t be much worse than these 5-7 step drops where he gets pummeled.

 

[NoGain]

Well then design more bootlegs because they can’t be much worse than these 5-7 step drops where he gets pummeled.

The thing with Geno and watching the game on television is I can't tell what he's seeing when he drops back to pass. But I find it almost unfathomable that either Tyler, DK, JSN, Bobo, or a TE isn't available when he does a shorter drop, and then *hitches*, which he did over and over again. I can't tell if his processing and game awareness comes up short in such situations, or if we just don't scheme for a team that could put the heat on him.

There were a few moments where I felt I was watching RW and wondering if he just couldn't process like he needed to, or didn't trust his receivers enough, or trust himself enough. I'm just not entirely sure.

 

[Jerhawk]

Well then design more bootlegs because they can’t be much worse than these 5-7 step drops where he gets pummeled.

Agreed. The Bengals were getting pressure with their front four consistently.

Unfortunately, Waldron for whatever reason didn't take advantage of the Bengals aggressiveness with screens, draws and/or traps. They consistently allowed Geno to drop back and get pressured.

All in all I blame Waldron for today's loss more than anyone. Very inept playcalling down the stretch

 

[hox]

Unfortunately, Waldron for whatever reason didn't take advantage of the Bengals aggressiveness with screens, draws and/or traps. They consistently allowed Geno to drop back and get pressured.

All in all I blame Waldron for today's loss more than anyone. Very inept playcalling down the stretch

Yeah, Waldron had 2 weeks to prepare for the Bengals. They are ranked like 30th in covering TEs. Yet we barely saw any 12 and 13 personnel. Where was Fant in this game?

 

[renofox]

I think the bootleg thing is on the OC. Geno really shouldn't be rolling out instantly if it isn't a designed rollout. That's disruptive, bad football.

Yes. Bootlegs effectively erase half the field, unless you want the QB throwing long balls across his body for easy picks on the far side.

 

[AROS]

Agreed. The play calling once again leaves you baffled at times. Where’s the adjustments?

 

[rjdriver]

Good post @AROS

I really wanted to steal this victory and we had ample opportunities. Multiple deep red zone trips netting close to nothing was a killer.

My biggest concern when I rewatched the game was Geno's inability to cycle thorough his progressions. He seemed to have very myopic reads and I saw a lot of receivers get open that Geno never noticed. He has to be better. If he is, we can beat anyone.

That said..

The Bengals have been in multiple conference championship games in recent years and, although they are off to a slow start, they still have Burrow and will be factor come playoff time. Our D played excellent in a very hostile environment against a really poised team. Like our last trip to Cincy, it was a frustrating loss, but we have time to right the ship.

 

[SNDavidson]

Geno must be limited by the ankle still a bit, he was very slow today, hesitation with the plant-leg? Also why he didn't run or roll out, or really even try to extend too much, he's still pretty sore me thinks

 

[knownone]

I agree. This loss did nothing to dispel my confidence in the team. I mean, it was 10 a.m. East Coast game against a perennial playoff team. And we're terrible coming off the bye. It's not shocking that we lost.

The defense took another significant step in the right direction. The offense—despite Geno being pressured on 50% of his dropbacks—actually looked pretty good, besides a handful of bad plays. Both the red zone offense and running game need work, but nothing from this game leads me to believe we can't get better going forward.

 

[KinesProf]

Pete is an amazing inspirational coach. He’s just not an amazing game planning and adjusting coach.

Good point about Pete. I'm very grateful that he's the coach. And I give him credit for him getting his players up to take an AFC contender down to the wire on the road at 10am. And I'm also very encouraged by Clint Hurtt's defense, s by extension Pete's defense.

But yes, in game adjustments; though I'm not sure how much autonomy he's given to Waldron on offense, and how much he gets in the mix offensively on game day. That said, given that he is the Head Coach, he needed to see that Charbonnet should get some touches inside the 10, and that just because Cross was back in the lineup wasn't reason to go away from 12/13 personnel to the extent that they did. Between JSN and Bobo they got the predictable uptick in tertiary receiving production that was to be expected with Cross' return; but in doing so sacrificed TE production and help for Curhan.

Anyway, lessons that should make them better. Provided Geno isn't more rattled by the knee/ankle injury than we are led to believe.

 

[cymatica]

Yeah, Waldron had 2 weeks to prepare for the Bengals. They are ranked like 30th in covering TEs. Yet we barely saw any 12 and 13 personnel. Where was Fant in this game?

This is what's maddening. I'm not even sure if they ran that modified pistol with 2 TEs once all game

 

[AROS]

Yes. Bootlegs effectively erase half the field, unless you want the QB throwing long balls across his body for easy picks on the far side.

Bootlegs can also free your QB up from collapsing pockets when you take deep drop backs. Rolling out suddenly puts pressure on the D when you have the option to dump the ball off or run. Especially when they assume you are going to stay in the pocket.

Geno relies on his pocket to remain sound a little too often. It’s why he takes a lot of sacks. Unnecessary sacks to my eyes.

I get that it’s on the OC to call bootlegs when appropriate. Then do it! How many times do we have to watch these ridiculous several step drop backs only to get sacked as he succumbs to the inevitable pressure?

It’s not like Geno is a statue. He can move. Let him! And Geno, you can do a better job of sensing when the pocket is collapsing and get out of there. That’s a weakness in his game I have noticed many times.