Cincy Jungle - GAMEDAY: Cincinnati Bengals at Houston TexansWho Deyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48495/cincyjungle_fave.png2013-01-06T10:43:04-05:00http://www.cincyjungle.com/rss/stream/36030852013-01-06T10:43:04-05:002013-01-06T10:43:04-05:00Flawed Gameplan Involved Everyone But Green
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<figcaption>Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Cincinnati Bengals offense struggled badly on Saturday, especially in the first half when A.J. Green didn't see a single pass.</p> <p>Clearly one of Cincinnati's biggest storylines after Saturday's 19-13 postseason exit to the Houston Texans was the sheer disappointment from the Bengals inept offense. And one of those issues early suggested the insane neglect from the coaching staff and quarterback Andy Dalton getting the playmaker involved. A.J. Green wasn't targeted once in the first half whereas Jermaine Gresham had five opportunities, generating one reception for a single yard. Rookie receiver Marvin Jones led the Bengals with 11 yards receiving at half time.</p>
<p>"I think just the designs of the plays; we were trying to get (TE) Jermaine (Gresham) the ball early," said Andy Dalton after the loss. "We were trying to get some of the other guys going, but we weren’t making plays."</p>
<p>That's the Cincinnati Bengals offense in a nutshell. There's no dynamics nor adjustments to flawed loyalty on a gameplan that never worked. Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden clearly identified Houston's inside linebackers as a weakness, trying to take advantage of a perceived Gresham mismatch. It didn't work. In fact prior to Jones' 11-yard reception inside the two minute warning, the Bengals would have gained more yards without throwing the football. Cincinnati punted the football during the first four possessions, taking a knee to end the first half on their fifth.</p>
<p>It wasn't until the 10:27 mark in the third quarter that A.J. Green made his debut in the game Saturday.</p>
<p>"There’s up and downs in the football game," said A.J. Green, "and like I said, I would love to get the ball every play but there’s other guys on the team that did it. They double me so other guys can make plays, but I’m going to try and make some plays when my number was called but we didn’t make enough plays as a whole team to come out with this win.”</p>
<p>The reliance on other receivers didn't work. One could argue that there's no one else, but we're not sure. It could be a matter of Dalton not having any progressions to work with after his initial reads were neutralized based on the designs of those plays. Pressure didn't help either for a quarterback that doesn't handle pressure well.</p>
<p>So the Bengals recommitted to their top offensive threat. Green posted three receptions on the team's second possession of the third quarter, generating 64 total yards of offense and the best offensive series of the evening that eventually led to the offense's initial points.</p>
<p>"I need to do a better job making sure A.J. gets his catches," said Dalton. "He is one of the best receivers in this league. He needs to have the ball thrown his way a lot. I think I could have done a little bit better job, but we tried to get other guys involved as well."</p>
<p>Bad idea.</p>
<p>Marvin Jones, Andrew Hawkins, Jermaine Gresham and BenJarvus Green-Ellis combined for 18 targets, nine catches and 47 yards receiving -- most of which generated by Marvin Jones. Gresham only caught two of seven passes for seven yards receiving.</p>
<p>Paul Daugherty with the <em>Cincinnati Enquirer</em> says it <a href="http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130105/COL03/301050095/Doc-Not-enough-Green-Bengals-playoff-loss">best with his conclusion</a>:</p>
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<p>Gear up for an offseason of wondering if Dalton is The Guy, if the draft can bring Green some help, if the defense next year can be as stout as it was down the stretch this year. It was a good year for the Bengals, better than we predicted in August. It wasn’t good enough, though. Time for the coaches to figure out why. Here’s one clue: <br><br> In your biggest games, "involve" your best player. Throw the damned ball to A.J.</p>
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https://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/1/6/3842330/bengals-flawed-gameplan-involved-everyone-but-a-j-greenJosh Kirkendall2013-01-06T10:05:34-05:002013-01-06T10:05:34-05:00Revisiting Bengals Five Keys Against The Texans
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<figcaption>Ronald Martinez</figcaption>
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<p>We offered a five keys breakdown during our All You Need To Know posting. We take a look at how that worked out. </p> <p><strong>1) Andy Dalton Needs To Step Up</strong>. After last night's performance, there's going to a percentage of Cincinnati's fans joining the crowd that were already frustrated with Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. In my opinion it's a fair question to ask what we have with Dalton at this point; not critical, but we have to see more than what we've seen out of this offense in the past quarter of the season.</p>
<p>With 2:57 remaining in the game the Bengals have third and 11 from the Texans 36-yard line. Dalton overthrows an open A.J. Green, who had beaten two defenders into the endzone, which would have given Cincinnati a 20-19 lead. Cincinnati went for it on fourth down and Dalton threw the football to a route that was five yards short of the first down marker. </p>
<p>Dalton has yet to throw a touchdown pass in the postseason against four interceptions and a career passer rating of 48.6. </p>
<p><strong>2) A.J. Green Needs to be Big-Time</strong>. In a strange offensive philosophy -- or an ridiculously overwhelming fear of Johnathan Joseph -- when receiver A.J. Green, your top playmaker on offense, failed to post his first reception until the 10:27 mark in the third quarter. Eventually Green was targeted 11 times, all in the second half, posting only five receptions for 80 yards receiving. </p>
<p>Thanks to a combination of Cincinnati's offense ignoring him for two quarters and Joseph's play at cornerback, Green was largely irrelevant on Saturday. </p>
<p><strong>3) Combination of Patience and Protection</strong>. The Houston Texans defense generated two sacks, three quarterback hits and 12 quarterback pressures during the game. Yet while watching Saturday you'd have thought the offensive line was the worst offensive line in the history of offensive lines. </p>
<p>No. The line didn't play well but Dalton simply can't handle pressure, posting a passer rating of 47.1 for the entire season when faced with pressure. Last night was no different, often overreacting to intense pressure, bringing the football down to look for a lane. In the NFL quarterbacks are going to be under pressure; it's how quarterbacks handle that pressure that sets them apart. </p>
<p>Whereas Dalton brings his eyes and the football down to look for rushing lanes, the better quarterbacks keep their eyes open. It's the greatest "must work on" note in Ken Zampese and Jay Gruden's to-do list this offseason. </p>
<p><strong>4) Stop Arian Foster Before He Gets Started</strong>. Not even close. Arian Foster was clearly the Texans primary gameplan, rushing seven times for 35 yards in the first quarter. When the second quarter rolled around, the Texans had already generated 54 yards rushing. </p>
<p>Foster added another nine carries for 51 yards rushing in the second quarter. By this time, an ineffective Bengals offense and sustained Texans running game wore the defense out even before the second half started. </p>
<p>Foster finished the game with 140 yards rushing on 32 carries, helping the Texans offense stay on the field for nearly 39 minutes. </p>
<p><strong>5) Score Quickly</strong>. The Cincinnati Bengals offense would finally reach midfield with under two minutes remaining in the first half. And it wasn't the offense that put Cincinnati on the board in the first quarter; it was a pick-six by Leon Hall, giving Cincinnati a momentary lead in the second quarter. </p>
<p>Beyond that the Bengals never threatened the Texans, despite the closeness of the score. I read a comment either on the site or twitter that summed it up accurately. This was one of the more deceptive blowouts of all-time. Cincinnati just wasn't into it. </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/1/6/3842204/revisiting-bengals-five-keys-against-the-texansJosh Kirkendall2013-01-05T19:42:02-05:002013-01-05T19:42:02-05:00Texans Bounce Bengals Out Of The Playoffs (Again)
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<figcaption>Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The season is over. There is no tomorrow, no next week, no next game. There won't be a chance for the Bengals to redeem themselves, a forget this game, until early September. </p> <p>With 1:43 remaining in the first half, Bengals running back Brian Leonard picked up two yards on the ground, crossing midfield. Depressingly it was the first time that Cincinnati crossed midfield on the game. To really highlight the story of Cincinnati's inept offense, Andy Dalton reached positive yards passing on the previous play with an 11-yard Marvin Jones reception.</p>
<p>This offense was <em>that</em> bad.</p>
<p>A game that strangely offered no targets to wide receiver A.J. Green in the first half and way too much attention to Jermaine Gresham, the Bengals offensive coaching staff offered the worst possible game-plan or was horribly misunderstood by the players who translated the philosophy of execution into a guillotine marked, "lets just go ahead and end the season."</p>
<p>It wasn't until the 10:21 mark in the third quarter that A.J. Green recorded his first reception, posting three receptions for 57 yards on Cincinnati's second possession in the third quarter. The possession moved Cincinnati to the Houston 16-yard line on what was clearly Cincinnati's best showing of the night, which included a 45-yard reception with Green beating Johnathan Joseph by a step. Eventually the possession stalled with a Conner Barwin pass rush that disrupted Andy Dalton's throwing motion, capped by Josh Brown's 34-yard field goal to reduce Cincinnait's deficit to one possession.</p>
<p>Unfortuantely an exhausted defense -- though only forcing Houston into field goals, wasn't the same defense we've seen this season -- was unable to prevent Houston from sustaining gathered momentum, having already been forced on the field for over 26 minutes of the game's first 34:29. Obviously no congradulatory handshakes will be offered to Cincinnati's offense, which didn't offer a possession longer than three minutes until the fourth quarter.</p>
<p>Cincinnati's season was finally crushed when Johnathan Joseph wiped out yet another ineffective possession with an interception leaving 3:13 remaining in the third quarter, leading to Shayne Graham's third field goal, taking a 19-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.</p>
<p>The Bengals mounted a charge with nine minutes in the game, picking up three points to squeeze within one-possession after a 47-yard Josh Brown field goal. After forcing the Texans to punt with 6:26 remaining in the fourth, the Bengals reached Texans 36-yard line on third and 11. Quarterback Andy Dalton overthrows A.J. Green's vertical, clearly open in the endzone, and throws to Marvin Jones on a route five yards short of a first down. Cincinnati turns it over on downs and the Texans expire the clock.</p>
<p>No. The Bengals didn't break trends on Saturday. They still haven't won a postseason game since 1990 and they're still winless on the road during the postseason. This is a hard one to swallow and there's going to be a lot of criticism for Andy Dalton and Jay Gruden and it would be deserved.</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/1/5/3840766/houston-texans-bounce-cincinnati-bengals-out-of-the-postseason-againJosh Kirkendall2013-01-05T19:15:08-05:002013-01-05T19:15:08-05:00Bengals Scratch Together Decent Drive; Cut Lead
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> have pieced together a solid offensive drive with a combination of clutch plays and penalties to attempt to climb back into the game. The entire day hasn't been pretty and the drive to begin the fourth quarter was an example of the same, clawing for every yard that they attained. The entire day hasn't been pretty but the game is within one possession for either team to take control.</p>
<p>After a couple of nice runs by <span>BenJarvus Green-Ellis</span> and some short passes to Andrew Hawkins and <span>A.J. Green</span>, the Bengals got within one possession of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Houston Texans</a> on a <span>Josh Brown</span> 47-yard field goal. </p>
<p>Though the Bengals' defense coming up huge after giving up some significant yardage, the current MVP of the day should be pointed towards Josh Brown and his two huge field goals. The latest was a long one and has helped to prove why the team decided to IR <span>Mike Nugent</span> in favor of Brown.</p>
<p>Texans still lead 19-13 in the fourth quarter.</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/1/5/3840678/bengals-scratch-together-decent-drive-climb-within-one-possessionAnthony Cosenza2013-01-05T18:44:48-05:002013-01-05T18:44:48-05:00Bengals Score On Field Goal, Now Trail 16-10
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<figcaption>Bob Levey</figcaption>
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<p>The Bengals finally remembered that A.J. Green is on the team and they decided that they should get him involved. Subsequently, they scored their first offensive points.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> offense finally put some points on the board and it came on the first drive that star wide receiver <span>A.J. Green</span> was involved. After being awful throughout the majority of the game, the Bengals offense finally came out on the field with something to prove. Right away, <span>Andy Dalton</span> connected with Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green and never looked back.</p>
<p>The Bengals able to march the ball down the field 64 yards, mostly thanks to a long pass from Dalton to Green for 45 yards. Eventually the drive stalled after the ball was knocked out of Dalton's hands on a third down, which was ruled an incomplete pass even after a Houston challenge that it was a fumble. <span>Josh Brown</span> then came on the field and kicked a field goal, giving the team's offense their first three points of the game and narrowing the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Texans</a> lead to 16-10.</p>
<p>The Bengals are now very much in the game again, but the offense will need to build on their last drive. What they can't do is slump right back down to where they were in the first half, or any time before this last drive.</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/1/5/3840592/a-j-green-shows-up-and-bengals-offense-finally-scoresJason Garrison2013-01-05T18:29:33-05:002013-01-05T18:29:33-05:00Texans Take 16-7 Lead And The Offense Still Sucks
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<p>Second half adjustments. A concept that offensive coordinator and head coaching candidate vastly failed to recognize on Saturday. Leading an offense that failed to generate 60 yards of total offense in the first half, Andy Dalton and company remotely failed to establish anything recognizable to competency. </p>
<p>After their fifth punt of the afternoon on six possessions (with one of those being a knee to end the first half), the Houston Texans charged downfield with a 51-yard touchdown drive, giving the Texans a 16-7 lead. </p>
<p>And honestly, it's not going to be pretty. The defense has been on the field for 26:13 of a possible 34:29 and the offense is awful. There's nothing else needing said at this point. </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/1/5/3840578/texans-take-16-7-lead-for-the-ineffective-offense-to-rebound-rightJosh Kirkendall2013-01-05T18:06:56-05:002013-01-05T18:06:56-05:00SECOND HALF OPEN THREAD: Bengals at Texans
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<p>The Bengals offense stinks. The defense is playing better, but as good as they have. This is the second half open thread.</p> <p>That first half was something to behold. There's no offense and even less A.J. Green, way too much Jermaine Gresham and an exhausting defense being on the field too long. The Bengals need to make half-time adjustments; specifically running the ball and finding Green no matter what. </p>
<p>On the other side of the ball the tiring Bengals defense is doing their best. Though lacking a pass rush, they've kept Houston out of the endzone. </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/1/5/3840518/second-half-open-thread-bengals-at-texansJosh Kirkendall2013-01-05T18:03:59-05:002013-01-05T18:03:59-05:00Bengals Trail Texans 9-7 After First Half
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<figcaption>Bob Levey</figcaption>
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<p>The Bengals offense has been non-existant throughout the majority of first half of the team's playoff game in Houston as part of the NFL's Wildcard weekend.</p> <p>After watching the first two quarters of the first playoff game of the season, it's apparent that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> offense didn't make the trip with the rest of the team. The offensive players were replaced by Bill and Ted-type clones that aren't nearly as awesome as the real thing. The Bengals only trail the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Texans</a> by two points, but the touchdown scored had nothing to do with the offense. </p>
<p>The Texans, in the meantime, have been able to move the ball all the way down the field over and over again, but they have been unable to punch the ball into the end zone at any point against the Bengals defense. Had they been able to, this game would likely be over already.</p>
<p>The only big play of the game was made by <span>Leon Hall</span>. For the second time in three weeks, Hall picked off a pass thrown to a receiver on an out route. Hall took that interception and ran it back for a touchdown, giving the Bengals their only points of the game. Other than Hall's play, the defense has been mediocre... not good and certainly not great. The defensive line hasn't been able to put any pressure on Matt Schaub. While they've made him thrown one or two passes away, he hasn't been sacked. A lot of this has to do with the fact that, for some reason, Mike Zimmer has been completely unwilling to send any extra pressure to help the defensive line bring Schaub down in the back field. Luckily, Schaub and the offense are doing their part to keep the Bengals in the game by avoiding the end zone and just kicking field goals. </p>
<p>On offense, the Bengals have been able to move the ball on the ground, mostly with <span>BenJarvus Green-Ellis</span>, but also with a scramble from <span>Andy Dalton</span>, but the passing game is completely non existant. Dalton has completed four of 10 passes for an unbelievably embarrassing three yards in the first half. Green-Ellis has 46 yards on the ground on only three carries, but the fact that he has three carries should make all Bengals fans want to beat their heads into a brick wall. </p>
<p>The Bengals need to go into the locker room and realize that this game is still very much in reach because the Texans are doing what they can to let the Bengals win, but if they don't come out in the second half and actually play the game of football, especially on offense (I'm not sure what game the offense is playing right now), they will not win this game and we'll be subjected to another offseason of hearing every NFL analyst telling us that the Bengals just aren't ready. </p>
<p>I for one, don't want to go through that again.</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/1/5/3840466/bengals-trail-texans-9-7-at-halftime-in-houstonJason Garrison