The point of emphasis the Bengals decided to focus on this training camp was becoming more physical. Being able to run the ball and stopping third downs were two issues the coaching staff insisted on improving. The 2008 training camp t-shirt this year even had the word “PHYSICAL” printed on the back. Yet when describing Sundays game another word came to mind:
Soft.
Not only did the Bengals’ offensive line get tossed around, the defense allowed 221 rushing yards and went limp on too many important third downs. The Ravens had the ball for more than 12 minutes longer than Cincinnati. Joe Flacco ran for a 38 yard touchdown in slow-motion!
I remember the front office signing defensive lineman to long contracts this off-season in order to generate more of a pass rush. That didn’t happen. I also recall replacing a slow running back who couldn’t generate any yards with, apparently,... another slow running back? And then there’s that certain lineman who was undoubtedly laughing to himself as he watched his former mates look far worse than they ever had with him.
What I don’t remember seeing is DeDe Dorsey touch the ball. Or a quick out pass to Chad to get him into the game. Or Carson adjust to a three-step-drop when the defensive pressure was obviously not going to relent. Or Eric Ghaicuic winning a battle inside.
How many years must we bitch about Bratkowski? Predicting his play calling is like predicting when the light turns green.
“It’s third and one, Bob, whad’ya think?”
“Up the gut.”
“Now it’s fourth and one, what now?”
“Up the gut.”
Why is he employed? He has taken a rare crop of talent and strangled the life from it with the stale, suffocating style of play calling he insists on. He has made Carson a worse player, he’s limited the ultra-explosiveness of Chad, he is currently wasting the talent that still exists within the offensive line and he may have ruined Rudi’s career.
One can’t help but wonder what actually takes place during practice. What’s our bread and butter play?
Fourth and one at the Ravens 25 yard line, down by seven points, seven minutes and some change left, time to run the bread and butter play. Palmer hands off to Perry who runs up the gut for a loss of a yard.
Here’s what Carson said about that play:
"That's a nine out of 10 play," said Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer. "Usually we make that nine out of 10 times. That's our bread-and-butter."
I’m not sure what is more disheartening: the fact that a run up the middle is our bread and butter play, or that we can’t gain yards on it, even if it is.
As previously griped about, there is no direction to this team. Who are our leaders? Carson? He guaranteed we beat Baltimore in our next meeting, that doesn’t make you a leader. He’s Captain Brightside who says things like, “The good news is that it’s only Week 1.” Thanks, Carson.
Mojokong - It’s only week one.
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5 comments:
johnathan joseph had a good game.
As anemic as our defense is, they still kept us in the game much longer than they had any right to. Bratkowski and his pee wee football, bush league play calling lost this one(again). How many times will this happen before he is let go? My guess is at least 15 more times this year.
FATBURGER IS COMING TO OAKLEY!
On the bright side, a top 5 pick means Ray Maualuga could be a Bengal, and maybe, just maybe, we get a new Off. Coordinator.
Seriously though, I'm going to try and keep the enthusiasm for the season going for the next few games. I'm interested to see how we fare against a team that isn't in our division and doesn't have Willie Anderson.
Noon
I looked it up.
Bratkowski in Polish means unimaginitive.
In French it means unoriginal.
In Greek it means foolish.
In Russian it means rush in.
In Spanish it means loser.
In Football it means nothing.
Mojo could call a better game,
and we'd know we would ALWAYS eventually get the ball back.......
a little slobbery, but what the heck.
Brat must go, or I'm rooting for the Rams.
Lucca
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