Notes From Training Camp 2025

[Whatever]

(Yesterday, 10:08 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: or when you buy a Lamborghini (ie Burrow) you might want to make sure you upkeep  the engine  (OL)  instead of spending too much on the paint job and gadgets (WR/TE). 

The reality is, the offense is the Lamborghini.  Burrow is the driver.

The WR's, TE's, and RB's provide the horsepower, the max potential.  The OL are components like the tires, suspension, and steering rack that allow all that horsepower to be used effectively.  Everything works together in concert.  If you've got top notch handling with low horsepower, you don't have a very competitive package.  If you've high horsepower with poor handling, then your driver needs to work a lot harder to wrestle the potential out of the car and it can get dangerous.

However, as far as the power vs handling debate goes, as Mario Andretti has said, "As a driver, you always want the power."

[WeezyBengal]

(Yesterday, 10:28 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I would hope you think the door swings both ways. If they don't get hurt we give Zac credit for taking a risk to make sure we are ready to go full speed week #1.

The trade off is not worth the risk IMO. 

There is this stupid narrative that the Bengals start slow. There is some truth to it, but 80% of it is rooted in OFF THE FIELD issues. Burrow dealing with some kind of injury EVERY camp/off-season. Contract related issues, etc. That's the reason they haven't been "full speed". 

Remember the Cleveland game when it was pouring down rain and Burrow couldn't even move? Preseason wasn't fixing that. 

Steelers game when he was down 30 pounds and and dogging it because of an apendectomy? Preseason wasn't fixing that. 

Pats game last year when he was still figuring out his wrist, and he even played in preseason...didn't fix it. 

The majority of it isn't preperation related/football things. Playing them in meaningless games, risking the bigger picture, to try and solve a problem that doesn't exist is just dumb. 

[Nicomo Cosca]

Zac Taylor is 1-11 in the first 2 weeks of the season.

“stupid narrative”

[Luvnit2]

(Yesterday, 11:03 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: The trade off is not worth the risk IMO. 

There is this stupid narrative that the Bengals start slow. There is some truth to it, but 80% of it is rooted in OFF THE FIELD issues. Burrow dealing with some kind of injury EVERY camp/off-season. Contract related issues, etc. That's the reason they haven't been "full speed". 

Remember the Cleveland game when it was pouring down rain and Burrow couldn't even move? Preseason wasn't fixing that. 

Steelers game when he was down 30 pounds and and dogging it because of an apendectomy? Preseason wasn't fixing that. 

Pats game last year when he was still figuring out his wrist, and he even played in preseason...didn't fix it. 

The majority of it isn't preperation related/football things. Playing them in meaningless games, risking the bigger picture, to try and solve a problem that doesn't exist is just dumb. 

I understand risk is risk. I think being overly safe is a mindset that carries over into all apsects. Be careful in preseason and next thing is ZT is too cautious play calling late in games. I get your point, I just don't agree with you or others who want to put a bubble around players in preseason.

[*pally*]

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

[Luvnit2]

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

“stupid narrative”

Einstein gave us the definition of insanity
insanity is doing things the same things over and over again and expecting different results

I think Zac needs to do something different. He has changed the times we practice going from mostly afternoon in the past to morning. I am sure he has done other things as well.

[George Cantstandya]

(Yesterday, 11:15 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Einstein gave us the definition of insanity
insanity is doing things the same things over and over again and expecting different results

I think Zac needs to do something different. He has changed the times we practice going from mostly afternoon in the past to morning. I am sure he has done other things as well.

No.  There is no evidence he ever said this.  Also it is not the definition of insanity.

[Luvnit2]

(Yesterday, 11:24 AM)George Cantstandya Wrote: No.  There is no evidence he ever said this.  Also it is not the definition of insanity.

Some say Einstein, others say no proof he said it.

So, I will take credit

Seriously, who said it matters not, it is a saying a lot of people like me use. It simply is saying if you are failing, do something differntly.

ZT being 1-11 to begin a season is failing.

[Soonerpeace]

(Yesterday, 11:03 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: The trade off is not worth the risk IMO. 

There is this stupid narrative that the Bengals start slow. There is some truth to it, but 80% of it is rooted in OFF THE FIELD issues. Burrow dealing with some kind of injury EVERY camp/off-season. Contract related issues, etc. That's the reason they haven't been "full speed". 

Remember the Cleveland game when it was pouring down rain and Burrow couldn't even move? Preseason wasn't fixing that. 

Steelers game when he was down 30 pounds and and dogging it because of an apendectomy? Preseason wasn't fixing that. 

Pats game last year when he was still figuring out his wrist, and he even played in preseason...didn't fix it. 

The majority of it isn't preperation related/football things. Playing them in meaningless games, risking the bigger picture, to try and solve a problem that doesn't exist is just dumb. 

I think it’s two fold. Burrow was rusty and Zac was protecting him too. There’s no getting around the slow starts. Has to change

[George Cantstandya]

(Yesterday, 11:43 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Some say Einstein, others say no proof he said it.

So, I will take credit

Seriously, who said it matters not, it is a saying a lot of people like me use. It simply is saying if you are failing, do something differntly.

ZT being 1-11 to begin a season is failing.

To not derail this thread further I'll leave it at this. I understand what people mean when they parrot it. I apologize but it just gets on my nerves because it is false.  

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(Yesterday, 10:48 AM)Whatever Wrote: The reality is, the offense is the Lamborghini.  Burrow is the driver.

The WR's, TE's, and RB's provide the horsepower, the max potential.  The OL are components like the tires, suspension, and steering rack that allow all that horsepower to be used effectively.  Everything works together in concert.  If you've got top notch handling with low horsepower, you don't have a very competitive package.  If you've high horsepower with poor handling, then your driver needs to work a lot harder to wrestle the potential out of the car and it can get dangerous.

However, as far as the power vs handling debate goes, as Mario Andretti has said, "As a driver, you always want the power."

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.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(Yesterday, 11:56 AM)George Cantstandya Wrote: To not derail this thread further I'll leave it at this. I understand what people mean when they parrot it. I apologize but it just gets on my nerves because it is false.  

Me too.

Until the meme first showed up a couple of years ago, not a single soul mentioned his name with anything insanity-related.

[Brownshoe]

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

“stupid narrative”

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.

[*rfaulk34*]

(Yesterday, 10:28 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I would hope you think the door swings both ways. If they don't get hurt we give Zac credit for taking a risk to make sure we are ready to go full speed week #1.

You gotta stop it, man.

Let it go. 

[SladeX]

(Yesterday, 11:24 AM)George Cantstandya Wrote: No.  There is no evidence he ever said this.  Also it is not the definition of insanity.

Narcotics Anonymous text uses this saying, as well.

Quite apropos for people who keep using (insert drug here, insert different drug here, insert different amount here), telling themselves “this time things won’t spin out of control”.

Things always spin out of control…

[SunsetBengal]

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

“stupid narrative”

I agree that it is folly to think that these professional athletes need to be treated as if they're made of glass. How many years in a row have we seen star players not being sharp in the beginning of the season? How many times do we need to see a starting OL come out and look like they all just met each other for the first time, in the parking lot before the game?

I don't see anyone claiming they need to be ran until fatigued and susceptible to injury, just that they need some live action to knock the dust off and build some cohesion along the OL.

[Luvnit2]

(Yesterday, 12:15 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: You gotta stop it, man.

Let it go. 

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.

[Luvnit2]

(Yesterday, 12:18 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I agree that it is folly to think that these professional athletes need to be treated as if they're made of glass. How many years in a row have we seen star players not being sharp in the beginning of the season? How many times do we need to see a starting OL come out and look like they all just met each other for the first time, in the parking lot before the game?

I don't see anyone claiming they need to be ran until fatigued and susceptible to injury, just that they need some live action to knock the dust off and build some cohesion along the OL.

I agree, no one is saying have them play 3 quarters in any preseason game. But the reality is they have 5 weeks to get ready to play 4 quarters. As for the OL, I would play them in the first half. The starters at least 1 quarter, then sub in the guards that backup the starters for last 7 or 8 miutes of quarter 2.

They need the time together with full pads going against another team's DL.

We may have an injury if they play, we may have an injury in practice or in week 1. Injuries happen in the NFL and why depth is also huge.

[*pally*]

(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.

You don't get to decide that someone should admit they are wrong simply because their opinion differs from yours.  You can get away with it in PNR...but this is Jungle Noise.  Disagree with their points all you want, but I assure you they believe they are right just as much as you do

[*pally*]

"Joe got better, and I don't even know how that's possible"

Joe Burrow has somehow taken another step — and his coach Zac Taylor says it’s showing in every throw ?@heykayadams | @Bengals #WhoDey @JoeyB pic.twitter.com/AQIpVsK2Fe

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 5, 2025