Cincy Jungle - Cincinnati Bengals vs. Seattle Seahawks: NFL Week 1Who Deyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48495/cincyjungle_fave.png2019-09-12T11:27:05-04:00http://www.cincyjungle.com/rss/stream/206134912019-09-12T11:27:05-04:002019-09-12T11:27:05-04:00The Orange and Black Insider Bengals podcast: Golden Opportunity
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v&nbsp;Seattle Seahawks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OKiHRgXexZFlgMHIlyPbYL863ug=/0x0:4031x2687/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65232383/1173512950.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>This week, the OBI crew looked back at the Week 1 loss to the Seahawks and asked if moral victories should be taken away from it. John and Anthony also examine the upcoming clash against the 49ers and chat about some potentially-troubling player matchups. </p> <p id="8ZpEdh">It was a tough loss to swallow for the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> this past Sunday, as they were ever so close to leaving Seattle with an unlikely victory. Unfortunately, too many errors cost the team and they returned from the Pacific Northwest with with an 0-1 record. </p>
<p id="F0RYxe">Were there moral victories to be taken away? It’s hard to answer after just one game, but with many folks having low expectations for the team, a one-point loss to a quality opponent on the road opened some eyes. </p>
<p id="nYpUO6">Cincinnati now continues a first-month stretch of games that includes three road trips, but they return home this week to host the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">49ers</a>. San Francisco is coming off of a two-touchdown win over the <a href="https://www.bucsnation.com/">Buccaneers</a>.</p>
<p id="8mKIkw">We discussed the fallout of Week 1 and the potential matchups and outcomes of Week 2 on this week’s Orange and Black Insider podcast episode. </p>
<p id="ocTBII">On this week’s episode:</p>
<ul>
<li id="JwYzic">We’re adding new podcasts to the Cincy Jungle SB Nation channel!</li>
<li id="2854dT">The Bengals did some nice things on both offense and defense last week. Are these long-term benefits, or will teams begin to catch on to their schemes now that they’ve put things on tape?</li>
<li id="6tWM35">Should we be encouraged by the close loss to Seattle, or are the handful of mistakes in the opener indicative of a team still trying to find itself?</li>
<li id="Ka8YJX">What are the impacts of recent transactions that the Bengals have made?</li>
<li id="XV6PN5">Which 49ers player matchups should we be most worried about this coming Sunday?</li>
<li id="UD6gNY">We also started a fun mini-segment on “bad beats and best bets”.</li>
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<p id="7rlnTN">Thanks to our live listeners who tuned in via YouTube and here at Cincy Jungle, as well as to all of you who download the show after the fact. Be sure to join us live and subscribe to our channels!</p>
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<p id="BDwpiB"><small><em><strong>If you’re unable to join us live for here at Cincy Jungle or YouTube every episode, all Orange and Black Insider content is available here on CJ, the </strong></em></small><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-orange-and-black-insider-bengals-podcast?refid=stpr"><small><em><strong>Stitcher</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>, </strong></em></small><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3MKKe96uoIPUwhZSOBrQGK?si=1vVaxUnEQbGMqIHscHXqLA"><small><em><strong>Spotify</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> and </strong></em></small><a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Ihc3wd4tjdvrfywjyxwhaaz4e5e"><small><em><strong>Google Play Music</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> apps, our </strong></em></small><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVaXlewzr5_f-iEhxa6ij_g"><small><em><strong>YouTube channel</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>, as well as through </strong></em></small><a href="https://cms.megaphone.fm/organizations/a0ad16ac-dec1-11e8-bc53-273addf660d7/podcasts/89e0f342-e6ca-11e8-892c-d701e79386c9"><small><em><strong>Megaphone</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> and, as always, </strong></em></small><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-orange-and-black-insider%2Fid1142320492" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><small><em><strong>on iTunes</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>! You can tweet us </strong></em></small><a href="https://twitter.com/BengalsOBI"><small><em><strong>@BengalsOBI</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> or get in touch with us via email at theobinsider@gmail.com. Thanks for listening and go subscribe to our channels!</strong></em></small></p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/9/12/20862049/bengals-podcast-49ers-news-orange-black-insiderAnthony Cosenza2019-09-11T19:50:00-04:002019-09-11T19:50:00-04:00The Orange and Black Insider Bengals podcast: 9/11 livestream
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v&nbsp;Seattle Seahawks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/E5n5Q8y-VuktoF-3xIBlw6GVbFY=/0x0:1829x1219/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65228706/1173513008.jpg.5.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>John and Anthony preview San Francisco’s upcoming matchup against the Bengals, while the crew also breaks down the Week 1 loss and ask about “moral victories”. </p> <p id="vUijAR">Well, that was a fun one, wasn’t it?</p>
<p id="Na8ysJ">The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> headed to Seattle as massive Week 1 underdogs and almost pulled off a massive upset. Unfortunately, the made one too many mistakes against a quality opponent on their home field to sneak away with the win. </p>
<p id="X7sOQY">What were the big takeaways? Should we actually be looking to cling to “moral victories” in the 20-21 loss to the <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a>? John and Anthony discuss those topics and the recent transaction news surrounding the club. </p>
<p id="NuR75Z">In looking ahead to the Week 2 matchup against the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">San Francisco 49ers</a>, John and Anthony look at some troubling matchups in previewing the upcoming contest. </p>
<p id="kThvpb">Join us live in the above-embedded video when we kick off the program at 8:30 P.M. ET, or download the show after the fact through your favorite podcast platforms!</p>
<p id="REGmOi"><small><em><strong>If you’re unable to join us live for here at Cincy Jungle or YouTube every episode, all Orange and Black Insider content is available here on CJ, the </strong></em></small><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-orange-and-black-insider-bengals-podcast?refid=stpr"><small><em><strong>Stitcher</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>, </strong></em></small><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3MKKe96uoIPUwhZSOBrQGK?si=1vVaxUnEQbGMqIHscHXqLA"><small><em><strong>Spotify</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> and </strong></em></small><a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Ihc3wd4tjdvrfywjyxwhaaz4e5e"><small><em><strong>Google Play Music</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> apps, our </strong></em></small><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVaXlewzr5_f-iEhxa6ij_g"><small><em><strong>YouTube channel</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>, as well as through </strong></em></small><a href="https://cms.megaphone.fm/organizations/a0ad16ac-dec1-11e8-bc53-273addf660d7/podcasts/89e0f342-e6ca-11e8-892c-d701e79386c9"><small><em><strong>Megaphone</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> and, as always, </strong></em></small><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-orange-and-black-insider%2Fid1142320492" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><small><em><strong>on iTunes</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong>! You can tweet us </strong></em></small><a href="https://twitter.com/BengalsOBI"><small><em><strong>@BengalsOBI</strong></em></small></a><small><em><strong> or get in touch with us via email at theobinsider@gmail.com. Thanks for listening and go subscribe to our channels!</strong></em></small> </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/9/11/20859850/the-orange-and-black-insider-bengals-podcast-9-11-livestreamAnthony Cosenza2019-09-11T12:54:24-04:002019-09-11T12:54:24-04:00Weekly Lineman: Sam Hubbard shines in new-look defense
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v&nbsp;Seattle Seahawks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/MsceQem-YCzVSsac64AtsT6aydw=/0x0:2121x1414/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65224832/1166897185.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Hubbard and the Bengals’ defensive line managed to make Russell Wilson’s day way more difficult than it had to be.</p> <p id="Fryb0o">11 (technically nine) defensive lineman. Four linebackers. One <span>Russell Wilson</span>.</p>
<p id="3AcXiI">How was the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> defense, ranked 31st in expected points just a season ago, supposed to stop one of the more creatively talented quarterbacks in <span>Wilson</span> on the road? </p>
<p id="PpMc4s">Even with <span>Doug Baldwin</span> retired, Wilson hasn’t had an offense this well-rounded in years. He’s always been able to make it work with subpar receiving talent, but the wide receiver duo of <span>Tyler Lockett</span> and <span>DK Metcalf</span> with running back <span>Chris Carson</span> coming out of the backfield gives him intriguing options on all three levels of the field. </p>
<p id="KDN4gV">Most importantly, his offensive line has never been more talented. Lead by left tackle <span>Duane Brown</span>, his five blockers can finally give him space to make accurate throws without having to endlessly scramble for dear life.</p>
<p id="xJYHAk">Turns out, that last sentence isn’t entirely true yet, as the Bengals’ defensive line proved on Sunday. Wilson dropped back to pass just 24 times against Cincinnati, and he dealt with pressure for nearly half of the time. He was sacked four times and hit nine times.</p>
<p id="RCbUZL">Two of those sacks and four of those hits were courtesy of one Cincinnati native <span>Sam Hubbard</span>, who had what was perhaps the best performance of his now 17-game career.</p>
<aside id="W9PW19"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Bengals MVP award from loss to Seahawks","url":"https://www.cincyjungle.com/awards/2019/9/10/20857976/bengals-mvp-award-from-loss-to-seahawks"},{"title":"5 things we learned from Bengals vs. Seahawks","url":"https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/9/10/20857571/5-things-we-learned-from-bengals-vs-seahawks"}]}'></div></aside><p id="9Ebqm6">So much hype attached itself to <span>Hubbard</span>’s name this offseason, and for good reason. The former Ohio State Buckeye logged a good chunk of his pass-rushing production last year in the final three weeks of the season. Very much like 2018 <span>Tyler Boyd</span>, <span>Hubbard</span> seemed to have converted that late-season momentum. </p>
<p id="lJ51Na">Taylor was not short of words when describing Hubbard’s play from Sunday.</p>
<p id="UHNppQ">“Sam (Hubbard)’s ‘breakout game,’ if you want to call it that, is one of the least-surprising things that I’ve ever seen.” <a href="https://www.bengals.com/news/zac-taylor-evaluates-bengals-after-week-1">Taylor said during Monday’s press conference</a>. “He’s been consistent day to day. He’s exactly the type of player you love to coach and you love to be around. You’re combining talent with a relentless effort, and that usually pays off. Some of the (defensive) fronts we presented yesterday put (our linemen) in some good one-on-one situations in the pass rush, and they were sound fundamentally in the run game. Sam just capitalized on a lot of the opportunities. Like I said, it’s not surprising at all to see Sam have a game like that.”</p>
<p id="4XKo0M">For those who haven’t coached Hubbard these last several months, it was at least a little bit surprising. Let’s go over what Hubbard and the rest of the defensive line did to make Wilson uncomfortable for most of the game.</p>
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<p id="cYGmoh">The speculation regarding defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo going multiple in his scheme was completely validated. On the very first snap of the game, the Bengals went with their traditional 4-man front with their nickel personnel, but on the second drive, things got different. With three defensive tackles, Hubbard and <span>Carlos Dunlap</span> became essentially 3-4 outside linebackers and inherited the traditional responsibilities of that position.</p>
<p id="IubFbQ">And they both crushed it.</p>
<p id="LZcVQ3">The third play in the video is the one I really wanted to highlight. The <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a> run (from what I can tell) a variation of what’s known as a <a href="http://insidethepylon.com/football-101/glossary-football-101/2015/11/24/itp-glossary-sail-concept/">sail concept</a>. Essentially, you end up with a levels route combination towards the play side of the field with one or two vertical routes along with it. The initial alignment of the receivers gives this specific call a bit of a twist to it. The point is: Wilson wants to roll out to his right and attack whatever level of the field springs open for him.</p>
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<figcaption>Seahawks Sail</figcaption>
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<p id="FgkpqH">Hubbard’s containment job doesn’t allow him to do that. So many times do edge defenders collapse too far inside when rushing Wilson that he’s able to escape and create magic on his own. Hell, the Bengals have been notorious for losing contain against quarterbacks who could scoot. This play, and a few others, helped snuff that narrative for the time being.</p>
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<p id="vN9ZQf">Hubbard was far from done eating after this play. There were two plays later on in the game were I could tell there was notable growth in his process this offseason.</p>
<div id="RG8prA"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3YCp2JQLOcE?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="so82bA">What this article didn’t cover as extensively was Hubbard as a run defender, and he honestly looked even better in that role. Pro Football Focus graded him as the eight-best run defender from Week 1, which helped him snag a spot amongst their <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641763&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pff.com%2Fnews%2Fpro-pffs-nfl-team-of-the-week-2019-nfl-week-1&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincyjungle.com%2F2019%2F9%2F11%2F20859012%2Fbengals-weekly-lineman-sam-hubbard-shines-in-new-look-defense" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>Team of the Week</em></a>: </p>
<blockquote><p id="tbRe6x">Hubbard moved around the defensive front like he usually does and consistently brought pressure. From 19 pass-rushing snaps, he racked up two sacks and two hits and added a further five tackles resulting in a defensive stop on the day.</p></blockquote>
<p id="oGmar2">The expectations for Hubbard as a run-stopper were already decently high, it’s why he’s starting opposite of <span>Dunlap</span> in their base defense. But if we can expect just half of this performance as a pass-rusher on a weekly basis, the Bengals have a lot less issues at defensive end than I originally gave them credit for this offseason.</p>
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https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/9/11/20859012/bengals-weekly-lineman-sam-hubbard-shines-in-new-look-defenseJohn Sheeran2019-09-11T10:30:00-04:002019-09-11T10:30:00-04:004 Bengals land on PFF’s Team of the Week
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v Washington Redskins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FUM4yDwrWh7X_7TXoUyDd7SW5fA=/0x0:5472x3648/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65223602/1162617113.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>A very promising start to the season. </p> <p id="8zm52U">The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> were felt around the league in their opening game against Seattle. This team will not be rolled over, and their performance earned them four players on Pro Football Focus’ Team of the Week.</p>
<p id="wzlmnE">The three that earned the spot were P <span>Kevin Huber</span>, C Trey Hopkins, DE <span>Sam Hubbard</span> and DT <span>Geno Atkins</span>.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">PFF's NFL Team of the Week is LIVE for Week 1!<br><br>➡️ <a href="https://t.co/gHhSbgps77">https://t.co/gHhSbgps77</a> <a href="https://t.co/KUudXqCmIJ">pic.twitter.com/KUudXqCmIJ</a></p>— PFF (@PFF) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1171151398966312963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2019</a>
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<p id="iX8Q2k"><span>Bobby Hart</span>, <span>John Miller</span>, <span>Andre Smith</span>, <span>Trey Hopkins</span>, and rookie <span>Michael Jordan</span> protected <span>Andy Dalton</span> valiantly. While they all should get some credit for the unit’s performance, it was <span>Trey Hopkins</span> who found himself on Pro Football Focus’ Offensive Team of the Week.</p>
<p id="8RMoBW">He joined <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a>’ <span>Joel Bitonio</span> and three <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a> as the group that represented the AFC North on the Offensive Team of the Week. </p>
<p id="N7CWWi">That said, it’s terrific to see <span>Hopkins</span> on the team. The 27-year-old has spent most of his career as a guard, yet with new leadership in the Queen City, he was moved to center, replacing 2018 first-round pick <span>Billy Price</span>. </p>
<p id="vdgHub">On the defensive end, it was <span>Hubbard</span> and <span>Atkins</span> that made their presence known. </p>
<p id="gbvZSZ"><span>Hubbard</span>, who recorded six sacks in his rookie season, opened his second season with a bang. He notched two sacks. That wasn’t it though. Hubbard came up huge with 2.5 tackles for loss, four quarterback hits (which is highly impressive playing against <span>Russell Wilson</span>), and ten tackles, six of which were solo tackles.</p>
<p id="ZwsWQz">“Hubbard moved around the defensive front like he usually does and consistently brought pressure. From 19 pass-rushing snaps, he racked up two sacks and two hits and added a further five tackles resulting in a defensive stop on the day,” PFF’s Gordon McGuinness said on Hubbard. </p>
<p id="vxX2Dt">This was a phenomenal start for the former Buckeye. However, he wasn’t the only defender to bolt out of the gate. <span>Geno Atkins</span>, a long-time member of the team’s defense line, landed one sack, 2.5 tackles for loss, one quarterback hit and seven tackles. </p>
<p id="01KVvF">As for <span>Huber</span>, we already knew he was one of the NFL’s better punters, so seeing him make this isn’t much of a surprise. </p>
<p id="apxvz5">“<span>Huber</span> was booming punts for the Bengals yesterday, dropping the ball near to the opposing goal line and sideline seemingly with ease. Two of his four punts landed inside the <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a>’ 20-yard line and he averaged 4.51 seconds of hang-time per punt.”</p>
<p id="2UrFPG">Already counted out of the AFC North, the Bengals, outside of the Ravens who played the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a>, a team already tanking 2018, were the most impressive team in the AFC North after Week 1. </p>
<p id="Q5Cl8i">That said, they’ll get a much easier time in their home opener against the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">San Francisco 49ers</a>. </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/9/11/20859274/bengals-trey-hopkins-sam-hubbard-geno-atkins-kevin-huber-nfl-newsNathan Beighle2019-09-11T09:00:00-04:002019-09-11T09:00:00-04:00Bengals Week 1 rookie report: Damion Willis, Michael Jordan turn in solid first starts
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v&nbsp;Seattle Seahawks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zGT91V918NW6Vsdh2WzR7TvjWwI=/0x0:3684x2456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65222950/1173447474.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>There was nothing too substantial to reflect on from Willis and Jordan’s respective debuts in the starting lineup.</p> <p id="eigQbX">For how young the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> roster is, most of their rookies did not play very much in their Week 1 matchup against the <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a>. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. But there’s still much to learn about the first-year players who did not appear in this game often.</p>
<p id="DUS5Fr">Two of those players are tight end <span>Drew Sample</span> and linebacker <span>Germaine Pratt</span>. Sample first came onto the field for the offense’s second drive of the game and was flagged for holding on his very first snap. Sample was crowned as the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a>’s best run-blocking tight end from this year’s class, and his very first contribution to the running game was a negative one. Go figure. <s>It’s a shame he’s a bust now</s>. </p>
<p id="6pNi9c">Sample played two more snaps for the offense, giving him three for the day, which is just as much as Pratt got for the defense. In the one series he was featured in, he recored a defensive stop in the running game. He’s now the Bengals’ best linebacker—only I’m partially joking. </p>
<p id="n6J1TP">Playing just two snaps in front of him on the defensive line was <span>Renell Wren</span>, who was activated over guys like <span>Jordan Willis</span> and Andrew Brown. Turns out, there’s really no need to play three nose tackles, even against a team in Seattle that likes to run the ball more than the average team. </p>
<p id="SjYCr8">But what about the two rookies that started for Cincinnati? Let’s go over their regular season debuts.</p>
<h2 id="UDRAWY">Wide receiver snap leader <span>Damion Willis</span> </h2>
<p id="IDPjtT">That’s right. Not Tyler Boyd, and not <span>John Ross III</span>. Willis’ 67 snaps lead all players aside from the starting offensive linemen and quarterback Andy Dalton. He topped Boyd and Ross mainly because he was on the field for 15 of the offense’s 16 run plays, which isn’t too surprising considering how much head coach has raved about Willis’ run blocking.</p>
<p id="nc1alh">As a receiver, Willis saw five official targets come his way. Dalton went his way six times, with one of them resulting in a defensive pass interference right near the goal line:</p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/GrpydoVxTW">pic.twitter.com/GrpydoVxTW</a></p>— not kevin durant (@nevkinturand) <a href="https://twitter.com/nevkinturand/status/1171242558393114624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="w12oAT">The targets Willis did haul in weren’t anything special, but it was good to see Willis look comfortable at the catch point and get some actual production under his belt:</p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/UarAzLJwrg">pic.twitter.com/UarAzLJwrg</a></p>— not kevin durant (@nevkinturand) <a href="https://twitter.com/nevkinturand/status/1171240703537627138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="6ikbyR">Anyone could’ve told you Willis wasn’t replacing <span>A.J. Green</span>’s production, but with Ross and Boyd playing the way the are, he won’t have to. Maybe next week we’ll get to see Willis attack some deep balls like he did in the preseason.</p>
<h2 id="1ktPeb">Taking the good with the bad with <span>Michael Jordan</span>
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<p id="rCsTVT">Unsurprisingly, the Bengals’ biggest issues were along the offensive line. The pass protection largely held up for most of the game, but the run blocking was porous and one of the main factors in head coach Zac Taylor opting to have Dalton drop back to pass 56 times. </p>
<p id="Dxo0To">Among the five starters on the line, Jordan perhaps had the most up-and-down performance. He produced some positive plays in the run game, but put together an imperfect game as far as pass protection goes; allowing four pressures in the process.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">geno atkins (5), sam hubbard (4) carl lawson (3), carlos dunlap (2): 14 pressures<br><br>bobby hart (6), andre smith (5), michael jordan (4): 15 allowed pressures</p>— john sheeran (@John__Sheeran) <a href="https://twitter.com/John__Sheeran/status/1171094553283219457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2019</a>
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<p id="yX0fRs">One of those four allowed pressures resulted in the game’s first sack:</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/5ntByOuAIb">pic.twitter.com/5ntByOuAIb</a></p>— not kevin durant (@nevkinturand) <a href="https://twitter.com/nevkinturand/status/1171240494208360448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="OoCDfT">The good news for Jordan was that he never had to face off against <span>Jadeveon Clowney</span>, who was kept on the edge for nearly the entire game. The bad news was that he went against <span>Quinton Jefferson</span>, who put together a career game on Sunday, a decent amount. Jefferson was the one who beat Jordan and sacked Dalton here.</p>
<p id="rLHjcz">There wasn’t much to highlight as far as run blocking goes, but Jordan did a nice job here sealing off ascending defensive tackle <span>Poona Ford</span>, helping <span>Joe Mixon</span> run for his biggest rush of the day...resulting in six yards.</p>
<div id="3oAUUF">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/era5a7tRDl">pic.twitter.com/era5a7tRDl</a></p>— not kevin durant (@nevkinturand) <a href="https://twitter.com/nevkinturand/status/1171243044236156929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="H6tKnd">Jordan was the second-lowest graded lineman for Cincinnati ahead of just <span>John Miller</span> (who didn’t play all that bad himself) but it’s too early for Taylor and offensive line coach Jim Turner to pull the plug and insert <span>Billy Price</span> in for him. The growing pains are to be expected for a player as young and unpolished as Jordan is. The best way to get through the rough patches is to grant him with experience, as long as he is ultimately capable of building off his mistakes.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="iJceG4">
<p id="L8zDt0">For an undrafted free agent and a late fourth-round pick, Willis and Jordan turned in solid first starts in a hostile environment. Now is the time for them to keep progressing, and against the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">49ers</a> at home is a great place to start that process.</p>
<p id="r0xaPf">Don’t expect to hear much about <span>Ryan Finley</span> or <span>Jake Dolegala</span> this year, as neither will be relevant unless Dalton gets hurt. We might see some <span>Trayveon Williams</span> action on special teams here soon when he returns from injury, but that might not be for another week or two.</p>
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https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/9/11/20858079/bengals-week-1-rookie-report-damion-willis-michael-jordan-turn-in-solid-first-startsJohn Sheeran2019-09-11T07:00:00-04:002019-09-11T07:00:00-04:00The good, the bad and the ugly from Bengals vs. Seahawks
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v&nbsp;Seattle Seahawks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LMqi3hCvaxtYeLbx6syv_dA4CV8=/0x0:3451x2301/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65222434/1173447563.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>All in all, the Cincinnati Bengals made a statement to their fans and the rest of the league that they are far more talented than some folks’ perceptions. </p> <p id="Jzl9bS">So close, yet so far. The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> had a tough game to start their season under rookie head coach Zac Taylor, but didn’t blink. </p>
<p id="xtl119">Cincinnati nearly sneaked out an unlikely win this week, as the Seattle Seahawks looked shellshocked at the high-level output by the Bengals. </p>
<p id="qKAzut">This week, I was in Seattle and had a more interesting perspective of the game than my usual sofa seat. And, being as close as we were, I was able to perceive some things that were not overly-visible throughout the preseason. </p>
<p id="LVM6qD">Here are some of the best and worst aspects of the Bengals’ 20-21 loss to the <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a> in Week 1. </p>
<h3 id="XG3iRz"><strong>The good</strong></h3>
<p id="VydzJZ"><span><em><strong>Andy Dalton</strong></em></span><em><strong>:</strong></em> We were hoping to see a bit of a renaissance from <span>Dalton</span> under Zac Taylor and both delivered in the first week. Timing routes were the norm and on point, with many players getting involved in the action. </p>
<p id="YE4K4N">Folks were worried how <span>Dalton</span> would look without <span>A.J. Green</span>, but he is clearly comfortable with the concepts drawn up by Taylor and offensive coordinator, Brian Callahan. Dalton finished with a career-high 418 passing yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. </p>
<p id="D3aKTQ"><span><em><strong>John Ross</strong></em></span><em><strong>:</strong></em> It was the breakout game we’ve been waiting for since April of 2017. Ross constantly outran defenders for two scores and 158 yards on seven catches. </p>
<p id="Q1eCf5">What remains to be seen is if the consistency factor sticks as the weeks pass. Regardless, it was a huge boost for an offense that didn’t have <span>A.J. Green</span> on the field. </p>
<p id="42Ogcv"><em><strong>Coaches using many substitutions and hiding roster deficiencies:</strong></em> One of the things I noticed from the sideline was how frequently Taylor and Co. mixed players in and out of the lineup within a single series. I particularly noticed this facet with <span>C.J. Uzomah</span> and <span>Tyler Eifert</span>, who seemed to come on and off the field just about every other play. </p>
<p id="J4basP">From that standpoint, it really kept the Seattle defense on its heels and created mismatch problems. Additionally, Lou Anarumo hid potential issues at linebacker by largely running two out there, while concocting schemes conducive to an effective pass-rush. </p>
<p id="uPNVQe"><em><strong>The defense and Lou Anarumo:</strong></em> Speaking of the new defensive coordinator, he had this defense playing a much better brand of football than what we saw from Teryl Austin last year. Cincinnati had four sacks, allowed just 233 total yards and really cleaned up their run defense. </p>
<p id="Dj1lM5">The defensive line was particularly effective. <span>Carl Lawson</span> and <span>Geno Atkins</span> combined for seven quarterback pressures, while <span>Sam Hubbard</span> had a breakout game with two sacks and <span>Carlos Dunlap</span> being an omnipresent force in the Seahawks’ backfield. </p>
<p id="UXjnUq"><em><strong>Zac Taylor: </strong></em>The Bengals went in without their two best offensive linemen (<span>Cordy Glenn</span> and <span>Jonah Williams</span>), were down their Hall of Fame receiver and lost <span>Joe Mixon</span> mid-game. It’s no wonder they were close to double-digit dogs this week. </p>
<p id="riWYgF">However, Taylor has preached both patience and cool confidence in his team and the results translated the message. It’s just one game and we know Week 1 can be fool’s gold for some teams, but things look to be moving in a positive direction very quickly. </p>
<h3 id="WNM127"><strong>The bad</strong></h3>
<p id="itQFmT"><em><strong>The running game:</strong></em> We’re giving the team a little bit of a pass in their lack of finding running room because of a number of variables. <span>Cordy Glenn</span> was out with a concussion, <span>Joe Mixon</span> left early in the contest and this is an offensive line that is still trying to gel as a unit. </p>
<p id="Xu8RaQ">Still, a paltry 34 yards on 14 carries (2.43 yards per carry) is a bad sign for a team that preached the run game all season. Our guess is that this should markedly improve as the season progresses, but they need this aspect to at least be at an average level, if they are to effectively use play-action. </p>
<p id="fImqSP"><em><strong>Burning of timeouts:</strong></em> We get it: it’s CenturyLink Field. Still, the team burned early timeouts in each half, as they were obviously affected by the noise. Unfortunately, the one the Bengals burned early in the second half ended up biting them on their final drive. </p>
<h3 id="XUBQQz"><strong>The ugly</strong></h3>
<p id="RY6CZq"><em><strong>Most of the special teams group:</strong></em> <span>Kevin Huber</span> had a solid day punting the football, but the rest of the special teams unit had some major mistakes. <span>Alex Erickson</span>’s uncharacteristic fumble was ugly, but fortunately didn’t cost the Bengals any points. </p>
<p id="Yk2hBy">On the other hand, <span>Randy Bullock</span> again missed the chance to hit a big-time kick for the Bengals. It’s understandable that the weather wasn’t great before his 45-yard attempt, but the team also decided to go for it on a 4th-and-1 in Seahawks territory, pointing to their lack of faith in his leg. If that’s the case, why has he been a tenured veteran without any real sense of competition the past couple of offseasons?</p>
<p id="8tcXfO"><em><strong>The frustrating disparities and similarities of critical numbers:</strong></em> The Bengals turned the ball over three times, while the Seahawks committed just one. Yet, Cincinnati out-gained Seattle by 196 yards on their home field (429 to 233), including crazy, lopsided numbers in the passing game (395 to 161). </p>
<p id="Seakip">Cincinnati hogged the ball for almost 12 more minutes (35:50 to 24:10), but gave up five sacks, while grabbing four of their own. They also edged out the Seahawks in third down efficiency by seven percent (40 percent to 33 percent). Many of these seem to point to a hard-fought win on the road, but it also has some of us scratching our heads. </p>
<p id="d8Mgj7"><em><strong>Questions surrounding the mistakes:</strong></em> Look, the Bengals and Zac Taylor showed a lot of positives this week. However, as it goes with teams in transition, “they need to learn how to win”. </p>
<p id="wDeUHb">Cincinnati was 2-5 in one-possession games last year, so they’re still learning to put their foot on the throat. Basically, Seattle let Cincinnati walk all over them, but waited for their mistakes. It was only then that the Seahawks seemed to be able to do anything notable. I suppose the question is just how close, or how far away is this team from being a contender? This first month with three road games out of the first four will tell us a lot. </p>
<p id="CMU42U"><em><strong>The officiating:</strong></em> While it wasn’t a day where the yellow laundry littered the field, many questionable decisions by the referees were on display. <span>Dre Kirkpatrick</span> was flagged for an unsportsmanlike penalty, though some saw the Seahawks players getting away with some of the same actions earlier in the contest. </p>
<p id="HjHAsj">There was a review of what should have been a <span>John Ross</span> catch that was continued to be ruled incomplete, as well as an inexplicably-long review of an obvious pass interference on <span>Damion Willis</span> that thankfully held up. I hate to use the ref excuse as the reason for a loss, but they certainly didn’t help the visitors’ cause. </p>
<p id="PlwQtk">Also, this wasn’t a fumble:</p>
<div id="YFvTrm">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">They called this a fumble, and confirmed it via review.<br><br>It's a bad call. <a href="https://t.co/E0nPLYUOoX">pic.twitter.com/E0nPLYUOoX</a></p>— Josh Kirkendall (@Josh_Kirkendall) <a href="https://twitter.com/Josh_Kirkendall/status/1170839049088765954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2019</a>
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https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/9/11/20859025/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-from-bengals-vs-seahawksAnthony Cosenza2019-09-10T19:54:20-04:002019-09-10T19:54:20-04:00Film Room: 10 plays that changed Bengals vs. Seahawks
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v&nbsp;Seattle Seahawks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LNM9PztSG2R7o5HZScamOdgeZIo=/0x0:4341x2894/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65220649/1173206008.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>A look at the biggest plays that made Bengals vs. Seahawks one of the wildest games of Week 1. </p> <p id="3sYYUB">Consider this a 10-play summary of the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> matchup against the <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a>. These 10 plays played a major role in the game’s outcome. Each represents a key moment in the game that greatly affected the Bengals chances of winning. </p>
<p id="J66KeN">The Bengals’ second offensive drive was extended by a running-into-the-kicker call. They made good on their second chance by driving into the red zone, but then the drive stalled.</p>
<p id="uDWiiL">On 3rd and 2 on the Seahawks’ 16 yard line, the Bengals were called for delay-of-game. This is an inexcusable penalty, that put them in 3rd and long. </p>
<p id="M5X38O">Zac Taylor dialed up a good play. </p>
<p id="dBbZae">If you watch <span>John Ross</span>, who is the second receiver from the top of the screen, you will see he comes open on his break for first down yardage, but if you pause it just as <span>Ross</span> breaks, you will see that Dalton is concurrently forced from the pocket. </p>
<p id="uFywfi">It is not the offensive line who is at fault, it is running back <span>Joe Mixon</span>. His poor effort blocking the blitzing linebacker forced Dalton to scramble and take his eyes away from Ross. </p>
<p id="SUbBki">The Bengals are forced to kick the field goal and take a 3-0 lead.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">John Ross comes open just as Andy Dalton is forced to scramble <a href="https://t.co/2FNCpeu1Yo">pic.twitter.com/2FNCpeu1Yo</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171237373612568576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="0tL85U">The next key play comes with 5 minutes and 20 seconds left in the second quarter.</p>
<p id="4ZR2p1">The Bengals have just crossed midfield after a 36-yard reception by tight end <span>C.J. Uzomah</span>. </p>
<p id="W4q4wU">This is a great time to take a shot into the end zone. The Bengals come out in a tight formation and send Ross on a jet motion. The ball is snapped and Ross runs by Dalton. Dalton hands off to <span>Mixon</span>, but it is a flea-flicker and <span>Mixon</span> tosses the ball back to Dalton. </p>
<p id="kcjNYm">Ross slows down as he hits the edge. This is important, because it makes the outside linebacker look to Mixon and the inside run. The outside linebacker is the flat defender and is responsible for running with the wheel route. </p>
<p id="TsY21o">As the linebacker’s attention goes away from Ross, the wheel route is exactly what he runs. Ross has his defender beat and one juke gets him by the Seahawks’ final defender and into the endzone. </p>
<p id="iHhbdF">This is a great play design as it puts the outside linebacker in a bind. By slowing down after the fake jet sweep and before running the wheel, Ross has demonstrated an understanding of coverage and what the play is trying to accomplish. </p>
<p id="hUGhWp">This is an excellent play that gives the Bengals their first touchdown of the season and a 10-7 lead. </p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://t.co/DpEdfMNff8">pic.twitter.com/DpEdfMNff8</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171084194056982528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2019</a>
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<p id="KKzxJT">Unfortunately, their lead did not last long. The Seahawks and Bengals both went 3-and-out on their respective next drives, but as the half winded down the Seahawks put a drive together. </p>
<p id="gaw1HG">On 3rd and 7 with 59 seconds remaining in the half, quarterback <span>Russell Wilson</span> completed a short pass to <span>Chris Carson</span> in the flat and one of the Bengals biggest problems from 2018 reappeared. </p>
<p id="BmmTwL">Cornerback <span>Dre Kirkpatrick</span> was the first Bengal there, and the first Bengals to miss the tackle. His missed tackle was the ugliest as he dove errantly for Carson’s ankles and face-planted on the turf. Safeties <span>Jessie Bates III</span> and <span>Shawn Williams</span> also had an opportunity to bring Carson down, but failed to make the tackle.</p>
<p id="lr18pP">Missing tackles was a huge issue for the Bengals last season particularly after a completed pass. These missed tackles allowed the Seahawks to score a touchdown before the half. A tackle by either of these 3 players would have forced the Seahawks to kick a field goal, which could have made all the difference in a game that was determined by 1 point. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Missed open field tackle <a href="https://t.co/5iP1UAW6ur">pic.twitter.com/5iP1UAW6ur</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171091218656370696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2019</a>
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<p id="OTd9IB">The Bengals however were not content to go into halftime down 10-14. After completions to <span>Tyler Boyd</span> and <span>Damion Willis</span> and a drop by Ross, Dalton looked again to Ross.</p>
<p id="0rhgEP">In this clip, Ross beats the defense with speed on the outside vertical route. The safety misreads the pass and tries to jump in front of it and Ross outruns the cornerback to the end zone. </p>
<p id="EP5Qop">This is another big play for Ross and gave the Bengals a 17-14 lead before halftime. </p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://t.co/P3ck190MJ5">pic.twitter.com/P3ck190MJ5</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171091507820077057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2019</a>
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<p id="eQE3rc">The Bengals started the 2nd half strong as <span>Preston Brown</span> forced a fumble on the Seahawks first play giving the Bengals the ball on the Seattle 29 yard line. This should have been one of the plays that changed the game, but unfortunately, momentum quickly shifted back to the Seahawks.</p>
<p id="IyZ4bx">2 plays later, the Bengals had 2nd and 9 on the Seahawks 12 yard line and a chance to take control of the game. <span>Giovani Bernard</span> lines up at receiver and comes in jet motion. The Bengals set up a screen to screen to him, but as Dalton goes to throw the ball slips out of his hand and into the hands of Seahawks defensive tackle <span>Al Woods</span> .</p>
<p id="5tLCWt">This was a huge opportunity for the Bengals and they came out with nothing. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This one hurt <a href="https://t.co/IXGff4m1ev">pic.twitter.com/IXGff4m1ev</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171103537050390537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2019</a>
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<p id="qBNRT3">The Bengals defense stepped up on the ensuing drive. The Seahawks netted negative 5 yards on 3 plays and had to punt. </p>
<p id="PkVzgt">The Bengals were able to gain some yards on the following drive, but once again came away with nothing as <span>Randy Bullock</span> missed a 45-yard field goal. </p>
<p id="cOgwrb">Again, the defense stepped up. A sack from <span>Kirkpatrick</span> on first down and another from <span>Sam Hubbard</span> on second down led the Seahawks to a 3rd and 26 that they were unable to convert. </p>
<p id="2bioUQ">The punt swung the field position back in the Seahawks’ favor as the Bengals took over at their own 8 yard line. They were able move the ball well, but the drive stalled on the play below, 4th and 1 on the Seahawks’ 36 yard line.</p>
<p id="JUxYQy">It would be a 53-yard field goal attempt from here and a tight window for a coffin-corner punt. A good offense should be able to pick up 1 yard when they need it. So it makes perfect sense to go for it in this situation. The play call and execution leave something to be desired. </p>
<p id="88u1zj">Let’s start with the play call. A zone run from the shotgun takes too long to get back to the line of scrimmage for a 4th down call. To make matters worse, the Bengals were <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/9/10/20857895/film-room-bengals-rushing-issues-stem-from-poor-second-level-blocking">rarely able to get to the middle linebacker </a>on zone runs throughout the game and he often made the tackle at the line of scrimmage. </p>
<p id="aR1401">They should have gotten under center for 2 reasons, First, it gets the running back moving forward instead of side to side; which is key when only a yard is needed. Second, it would have given Dalton the option to keep the ball himself on a quarterback sneak. Every offense in football has a built in quarterback sneak audible, which Dalton could have used seeing the open A gap to his right and wide linebackers. </p>
<p id="Ggo17O">Now let’s look at the execution. <span>Bernard</span> actually reads the run properly. His first read is the block of right guard <span>John Miller</span>. <span>Miller</span> blocks out on the defensive tackle (<span>Woods</span>), so <span>Bernard</span>’s eyes go to the block on the backside defensive tackle. </p>
<p id="YG5EMr"><span>Trey Hopkins</span> is to his right so Bernard needs to bang it up in the gap between <span>Hopkins</span> and <span>Miller</span>. Bernard executes this well, but Woods is able to fight across <span>Miller</span>’s face and shows in the gap for the tackle. </p>
<p id="uAHMvL">The second tweet shows 3 still-frames which make this picture even more clear. Woods beat Miller in a one-on-one matchup that determined the outcome of the play.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">4th and 1 <a href="https://t.co/rYJdFemU9n">pic.twitter.com/rYJdFemU9n</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171363912199090176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bernard made right read on 4th down, but John Miller couldn’t hold his block <a href="https://t.co/gNZv2aTfZ7">pic.twitter.com/gNZv2aTfZ7</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171368722801598464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="vkxwgy">A few plays later, a scoreless 3rd quarter ended, but things changed on the first play of the 4th quarter when Wilson threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver <span>Tyler Lockett</span> which swung the game’s momentum wildly in Seattle’s favor. </p>
<p id="z9R3KY"><span>Lockett</span> was wide open, but how?</p>
<p id="shUfH7">The Bengals appear to be in a form of Cover 3. Both <span>Kirkpatrick</span> and <span>William Jackson III</span> are dropping into a deep field zone on the outside. Underneath, both <span>Williams</span> (who is aligned like a linebacker on the bottom of the screen) and <span>B.W. Webb</span> (slot corner to the top of the screen) drop into the flat. </p>
<p id="lkB86v"><span>Brown</span> and <span>Nick Vigil</span> both drop to their left (this is because the boot action makes a throw to their right less likely) into the hook to curl zone. Everything looks like Cover 3 except one very important thing. The free safety. </p>
<p id="d918uT">Bates immediately drops into a “robber” position to play the crosser leaving the middle of the field wide open. </p>
<p id="jY4Hnp">The Bengals showed an inverted Cover 2 look earlier in the game which looked similar. The big difference in that case was that the corners dropped into the middle of their deep halves so they could play routes like Lockett’s. Here they stay wide as they would in Cover 3. </p>
<p id="rzZp00">There is a coverage called “Adjust” that can either Cover 3 or an inverted Cover 2, depending on the offensive formation. I believe the Bengals are playing this or a similar coverage. Perhaps it is the motion by tight end <span>Nick Vannett</span> that leads to confusion. Whatever the reason, the defensive backs are not on the same page. It is more likely that Bates is wrong than both Jackson and Kirkpatrick are wrong.</p>
<p id="ARiSZK">This play put the Bengals behind 17-21. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Not pretty <a href="https://t.co/Zw0RIw1aTY">pic.twitter.com/Zw0RIw1aTY</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171251570127921152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="EpCTZd">The Bengals responded by driving down to the Seahawks’ 4 yard line where they had 1st and Goal. Unfortunately, their offense sputtered in the red zone. An incompletion on first down and a holding call on second down pushed them back. After Dalton was sacked on the replay of second down, they faced 3rd and 16. </p>
<p id="C88jPc">That is when they ran the screen to Ross seen below. </p>
<p id="15U3RH">My question is, why? </p>
<p id="v3dxQS">The Bengals where without <span>A.J. Green</span> and <span>Auden Tate</span>, but they still had <span>Tyler Eifert</span> who is known for making plays in the red zone and Willis who is a machine when it comes to contested catches. </p>
<p id="zboKlS">This was key play in the game. They should have sent both of those players on routes into the endzone. That would have given them a good chance at taking the lead back, but instead they were forced to kick a field goal that left them down 20-21.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">(Jonah Hill aggravated gif) <a href="https://t.co/ARU8GdmjHb">pic.twitter.com/ARU8GdmjHb</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171380940758769664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="97GkxM">Many fans were displeased when the Bengals punted late in the 4th quarter, but why were they in the situation in the first place?</p>
<p id="3is48b">They passed the ball on 6 consecutive plays. Dalton managed to convert on 3rd and Short, and get them a new set of downs, but an incompletion and a 3-yard pass to <span>Alex Erickson</span> later, they were in 3rd and Long.</p>
<p id="WjMiab">Between the run of pass plays, the obvious passing situation, and the lack of talent on the Bengals’ offensive line Dalton didn’t have a chance. The Seahawks brought a 6-man pressure that collapsed the pocket and resulted in a tipped pass.</p>
<p id="5pXT8h">The Bengals were forced to punt down by a point with 3:30 left to play.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Collapsing pocket, deflected ball <a href="https://t.co/IyPqs2CLDa">pic.twitter.com/IyPqs2CLDa</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171252196807254016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="jLKLLR">In the 2nd half, the Seahawks had 1 drive end in a long touchdown, 1 drive end with a fumble on the first play, and 3 drives and in 3-and-outs. In fact, at this point, the Seahawks had only earned 1 first down in the entire second half. </p>
<p id="u5Ecua">The Bengals had 2 timeouts, and there was every reason to believe that the Bengals could force another 3-and-out and get the ball back before the 2-minute warning. </p>
<p id="uPciEK">The Seahawks wanted to keep the ball on the ground to force the Bengals to use their timeouts. All the Bengals needed to do was stop the run for 2 plays and put the Seahawks in to a difficult 3rd down situation.</p>
<p id="kA6CgP">Unfortunately, that is not how it went down. In two plays, the Bengals gave up 9 yards and both of their timeouts. That brought them to this critical 3rd and 1. </p>
<p id="n0NIda">The Seahawks came out in a 2 tight end formation (although one of the tight ends was actually backup tackle <span>George Fant</span>). The Bengals lined up with <span>Carlos Dunlap</span> head up on Fant, <span>Geno Atkins</span> in a 3-technique outside of the left guard, <span>Andrew Billings</span> in a 1-technique on the other side of the center, <span>Ryan Glasgow</span> in a 4i inside of the offensive tackle, and <span>Hubbard</span> outside of the other tight end.</p>
<p id="cDIQtv">That is a strong defensive alignment. Although the formation is balanced, the presence of an extra lineman on one side gives that side strength, The Bengals countered by putting their two best defensive linemen (<span>Atkins</span> and <span>Dunlap</span>) to that side. </p>
<p id="JaUM4F">What was confusing is what they did with their linebackers. <span>Vigil</span> held the edge outside of <span>Dunlap</span>. <span>Williams</span>, the safety, creeped inside of <span>Hubbard</span> taking away the C-Gap to that side. This essentially left only the A-Gap between <span>Atkins</span> and <span>Billings</span>, but <span>Brown</span> moved around and ended up lining up over the offensive tackle on the other side of the formation. </p>
<p id="43Y7JM">Atkins plays strong and essentially eliminates the A-gap, but he cannot disengage from the block to make the tackle. <span>Brown</span> has to make the play, but <span>Billings</span> gets driven back, impeding Brown’s path. Brown should have lined up directly behind Billings or on the strong side of the formation. This error in either scheme or execution allows Carson to pick up the first down with ease.</p>
<p id="m0H4VP">This gave the Seahawks what they needed to drain most of the clock. The Bengals got the ball back with 21 seconds on the clock and no timeouts. </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">3rd and 1 from the tite angle <a href="https://t.co/wxjKXVXAIV">pic.twitter.com/wxjKXVXAIV</a></p>— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMinich/status/1171507384952311816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="jFNYM9">The Bengals showed a lot of promise, but I have never been one to take stock in moral victories. The good news is that many of the problems they have are fixable. Here are 3 correctible problems that stuck out.</p>
<ol>
<li id="dkik1k">They need to be better in the red zone. Their only two touchdowns came on long passes to Ross. They were not able to finish any sustained drives in the endzone. They have a plethora of pass catchers who thrive in this part of the field, they need to do a better job of getting them the ball. </li>
<li id="yCwBij">They need to avoid penalties. More than once a penalty was an important factor that ended an offensive drive.</li>
<li id="l24kvi">Tackling remains an issue, particularly in the open field. This problem is not what it was a year ago, but improvement is still needed.</li>
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https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/9/10/20857896/film-room-10-plays-that-changed-bengals-vs-seahawksMatthew Minich2019-09-10T12:56:02-04:002019-09-10T12:56:02-04:00Bengals’ Unsung Hero of the Week vs. Seahawks
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v&nbsp;Seattle Seahawks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mSeil2aJbUJbzbVK3wvWDPldBUw=/0x0:3965x2643/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65217205/1173447471.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Which Bengals player had a huge impact that went overlooked? Cast your vote and sound off on your winner for Cincinnati’s Week 1 Unsung Hero of the Week!</p> <p id="21SqkH">Even though the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> came up one point short of a victory this Sunday, many players stepped up in various ways to get them close to a win. <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/awards/2019/9/10/20857976/bengals-mvp-award-from-loss-to-seahawks">While a handful of players stole the spotlight</a>, a glut of others played well without the fanfare. In case you’re new around these parts, that’s what this award encompasses for Bengals players. </p>
<p id="G0kiVt">Cast your vote and sound off on your winner for the Bengals’ Week 1 Unsung Hero of the Week!</p>
<p id="sH7y6f"><span><em><strong>Giovani Bernard</strong></em></span><em><strong>:</strong></em> Part of the criteria for this award is in a player stepping up in the wake of injury. <span>Joe Mixon</span> tweaked his ankle midway through the game, paving the way for <span>Bernard</span> to have a bigger role. </p>
<p id="hhgsZJ">Running room was tough to find, as <span>Bernard</span> churned out 21 tough yards on seven carries Sunday afternoon. He also continued his trademark contributions as a receiver, nabbing two receptions for 42 yards.</p>
<p id="QX8WRI"><span><em><strong>Tyler Boyd</strong></em></span><em><strong>: </strong></em><span>John Ross III</span> had the big afternoon, but <span>Boyd</span> worked the sticks with great efficiency. He was targeted 11 times and snagged eight balls for 60 yards. </p>
<p id="dCw3L6"><span><em><strong>Tyler Eifert</strong></em></span><em><strong>:</strong></em> Unfortunately, the Bengals couldn’t get No. 85 the ball in the red zone, as we have become accustomed to, but he once again proved to be a nice security blanket for Andy Dalton. He finished with five catches for 27 yards on six targets. </p>
<p id="Nlhyne"><span><em><strong>Preston Brown</strong></em></span><em><strong>:</strong></em> Though he only had four total tackles, <span>Brown</span> helped spearhead a defense that frustrated the <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a> all evening. Seattle ran for just 72 yards on 25 carries for a 2.88 average and <span>Brown</span> was a big reason why. <span>Brown</span> also forced the fumble of <span>Chris Carson</span> at the beginning of the third quarter.</p>
<p id="yRvYQf"><span><em><strong>Geno Atkins</strong></em></span><em><strong>:</strong></em> This award should be named after this guy. <span>Atkins</span> didn’t wow on the stat sheet with just two assisted tackles, but if you’re a data geek, his four pressures and hit on <span>Russell Wilson</span> gave him <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641763&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pff.com%2Fnews%2Fpro-pffs-nfl-team-of-the-week-2019-nfl-week-1&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincyjungle.com%2Fawards%2F2019%2F9%2F10%2F20858044%2Fbengals-unsung-hero-of-the-week-vs-seahawks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Pro Football Focus “All-PFF Week 1 Team” honors</a>. </p>
<p id="44ilHh"><span><em><strong>Kevin Huber</strong></em></span><em><strong>:</strong></em> Punters are players too! <span>Huber</span> only hit one of his four punts inside the 20-yard line, but it was inside the 10-yard line. His four kicks were at 44.3-yard average, and he boomed a 51-yarder on the day. </p>
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https://www.cincyjungle.com/awards/2019/9/10/20858044/bengals-unsung-hero-of-the-week-vs-seahawksAnthony Cosenza