Open Thread: What Are The Bengals Doing To Make You Hopeful Heading Into The Offseason?
by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 26, 2010 11:00 PM EST
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PrintThe Bengals beat the Browns and Chargers, not because of the rise of the team's younger receivers, but because they finally returned to their 2009 formula of rushing the football stubbornly with an aggressive defense. During Cincinnati's two-game winning streak against the Browns and Chargers, the Bengals ran the football 83 times with backup running back Bernard Scott rushing 19 times for 90 yards with a touchdown. The second highest rush attempts by the Bengals as a team in back-to-back games is 68 carries during the team's two-game winning streak earlier in the season against the Ravens and Panthers.
So while it's easy to get into the bubble of a future during our drunken victory mind set right now, the simple truth is that Cincinnati won with the successful formula that defined the AFC North of running the football and playing good defense.
That being said, I want to talk about the future because I'm totally drunk with a victory mind set right now. This season has long been lost, but the team's two-game winning streak is providing a sense of hope that the Bengals future might not be as bad as we have suspected. The last time this happened was in 2008, when a 1-11-1 Bengals squad came off back-to-back blowouts against the Ravens and Colts by a combined 63 points, or 31.5 points/game. Cincinnati pieced together their 2009 formula during the final three games in 2008, winning all three games on the shoulders of an unproven and often disappointing running back that no one wanted named Cedric Benson, who rushed for 355 yards during those three wins. The momentum gave the Bengals a 7-2 start in 2009, with Benson rushing for over 100 yards in four of those games, including a four-game streak of scoring at least one rushing touchdown.
Long story short, if someone is telling you that these games are meaningless, just remind them that the end of 2008 was a big reason for the success in 2009 because they were finding what works with other talents and formulas that didn't work that year.
So this is sort of an open thread. What are some of the things that the Bengals are doing (other than winning, of course) that are making you hopeful heading into the offseason?
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One thing I loved was the tiny bit of trickery on the second Simpson TD.
No crazy Wildcat or shit there, but it was creative. They broke the huddle really quick when the Chargers had no clue what was coming and sent one of the athletic guys on a simple deep route. Great play.
Anyone else notice that it doesn’t seem like Brat was calling the plays today? It was refreshing.
"I bet that sex Bengals fan is really pissed now." -DT3428
I think he was playcalling on first downs though
They must’ve had 10 1st down runs before throwing it! It was a good win though! And Simpson is proving alot of people wrong! Lets hope he can keep it up!
thats what it looks like
when you’re recievers run the right routes and execute blocking assignments…..
The Curse of Bo Jackson: Jan 13th,1991- present day
Carlos Dunlap.
That alone gets me excited for 2011.
Looking to youth, small-name receivers, and noticing how good line play is critical to success.
Joe Reedy: "Supposedly Marvin could not find his flag to challenge the call. I am not kidding. #bengals"
I'm not completly sold on Ocho being gone but all signs look like that
I’m all for beefing up the lines(both) and getting a good safety either via draft for free agency. Who knows, maybe Gibril Wilson will have a good offseason and come in strong.
no OL or S to take with top pick
www.fantasydaddy.com
by Joe Goodberry on Dec 27, 2010 7:01 AM EST up reply actions
Quite a few things
Everyone’s talking about Dunlap—and justifiably so—but Atkins and MJ are also playing well. Sims is stepping up his game, too.
Collins has started the last two games at RT, and pass-protection has been better. Him being more involved is definitely a good sign.
Muckelroy is quietly developing. He seems like an ideal replacement for the type of LB Dhani is…maybe he won’t be our MLB, but he can definitely contribute. He’s Zimmer’s type of LB—smart, well-rounded.
We should have a lot of good CBs coming back healthy next year.
by Big Sky Bengal on Dec 27, 2010 12:41 AM EST reply actions
Move maulaluga to MLB and muck to olb to replace him. It could be much much worse.
by ddbumpus on Dec 27, 2010 12:43 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Dhani Jones
needs to do some more traveling. He is terrible in pass coverage. I wouldn’t put Rey at MLB. He’s not smart or instinctive to really take command of the position.
I would like to see Brandon Johnson get some more playing time. I think he’s a good LB who isn’t a liability in coverage and has the ability to cover the the best TEs in the league.
by sgiridharan1982 on Dec 27, 2010 1:09 AM EST up reply actions
The young recievers
Get rid of T.O. and maybe chad too. Caldwell has already proven that he is a good receiver and Shipley too. Jerome Simpson looked awesome in his first start. Getting T.O. was the biggest mistake by the Bengals. They have Caldwell, it dosent make any sense to not make caldwell a starter or even try out simpson, why hasnt simpson played in the past 3 years? Chad hasnt impressed me for a few years now, if he dosent want to play for the bengals next season then they should trade him. I think Caldwell, Simpson and Shipley are the future WR for the Bengals. And get a good Fullback.
I'm excited that there is young talent at every position
The O-line might be the one exception, but if Smith actually gets healthy, then the Bengals could be set for years.
This is our year!
hopefully they hold on to Benson
i think he will still have some gas left, and would play well for the team next year. really this team could easily be great. The majority of our losses were by a touchdown or less. This team has lots of young talent. I don’t hate Chad and TO the way some do, but they are both getting older and are more fragile. Their best years are behind them. It’s time to stick with the young talent we have.
This is pretty awesome to see:
The players having fun. His words about playing as a team. Things like that give me hope.
Joe Reedy: "Supposedly Marvin could not find his flag to challenge the call. I am not kidding. #bengals"
I have told everyone here that Simpson was
going to be a beast and everyone had the reply “he’s a bust”. I even said
mark my wordswell, I’m marking them again..
After Simpsons comments in the locker room, this is what and who I’m upbeat about for next year.
BTW, watching Marvins post press conference tells me that he is the one that can’t change or adjust to the game. Unless he’s taking the fall for Brat and Zim. This is including putting guys in that should’ve been playing weeks ago. Simpson, Dunlap, Muckelroy, and B Johnson to name a few. They were game changers and could’ve helped salvage a season from the start. Isn’t that what draftees are supposed to do, help out. That is why you draft them in the position you draft them in. Seems Marvin is more concerned with the players trying learning how to be a pro than teaching them how to play like a pro. Sometimes you just have to plug them in no matter what, that’s how they get experience.
This question...
…made me throw up in my mouth a little.
Mike Brown will be 1 year older. That is the only positive development at all. Everything else is trivial.
great way to end the Chargers season
I look forward to wearing my Bengals cap around SD this week. Too bad I couldn’t watch the game as it wasn’t shown here either – something really needs to be done about showing games to the locals.
Mike Brown steps down and we'll be on all the time.
Joe Reedy: "Supposedly Marvin could not find his flag to challenge the call. I am not kidding. #bengals"
by Doc Scratch on Dec 27, 2010 12:32 PM EST up reply actions
Game shown in LA
I can’t believe they didn’t show the game in SD. It was on in LA and as I watched SD come within 3 points of the Bengals, I thought, here we go again.
But to my surprise, Cincy actually threw the ball downfield and the most important statistic of the game was Carson Palmer zero interceptions. The last 2 games Bengals 2-0 and Carson Palmer 0 interceptions. How and why I don’t know.
No T.O and no Chad
and great play by the line
by Throw the ball on Dec 27, 2010 1:42 PM EST up reply actions
Mike Brown is a clown
One more thing. Until the Bengal get new ownership or Brown somehow turns this team over to someone who knows football, the Bengals will never really be competitive.
Well said
Nothing done now gets me excited about next season, as shown last year by making the playoffs and the draft and free agents Gresham, Owens, Shipley, etc, excitement was high for this year, but we all know what happened. Let’s face it, until Mike Brown relinquishes control, hires a competent GM, let’s Brat go, hires more scouts and gets an indoor facility, this team will NEVER go deep into the playoffs. Mike Brown has the IQ of a peanut they sell at the games …
Seeing this image
That is the mechanics we have missed. Looking like the greek statue again there. I hope it wasn’t just a one game thing.
It's Time For Jerome Simpson To Play!!!!
He was a 2nd round draft pick! The Bengals never played him! For 3 years! NOW he showed what he can do! He is the future for the bengals! It’s time for him to shine!!! He is very positive and really wants to play and win and I like that about him and the same for Caldwell!
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