I blame this game on Dalton

[alleyviper13]

Originally Posted by berserkerone88

If we make the FG it doesn't matter. You are still losing.
You have to get the first there. You need 7. Not 3.
You have to go for it there. 4th and 5. Not 15 or 20. 5.

what? if Nugent makes that FG we were down by 1....

which means just get into FG range again and we win. ( if any of these FGs were made of course lol)

[Fresno Bengal]

Of all the drops(which isn"t an automatic turnover), poor protection, poor defense,or anything else you could name, Dalton was responsible because he threw 2 interceptions. I dont think anyone else gave the ball directly to the dolphins twice. The moment we got the ball back, it was on everyone but Dalton was the first to screw up.

[berserkerone88]

Originally Posted by alleyviper13

what? if Nugent makes that FG we were down by 1....

which means just get into FG range again and we win. ( if any of these FGs were made of course lol)

Okay, we lose by 1 instead of 7.
Nothing about that last drive makes me think we get in FG range.

[alleyviper13]

Originally Posted by berserkerone88

Okay, we lose by 1 instead of 7.
Nothing about that last drive makes me think we get in FG range.

Slightly agree.

But playing for a touchdown is different than playing for a FG.

All hypothetical, i know. Our game management is the serious problem.

[savagehenry54]

Originally Posted by BengalRugby

This game just went to show that Dalton isn't there yet. He doesn't have the leadership to own and control the offense, to will it to victory like other great QB's have done before.


But it's only his second year, so what do you honestly expect?


It's a combination of a young QB and a very inexperienced crop of WR's.

That's pretty reasonable but ppl are always so quick to pass it off on the QB.

He's got diddly for a run game, and even Brady and Rodgers have bad days and get beat.....I'm pretty sure coming into today Dalton had a better passer rating than both of those guys. But even after a dude wins SBs the nitpicking armchair QBs are always out in force after a loss so I doubt the unfair critiques of Dalton will ever cease.

[savagehenry54]

Originally Posted by berserkerone88

Okay, we lose by 1 instead of 7.
Nothing about that last drive makes me think we get in FG range.

Perhaps Dalton doesn't try to force the big play into three white jerseys if only a FG was needed.....Nuge has got to make that kick, but he'll be all right I think. Can't make 'em all.

[68Firebird]

Can't win them all, can't make them all, can't be your best EVERY SINGLE game.

This isn't any one guy's fault today. The list would be a mile long if we listed instances of poor play and how it effected the game.

Team game, team lost. To quote Apollo Creed's trainer in Rocky II "Let it go. Let it go!".

Do I think the Dolphins are a better team in 2012 than the Bengals? Nah. Were they better for a day? Yes. Will they be better at the end of the season? No.

IMO, the head coach lost his nerve and reverted back to his old self at around 3 mins and when the field goal was missed it put too much on the offense and defense to conventionally come back from. The deck became stacked the other way. He didn't play to win, which this group of players seem to revel in.

The offense had momentum, was making plays, and were 5 yards shy of progressing with plenty of time. He neutered them and if I were one of his players I would be furious. Even with as bad as the players played... they were right there trying to win. Unfortunately, the coach didn't have that same mentality.

[hawnbengalsfan]

Woulda' coulda' shoulda', same thing for this team guys. Too much talent on this team to lose like this..how many years have I been hearin' the same old song.

Coaches did not prepare well..team did not play well..this is and always will be a team of ALMOST's..can't help it...just the way it is...too bad really.

I love the Bengals and the Red's but sometimes a fan has to face facts..if we make the playoffs...we won't go to far until we get a head coach that prepares for EVERY game not just the BIG ones...

Almost won...Almost made the playoffs...we have the talent...I think most agree...so why..the questions begs, do we lose to teams we should beat.... a lack of preparedness or is the team's talent over-rated...a question for another day perhaps

[lvbengal]

sick of his slow starts....no doubt but we are just not coached well enough as we continue under this marvin administratin to lay more eggs at home then the easter bunny...this loss today will cost us the division and probably any shot of the playoffs...i hate to use the term must win but when you are the bengals and you are unable to beat the elite you must beat the doormats...that did not happen today and i doubt very much we win next week...season imo is another 7-8 wins of meaningless football...

[Who-Dey-Steve]

I don't think this game was lost cause of bad offensive planning. I saw screens, a reverse and a shovel pass. The same plays that had everyone all gawky and had people saying he was gone next year, after being made a HC. The only difference today is they didn't work. When in a base offense, we didn't look too good. We can't spot the oposition 10 points (turnovers) and leave 7 points on the field (Not scoring a td in the redzone and a missed field goal). Aj Green was going against press coverage (Smith had his hands on him all day). Thats sort off what they did in the seventies to Curtis, but not to that degree that they did it back then (Green has to get better at beating press). When Dalton couldn't get the ball to Green, he forced it to Hawkins (Some of those throws were just poorly thrown, he is 5'7 not 6'4). The run game hasn't done any favors to Dalton. When Dalton's only options are throw the ball or throw the ball, it limits the offense (Are running game doesn't have to be great, just solid). Dalton took a sack today, where they brought pressure, and not one single WR beat the one on one coverage. At least are defense, for the most part, played great today.

[austrianpine]

Originally Posted by berserkerone88

If we make the FG it doesn't matter. You are still losing.
You have to get the first there. You need 7. Not 3.
You have to go for it there. 4th and 5. Not 15 or 20. 5.

I can't believe I am saying this, but I am with Marvin on this, 2 FG win the game.
We weren't running the ball well and a short pass is what the defense expected.

Hindsight is 20/20 and we probably shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place.

I want to bang my head against the wall now.

[bengalfan247]

Originally Posted by TigerJ@w

and is this a sign of what is to come? the only thing is, Dalton runs a lot better than CP if that is saying much.

No, I think AD is going to do very well in Cincy. He is a good QB. Plus, I think that the new offense and new OC have changed things. Plus, I think Marvin is meddling less with the offense now. Many of us told CP he should go back because of the new offense. But he was set. Plus, AJ is already better than Chad and he hasn't hit his ceiling yet. Dalton may run better than CP but he isn't even on the same page with overall talent at QB.

[Air Force 1]

Score 1 TD instead of 2 early FG's and this isn't even a conversation..I knew that when they couldn't get into the endzone on one of those 2 early drives, it was gonna come back and bite em in the arse...On the other hand though..Miami isn't as bad as a lot of people want to think they are either..

Screw it...

Lets just beat the crap outta Cleveland and we'll all feel a lot better.