Random thoughts after L at CIN

Hi everyone! I had to travel due to business, but was able to watch the game. I didn't post my wishlist, but I'll share with you that I had a "Wheaton or Moye getting some reps", and was very pleased to see that TD pass.

Now, let me share some random thoughts I've had this past 2 days:

-Why was Velasco still available last week? No complain, I liked what I saw from him, don't understand why nobody else took a look at him
-Brown, Sanders, Wheaton, Moye & Paulson/Jones is what our spread set should look like, not Brown, Sanders, Cotchery, Paulson & Jones
-Our hurry up offense takes too long between plays to get ready. Is it lack of sync, lack of effort or lack of practice? To me, seems an awful trifecta of those.
-We miss Wallace. Don't get me wrong (and I know many of you don't like him), but even when he didn't made a play, he helped us stretch the field, and through 2 games we're still unable to do that
-If we're going on Go routes, why not with our fastest players, and have gone to Cotchery instead? Not sure, but seems like Wheaton, Brown and Sanders are all faster than him
-Were there really scared fans who thought J Harrison would tear Ben apart?
-Ben overthrew, Cotchery didn't make an effort... what's the problem with our offensive sync?
-Redman's & Paulson's fumbles have been huge momentum changers, and still think that if none of those have happened, we'll be telling a different story. Both weren't supposed to be starters.
-Why are we still trying to run through the middle on 2nd down?
-There seems to be no halftime adjustments on our playcalling
-Bubble screens: lack of creativity from our OC?
-Blame the OC, or blame our conditioning program? For sure, our OC has had a poor playcalling. But how much is on him, and how much on having to play with backups at RB, TE (2), 3rd down back and C?
-Wonder what are Arians haters thinking right now about him
-What's the deal with our D? No TO, no sacks...
-Foote was missed badly. we gave more than 125 rushing yards, and I guess most of them were between the tackles
-By the way... how different could this be if our D had turnovers and sacks? Are we relying on big plays from our D, since our O seems so confused and inefficient?
-Also about that: is it that our system is not designed to use our current players skills? I mean, maybe coach Haley is trying to force our players to a system they don't fit. Or is it simply poor playcalling? A mix of both? Starting to pay attention to the one's that say it's time to take our chances with another OC
-And that one was another shutdown performance by Ike Taylor. How many CB's have been able to hold AJ Green to under 50 yards?
-J Jones is a game or two of making a big, big play. Just let him get loose
-Seems like we've forgotten how to blitz with our DBs
-Is it just me, or Clark has really changed his approach in order to avoid a fine? Not the same old Clark

-Heath Miller will make an immediate impact. Not saying he'll solve our O problems, but will add a much needed boost
-Win the next 2 games. 2-2 going to the Bye week will make things look a lot different. Can we? We should...

 

Very good assessment.

 

It's a combination of both. Haley came in and said here with no input from a franchise qb or other veterans. To me this is a huge mistake. If you want to get the most out of your employees you have to utilize their strengths. Running redman east-west isnt utilizing his talent. Cotchery is great as a possession receiver, but he has no business running a reverse. He simply doesn't have the speed or athletic ability of Brown, sanders etc. That example actually touches on both categories. Why on god's green earth would we spend the entire offseason practicing outside zone running and not use it? You could say it was intended for Bell; however, we still had LSH and Jones who are more than capable. We also spent a lot of time working on passes out of the backfield and once again it's virtually nonexistent. We have literally half the practice time you can't spend time focusing on outside zone crap and then say oops, nevermind and expect something different to work. We brought in an ol coach whose forte is zone blocking. Haley should have been a bj. He can go hang out with tebow singing kumbaya wishing they were in the nfl.

 

On the hurry up offense, Tomlin doesn't like "football in shorts". In my 11 years of playing organized football that's where a lot of that gets done. I hate when he gives them days off. Coach BC gave them an extra day during the season If They Won. All we ever got was 80 40 yard dashes after practice monday if we lost and a regular practice if we won.

 

As a fellow FBAI supporter.... I think the situations are completely different.

yes I think Haley calls some incredibly predictable run plays, but we are also still throwing one long ball on the first series of the game (a BA or Ben attribute?).

sorry, but nobody on this board can claim to know how the coaches approach the game, or who calls what plays, it's pure speculation.

this season has been extremely disappointing through 2 games, but the roster is also drastically changed from previous years, so there is really probably some combination of talent and coaching that are influencing the outcomes.

 

Yes, it was. But haven't you guys heard? Ike Taylor stinks. Don't let those numbers and all the praise he gets around the league and from all the ex-coaches and players who do color and analysis fool you.