MontanaHawk05
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- Joined
- May 1, 2009
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I try not to get worked up by Week 1. It's the hardest week to judge, because everyone's rusty and new schemes are still being deployed. This is the week in which the Patriots have become known for losing to the Bills, for heaven's sack. My proof of this: Wagner, McDougald, and Kendricks each had a big play given up in coverage. It wasn't just Tedric.
* Cincy came to play and could be dangerous this year. They installed new offensive masterminds and Dalton executed great. Their OL, however, is not the vaunted improvement their fans were hoping for. Quinton Jefferson most likely evaporates next week against a real one (I hope not).
* Wilson's sacks were partly a reflection of his dislike of zone coverage. Seven-step drop, doesn't see anyone open, and Cincy was cheating the zone coverage far up enough to where Wilson didn't like his hot options or late flat stuff. You do see Wilson usually reach his first progression and decline. So there's a little coverage sack in there, or scheme familiarity, or Wilson conservatism, or all three.
* On the first one, Dissly chipped and flashed open late, and Wilson saw him but chose to eat the sack instead. That's part on him, part on the Bengals, part on Pocic getting mixed up in the scrum and blocking nobody allowing Geno Atkins to cut off Wilson's escape.
* The second is more on the OL. Ifedi might or not be blocking the wrong guy, but he doesn't give enough and Atkins threatens. Britt gets bulled hard into Wilson's escape lane. But it's also good zone by Cincy to limit his comfort.
* On the Carson loss, Britt got straight-up tossed to the ground and Carson missed as a backup plan. Wilson slipped, which didn't help, but that's largely on Britt.
* The very next drive, Schottenheimer starts mixing in slants to neutralize the zone (and you can hear the announcer call the strategy as the first one leave's Wilson's hands), and Dissly and Metcalf each get one. Drive ends in Carson's first TD.
* Mychal Kendricks got frozen by the flea-flicker. Good game otherwise, but it was a wrinkle from Cincy's new offensive gamemind. Due credit.
* On the Metcalf bomb, Metcalf actually alerts Carson to a blitz and Carson picks it up. Both of them were absolutely epic on that play in more ways than one.
* Schotty threw in two successful RB screens(!) that went for 10+ yards(!!). Too bad Carson fumbled one.
* Wilson's third sack was a corner blitz, and Wilson has to get it out to the uncovered perimeter guy (Metcalf in this case) when that happens.
* Fourth sack was on the OL. No chance. Ifedi got beat, Britt looked bored, Pocic pushed back too far. Didn't help that it was 2nd on 19, and therefore a predictable play.
* Al Woods was manful on that fourth-down stuff. Great pickup.
* On Metcalf's crazy catch, Britt got beat like Walter Mondale. He had a terrible game. I wonder if it's because of that early injury.
* Carson's 3rd-and-1 run close to game's ending was encouraging, because you saw Fant, Brown, and Pocic absolutely stonewall their men to give him a hole. That much spirit that late in the game is good to see.
* Rasheem Green got a forced fumble he didn't deserve. Terrible call.
* Shaquill Griffin had an excellent game. He needed it.
* Anyone still want to claim that Tedric Thompson is just disliked because he's not Earl Thomas?
* Cincy came to play and could be dangerous this year. They installed new offensive masterminds and Dalton executed great. Their OL, however, is not the vaunted improvement their fans were hoping for. Quinton Jefferson most likely evaporates next week against a real one (I hope not).
* Wilson's sacks were partly a reflection of his dislike of zone coverage. Seven-step drop, doesn't see anyone open, and Cincy was cheating the zone coverage far up enough to where Wilson didn't like his hot options or late flat stuff. You do see Wilson usually reach his first progression and decline. So there's a little coverage sack in there, or scheme familiarity, or Wilson conservatism, or all three.
* On the first one, Dissly chipped and flashed open late, and Wilson saw him but chose to eat the sack instead. That's part on him, part on the Bengals, part on Pocic getting mixed up in the scrum and blocking nobody allowing Geno Atkins to cut off Wilson's escape.
* The second is more on the OL. Ifedi might or not be blocking the wrong guy, but he doesn't give enough and Atkins threatens. Britt gets bulled hard into Wilson's escape lane. But it's also good zone by Cincy to limit his comfort.
* On the Carson loss, Britt got straight-up tossed to the ground and Carson missed as a backup plan. Wilson slipped, which didn't help, but that's largely on Britt.
* The very next drive, Schottenheimer starts mixing in slants to neutralize the zone (and you can hear the announcer call the strategy as the first one leave's Wilson's hands), and Dissly and Metcalf each get one. Drive ends in Carson's first TD.
* Mychal Kendricks got frozen by the flea-flicker. Good game otherwise, but it was a wrinkle from Cincy's new offensive gamemind. Due credit.
* On the Metcalf bomb, Metcalf actually alerts Carson to a blitz and Carson picks it up. Both of them were absolutely epic on that play in more ways than one.
* Schotty threw in two successful RB screens(!) that went for 10+ yards(!!). Too bad Carson fumbled one.
* Wilson's third sack was a corner blitz, and Wilson has to get it out to the uncovered perimeter guy (Metcalf in this case) when that happens.
* Fourth sack was on the OL. No chance. Ifedi got beat, Britt looked bored, Pocic pushed back too far. Didn't help that it was 2nd on 19, and therefore a predictable play.
* Al Woods was manful on that fourth-down stuff. Great pickup.
* On Metcalf's crazy catch, Britt got beat like Walter Mondale. He had a terrible game. I wonder if it's because of that early injury.
* Carson's 3rd-and-1 run close to game's ending was encouraging, because you saw Fant, Brown, and Pocic absolutely stonewall their men to give him a hole. That much spirit that late in the game is good to see.
* Rasheem Green got a forced fumble he didn't deserve. Terrible call.
* Shaquill Griffin had an excellent game. He needed it.
* Anyone still want to claim that Tedric Thompson is just disliked because he's not Earl Thomas?
