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Have the Cincinnati Bengals Fixed the O-Line for 2018?

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Good news first: if the offensive line of the Cincinnati Bengals had played at the college level in 2017, they’d have been first-team All Americans.

Bad news: they played in the NFL and like players fresh out of college, and that led to the team being dead last in the league in total offense. The Bengals averaged only 280.5 yards of offense per game.

It’s a painful reminder of how the line struggled in recent years under long time O-line coach Paul Alexander. He was let go in the off-season by coach Marvin Lewis and subsequently hired for the same position by the Dallas Cowboys.

Which is funny, because Cincy did the same thing in reverse. They hired Frank Pollack, who was fired by Dallas. We call it the Circle of Life – except it has nothing to do with either a circle or life. (awkward pause ……) Let’s move on, shall we?

Here are some other moves that will hopefully get the Cincinnati Bengals’ ability to move the ball off the NFLoor.

What Have the Cincinnati Bengals Done?

Going for Glenn. Cincinnati swapped first-round draft picks with the Bills to get offensive tackle Cordy Glenn. The 6-6, 345 lb Buffalo Boulder (okay, we made that up) has started 77 games in his pro career. He was good enough in Buffalo to earn a 5-year, $65 million contract extension in 2016. Although he battled foot and ankle problems last year, he’s only 28 years old. He’s got plenty of time left.

What going for Glenn gets you. As part of the Glenn deal, the Cincinnati Bengals went from having the 12th pick in the draft to the 21st. And they still nabbed a promising prospect in Ohio State center Billy Price. Price won the Rimington Award (best center in college football) and was the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2017.

Adding more OTs. Bobby Hart came in from the Giants, which will hopefully provide some motivation for Jake Fisher and Cedric Ogbuehi. The three will battle for the right tackle spot. The team did lose Andre Smith, but drafted Rod Taylor out of Mississippi in the seventh round.

Losing Bodine, gaining better. Ever hear the one about the Cincinnati Bengals losing Russell Bodine and becoming a worse football team? Yeah, neither have we. Plus, with the drafting of Price, there’s more potential for the line as a unit. Give Price a year or two to hit his stride and watch out for guards Christian Westerman and Alex Redmon, who played well toward the end of last season.

Getchu some Frank! The decision to hire Pollack was, no surprise, the most crucial move. He’s got plenty of young talent to work with. He’s brings the goods, as evidenced by his 2015 line in Dallas, which was very productive and had the fewest penalties in the league. If Pollack can bring the same production and discipline to the Bengals, look out.

Game 4 Recap: Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns

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Woulda been nice if the Cincinnati Bengals had played like this before Week 4 – but we’ll take it.

Cincy looked like we thought they would against overmatched division rival Cleveland on Sunday in a 31-7 win. We’re not sure if this means the Bengals are rebounding or the Browns are that bad (probably both). What’s sure is this – the Bengals played a complete game.

How Things Went

Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback Andy Dalton was so on that his fumble and three sacks were barely noticed. He completed 83% of his passes (no, that’s not a typo) and threw 4 touchdowns to three different receivers. Backup tight end Tyler Kroft caught two of those scoring passes. That’s a reason for smiling and frowning. We’re smiling because another receiving weapon has emerged. Opponents are frowning because it’s one more guy they’ll need to keep an eye on.

Linebacker Vontaze Burfict was a welcome sight back in the defensive lineup after serving a three-game suspension. He only recorded six tackles, but with the offense playing like it did, Burfict didn’t exactly need to shut down the Browns’ O like a bar with an expired liquor license. The Cincinnati Bengals almost pitched a shutout though until Cleveland running back Duke Johnson ran it in with 1:54 left in the game. Other than that, the D showed out, yo. They held Cleveland to 215 yards of total offense, picked off a pass, and logged two sacks. The Browns are now ranked 24th in the NFL with only 87 rushing yards per game.

Cincinnati Bengals Player of the Game

Dalton. No question. Mr. Fire Hair was on fire, going 25 for 30 for 286 yards and four touchdowns. He and Joe Mixon even led the team in rushing (again, no typo) with 29 yards each. Dalton finished with a 146 QB rating. Think that’s impressive? Check out AD’s all-time stats against Cleveland in 13 games: 2,780 yards, 24 touchdowns, and a record of 10-3. He’s got the deed to the team in his locker.

What This Means Going Forward

Cincinnati now has a win under its belt, and a dominating one at that. Victories where you thrash your rival arguably give you a bigger confidence boost than grind-it-out wins against tough opponents. And let’s not forget new offensive playcaller Bill Lazor. He took over after Marvin Lewis fired offensive coordinator Ken Zampese after the first two games of the season. Based on the past two performances, the Bengals’ offense may be taking over some upcoming football games.

 

Preseason Game 4 Recap: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Indianapolis Colts

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We’re not sure which was harder to come by in the Cincinnati Bengals’s final preseason game – starters or points.

But either way, Cincy’s 7-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts was just the Bengals’ final warm-up act before the week 1 match-up with Baltimore.

The first teamers sat on both sides. Bengal backup QB AJ McCarron took the reigns and went 20/30 for 216 yards. The defense was pitching a shutout until Colts quarterback Phillip Walker lobbed a 29-yard TD pass to Justice Liggins in the fourth quarter to give the horsies the win.

It wouldn’t have been a win, though, if the Cincinnati Bengals’ kickers hadn’t done their best Mike Nugent impression. Jake Elliott and Randy Bullock each made field goals (50 and 31 yards, respectively), but combined to miss three. Any one of which would have won the game. That may get a hall pass in the preseason, but against a divisional rival with a playoff spot on the line? Mmmm, not so much.

The Cincinnati Bengals did have bright spots. Jordan Willis notched his fourth sack in four games. Jordan Evans played with a Danielle-Steel-book-collection level of passion. Rookie jet engine John Ross took a sweep 25 yards, although he left with a non-serious knee injury. Running back Jarveon Williams rushed for 117 yards and added 42 more on five receptions.

Cincinnati Bengals Player of the Game

We’ll split this one between Williams and Evans. The final preseason game is where the rookies have to make their last good impression, and both of them did. Williams can provide good depth at running back, while Evans (six total tackles, two passes defended, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit) would be great to have while Vontaze “Category 4” Burfict is serving a three-game suspension.

What This Means Going Forward

We were having some PTSD flashbacks to last season while watching the kickers perform. They could (and most likely did) just have an off night. But Cincinnati must find a reliable kicker. Coach Marvin Lewis likely won’t keep two of them on the roster, which is about to be trimmed to 53 men. Will the person who is picked be consistent throughout the season? Time will tell.

Curtain’s about to go up on the 2017 season, ladies and germs. We’re ready. Are you?

Cincinnati Bengals vs Buffalo Bills – Week 11 Recap

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Two weeks ago, we felt so good about the second half of the Cincinnati Bengals’ season. They were in the AFC North race. They had proven stars at key positions. An X-factor player who could break open the offense was about to return at tight end.

Now, the only things that are broken are our hearts. Cincinnati suffered serious losses on Sunday, from the 16-12 contest it dropped to the Buffalo Bills to two of their best players: wide receiver AJ Green (hamstring) and running back Giovani Bernard (ACL). Bernard is done for the season, and Green probably is, too.

What Went Wrong for the Cincinnati Bengals in This Game

For the second straight week, the Cincinnati Bengals drop a game in the most maddening way possible. They make a ton of mistakes and lose by a few points. The most glaring miscues were the 2 missed XPs by kicker Mike Nugent. As a result, we were down by 4 instead of 2 late in the 4th quarter. Which meant trying a Hail Mary rather than a field goal for the win.


Losing A.J. Green on the second play set the tone for the afternoon. Cincinnati couldn’t make Buffalo respect their downfield passing attack and only finished with 300 yards of total offense – less than what you hope for when playing a depleted Bills team. Cincy had 2 drives in the second half that went for more than 3 plays. One of those was the game-ending 11-play drive that produced no points.

The second half of this season is playing out like a nightmare prom. You know, like you have a date with the cutest girl in school, but your car doesn’t start when you go to pick her up. Hope just crumbles before your eyes. The playoffs look farther away. There are many breakdowns here, and as you’d expect, most of the blame will fall on head coach Marvin Lewis. How much longer will he be in Cincinnati?

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Indianapolis Colts – 3 Things to Watch

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The final preseason game may just seem like a formality at this point (c’mon, we’re all ready for the REAL games to start!), but there are a few things to observe as the Cincinnati Bengals host the Indianapolis Colts Thursday night. Here are some.

On-the-bubble players. Wide receiver/kick returner Alex Erickson isn’t guaranteed a roster spot, but he has a golden chance to claim one with veteran return man Brandon Tate being released on Tuesday. Linebackers Trevor Roach and Marquis Flowers are players to keep an eye on as they fight to be part of the final 53. Tre Carson and Bronson Hill are running backs trying to show why they each deserve to be on the roster, but the practice squad might be a more likely destination. If the Bengals keep 6 DBs, cornerback Chykie Brown could be one of them.

Injuries. At one point last week, Cincinnati players were dropping faster than horny teens in an 80s slasher flick. While Cedric Peerman‘s fractured forearm was the only injury that was serious, you wince any time one of your players leaves the field with the team doctor by their side – especially in the preseason. Watch for relatively easy play against the Colts. Get through this game and get to Week 1.

Line woes. In the second half of the Jacksonville game, once the starters were out, the Bengals O had six – count ’em, SIX – drives that went for zero or negative yardage. The reserves on the offensive line certainly aren’t the only reason for that, but they played a big part in not helping to move the chains. Marvin Lewis and line coach Paul Alexander have some work to do to get the backup big guys ready.