Notes From Training Camp 2025

[*rfaulk34*]

(Yesterday, 12:35 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I am who I am. I do take responsibility if I say or do something stupid. I have no problem admitting if I think I was wrong.

Why shouldn't I hold others to the same standard. I think it is more than fair to ask others to own up to their words.

To put it bluntly. Because it's silly and childish. 

Constantly asking someone to priase another--people you don't even know--is just weird. 

Holding/expecting standards is fine. Taking responsibility is great. Admitting when you're wrong is great. But that's all a you thing. You can't tell other people how to live. 

How many times have you ever seen someone tell you to or anyone to criticize if things go wrong? 

wts, off the top of my head, you're the only one i can think of that actively asks people to praise the FO/coaches when things go right. 

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(Yesterday, 11:13 AM)pally Wrote: Per Zac, Joe will play a couple of series tonite.  More next week.
Gesicki is out and would be questionable for a real game.  Fant won’t play this week.  So it is a chance for the guys fighting for position to play.
Also out Dax,CTB, BJ,Cedric Johnson, Marco Wilson, and Matt Lee.  and of course Trey.
As long as Joe plays so does most of first team offense

By position, of guys who are projected to the 53: 

QB: clean 
RB: clean 
WR: clean 
TE: Gesicki, Fant
OT: clean (Mims gonna play?) 
IOL: Lee
----------
DE: Hendrickson, C. Johnson 
DT: BJ Hill
LB: clean 
CB: CTB, Hill, Wilson 
S: clean

TE & CB the spots where we are missing the most. Plus half the starting DL.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(Yesterday, 12:07 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: At least the only win in that was on my wedding day against my wife's team (the Vikings, she's from Minneapolis). I agree though, we 1000% need to be better at the start of the year.

And even that game went to OT. Hell, if Cook had not fumbled Zac is probably 0-12 in the first two weeks of the season.

[Sled21]

(Yesterday, 10:30 AM)Nepa Wrote: You don't want the starters to play at all in the preseason? After starting historically bad the last three seasons (0-3, 0-2, 0-2)? The Bengals should use Andy Reid as the expert in preseason. His teams are playing in February and then he has them playing in the preseason. His reasoning is that practice is not sufficient to get players ready for the speed and rhythm of the game. 

There have been a lot of players of other teams with season-ending or extensive injuries in just the practices this year. In some cases little or no contact. These things happen.  But the Bengals have missed the postseason by one game each of the last two years and the 0-3 and 0-2 starts, against beatable competition, were factors in those failures. Last year, New England was ready in game 1 against the Bengals, having played their starters all three preseason games. The Bengals were not ready at all.

I'm just saying putting them out there is a huge risk, and everyone is asking for it. So if we were to lose Burrow or Chase for the season, don't come back on here whining about why they were injured in a meaningless game. I especially think it is a bad idea to put Burrow out there with Philly's D line.

[Luvnit2]

(Yesterday, 12:54 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: To put it bluntly. Because it's silly and childish. 

Constantly asking someone to priase another--people you don't even know--is just weird. 

Holding/expecting standards is fine. Taking responsibility is great. Admitting when you're wrong is great. But that's all a you thing. You can't tell other people how to live. 

How many times have you ever seen someone tell you to or anyone to criticize if things go wrong? 

wts, off the top of my head, you're the only one i can think of that actively asks people to praise the FO/coaches when things go right. 

OK, you have an opinion and felt need to express it for some reason publicly

Got it and don't care

[Sled21]

(Yesterday, 11:08 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Zac Taylor is 1-11 in the first 2 weeks of the season.

“stupid narrative”

And Wheezy just pointed out why...

[*pally*]

(Yesterday, 12:56 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: By position, of guys who are projected to the 53: 

QB: clean 
RB: clean 
WR: clean 
TE: Gesicki, Fant
OT: clean (Mims gonna play?) 
IOL: Lee
----------
DE: Hendrickson, C. Johnson 
DT: BJ Hill
LB: clean 
CB: CTB, Hill, Wilson 
S: clean

TE & CB the spots where we are missing the most. Plus half the starting DL.

Mims is playing
Fant is only out beause he hasnt really practiced with the offense yet.  He will play next week


Gesicki, Wilson, and Johnson are the only 3 who would have been questionable/doubtful for a regular season game

[Sled21]

(Yesterday, 11:08 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Zac Taylor is 1-11 in the first 2 weeks of the season.

“stupid narrative”

So, would playing in the Pre-Season make Burrow's knee heal faster? Or his wrist? Or his appendix? I agree the o-line should be playing, but one of them getting hurt is not going to derail the season. I maintain playing Burrow, Chase or Higgins is risking the entire season for nothing.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(Yesterday, 01:04 PM)Sled21 Wrote: And Wheezy just pointed out why...

No, he merely made an excuse about it all being because of a rusty Burrow. Which is bullshit. Zac shouldn’t need a QB like Burrow balling out to beat some of the teams they’ve lost to early in seasons.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(Yesterday, 01:10 PM)pally Wrote: Mims is playing
Fant is only out beause he hasnt really practiced with the offense yet.  He will play next week


Gesicki, Wilson, and Johnson are the only 3 who would have been questionable/doubtful for a regular season game

And Hendrickson, of course, though not through injury.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(Yesterday, 01:30 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: No, he merely made an excuse about it all being because of a rusty Burrow. Which is bullshit. Zac shouldn’t need a QB like Burrow balling out to beat some of the teams they’ve lost to early in seasons.

And doesn't cover the fact that the entire team looked like crap, so unless Burrow being rusty makes our defense incapable of tackling or sacking the QB, or our offensive line incapable of blocking, and our TEs incapable of holding onto the football, etc, etc.

Imagine a rusty Burrow being the attempted reason you gave on why you lost to JACOBY BRISSETT and made Rhamondre Stevenson have his only 100+ yard game out of the last 30 games he's played.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(Yesterday, 01:03 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I'm just saying putting them out there is a huge risk, and everyone is asking for it. So if we were to lose Burrow or Chase for the season, don't come back on here whining about why they were injured in a meaningless game. I especially think it is a bad idea to put Burrow out there with Philly's D line.

Agree that we shouldn't have Burrow out there Thursday against the Eagles. But we should give him some snaps along with the rest of 
the starters in one of the following preseason games IMO. Have to give snaps to the OL, DL to get them some chemistry going into the 
season, it hasn't been just Burrow that has not played well early in the seasons. It has been the whole team.

This needs to change.

(Yesterday, 01:37 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: And doesn't cover the fact that the entire team looked like crap, so unless Burrow being rusty makes our defense incapable of tackling or sacking the QB, or our offensive line incapable of blocking, and our TEs incapable of holding onto the football, etc, etc.

Imagine a rusty Burrow being the attempted reason you gave on why you lost to JACOBY BRISSETT and made Rhamondre Stevenson have his only 100+ yard game out of the last 30 games he's played.

Truth.

[Whatever]

(Yesterday, 12:01 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: While he's absolutely not wrong, I wouldn't take anything that car/attention-merchant says to heart.

He is part of a handful of drivers (Jacques Villeneuve, Lewis Hamilton, his son Michael, Jenson Button) who won championships due to having the absolute best car and having all the top mechanics and attention put on him, while the #2 was shoved aside. Ronnie Peterson gets the same car at the same time Mario does and doesn't die at Monza, he wins the championship handily, but Mario was the golden boy and he didn't deserve it in the slightest.

Mario at least paid his dues, but three of the 4 guys I mentioned above did nothing and won with the best car, I hate that shit.

To me, I respect Mario due to his versatility.  Did he have better equipment a lot of the time?  Yes.  But it takes a lot of talent to win in F1, Indy Cars, dirt sprints, endurance racing, the Pikes Peak hill climb, and NASCAR.  I mean, look at  Larson this year at Indy.  Downshifts like a moron in the corner, loses it, and takes a number of others out with him.

[Nepa]

(Yesterday, 01:03 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I'm just saying putting them out there is a huge risk, and everyone is asking for it. So if we were to lose Burrow or Chase for the season, don't come back on here whining about why they were injured in a meaningless game. I especially think it is a bad idea to put Burrow out there with Philly's D line.

Well, I for one would not whine about starters playing, because I have been consistent on this point. On the other hand, Zac and Burrow and the WRs should be (and I expect will be) flexible. For example, Andy Reid actually planned to play Mahomes two series in the last year's 1st preseason game, but then changed his mind during the game, satisfied with how things went in that first series, and had him play only one series. Zac should see how it is going and not be locked into two series if conditions (leaky OL, Philly blitzing non-stop, rainy weather, etc.) merit changing the plan to play for two series. 

And Burrow, as I've already stated, should just throw the ball away or in the ground if some bruiser bursts through the OL. And Chase should go out of bounds or to the ground rather than take a hit. Not a soul in the world would blame either for protecting their bodies in a preseason game.  This is a time to get ready for the speed of the NFL game and get timing down when playing at NFL speed. As Reid has stated repeatedly, practice cannot replicate that. 

But injuries happen even in practices, as we see time and time again. We cannot bubble wrap the players until game 1 of the regular season.

[Luvnit2]

(Yesterday, 01:37 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: And doesn't cover the fact that the entire team looked like crap, so unless Burrow being rusty makes our defense incapable of tackling or sacking the QB, or our offensive line incapable of blocking, and our TEs incapable of holding onto the football, etc, etc.

Imagine a rusty Burrow being the attempted reason you gave on why you lost to JACOBY BRISSETT and made Rhamondre Stevenson have his only 100+ yard game out of the last 30 games he's played.

The defense sucked all year, not this one game agaiinst Pats, they gave up 16 points. Our offense week 1 scored 10 points. So, it sure appeared the defense was closer to being ready than our all world offense. It is not just JB, our OL starters did not play a lot in preseason nor our WR's, TE's or RB.

Browns have a good defense, but we need to score at least 23 points to win the game at Cleveland. I hope our offense is ready, it is our defense that should need more time to gel and can't be expected to shut down anybody until they show they can do it.

[Nepa]

(Yesterday, 01:56 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: The defense sucked all year, not this one game agaiinst Pats, they gave up 16 points. Our offense week 1 scored 10 points. So, it sure appeared the defense was closer to being ready than our all world offense. It is not just JB, our OL starters did not play a lot in preseason nor our WR's, TE's or RB.

Browns have a good defense, but we need to score at least 23 points to win the game at Cleveland. I hope our offense is ready, it is our defense that should need more time to gel and can't be expected to shut down anybody until they show they can do it.

The Patriots won 4 games all season, and the Bengals were their only victory in their first 7 games. As you note, the Bengals were not ready for that first game, against one of the worst teams in the NFL, and it cost the Bengals the playoffs. The Patriots were a lousy team, but they had played their starters in preseason and got the shocking upset.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(Yesterday, 01:56 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: The defense sucked all year, not this one game agaiinst Pats, they gave up 16 points. Our offense week 1 scored 10 points. So, it sure appeared the defense was closer to being ready than our all world offense. It is not just JB, our OL starters did not play a lot in preseason nor our WR's, TE's or RB.

Browns have a good defense, but we need to score at least 23 points to win the game at Cleveland. I hope our offense is ready, it is our defense that should need more time to gel and can't be expected to shut down anybody until they show they can do it.

Not really. The defense had 14 missed tackles, gave 100+ yds to a mediocre RB like TLL said, and let NE control the clock. They also let Brissett run for several key first downs.

[Sled21]

(Yesterday, 01:51 PM)Nepa Wrote: But injuries happen even in practices, as we see time and time again. We cannot bubble wrap the players until game 1 of the regular season.

Correct, as we saw with the non-contact calf injury Burrow suffered in practice. But, there's playing Russian Roulette with one bullet in the gun, and then there's adding two or three more rounds in the chamber. Risk/Reward.... I just don't see it with the players our season depends on.

[Luvnit2]

Nice article on Bengals website with Pitcher. Lots of good things, but like his take on the running game.

https://www.bengals.com/news/joe-burrow-dan-pitcher-primes-his-deepest-depth-chart-we-re-going-to-use-all-these-guys

GH: Chase Brown said everyone involved in the offseason run game tweaks did a good job. He calls some of it "Thick with double teams."

DP: I think every offseason, you just try to find little emphasis points and get better in areas that you know are going to be part of what you do. And then think critically. Take a hard look at, are there things that we want to discontinue? Are there new things that really do fit us that we need to re-emphasize? I do think we did a good job in that process. I think it's ongoing. I think it takes great communication from everybody. Players included. Hopefully, they believe in the plan. I think they do. That's showing in how they execute.

GH: I haven't seen many stretch runs. It's a downhill deal right?

DP: I think that's the core of it. It doesn't mean that we're not going to try to get the ball on the perimeter. We have a variety of ways to do that, and I think we've done that during training camp. But I've said this publicly several times that we understand what the engine of this offense and on this football team is. It's our quarterback, it's our playmakers, so it's our job as coaches and their jobs as players to make sure we can do all the complementary things that we're able to do based on our opponents' response to that.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(Yesterday, 01:03 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I'm just saying putting them out there is a huge risk, and everyone is asking for it. So if we were to lose Burrow or Chase for the season, don't come back on here whining about why they were injured in a meaningless game. I especially think it is a bad idea to put Burrow out there with Philly's D line.

They could get hurt in practice, too, should we cancel that? Burrow hurt his leg in camp last year.

It is football, there is always risk. 

But we cannot afford to keep starting 0-2 every year. We have to be better prepared to hit the ground running. Plus, the coach knows his ass is grass if we miss the POs again. 

Totally worth the risk. The first game cannot be the first time the starters play more than one series. We have seen how that movie ends. Six times. No thank you. 

If someone gets hurt, then them's the breaks. But you have to do what is necessary to have the team ready on Day 1.