View Full Version : 2018 NFL Season
Important information to kick off the 2018 NFL season thread: the Bengals will open at Indy in their white color rush uniforms. I didn't know that was an option outside of Thursday. Next Thursday night they're in their black jerseys at home. I hope they don't go for the full PJ look with the black pants.
TravelGal
09-10-18, 02:31 PM
As I wrote in the preseason thread, I hope Rivers has made peace with never getting a Super Bowl ring. The local papers are brutal but watching that game was brutal too. Yes, KC is good but jeez, the Chargers.... :shakehead: Should rename them the Butterfingers.
WickerBill
09-10-18, 09:01 PM
ZOMG Denver is 1-0. My favorite part was the offense started looking better and better as the day went on.
Colts... haha.
Luck had me nervous on that last drive. I'm a little concerned about the "luck" involved in that final fumble recovery touchdown, but when they've been talking about turnovers and drilling it all off season as a point of emphasis I can't entirely chalk it up to luck.
I'm encouraged overall but a little concerned about the o-line. It seemed improved over last year, but the retread we have at right tackle got beaten by Margus Hunt - a former Bengal that double his career sack total in that one game.
On the flip side I expected more havoc from the D-line (not withstanding the "failing to cradle the QB gently in your arms" penalty on Dunlap).
These are the kinds of things that are hard to gauge until you start to mix and match opponents. The Ravens looked like world beaters against the Bills but then so too did the Bengals during pre-season. Thursday night's match-up should be telling.
Insomniac
09-12-18, 09:58 AM
Important information to kick off the 2018 NFL season thread: the Bengals will open at Indy in their white color rush uniforms. I didn't know that was an option outside of Thursday.
With FOX inheriting the full Thursday Night Football schedule, FOX says that Thursday Night Football no longer will consist of alternative, monochromatic uniforms.
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/04/10/fox-color-rush-uniforms-are-going-away/
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/04/10/fox-color-rush-uniforms-are-going-away/
Thanks. Evidently teams now have the option of using the Color Rush jerseys as an alternate jersey. Teams get up to three alternate jersey games. The Bengals still plan to use their orange alternate jersey in two games this year.
A lot of teams will probably ditch them completely because they're ugly. But the Bengals' look pretty good.
Bengals looked legit against the Ravens Thursday night, but the Bills have been exposed as being pretty bad now, so I'm still holding off on excess enthusiasm for now. Still, blanking the Ravens on sacks and keeping Dalton upright for most of the game gives hope. Mixon looks legit so his injury is a blow. Sounds like he's going to need a scope cleanup on his knee. The hope is that he'll only be out a few weeks.
Steelers get a full loss this time around. Do you suppose they'll open the checkbook for Bell now? They can't expect to win trying to throw for 500 yards a game.
Cleveland done with Josh Gordon for good?
Vontae Davis walks out and retires at halftime?
Zeek wearing what looked like a cheerleader's half shirt? He seems to have progressed from showing off the abs to trying to pioneer the under-peck.
TKGAngel
09-17-18, 01:52 PM
Vontae Davis walks out and retires at halftime?
The Bills halftime was more exciting than the actual game! In addition to the Davis situation, McDermott took over defensive play calling at the half. No one quite knows what to make of the dumpster fire that is One Bills Drive.
Sorry to see them tanking. After the Bengals/Bills bro-mance last year I was hoping for a 30 year anniversary Bengals/Bills AFC championship rematch.
But I have to say that after they let both Preston Brown and Cordy Glenn slip away to the Bengals this off-season I had my doubts.
Meanwhile Pats fans are ecstatic over acquiring Josh Gordon from the Browns. You'll know that there really is something in the water up there if they can get Gordon on the field reliably.
Also, it was good to see Peter King call BS on the PI call that practically gifted the Ravens a touchdown against the Bengals. He's joined me in the belief that the spot foul rule for the kind of PI they're calling these days is just too much. It should be a 15 yard penalty as in college. They could keep the spot foul for egregious cases if they feel it's necessary to deal with deliberate interference to by beaten DBs to save touchdowns.
And another thing - it's now officially impossible to sack a quarterback without being subject to a personal foul.
chop456
09-18-18, 01:53 AM
And another thing - it's now officially impossible to sack a quarterback without being subject to a personal foul.
If you're talking about Clay Matthews specifically, agreed. That was awful and actually cost them a win. And I hate the Packers. :gomer:
http://i68.tinypic.com/ivz7v5.jpg
TravelGal
09-21-18, 02:50 PM
ARG. It's one of the few I actually would have gotten right. Congrats to the Browns!!
ARG. It's one of the few I actually would have gotten right. Congrats to the Browns!!
Could the Browns finally have a QB? I won't mind as long as the Steelers take their place as perennial cellar dwellers.
Argh. Andy Dalton will take a lot of flack for four interceptions today but he was really responsible for keeping them in the game today. The Bengals' project wide receivers were responsible three out of those four interceptions. It's time to move on from John Ross with his 4.2 speed and hands of stone. Once Green went out it was game over.
The biggest problem was that the Panthers exploited the Bengal's two backups at linebacker. You can double team linemen all day when you can count on linebackers being out of their gap. :mad: That may improve next week with Preston Brown back and then hopefully Burfict will be able to play the rest of the season without hitting anyone too vigorously.
Unfortunately 2-2 still looks pretty likely with the Bengals traveling to Atlanta next week. :P
Is it known if at any time Bill Belichick said, "We're on to Miami?"
I was undecided on who to root against between the Ravens and the Steelers. It would have been nice to see the Ravens two games back from the Bengals but it's a rare treat seeing the Steelers at the bottom of the division.
Bears may be for real. Now that the offense has shown to be as good as the defense. For one game, at least.
Insomniac
10-06-18, 02:07 AM
Is it known if at any time Bill Belichick said, "We're on to Miami?"
I was undecided on who to root against between the Ravens and the Steelers. It would have been nice to see the Ravens two games back from the Bengals but it's a rare treat seeing the Steelers at the bottom of the division.
Nah, this time, the press didn't think Brady was the problem. :)
Bears may be for real. Now that the offense has shown to be as good as the defense. For one game, at least.
I wish they didn't have the Bye this week.
Now they have 2 weeks to muck up their momentum.
:gomer:
I wish they didn't have the Bye this week.
Now they have 2 weeks to muck up their momentum.
:gomer:
Gives Mack an additional week to learn the Bear’s defense. :D
WickerBill
10-07-18, 07:22 PM
happy for the Brownies...
happy for the Brownies...
Me too. Aside from the fact that I like Hue Jackson and Cleveland is still nominally part of Ohio, they helped the Bengals by putting another division loss on the Ravens.
Sunday started out pretty glum down in Cincinnati. It was one of those games where you sit there stewing in the heat, unhappy that you made the drive only to have your team not show up. And then the second half happened.
This is the first Bengals team under Lewis that seems to have fully embraced his mantra which is not to let bad events impact your play - go to the next snap, do your job, and make something good happen. A lot can change in a quarter. Down by 17 in the third and you can still win by 10.
Next week is the acid test of that attitude. The Steelers are masters of sucking out your heart, making you doubt yourself, or goading you into a mistake. They just have to keep playing and be careful not to land on "Big Ben".
Lux Interior
10-08-18, 11:18 PM
So glad for another Browns win. It's a different team with Baker in there. Plus, the two Ohio State guys, Denzel Ward and Carlos Hyde. have made a positive impact.
WickerBill
10-16-18, 07:42 AM
I'm here for my weekly breakdown of the Bengals game and I am not seeing it. Richard... how bad did that one hurt?
Sorry, can't respond. Haven't gotten out of bed since. :irked:
Ok, you asked for it.
I've actually been off arguing with other Bengals fans who think that not only is it Andy Dalton's responsibility to run a game winning drive with two minutes left on the clock, it's also his responsibility to make sure that he leaves zero seconds on the clock when the touchdown is scored. :irked:
No question, it would have been nice to have melted some more time off the clock, but I think you must have supreme confidence in Elite Andy Dalton if you think adding burning clock should be a consideration in play selection at that point. There was one opportunity in there to melt about 15 seconds more before a snap, but that wouldn't have made a difference when the Steelers still had three timeouts.
The offense played well enough to win on Sunday. They had too many dropped passes and two three and outs in the third quarter which really hurt. But when you get the go-ahead score with one minute left the defense has to to its part to win the game.
Those three and outs coupled with the defense's inability to get off the field in the third left the defense spent in the fourth quarter. But the biggest problem was that the Steelers perfectly diagnosed and exploited their weakness at linebacker and came up with a scheme that both stymied that virtually erased the Bengals defensive front seven from the game.
The first quarter the Steelers came out in pretty typical offensive sets, the Bengals got pressure with their defensive line and held them scoreless on those drives. The next series they came out and started running a heavy run set with two tight ends and two backs. The were running and passing out of that formation so obviously you need your linebackers and safeties to be on point to defend that.
The second play in that formation was a designed run around the right end. As soon as the ball was snapped the fullback made a beeline for the linebacker away from the play and cuts him at the knees, putting him out for a month. It just so happens that linebacker, who was away from the play, was the Bengals' leading tackler (4th in the NFL) and top pass defending backer. So I'm sure it was just an unfortunate coincidence that he was the target of a block that Steelers stopped practicing for a while because it was too dangerous.
Of course cut blocks in that situation are perfectly legal but this is ironic because the Steelers get a lot of mileage in the media making legal hits by the Bengals out to be the most heinous crimes against humanity ever perpetrated.
Anyway, that put the Bengals out their best cover linebacker. Add to that the fact that Burfict is still getting back into shape coming back from suspension so he's getting fatigued and they're playing second and third string linebackers for a lot of downs. Then a starting safety gets dinged and you're weak on the back end as well. Meanwhile the Steelers are still running a lot of heavy sets, wearing them down and dinging up the corners so everyone is out of gas on that last drive. They've worn down the defensive line and blitzes aren't getting home because your best blitzers are out.
Not an excuse, just the way it happened. The defense has to play better earlier in the game to get off the field and the backups have to play better when they come in. As dinged up as they are I'm not sure how they'll keep the Chiefs under 60 points at this point. But hope is not lost. They had shown real progress with the new DCs emphasis on turnovers until everyone started dropping interceptions. They're probably 4-3 after next week but then they've got Tampa and a bye to get some people healthy after that.
WickerBill
10-17-18, 08:58 AM
Are you cool with Burfict's hit on Brown?
Always interested in hearing from a fan of the team when they have that kind of controversy.
http://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13269391/Tez.jpg
Burfict's hit on Brown is mainly the Steelers screaming into their media echo chamber because they hate Burfict. The contact with Brown's head in that play was from Bates. Brown is a runner at that point, he's not down and Burfict comes over to put his shoulder into him. Brown is starting to go down so he misses and mostly hits him on the back. The ideal thing at that point is Burfict hits him in the shoulder and the ball comes out.
This is a team that did a touchdown celebration mocking the injuring of a player stoking outrage over a legal hit. Before this game Steeler players admitted that they were trying to get payback for the Shazier's injury in that game assuming that the Bengals had something to do with it. And the media just plays along with this because: Steelers.
I mean it's not like Burfict is Adam Jones. Clearly nobody in the league would hire that guy except the dirty Bengals. ;)
WickerBill
10-17-18, 10:39 AM
LOL.
We are not in our finest season in Broncos land.
Our coach is not a leader - which is an AMAZING statement because he followed a coach who was also not a leader (Kubiak) but looks like Bill Parcells in comparison.
And in the absence of a player like Manning who makes everyone work harder and pay attention... the team is just a mess. Lots of talent... but a mess. Elway needs to fix the foundation (coaching, attitude, leadership in the locker room) before he continues his QB roulette.
Still, after all of that... I'm glad we didn't get Cousins. Not saying I believe in Keenum, but 2 years 35 mil is a lot friendlier than 90 mil with 100% guaranteed for what amounts to the exact. same. quarterback.
Yeah, no way is Cousins worth that kind of money with that kind of guarantee.
Do you think they would have been better off with Teryl Austin as coach? The jury is still out on him at DC for the Bengals. So far his system has not produced but you can see flashes of promise in turnovers and pressure.
A lot of people are blasting him for the blitz where the Steelers scored the winning touchdown. But I get the thinking. He's trying to force a quick throw or a loss that will keep them out of field goal range. You just absolutely can't let Brown have that inside route in that scenario.
So the NFL did fine Burfict 112k. My understanding is that it was $12k for the hits and $100k for hurting the Steeler's feelings.
Burfict is no longer just under a microscope, he's playing under a completely different set of rules. The Brown hit is just nonsense but the secon was actually valid point which should have been a penalty. Not because Burfict was operating with malice, he was just in this sloppy play mode that he goes into when he's winded. The Bengals really need to do a better job of keeping him out of the game when he gets into that mode.
We'll see if he can manage to not end his career against Kansas City.
Insomniac
10-25-18, 02:46 AM
So the NFL did fine Burfict 112k. My understanding is that it was $12k for the hits and $100k for hurting the Steeler's feelings.
:rofl:
WickerBill
10-29-18, 07:19 PM
The Browns could easily have 5 wins. They already have 2.5 more than last year. But they just fired the head coach AND the OC.
What are they doing?
Lux Interior
10-29-18, 11:36 PM
It's a much more attractive coaching situation in Cleveland now. There are some good young players.
Insomniac
11-04-18, 12:40 PM
The Browns could easily have 5 wins. They already have 2.5 more than last year. But they just fired the head coach AND the OC.
What are they doing?
Dorsey probably thinks they should have 5 wins.
Ha. One Ohio team got a solid victory this week and the other had a debacle - guess which one is which.
I'm a little surprised that the Bengals have fired their Defensive Coordinator, Teryl Austin, after just nine games. I figured that management had enough "yeah buts" that even historically bad defense wouldn't get them to make a mid-season change while they were still in the running. Yeah but they were playing powerful offenses, yeah but they have injuries, etc. I figured they'd look at these next two games against the Ravens and Browns and use that as a decision point on whether to make a change. Of course at that point they'd be out of the running.
Not saying that it's not deserved. This is the first entirely new system they've had in ages and the defense never seemed to buy into it. The veterans seemed lackadaisical and the young guys seemed lost. Players were constantly out of position as they tried to cheat their assignment and do something different. It was obvious that nobody trusted the system and along the way it looked like they lost trust in each other.
Rumor is that Marvin Lewis will take over the defensive play calling. Once upon a time he coached a Super Bowl winning defense so I guess we'll see if he can do anything with what he has in the pantry in Cincinnati.
Just when you thought you'd seen everything, the Bengals have a touchdown over-turned on review because the Quarterback wasn't really diving in an attempt to score. The league office has read his mind and determined that he was "giving himself up." :flaming:
WickerBill
12-10-18, 08:55 AM
Just when you thought you'd seen everything, the Bengals have a touchdown over-turned on review because the Quarterback wasn't really diving in an attempt to score. The league office has read his mind and determined that he was "giving himself up." :flaming:
I loved Bruce Arians' comment on that on the broadcast: "that's the dumbest interpretation of a rule I have ever heard"
Supposedly that was their intent with the latest rules tweaks. Quarterbacks are basically playing under college rules now. But if you read their original press release they don't make that clear at all. They make is sound like it's only for cases where the QB is clearly giving himself up.
This is a really ill considered rule. You've now told QBs that if they want that touchdown they're going to have try to go in standing up and take the contact that comes with it. Stupid.
Feels good to be a Bears fan again.
chop456
12-17-18, 07:28 AM
I'm glad there was an available seat on the bandwagon. :D
WickerBill
12-17-18, 08:42 AM
Texans on a nine game winning streak
Cowboys on a six game winning streak
Moral of the story: if you're from Texas, and you are on a winning streak, don't go to Indy.
I'm glad there was an available seat on the bandwagon. :D
Well, I did fill out the application....
https://i.redd.it/yo7m140evey11.jpg
chop456
12-18-18, 02:05 AM
:laugh:
I would like the word "our" removed from that application unless it was written by someone employed by the team. :D
stroker
12-31-18, 01:16 AM
Well, for once the Bears Fans are correct. The Packers DO suck. :cry:
Well good riddance to the 2018 regular season. I'm thankful that I could gift the Bengals - Raiders game tickets to a Raider fan friend (call that a gift?) and that the last two games were away this year so I didn't have to suffer through any cold and miserable games.
No idea what to expect out of next year. Lewis has another year and I think ownership has insanely been angling to create a "succession plan" to minimize change. They really wanted that to be Hue Jackson and I'm terrified that they haven't let go of that notion. I like Jackson as a coordinator and I think that he was put into an untenable situation this season, but I don't think he's cut out to be a head coach.
My suspicion at this point is that they'll bring Lewis back next year to play out his contract with the underlying intention of giving the stink of Jackson being fired from Cleveland time to blow over. The only thing I like about that is that in taking over defensive play calling Lewis has turned around a historically bad defense toward the end of the season even starting a lot of backups. If he does that next season it might be interesting.
But the underlying problem can't be fixed with the Bengals usual off season approach. They need two starting upgrades on the offensive line, two starting upgrades at linebacker, one at tight end, and one at receiver. That's more players than they can upgrade in a single off season with their normal "keep your starters and build in the draft" approach.
So they may as well start fresh. But they won't, because Mike Brown hates hiring coaches that he hasn't worked with. So that means we're probably doomed to three head coaching hire failures before he'll go outside again. Maybe if we're lucky Zimmer or Gruden will become available, or he'll take a flyer on Eric Bieniemy just because he once played for the Bengals.
Mike Zimmer says he is not retiring or resigning after disappointing Vikings season (https://twitter.com/BR_NFL/status/1079740061686603779)
there's a third option, you still might get your wish Richard
Marvin and the Bengals have "mutually agreed to part ways." He says that he would like to continue to coach. He says that he was not offered another position with the team. This suggests to me that the laid out for them what was necessary to win next season and they passed.
We'll see where it goes from here. I am not optimistic.
Well that was quite an entertaining day of football. I'm just not sure what to make of the officiating situation. We've all heard it said that in the big games the officials are "just letting them play." But it seems like it's gotten to the point where we're seeing two completely different sets of rules for the regular and post season.
Totally inept officiating. Two infractions. Even if they didn’t think it was pass interence it definitely was helmet to helmet.
The AFC game was epic. KC has nothing to be ashamed of. Mahomes is really good. He looks a little like he just got of high school but plays like he’s been in the league for 5-6 years. They have many great years with him ahead. He’ll get his chance soon enough.
NE over LA.
Insomniac
01-21-19, 12:15 PM
Maybe now they'll finally make everything reviewable and be done with it. The logic behind making judgement calls unreviewable is dumb. Use your judgement on the video, it's not that hard.
1. Get rid of the rule that the whole play is reviewable once under review and only review the specific part that needs to be reviewed
2. Same challenge rules, 2+1 per team, 2 min and OT the booth
3. Review anything specific that a coach or the booth catches
Well there's holding on ever play! Coaches can waste their challenges there and they need clear evidence. The booth would only do it when it's egregious/obvious, they won't be frame-by-framing every play.
In general, I agree. I think there are two wrenches in the works (at least). First, people would have to accept that once a coach burns their reviews they're again at the mercy of bad calls (except during the final two minutes). Second, there's still the assumption that things are correct on the field unless there's clear evidence otherwise. Especially in the final two minutes where you could review practically every down for holding calls if you open it up completely.
WickerBill
01-22-19, 10:45 AM
I'm just not sure why an additional ref can't watch the entire game via the broadcast feed and buzz in if something is egregious. Every single person watching that game on TV knew it was PI the instant it happened. Quite often, with HD and zoom, TV audience has a better view than anyone else. A "broadcast ref" would have had plenty of time to signal a missed call.
chop456
01-23-19, 03:12 AM
I'm just not sure why an additional ref can't watch the entire game via the broadcast feed and buzz in if something is egregious. Every single person watching that game on TV knew it was PI the instant it happened. Quite often, with HD and zoom, TV audience has a better view than anyone else. A "broadcast ref" would have had plenty of time to signal a missed call.
^ This.
TravelGal
01-23-19, 08:19 PM
I'm just not sure why an additional ref can't watch the entire game via the broadcast feed and buzz in if something is egregious. Every single person watching that game on TV knew it was PI the instant it happened. Quite often, with HD and zoom, TV audience has a better view than anyone else. A "broadcast ref" would have had plenty of time to signal a missed call.
^ This.
Agreed. But what exactly do the replay officials we have NOW do between "calls to New York"? Go out for a beer?
Yeesh. Can we get a do-over and have a Chiefs-Saints Super Bowl?
I actually don't mind a defensive battle but this one just didn't even seem to have that many exciting defensive plays.
Has Brady really answered his critics? The eternal question is how great are Belichick and Brady individually? Is Brady the "greatest of all time" or is he just the greatest to ever play for the greatest coach ever? Seems like a lot of QBs could have scored 13 points in that offense and it was really the defense that won the game.
Insomniac
02-14-19, 11:08 AM
Yeesh. Can we get a do-over and have a Chiefs-Saints Super Bowl?
I actually don't mind a defensive battle but this one just didn't even seem to have that many exciting defensive plays.
Has Brady really answered his critics? The eternal question is how great are Belichick and Brady individually? Is Brady the "greatest of all time" or is he just the greatest to ever play for the greatest coach ever? Seems like a lot of QBs could have scored 13 points in that offense and it was really the defense that won the game.
Who's better and why? I don't think you could plug in a lot of QBs over the last 17 years and have the same results.
Pats-Saints would've been explosive.
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