The Offensive Line

[BronxBengal]

Does anyone other than me have major concerns with the OL after two horrible games in a row? 12 sacks in two games is not good. I think the major issue is Kyle Cook not being as good as Trevor Robertson. Regardless, the OL play is horrible and it needs to be fixed ASAP or we are one and done during the playoffs.

[Derrick]

Originally Posted by BronxBengal

Does anyone other than me have major concerns with the OL after two horrible games in a row? 12 sacks in two games is not good. I think the major issue is Kyle Cook not being as good as Trevor Richardson. Regardless, the OL play is horrible and it needs to be fixed ASAP or we are one and done during the playoffs.

I, too, am concerned and don't have any idea what, or where, the problem lies. Pressure seems to come from different places at different times. Part of the problem could be not having a good, big, blocking-back to help protect Dalton. Whatever it is, I hope they solve it by Sunday.

[thompson19osu]

Originally Posted by Derrick

I, too, am concerned and don't have any idea what, or where, the problem lies. Pressure seems to come from different places at different times. Part of the problem could be not having a good, big, blocking-back to help protect Dalton. Whatever it is, I hope they solve it by Sunday.

The problem lies with Cook. It's no coincidence that he comes back in the last 3 weeks and the sack numbers become inflated. Not to mention I watched him in the run game and he was constantly getting pushed back. It's always telling of how someone plays when the media is asking Marvin about that person. The question was, "what are your thoughts on how C Kyle Cook played?" They didn't ask about other people except to point out that Huber played well. When they ask Marvin about a player in that manner, it means that player had a God awful game and they are curious if the situation will be addressed.

[BengalsBong]

Originally Posted by thompson19osu

The problem lies with Cook. It's no coincidence that he comes back in the last 3 weeks and the sack numbers become inflated. Not to mention I watched him in the run game and he was constantly getting pushed back. It's always telling of how someone plays when the media is asking Marvin about that person. The question was, "what are your thoughts on how C Kyle Cook played?" They didn't ask about other people except to point out that Huber played well. When they ask Marvin about a player in that manner, it means that player had a God awful game and they are curious if the situation will be addressed.

I hope you are right and it opens peoples eyes we need to put our best foot foward in the playoffs and I think that is Robinson at center.

[Fan_in_Kettering]

I know the Steelers put up to ten guys in the box to stop the run against Cincinnati but fourteen total rushing yards for the entire game is ridiculously bad. A team won't gain a lot of yards on the ground when the defense stacks the box but the Bengals' offensive line was terrible. I'm looking at film and I see so many things that I can't list them all. The problems lie in the little details, of course, like staying low, not letting a defensive linemen or linebacker get lower, and just poor vision. Kyle Cook should have at least chipped Troy Polamalu instead of letting Mr. Head and Shoulders hurdle him.

[khamla]

I wonder if we have to reach DEEP this year in the draft for a center HIGH. At first I wanted to do this early in a draft 2-3 years from now, but maybe we have to address it now.

[Vikairius]

Originally Posted by Fan_in_Kettering

I know the Steelers put up to ten guys in the box to stop the run against Cincinnati but fourteen total rushing yards for the entire game is ridiculously bad. A team won't gain a lot of yards on the ground when the defense stacks the box but the Bengals' offensive line was terrible. I'm looking at film and I see so many things that I can't list them all. The problems lie in the little details, of course, like staying low, not letting a defensive linemen or linebacker get lower, and just poor vision. Kyle Cook should have at least chipped Troy Polamalu instead of letting Mr. Head and Shoulders hurdle him.

Guy was offsides, but it didn't get called. Cook just had a bad game and is playing like a back up. Looking at it I would say Cook was the undrafted rookie not Robinson.

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by BronxBengal

Does anyone other than me have major concerns with the OL after two horrible games in a row? 12 sacks in two games is not good. I think the major issue is Kyle Cook not being as good as Trevor Richardson. Regardless, the OL play is horrible and it needs to be fixed ASAP or we are one and done during the playoffs.

The line actually played relatively well against Pittsburgh when you look at the constant blitzes that Lebeau was throwing at it.

[THE PISTONS]

Originally Posted by thompson19osu

The problem lies with Cook. It's no coincidence that he comes back in the last 3 weeks and the sack numbers become inflated. Not to mention I watched him in the run game and he was constantly getting pushed back. It's always telling of how someone plays when the media is asking Marvin about that person. The question was, "what are your thoughts on how C Kyle Cook played?" They didn't ask about other people except to point out that Huber played well. When they ask Marvin about a player in that manner, it means that player had a God awful game and they are curious if the situation will be addressed.

Cook may be part of the problem, but he's not why Andre Smith is getting destroyed by speed rushers. Boling also has been playing sub-part lately.

There was a sack against the Steelers where the defender beat both Boling and Zeitler.

[THE PISTONS]

Originally Posted by OSUfan

The line actually played relatively well against Pittsburgh when you look at the constant blitzes that Lebeau was throwing at it.

Pass protection was decent. Run blocking was bad.

Outside of Green, our other WR's also struggle to get open. Jones is doing better. Sanu was a big target and really helped in that regard.

Tate struggles to get open. Whalen is ok, but they only use him on short routes.

It's hard to throw the ball quick when guys are covered.

[bigboar]

Originally Posted by thompson19osu

The problem lies with Cook. It's no coincidence that he comes back in the last 3 weeks and the sack numbers become inflated. Not to mention I watched him in the run game and he was constantly getting pushed back. It's always telling of how someone plays when the media is asking Marvin about that person. The question was, "what are your thoughts on how C Kyle Cook played?" They didn't ask about other people except to point out that Huber played well. When they ask Marvin about a player in that manner, it means that player had a God awful game and they are curious if the situation will be addressed.

I agree, our offense was rolling with Robinson. great running game and very few sacks. he gets put in the rotation and all of a sudden the offense starts sputtering and the sacks go way up.

[Robbie Sharp]

Originally Posted by THE PISTONS

Pass protection was decent. Run blocking was bad.

Outside of Green, our other WR's also struggle to get open. Jones is doing better. Sanu was a big target and really helped in that regard.

Tate struggles to get open. Whalen is ok, but they only use him on short routes.

It's hard to throw the ball quick when guys are covered.

And...Hawkins is very talented, but too darn short to make the quickest reads and throws because Dalton has to float balls over the line perfectly to him to beat blitzes, rather than have a tall guy like Sanu there to target and shoot it into him. I'd use Tate and Hawkins more on screens and reverses, and the same for Green, anything to get the ball to them in space. You have to be creative when your missing a key piece like Sanu. He wasn't Pro Bowl caliber yet, but give him time.

[EatonFan]

Originally Posted by Vikairius

Guy was offsides, but it didn't get called. Cook just had a bad game and is playing like a back up. Looking at it I would say Cook was the undrafted rookie not Robinson.

I thought he was offsides too.

[bfine32]

Cook really excels at blocking nobody. I don't know how many times I've seen him snap the ball, square up, and just block nobody (he does look around though). Robinson snaps, and goes to a man. Does anybody wonder why Zietler and Boling's worst games of the year has been the last 2-3 weeks?

[McC]

Originally Posted by bigboar

I agree, our offense was rolling with Robinson. great running game and very few sacks. he gets put in the rotation and all of a sudden the offense starts sputtering and the sacks go way up.

Must be another one of those Pat Sims-like coincidences.

[Bengal4ever68]

Originally Posted by bfine32

Cook really excels at blocking nobody. I don't know how many times I've seen him snap the ball, square up, and just block nobody (he does look around though). Robinson snaps, and goes to a man. Does anybody wonder why Zietler and Boling's worst games of the year has been the last 2-3 weeks?

I was thinking the same thing. I seen Cook look at somebody blow by Boling and then he quickly went the other way to help Zeitler who had his man owned.

[Carl Spackler]

Originally Posted by BronxBengal

Does anyone other than me have major concerns with the OL after two horrible games in a row? 12 sacks in two games is not good. I think the major issue is Kyle Cook not being as good as Trevor Richardson. Regardless, the OL play is horrible and it needs to be fixed ASAP or we are one and done during the playoffs.

I agree and I think Robinson has outplayed Cook at every opportunity since last season. The line is stronger and seems to gel better with Robinson.

[MrRager]

Originally Posted by BronxBengal

Does anyone other than me have major concerns with the OL after two horrible games in a row? 12 sacks in two games is not good. I think the major issue is Kyle Cook not being as good as Trevor Richardson. Regardless, the OL play is horrible and it needs to be fixed ASAP or we are one and done during the playoffs.

Nope. According to some (OSUfan, Momadance, etc.) we aren't allowed to be critical of the team after a win and we won the last two so...... OUR OFFENSIVE LINE IS THE BEST

[bengalfan74]

I believe there's more to it than just coincidence that our O-line's downfall and K. Cook's return go hand in hand.

[THE PISTONS]

Originally Posted by Robbie Sharp

And...Hawkins is very talented, but too darn short to make the quickest reads and throws because Dalton has to float balls over the line perfectly to him to beat blitzes, rather than have a tall guy like Sanu there to target and shoot it into him. I'd use Tate and Hawkins more on screens and reverses, and the same for Green, anything to get the ball to them in space. You have to be creative when your missing a key piece like Sanu. He wasn't Pro Bowl caliber yet, but give him time.

I don't want to be negative, but #2 WR is this years Nate Livings. Had we signed a Guard in free agency last year and been able to run the ball, who knows how far we would have went.

Same with #2 WR this year. We're not going to make it out of the 1st Round in the playoffs with our WR's playing like this. A guy like Jones still has time to step up though.

What impressed me about Sanu is that everything around him he caught.

Jon Gruden had a good point that the good teams in the NFL need 2 bad ball receivers. That's guys that catch a throw that isn't right to them. Green catches anything in the vicinity. We didn't have that other guy until Sanu started playing.

Contrast that to guys liek Caldwell, Jones, Binns who would tip the ball and result in interceptions.

[Millz]

Let's see, 15 carries by BJGE for 14 yards. I will go out on a limb here and say it wasn't his fault that he couldnt make it past the line of scrimmage. Pitt has a very good front 7 for sure, but not that good though. Cook has been terrible at run blocking since his return, and his pass pro is average at best. Why the coaches went back to him as opposed to the guy playing well is baffling. Then again, it isnt the only instance of this happening.

[Whatever]

Originally Posted by BronxBengal

Does anyone other than me have major concerns with the OL after two horrible games in a row? 12 sacks in two games is not good. I think the major issue is Kyle Cook not being as good as Trevor Richardson. Regardless, the OL play is horrible and it needs to be fixed ASAP or we are one and done during the playoffs.

There's a number of different things at play. Cook hasn't been terribly impressive, and it may have upset the OL chemistry with him coming back. John Connor was flat out awful at F, which was another issue. He was totally lost in pass protection, and did little to help out in the run game, as well. Another problem was Andy eating the ball instead of simply throwing it away, which he had time to do on several of the sacks against the Steelers. Finally, that was the NFL's #1 defense fighting for it's playoff lives at home. The guys on the other team get paid, too, and sometimes you just have to give credit where credit is due. The Steel Curtain was playing lights out ball on Sunday.

[THE PISTONS]

Originally Posted by Whatever

There's a number of different things at play. Cook hasn't been terribly impressive, and it may have upset the OL chemistry with him coming back. John Connor was flat out awful at F, which was another issue. He was totally lost in pass protection, and did little to help out in the run game, as well. Another problem was Andy eating the ball instead of simply throwing it away, which he had time to do on several of the sacks against the Steelers. Finally, that was the NFL's #1 defense fighting for it's playoff lives at home. The guys on the other team get paid, too, and sometimes you just have to give credit where credit is due. The Steel Curtain was playing lights out ball on Sunday.

The Cowboys, Eagles, and Steelers all have defenses built around speed pass rushers. Guys like Andre Smith struggle against that.

Playing those teams just correlated to Cooks return.

Oakland, KC, SD...don't really have great pass rushing teams. (Although the Chiefs have some good individual players.)

[TKuhl]

Originally Posted by THE PISTONS

Pass protection was decent. Run blocking was bad.

Outside of Green, our other WR's also struggle to get open. Jones is doing better. Sanu was a big target and really helped in that regard.

Tate struggles to get open. Whalen is ok, but they only use him on short routes.

It's hard to throw the ball quick when guys are covered.

Whalen has done nothing but produce, I dont understand why he dosent get more playing time. He made a hella catch in that game. I think this kid could play a huge role in the post season if givin the chance. As far as the line goes, I would like to see where the D Lines that we went against Rank since Cook came back.

[Housh]

Originally Posted by khamla

I wonder if we have to reach DEEP this year in the draft for a center HIGH. At first I wanted to do this early in a draft 2-3 years from now, but maybe we have to address it now.

Or we could start our better player and use that pick on a WR or RB.lol


Never seen a guy play so blatantly worse than another guy and the coach wont start him....