Bengals Flaws Exposed in LOSS to the Lions: O-Line Woes & QB Struggles

On the Bleav in Bengals, hosts Solomon Wilcots and Bengals insider Charlie Goldsmith analyze the Bengals' 30-17 loss to the Detroit Lions. They address Jake Browning's struggles with turnovers, inconsistent decision-making, and the lack of balance in the offense. The discussion includes ongoing issues with the offensive line regarding both protection and run blocking, as well as the failed offseason roster moves and the team's over-reliance on Joe Burrow. The episode concludes with a mailbag question about whether preseason expectations for the Bengals were set too high, and whether blame should be assigned to coaching, ownership, or player development. They also preview the upcoming game against the Green Bay Packers, emphasizing the challenges posed by Micah Parsons and a tough Packers defense.

[00:00:05] - Game Recap

• Recap of Bengals losing to the Lions, highlights on Detroit’s offensive performance

[00:00:53] - Bengals’ Quarterback Struggles

• Discussion about Jake Browning’s inconsistent quarterback play
• Impact of turnovers and decision-making issues

[00:01:30] - Team’s Options at Quarterback

• Zach Taylor’s post-game comments
• Question about alternative quarterback options

[00:02:10] - Evaluating Backup QBs

• Assessment of other backup quarterbacks and lack of experience

[00:03:06] - Rumors About Veteran QB Trades

• Debunking rumors about trading for Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins

[00:04:08] - Offensive Guard and Cap Space

• Discussion on roster/cap space decisions—focus should have been on addressing offensive guard earlier

[00:06:54] - Bengals Offense and Jake Browning’s Game Performance

• Analyzing offensive struggles, questionable passes, and late-game scoring

[00:07:55] - Offensive Line Issues

• In-depth look at offensive line struggles, including giving up safeties and lack of run game

[00:09:05] - Impact of the Offensive Line on QB Performance

• How poor O-line play has affected Jake Browning’s confidence and performance

[00:10:05] - Scott Peters and O-Line Regressions

• Discussion about O-Line coach Scott Peters and regression of the unit

[00:11:25] - Wasting Talent & Roster Construction

• Reflections on another year potentially wasting stars’ talents
• Debating overall roster talent and decisions at trade deadline

[00:12:15] - History of Not Selling at Trade Deadline

• Bengals’ tendency not to sell at the deadline, even when out of contention

[00:13:41] - Team Building Philosophy

• Team building logic, planning for future roster flexibility

[00:14:51] - Bengals Defense vs. Lions Offense

• Analysis of Bengals defense, positives in pass rush and pressure

[00:15:48] - Defense Continues to Be Put in Bad Situations

• Frequent short fields due to turnovers impacting defensive numbers

[00:16:38] - Improving Defensive Fundamentals

• Focus on tackling and coverage issues, especially on screens and in space

[00:17:44] - Coaching Points of Emphasis for Improvement

• Major coaching concerns: tackling, technique at corner, and interior pass rush

[00:19:29] - How Injuries & Roster Failures Impacted the Season

• How Joe Burrow’s absence exposed the team’s lack of flexibility and depth

[00:20:45] - Ownership and Organizational Accountability

• Broader conversation about organizational responsibility and roster-building philosophy

[00:23:50] - Miscalculation on Jake Browning as Backup

• Retrospective on believing in Browning as backup and where things went wrong

[00:24:53] - Importance of Roster Flexibility

• Need for roster flexibility and adapting to different game scenarios

[00:24:53] - Sponsor Segment and Green Bay Packers Preview

• Previewing matchup against Packers and key players to watch

[00:25:52] - Packers Game Preview

• D-line concerns, Micah Parsons (erroneous—Parsons is not on Packers), challenges facing Bengals’ O-line

 

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