Can they sack/hurry the good QBs who aren't statues and have multiple weapons?

Name 15 defenses that are better at it.

It's not easy to contain/sack mobile QBs, even if they aren't that good, but now you want to do it all the time against good ones? With multiple top-tier weapons? What year do you think this is?

They're better than average, statistically speaking. Considering the players we have on the table, that's pretty good. You want the 85 Bears, you're simply out of luck. We don't have HOFers/perennial All-Pros all over the defense.

No, you're not getting pressure on every play. No defense is that good. But getting pressure/sacks in key moments is huge. We've seen what pressure can do to elite offenses in the Super Bowl (Giants/Patriots in 2007; Broncos/Seahawks in 2013; Chiefs/Buccaneers in 2020).

in key moments is the critical phrase. And sometimes they don't, that's true. They have gotten better at it in recent weeks, but they've also been playing some bad OLs, so it might be a false read.

It obviously remains to be seen. My opinion, which can't get you a cup of coffee anywhere, is that Spags will have to dial up some blitzes in key moments and roll the dice with the LBs/Ss covering better than they have most of the season. It's just the reality of the situation. Reid and Thornhill played their best games last Saturday, so there's some hope they won't get gashed repeatedly when he does send an extra blitzer. But even then, sometimes the OL blocks everybody. It happens.

Looked like Thornhill had a great game Saturday too.

I would rush four and dare Burrow/Allen to move down the field slowly. That may be death by 1,000 papercuts, but it worked against the Chiefs last season. The key is stopping the run of course. If you can't stop the run, you're cooked against these offenses. Also, no coach is as unlikely to commit to a run game as Reid. I think McDermott and Taylor would be less stubborn and more willing to run.

Points Allowed:
2012 425 26.5 PPG (2-11)
2013 305 19.0 PPG (11-5)
2014 281 17.5 PPG (9-7)
2015 287 17.9 PPG (11-5)
2016 311 19.4 PPG (12-4)
2017 339 21.18 PPG (10-6)
2018 421 26.3 PPG (12-4)
2019 308 19.2 PPG (12-4)
2020 362 22.6 PPG (14-2)
2021 364 21.4 PPG (12-5)
2022 369 21.7 PPG (14-3)

QB Pressures :
2018 197 12.3 PrPG
2019 145 9.0 PrPG
2020 156 9.7 PrPG
2021 183 10.76 PrPG
2022 171 10.05 PrPG

Sacks :
2018 52 3.2 SPG
2019 45 2.8 SPG
2020 32 2.0 SPG
2021 31 1.8 SPG
2022 55 3.2 SPG

Interceptions :
2018 15
2019 16
2020 16
2021 15
2022 11

Total Yards Allowed
2018 6,810 425.6 YPG
2019 5,593 349.5 YPG
2020 6,117 382.3 YPG
2021 6,619 389.3 YPG
2022 6,201 364.76 YPG

YAC:
2018 2067 129.1 YACPG
2019 1865 116.5 YACPG
2020 2087 130.4 YACPG
2021 2446 143.8 YACPG
2022 2037 119.8 YACPG

Missed Tackles :
2018 116
2019 101
2020 119
2021 93
2022 77

That game pissed me off more than any other in a long time. These guys are about to hang 3 in a row on you in a Calender year and you STILL aren't motivated enough to lay Joe Burrow on his ass? How does that happen?

I thought he did. He looked really comfortable playing deep, imo. And he made a play or two in the box, iirc.

Yeah, 7 tackles, 4 solo, a run stuff, a PD, and the INT.

Well, Spags is a blitzer. It's genetically hard-wired into him; he's going to blitz at some point. Honestly, I've been impressed at how little he's blitzed this season. I thought at first it was like working out lines in hockey. Insert player X here and see what he does. Try player B over here for a couple games. Play around with the combinations until you start seeing something you can work with.

I swear he does that with the secondary.

Anyway, i think he's figured out somethings about what works and doesn't work on the DL, or rather Cullen has. So I think there's a better than even chance the DL will be able to be significantly more effective against the CIN OL if they meet in the playoffs.

I wouldn't necessarily bet my house on it, but I think it'll happen.

Their rebuilt offensive line got better after a really bad start, since Oct. 31 st they haven't given up more than 2 sacks a game. However, losing their LG and LT will make it harder in the post season.

That was the worse OPI/Pick by Chase that wasn't called, they even talked about it on the broadcast. I call that Karma.

Some things that come to mind...

-Holy shit! 2nd in sacks in a year the entire fanbase believes we have a poor pass rush
-Keep Jones.
-Karlaftis will continue to improve, this was his floor for the next 5 years+
-Not sure if DL is as high a draft need as prev thought, but imagine adding another star!

Agree with you it was a dirty OPI/Pick play and pretty good Karma when the guy dropped it. :thumb:

he didn't wreck the opponents, but he did close out all three games if i recall correctly? :D