Big Test for Mattison

[thundercleetz]

Running in shotgun and on a draw is still running...

 

And really, in the first half, Ray still had a few nice runs to the outside. But inside we certainly had serious issues.

 

I just think 12 carries is killing us - and it's not the first time this season we've walked away from a game saying, "Man, we didn't run that much..."

 

maybe it's about predictability... maybe it's about execution... but it's something.

 

Honestly... I think the offense's bigger problem was what we saw in the AFCC last year... no third receiver option. Kelly Washington needs to be on the field more. When our running game failed to work, we went to the pass, but we didn't put Washington or Heap out there very often. Two receivers against 7 defenders isn't going to cut it. I know we want to protect Joe, but Heap AND Washington need to get on the field and get out into the coverage.

 

It's still running, but the only reason those two "runs" were successful because we were down 17 in the fourth quarter and the Bengals were in a prevent defense. Like I said, we tried to run the ball, the Bengals were just more physical than us today and our runs were stuffed leaving us in passing downs. I do agree with your assessment on the formations.

[BengalBilly]

OK. That's a good answer too.

I apologize Dee. I did get out of line.

[dc.]

I dunno, Cleetz..

 

1st quarter... First run for -2... then runs for 7, 5 and 4.

2nd quarter... 1 run for 0 yards... [we only had the ball for one full possession, really. Flacco INT next poss. End of half near our own goalline final poss.]

3rd quarter... carries for 6, 4, -3, 8 (shotgun).

4th quarter... carries for 8, 2 (TD), 10, 6.

 

So really... of 13 rushes listed there, 2 for neg yards, 1 for 0 yards, 8 for 4 or more yards... 5 for 6 or more yards...

 

I mean, maybe the stuffs came at bad times. But really, the long ball came at a bad time. Ray was having success on the ground - even in the first quarter and early in the third quarter... The interceptions hurt us, especially a 50 yards bomb that's intercepted when Rice was actually starting to move. The bombs hurt us more than running and failing did.

[OutsideRzAcE]

Bottom line... offense failed in this one.

 

The first half was ugly on both sides, but the defense put it together in the second half. It still wasn't perfect, but 0 points is 0 points.

 

And once again... if our opponent scores 17 points, we should win the game. The offense did not get it right. Hauschka's miss may have changed the game's outcome... but he certainly wasn't all of it.

 

 

DC, let's not fool ourselves. The Ravens defense didn't magically figure out the Bengals after they gave up points on their first three posessions. Cinci completely dialed back the offense - they had a healthy cushion and we weren't moving the ball - at that point there was no reason for Cinci to keep being aggressive offensively and risk letting the Ravens back in the game with a defensive score. They ran Benson more and threw less. I have no doubt that if we would have put up 20 they would have put up 34. They completely had their way with the Ravens - the 17 points is a mirage. The offense was bad, but the defense was just as much a joke today - poor tackling, no discipline - pathetic.

 

You were right about this being a test for Mattison and he failed miserably. I mean - rushing three on that first Bengals touchdown - are you serious? What made him think our terrible secondary that has been getting it's ass handed to it all season could all of a sudden cover what is arguably the deepest receiving corps in the league - with an unhurried Carson Palmer throwing to them! That defensive play call was so beyond ridiculous and it's a perfect example that Mattison does not get it!

[dc.]

Well, how many they could have scored is speculation. How many they did is fact. So 17 is/was the number. And I don't buy they dialed back too much... this is a team that put up 45 in Chicago because they could.

 

Meanwhile, how many times have we seen a team 'take it easy' midgame and then never be able to turn it on again? They got to 17. Tried hard or not, they didn't score in the 2nd half. Our defense DID make some plays in that second half. We were a missed FG away from a 1 possession game with time on the clock.

[OutsideRzAcE]

Chicago doesn't have Ed Reed. We had no offense in the first game and almost won primarily because Reed picked off Palmer for 6. The Bengals almost lost (and really should have lose) a game they completely dominated because they gave up a defensive score. Marvin wasn't going to let it happen again.

[cravnravn]

Mattison gets a C. He made adjustments, bengals scored on their first 3 drives then we held them in check.

 

Cam Cameron gets a F minus, No adjustments, No way in hell should Ray Rice be your leading reciever.

[geo]

Mattison gets a C. He made adjustments, bengals scored on their first 3 drives then we held them in check.

 

Cam Cameron gets a F minus, No adjustments, No way in hell should Ray Rice be your leading reciever.

 

Agreed.

 

And with those poor DBs, he did decent. Cam in two games against a not very good bengals defense, he did actually worse than Billick.

 

Our offense.. We have been drafting offense in 1-3 rd like crazy, since 2002 and still we are going to see this kind of performence.

 

As for penalties, we always talk about all the penalties on defense, actually they have less penalties than most. And our offense is the unit who is leading in penalties.

[thundercleetz]

I dunno, Cleetz..

 

1st quarter... First run for -2... then runs for 7, 5 and 4.

2nd quarter... 1 run for 0 yards... [we only had the ball for one full possession, really. Flacco INT next poss. End of half near our own goalline final poss.]

3rd quarter... carries for 6, 4, -3, 8 (shotgun).

4th quarter... carries for 8, 2 (TD), 10, 6.

 

So really... of 13 rushes listed there, 2 for neg yards, 1 for 0 yards, 8 for 4 or more yards... 5 for 6 or more yards...

 

I mean, maybe the stuffs came at bad times. But really, the long ball came at a bad time. Ray was having success on the ground - even in the first quarter and early in the third quarter... The interceptions hurt us, especially a 50 yards bomb that's intercepted when Rice was actually starting to move. The bombs hurt us more than running and failing did.

 

The stuffs did come at a bad time. And like you said, it did not help that our defense was giving up 6+ minute drives, we really were in no position to run the ball. As for that deep interception, you can hardly fault that on Joe. That was a good call and a good pass, Clayton getting intercepted over his shoulder like that in inexcusable. That is why we need a #1 receiver, those types of balls are TDs for Brady, Carson, Peyton, Ben, etc.

[dc.]

The long ball was two yards short. Plain and simple. If that ball is in front of Clayton, he catches it. Behind him, the DB has the play. That's why he throws it long - but then he gets jumped for always going two steps too deep.

 

I'm not entirely faulting Joe... I just don't like the call. Clayton was covered tight and the safety got there in time, so he really didn't have much separation.

[thundercleetz]

The long ball was two yards short. Plain and simple. If that ball is in front of Clayton, he catches it. Behind him, the DB has the play. That's why he throws it long - but then he gets jumped for always going two steps too deep.

 

I'm not entirely faulting Joe... I just don't like the call. Clayton was covered tight and the safety got there in time, so he really didn't have much separation.

 

My point was not that it was a perfect pass, my point was that a good receiver would have bailed that pass out. Not even Manning or Brady make those long ball perfect all the time, they are often greatly helped by their receivers who go up and grab the ball. The fact is that the DB went OVER Clayton to make that catch. The ball was behind Clayton, but it still hit him in the shoulder pad. Better body positioning and aggressiveness to box out the DB to make a jump for the ball ensures that ball is not intercepted. Clayton did not even make a play on the ball, he just did a poor job of tracking it. Moss, Wayne, Ochocinco, Marshall, Johnson, they come down with a pass like that.

 

I agree with you on the call, though hindsight is 20-20. We were having some success driving on that first drive out of the half and had good field positioning. If there was a time to pound the ball, like you and many others have suggested, it was on that drive fresh out of halftime where we may have had the Bengals on their heels. Of course, hindsight is 20-20 and if Clayton catches that, no one questions the call.