Know Your Enemy: Cincinnati Bengals Offense & Defense Previews

[soxfan121]

Know Your Enemy: Cincinnati Bengals Offense
by Dave Archibald

Hue Jackson is a man on the spot. From 2011 to 2013, Jay Gruden called Cincinnati’s offensive plays and the Bengals were fairly successful, making the playoffs each season and finishing 6th in points and 10th in yards in 2013. The team flamed out in the playoffs each year, averaging just 11 points in their three first-round defeats as quarterback Andy Dalton threw six interceptions and just one touchdown pass. Gruden left in the offseason to coach Washington while Jackson, a Bengals assistant since 2012, has taken over as Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator. The offense is largely unchanged since last season, so if the Bengals are going to transition from playoff also-ran to Super Bowl contender, Jackson will have to play a big role.
 
The former Raiders head coach has a reputation for favoring the running game, and that’s been evident in 2014. The Bengals have run the ball 102 times, leading the league with 34 rushes per game; last year they finished 18th while averaging just over 30 per contest. Dalton threw 36 passes per game last season, but in three 2014 contests he has averaged just 29. The team’s rushing average of 3.6 yards per carry is unimpressive, but they’re a solid 13th in Success Rate (a play is deemed a “success” if it increases the likelihood of scoring). Where the run-heavy offense has shined is in taking the burden off the passing game. Cincinnati leads the NFL with 8.9 yards per pass attempt, and Dalton has zero sacks and just one interception so far. That success combined with a solid defense has led to a 3-0 start and the best point differential in the league.
 

 
Know Your Enemy: Cincinnati Bengals Defense
by Mark Schofield

Rested and refreshed off their bye week, Cincinnati travels to Foxboro this week for Sunday Night Football. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther leads a unit that has benefitted from early leads each week this season, allowing them to “pin their ears back” and attack the pocket while applying blanket coverage downfield. Guenther employs a 4-3 as their base defense, but they use a number of sub packages, some of them rather exotic as outlined in the Bengals Passing Preview. Their ability to force offenses into unfavorable down-and-distance situations and exploit those opportunities is a cause for concern for Josh McDaniels and the Patriot offense.
 

 

 

[Super Nomario]

I didn't talk about strategy much, but the weak point of Cincinnati is their secondary receivers. I'd have Revis shadow Green, load the box on early downs, and make them beat me throwing to Sanu, Tate, Gresham, and Sanzenbacher. The X-factor here is Gio Bernard, who's a tough cover for any of the Pats LBs. Can Mayo or Collins do an adequate job containing him, or do the Pats put a safety on him?

 

[Tony C]

Among the disappointments so far is Collins, especially last week. You're right that he really has to do that job on Sunday against Bernard.