Bengals pass defense played well at times, despite terrible pass rush

by Josh Kirkendall on Nov 25, 2008 12:38 PM EST

Making a point about Kansas City's terrible pass rushing defense (they only have six sacks), Adam Schefter writes that the Baltimore Colts were historically the worst of all time, "the 1982 Baltimore Colts set with 11 in the strike-shortened, nine-game season. In a full 16-game season, the 1981 Colts had 13 sacks." The Cincinnati Bengals, through 11 games, have only 11 sacks, on pace for only 16.

Antwan Odom	2
Robert Geathers	2.5
Chinedum Ndukwe	2
John Thornton	1
Frostee Rucker	1
Pat Sims	1
Chris Crocker	1
Domata Peko	0.5

Interestingly enough, the Bengals have lost two defensive ends that's accumulated 32% of the team's sack totals after playing on terrible Heinz Field; could be a third with unknowns about Antwan Odom's shoulder, which would "improve" that to 50% of the team's sack producers suffering injuries; not that it matters, based on the fact the sack totals are so low, diluting the percentages. It is what it is.

Season	Sacks
2008	11
2007	22
2006	35
2005	28
2004	37
2003	30
2002	24
2001	48
2000	26

The Bengals best sack-producing season was 2001, registering 48 sacks with guys like Reinard Wilson (9.0), Justin Smith (8.5), Brian Simmons (6.5), Takeo Spikes (6.0), Tony Williams (5.0), Darryl Williams (3.5), Oliver Gibson (3.0), Mark Roman (2.0), Vaughn Booker (1.5), Glen Steele (1.0) and Adrian Ross (1.0); I'm missing one. That team set a franchise record with sacks (48) and allowed 302 yards per game (best since 2003).

Since then, the Bengals haven't come close to replicating any success like 2001, which I believe if you take that defense, with the 2005 offense, it's the best Cincinnati team ever, issue of time traveling notwithstanding.

Since 2007, the Bengals didn't register a sack in nine games; shutout in 13 games since 2006; includes includes being shutout against Ben Roethlisberger, though he's been sacked 32 times throughout the season in his other nine games.

Lacking pass rush early in the season wasn't detrimental to the team's pass coverage and overall pass defense, which ranked in the top ten for most of the season. However lacking a pass rush has started to tire out the defensive coverages, allowing over 240 yards passing in four of the past five games, including 275 against Pittsburgh and 323 against the Eagles.

Week	Rank	Yards
3	3rd	123.5
4	12th	178.7
5	4th	165.8
6	6th	167.6
7	4th	167.3
8	6th	179.1
9	8th	191.1
10	10th	193.7
11	15th	206.6

Other than a few highlight reels, the Bengals coverage has done as well as one could expect. Lacking a pass rush, with injuries mounting and a tiring defense, clearly nothing will change. So don't expect next season to produce immediate improvement. It is what it is.

Tweet Comment 9 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

3-4?

Given the fact the we don’t have any defensive ends, it seems like we should give a 3-4 front a try.
DL: Sims, Peko, Thornton (Thornton is a small DT, but is Aaron Smith sized and could be a good 3-4 end. SIms is bigger than the typical end, but Ngata has excelled in that situation, and maybe Sims can also)
LB: Jeanty, Jones, B. Johnson, Blackstock
(Jeanty, and Blackstock are ~250 and 3-4OLB material) Who knows, maybe we can get a pass rush with these faster players, in a different front.

by R.F. Mehl on Nov 25, 2008 12:53 PM EST reply actions

Jeanty

Plus you’d think that Jeanty could line up in a three-point stance. I mean, coming to the Bengals a few years back we heard about his pass rushing abilities — though he hasn’t registered a full sack in his career yet.

I don’t have a problem with the 3-4. It’s not like it’s going to “hurt” our defense. :)

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Nov 25, 2008 12:59 PM EST up reply actions

Just because Heinz field is specifically engineered to cause injuries to everyone who sets foot on it doesn’t mean you have to diss it.

by steelguy99 on Nov 25, 2008 1:15 PM EST reply actions

LOL

Two guys. Two guys lost to knee injuries. Now we won’t have their 3.5 sacks for the rest of the year!

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Nov 25, 2008 1:51 PM EST up reply actions

Prodcution

It will be interesting to see if the Sacks/game go up or down now that our two highest paid defenders, and designated pass rushers, are out. At 1 per game it can’t get much worse, but that’s usually a bad attitude to take with the Bengals. It can always get worse.

by R.F. Mehl on Nov 25, 2008 2:32 PM EST up reply actions

“With Mike Brown, all bad things inevitably worsen.” I think that’s from the Bible.

I’d like to see a 3-4 with Shirley flanked by Sims and Peko up front- or, failing Shirley’s development, maybe a Terrence Cody giant in the draft. I’d put either Odom/Geathers(trading one or the other, probably Odom) at hybrid OLB/DE opposite Rucker, rotating them or playing both depending on down and distance, with Rivers and Brandon Johnson at ILBs supported by Jeanty, Jones, and Blackstock. I’m concerned about JonJo’s durability and wouldn’t object to a Michael Jenkins or Vontae Davis as a 1st round pick for insurance. Ndukwe, White, Crocker, and Lynch is plenty of safeties, as in bye bye Hebert, Heran-Daze, and Busing.

But what the hell do I know?

by IgnatiusJReilly on Nov 25, 2008 4:24 PM EST reply actions

I don’t think that we can afford to spending another top draft choice on a DB, given all the other needs. But given all the other needs, and Mike Brown, does it really matter either way.

If we had a healthy franchise, we would have a veteran (Deltha O’Neil) to slide in when a CB goes down, a la DeShea Townsend in Pittsburgh. But because every veteran wants to get out of here as soon as possible, and usually become malcontents to speed up this process, we have no depth.
Wouldn’t it have been nice to have a veteran CB to step when J Jo went down, or a veteran O-lineman to go in last week or a well conditioned full back going to pre-season. Next year we will be wishing we had experience at WR.

by R.F. Mehl on Nov 25, 2008 4:36 PM EST up reply actions

Speaking of draft picks

As of right now, which position do you think they’ll address? My always changing list that’s in no means prioritized by need.

1) Tackle
2) Center
3) Running back
4) Defensive end (yes, I do think they need to develop a guy, and improving depth)
5) MLB
6) Cornerback (depth reasons)
7) quarterback (depth reasons)

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Nov 25, 2008 5:30 PM EST reply actions

The mocks I’ve been looking at have us either going Michael Oher the tackle from Ole Miss or Michael Johnson, the DE freak athlete from Georgia Tech. The downside, other than the cost that high in the draft, is that Oher is reputed to be more of a finesse-type pass blocker than a Joe Thomas/Jake Long bruiser and Johnson is considered a work in progress who might not be able to deliver right off the bat. Maulauga is great but probably not unless we trade down a few slots, same with Brian Orakpo from Texas and Greg Hardy from Ole Miss. Neither Beanie, LeSean McCoy, Javon Ringer, or the phenom, Michael Crabtree are worth a top pick. There’s that Mack kid from Cal, the best center going but I think the kid from Alabama who’s name I can’t recall might be just as good- and available later. Andre Smith, Eugene Monroe, Ciron Black, Herman Johnson, I think there are enough O-Linemen available to either trade down or wait for round two. For DTs besides Cody, I like both runstoppers from BC, Brace and Haji, with Brace slightly above his running mate, um, Ole Miss’ Peria Jerry, who made the future NFL heavy LSU line look silly this past Saturday and UK’s Myron Pryor could be a later round gem.

Some other possibilities: OT Alex Boone ~~OSU, OT~~ Jason Smith, Baylor, OG Duke Robinson, OU, OG Paul Fanaika, ASU, C Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas, DE George Selvie USF, DE/OLB Everette Jackson, FSU, DE Connor Freaking Barwin, UC, OLB Brian Cushing, USC, OLB Marcus Freeman, OSU, ILB Brandon Spikes UF, ILB Dannell Ellerbe, UGA, ILB Darryl Sharpton, Miami, CB Domonique Johnson, Jackson St.(6-2, 190, 4.34 40), CB DeAngelo Smith, UC, CB Trevard Lindley, UK, FB Jorvorskie Lane(6-o, 285, 4.7 40) A&M, WR Percy Harvin, Fla, WR Pat White(yes, the QB) WVU…

by IgnatiusJReilly on Nov 26, 2008 1:49 AM EST reply actions