In depth review of Texans Game....Microcosm of Problems with this team

[bengalfan74]

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

In the early years of this offensive style, the screen was a major part-the Bengals made their living running screens to Essex and Paul Robinson. Later, these developed into flare routes for Archie and Pete.

You have to actually practice screens a lot to get the timing right. BJGE didn't even act like he was going to block Barwin, which is why Barwin tackled him for a 5-yard loss.

Back to ODRAB's point, though. Stick to what you know has worked in the past and fit that to the defense you face. I'm sure a bubble screen to Baby Hawk (a killer in the past) might have worked, once.

Totally agree ! And two very big questions come up

1. Why are we not practicing screens ?

2. An even bigger question - why are we running plays in the biggest game of the year that we haven't practiced enough to do well ?

Can we get some coaching up in here ?

[ODRAB14]

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

In the early years of this offensive style, the screen was a major part-the Bengals made their living running screens to Essex and Paul Robinson. Later, these developed into flare routes for Archie and Pete.

You have to actually practice screens a lot to get the timing right. BJGE didn't even act like he was going to block Barwin, which is why Barwin tackled him for a 5-yard loss.

Back to ODRAB's point, though. Stick to what you know has worked in the past and fit that to the defense you face. I'm sure a bubble screen to Baby Hawk (a killer in the past) might have worked, once.

I'm sure they practice them but honestly, I can not remember a game where we BJGE caught a screen pass. Leonard I remember and i think Peerman once.

Ever since the Chris Perry season, I am always amazed at this franchises lack of ability to utilize the TE correctly and also the lack of using the RB on check downs. Dalton started off better this season doing this but seemed to go away with it. I understand we use our backs to chip and extra protect alot but sometimes the best deterent of a pass rush is to attack it. On saturday There were a couple of plays were BJGE went out into the flat and it opened Marvin Jones up for slants on the back side. If its a protection issue then we need to keep working on the Oline but if its a scheme issue then I'm not sure why we don't follow the lead of other teams. Dalton likes short quick passes so incorporate it.

BTW we did use a bubble screen to hawk ---NOT UNTIL THE 4TH QTR ___and he gained like 8 yards!!!!!!!!

[Jabberwocky]

Originally Posted by ODRAB14

I'm sure they practice them but honestly, I can not remember a game where we BJGE caught a screen pass. Leonard I remember and i think Peerman once.

Ever since the Chris Perry season, I am always amazed at this franchises lack of ability to utilize the TE correctly and also the lack of using the RB on check downs. Dalton started off better this season doing this but seemed to go away with it. I understand we use our backs to chip and extra protect alot but sometimes the best deterent of a pass rush is to attack it. On saturday There were a couple of plays were BJGE went out into the flat and it opened Marvin Jones up for slants on the back side. If its a protection issue then we need to keep working on the Oline but if its a scheme issue then I'm not sure why we don't follow the lead of other teams. Dalton likes short quick passes so incorporate it.

BTW we did use a bubble screen to hawk ---NOT UNTIL THE 4TH QTR ___and he gained like 8 yards!!!!!!!!

In order to get the timing right, you have to practice them alot-from 7-on-7 on up from camp through the season. I'm sure these are practiced but, as you state, Dalton's style is not conducive to the screen. I also agree that slants, quick outs and TE "dumps" combat a strong pass rush as well and Dalton is suited to those.

I didn't see the bubble screen in the 4th-I was probably drowning my sorrows in a Buffalo Chicken Breast by that time.

[jack1953]

Originally Posted by ODRAB14

Friend of mine said that to me yesterday, If Flacco can do it, Dalton sure as hell can

The big advantage for Flacco.................Ray Rice!

[coachmcneil71]

Originally Posted by ODRAB14

So I decided to sleep on this a couple of nights and re watch this game. I have really looked into this game. On paper the Texans IMO were the better team. The stat sheet of this game really shows the Texans should have won by about 15-20 points. We match up with them somewhat defense but on Offense we lack behind. We got beat at the line of scrimmage a lot on Saturday. Frankly, for us to be in this game was a borderline miracle with 3 minutes to go. In this game, we saw the microcosms of what ails this team currently and what needs to improve for them to take the next step both at coaching, indiv positions and groups.


1- YOU MUST Dictate the game to your opponent!!! We let the Texans Dictate the Game- I will get into Gruden next, but sometimes I think out coaching staff forgets that we are a big physical team. We play in the toughest division in football. I am old school. My first two plays would have been our bread and butter power double teams right at JJ Watt. I would have told Dre and Zeitler that they better end up lying on top of Watt. I don’t care if we gain one yard. You send a message. Instead we ran the ball for 3 yards and then went shot gun. Watt spends a lot of time waiting to swat passes down, smack em the mouth don’t let them dictate the game and we did. AJ is our best player and he doesn’t have a touch. Dictate the game and throw him the dang ball.

2 Game Planning/ Jay Gruden- I love the Gruden name but there is a big part of me for two years now that believes Gruden is getting a free pass solely on name. Yes, offense has taken some steps but What drove Brat out of here was poor 3rd down %, predictable game plans and abandoning our strengths too quickly. Sounds familiar doesn’t it??? I feel after re-watching this game, Jay Gruden’s game plan was terrible for this game. I know there is execution too but Jay has now shown twice in playoff games an inability to stray from the plan and lack of creativity. I still can not fathom how we only ran the ball 3 times in the first half. Lawfirm ended the game with 63 yards on 11 carries. Our defense was exhausted, at least run to give them a break. Dalton is not a drop back and sling it QB. He HAS to have compliments and a running game is number one. Gruden went into this game totally abandoning the run. Even after Lawfirm gained 29 yards to start our 2nd drive he threw the rest of the drive. Even the next drive Lawfirm gained 12 and we barely went back to it.
We also don’t run a lot of good route combinations. If teams are bracketing Green, why not run heavy to his side and utilize Gresham in the flats on crossing routes with AJ clearing out his side like Houston did??
We have barely run the halfback screen all season and we ran it twice for negative yards on Saturday. We did not see a WR screen bubble screen until the 4th. We did not see a TE screen all game. ZERO shuffle passes. The things we did all year we did not do and we tried new things with the HB screen. I’m sorry but that is not BJGE strength.
Not calling AJ Green’s number for the first 32 minutes is absolutely inexcusable.
0/9 on Third downs is laughable. This is two years straight now that our offense has faded in December and laid down in the playoffs. Plus, the QB has not shown the growth it should be. I’m sorry but this falls on Gruden a lot.

3. Andy Dalton- I have written before on Andy’s issues-Poor Mechanics, Doesn’t let routes develop, etc..This game was the perfect example. To be fair Dalton didn’t have a terrible 2nd half. I feel the pick falls on AJ green. Texans blitzed heavy to the left side so the read is a hot to the right and AJ didn’t even read it. But Dalton once again missed or didn’t make a lot of throws. I believe after watching this game Dalton’s internal clock/ pocket awareness is not very good. I can’t blame him as he did see a lot of pressure all season. Where Dalton errors is that he makes up his mind before the ball is snapped. He then locks on and if it isn’t there he freezes and tucks. IE: On Saturday he read a play to hit Hawk over the middle, it wasn’t there. He felt pressure to his right and instead of letting Lawfirm pick up the blitz he froze and tuck. HE HAD TIME IN THE POCKET but he puckered. If he stands in the pocket he would have seen a wide open Tate to the right of Hawk. Maycock went over this as well. He has to be able to come off reads and stand in there. At this point I haven’t seen him improve in this area.
Also his mechanics in the pocket are poor sometimes. He often drifts backwards in the pocket on blitzes and that causes bad throws. Teams see this hence why they blitz so much. Dalton has to trust the protection like it or not.
Deep Balls- I will never understand overthrowing a receiver. Throw it up and let AJ go get it. If anything it gives you a chance for Defensive PI. An overthrow gives you no chance. 2013 is a BIG BIG year for Mr. Dalton. He is 19-13 as a starter, good stats but I feel he did not improve enough this year. Next Year is essentially a contract year for him.

4. Offensive line- The Texans gave us a lot of pressure only rushing 4 against our 5. Our Oline got pushed back into Dalton’s face a lot. When they brought pressure it was even worse

5. Individual Players and Groups:
Rey Maulugua- Boy was he exposed. He simply doesn’t have the speed in open space to be this team’s middle linebacker. He is a good run fit guy but in space, oh boy did he have a bad day. Owen Daniels owned him. I think we need another option in 13’.

Gresham- I’m sorry but at pick 21 in the first round, this guy has not lived up to the bill. I still think we run him on way too many seem routes and not enough crossing but some of that is because our Oline can’t block enough and our QB doesn’t wait. The Gresham drop on the 2nd play was huge. That would have been a confident play. 2 catches on 7 targets for 7 yards is Horrid. He laid an egg.

Kyle Cook- I have no understanding of why this guy automatically was handed back the job. Frankly he played a very bad game Saturday and our running game was never the same when he got back. He gave up a lot pressure up the middle and he just simply missed a lot of blocks. No way he should be the starter in 13’

Clint Boling- I know he is still learning but too often this season he was the one missing the protection. I thought he struggled Saturday. Should be interesting the battle between he and Wharton next year.

Andre Smith- He had a tough time with Watt but who doesn’t. Maybe that will help motivate Dre if he is here next year.

Strong Safety- Clements is not the answer here and for years we have battled this. But we need better safety play.

Defensive Line- They are the strength of this team but the Texans 100% neutralized our pass rush. That’s what happens when most of the game is 3rd and short.

The Lawfirm- Absolute shame he didn’t get more carries, he deserved them.

Lewis Harris- Stupid Penalties hurt us all year and this was a BIG ONE, Can not hit the returner although I thought he waived late

6. Marvin Lewis- Lewis has done a tremendous job with this young team but any way you slice it 0-4 in the playoffs is just brutal. He should not and will not be let go, but Marvin has to go back to the drawing board. I think it all goes back to dictating your game plan to the other team.

It was a good season without the ending we wanted. This was a playoff game we could have won and we missed by about a 1 yard overthrow to Green. This is a very very young team. This ownership group has a big offseason ahead of it. They need to keep adding pieces. Expectations will be very high in 2013. Can this team meet them. We’ll see

Spot on..imo.

[ODRAB14]

Originally Posted by jack1953

The big advantage for Flacco.................Ray Rice!

very good point, they underneath screen they threw to Rice that he took to the 2 against the Colts was sick

[WhoDeyWho]

I encourage you guys to check out the NFL Game Rewind App. For $39.99 up until the start of next season, you can watch all the Bengals games from the last two seasons in addition to the playoff games. You can select play-by-play and have access to the coach's film which gives you access to the same film viewed by the coaches. That way you can see every player along with the full routes ran by the receivers along with the coverage. After re-watching all of our offensive plays in the game, I blame the play-calling and the poor blocking by the line more than I do Dalton. Rarely was a receiver open by the time he had to make a throw. The screens passes didn't work and the throws to Gresham were mostly contested. (Why can't we cover passes to TEs?) Even the last throw to Jones was almost blocked by a stunting Houston o-lineman. It might explain why the pass from Dalton was premature and off the mark making Jones go down to get it.

Most of our success came on first down (6 of 12 first downs), and we ran on 1st down almost as much as we threw the ball (11 - 9). Second down is what killed us. Between all the drops, sacks, and blown up screen plays, it made it impossible for us to complete any third downs. (We got 6 first downs on first down, 4 on second down, and 2 on third down penalties.)