Film Room: Bengals pass defense steps up in win over Dolphins The Miami Dolphins went 3-0 to start the NFL season and quarterback Ryan
Tannehill. The seventh-year quarterback looked impressive returning from
injury
Clint Boling Jersey , and was running the offense very efficiently over that time period, completing passes on timing route underneath. The New England
Patriots beat the Dolphins largely by playing tight coverage and disrupting the
receivers routes. The Bengals have been playing loose coverage and struggling to
make tackles on receivers in the early part of the season. This seemed like a
recipe for disaster, but the Bengals defense had other plans.On this first play,
we don’t see the tightest coverage here from the Bengals secondary, with
cornerbacks Williams Jackson and Dre Kirkpatrick playing loose on the wide
receivers to the bottom of the screen. Tannehill ends off dumping off the ball
to rookie tight end Mike Gesicki who is promptly tackled by Vontaze Burfict.
This is a win for the Bengals. Sure, the Dolphins picked up the first down, but
on second and one the odds where they were going to be moving the chains anyway.
Burfict broke and immediately tackled Gesicki, not allowing him to pick up
another yard. It is good to have the sure tackling athlete back on the field for
the Bengals.Next, the Dolphins get into empty and the Bengals press with the
majority of their defenders. Safety Shawn Williams at the top of the screen is
the exception. He plays loose on his man, while Kirkpatrick is in press on
Dolphins wide receiver Danny Amendola just inside of him. Burfict, Darqueze
Dennard, and William Jackson are all pressed on the bottom of the screen. The
Bengals send a five-man pressure and have safety Jessie Bates in the deep middle
field. The tight coverage makes it hard for Tannehill to complete the quick pass
like he wants to. Jackson ends up in better position that the receiver but is
not quite able to haul in the interception.When the Dolphins stack their
receivers at the bottom of the screen, Kirkpatrick loosens up and plays over the
top of Dennard, but the pair both match up with their man quickly. The running
back releases into the flat
Vincent Rey Jersey , and Burfict closes the space and gets right on him. Tannehill tries to force the ball in to wide receiver Albert Wilson who Jackson
is pressing at the top of the screen. Jackson is all over him and Wilson is
actually called for a pass interference for trying to push off.Tannehill throws
a swing pass to running back Kenyan Drake on this play with wide receiver Kenny
Stills blocking Kirkpatrick and Amendola blocking Dennard in the slot. Both
defenders defeat their blocks and Kirkpatrick gets to Drake first, tackling him
for a two-yard loss. Kirkpatrick had an issue with tackling earlier in the
season so it is nice to see him getting off a block and making a sure tackle.The
Bengals played tighter in coverage and did a better job of making tackles after
the catch against the Dolphins. It is not clear if the change was based on game
plan, the natural growth of the defense, or having their best coverage
linebacker back from suspension. Either way, the defense really stepped up in
this one which was needed because the offense struggled to score. Playing
tighter in coverage benefited the pass rush and helped to create three
turnovers, two of which resulted in defensive scores. The defense will need to
continue to perform at this level as the Bengals get ready to play the Steelers,
the Chiefs, the Buccaneers, and the Saints in the coming weeks. The offseason
has arrived, and NFL free agency will be here before you know it. This is the
first time in 16 seasons that we will see a new coach leading this team. That
means several veterans could be passed up as times are changing.Luckily, the
Bengals did most of their work with this class before the season when they
extended Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins. However, there are enough depth players
and question marks set to hit the free agent market that it still will be
interesting to see what the Bengals do. It should also be noted that A.J. Green
and Tyler Boyd will highlight the team’s 2020 free agent group, and the team
will likely be making their decisions this offseason with extensions for those
two in mind.The tight endsTyler Eifert: We might as well start with the biggest
name on the list. Eifert had one of the best seasons we’ve seen a tight end have
in 2015. He showed he was talented enough to be considered in the elite of his
position. However, he has failed to stay healthy any other season. Even in 2015
he missed three games. After a gruesome leg injury this season combined with him
playing on a one-year deal
Boomer Esiason Jersey , it is hard to say how motivated Cincinnati will be to bring him back. Ultimately, they should go down a similar route with a one-year
incentive deal, but they need to invest more at the position. Things can’t get
derailed by a Eifert injury.C.J. Uzomah: Uzomah really could have done more with
his opportunity to start most of the season after Eifert and Tyler Kroft went
down with injuries early. However, he was held back by play calling, Andy Dalton
not being as comfortable with him and then Jeff Driskel. He should be worth a
multiyear-contract suited for a second or backup tight end. Although, there
could be teams willing to outbid Cincinnati. If that happens, the Bengals should
let him walk as this is a pretty strong tight end draft class.Tyler Kroft: Kroft
feels like the safety net for the Bengals. Outside of his seven touchdown in
2017 after Eifert got hurt, he hasn’t done much in the way of the passing game.
He is an okay blocker, but you could easily find a better one. Kroft’s 2017
numbers are actually pretty close with Uzomah’s 2018, but Kroft started every
game in 2017. He is a suitable backup tight end based on his red-zone ability,
but if it ultimately came down to Cincinnati losing all three of their tight
ends or ending up with just Kroft, keeping Kroft is only slightly better.Big
names likely to move onDarqueze Dennard: Cincinnati should try and keep Dennard
as he a has been a solid (not great) option as a nickel cornerback. That
position has become all the more valuable over the past few seasons as
three-wide receiver sets become the norm. It is still hard to pay three corners
market value. Cincinnati already gave Dre Kirkpatrick a huge deal, and William
Jackson will be in line for a huge contract in a couple of seasons as well.
Dennard could end up being the odd man out in this equation, as he could easily
fetch more on the open market than the Bengals are willing to give him.Michael
Johnson: Even had Lewis stayed
Anthony Munoz Jersey , it was looking like it was Johnson’s time. The team has spent three mid-round picks on defensive ends the past two seasons in Carl
Lawson, Jordan Willis and Sam Hubbard. Toward the end of last year, Johnson was
in an equal rotation with Willis and Hubbard as Lawson was on injured reserve.
He is a great locker room guy and person, but at some point it becomes obvious
that he simply isn’t the same player he once was. He may end up signing a
one-year deal, but he will have a major fight in order to make this team.Jake
Fisher: Fisher’s career has been derailed by injuries too often. He finally got
his chance in 2018 to start briefly, only for it to be cut short by a back
injury. Given he was a second-round pick in 2015 and how bad the state of
offensive lines in the NFL have become, he could end up getting more than the
Bengals would be willing to put towards him. Vincent Rey: Rey has been a shell
of himself for about two seasons now. He is a great story. He was an undrafted
free agent who worked his way into becoming the first linebacker off the bench
as well as an outstanding special teamer. However, Rey lost his spot to Jordan
Evans and Hardy Nickerson Jr. in 2018. He was rarely called upon even as
Nickerson struggled and the entire unit was marked with injuries. With a new
coach coming in, it shouldn’t be surprising to see the team move on as they
overhaul the linebacking unit.The last question markPreston Brown: Brown signed
a one-year deal this past offseason. He looked pretty good early in the season
during Vontaze Burfict’s suspension. He isn’t a great sideline-to-sideline or
coverage linebacker, but he made a decent amount of plays when called upon. He
played in seven games before being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.
If the Bengals aren’t looking to make a complete overhaul at the position, then
keeping Brown on another one-year deal makes sense. He grew up a Bengals fan,
and is a great leader and capable backup linebacker if the team ultimately
drafts a starter. It would also make sense if Cincinnati plans to move on from
Burfict this offseason. Although, it is just as easy to see the Bengals starting
over fresh last the position.Probably need to leave:Cedric Ogbuehi (offensive
tackle)Bobby Hart (offensive tackle)Andre Smith (offensive tackle)Tom Savage
(quarterback)Kasim Edebali (linebacker)Ogbuehi was a long time coming. Honestly,
had the Bengals done the right thing and brought in enough competition at
offensive tackle then Ogbuehi wouldn’t have even made the team. After Fisher and
Cordy Glenn went down with injuries
Preston Brown Jersey , the Bengals opted to sign Smith off the street and start him over Ogbuehi, which says all you need to know.Hart wasn’t good. He had so
many pre-snap penalties, and his attitude during the ed of the season pretty
much started digging the grave for his chances at being on the roster next
season. The slim hope he had at staying on the team left when Frank Pollack
opted to leave the Bengals staff.The remaining three were brought in due to
injuries. Smith will likely remain on the Bengals radar if injuries hit the
offensive line again though.Likely to stayAlex Redmond (offensive guard)
ERFAMatt Lengel (tight end) RFAAdolphus Washington (defensive lineman) RFAJosh
Tupou (defensive tackle) ERFATrey Hopkins (offensive lineman) ERFABrandon Wilson
(safety) ERFATony McRae (corner) ERFAThe reason most of these players will be
likely to return to at least compete for their jobs is almost solely based on
them being restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents. It is very
easy for Cincinnati to retain these players on a team friendly contract.Redmond
had his struggles last season, and he was even benched for the final game of the
season. He will still be worth whatever affordable contract Cincinnati will be
able to get him for, even if he ends up being just a backup.Lengel, Washington
and Tupou have each showed flashes of being competent NFL players. They are all
still relatively young, and the Bengals can’t afford to let these guys walk away
as it’d cost more to try and replace them with players have a better chance of
not being as good or ready to play.Trey Hopkins is the best player on this list.
He really could start at center or right guard next season. He played well in
relief for Bill Price in 2018 at center, and a new coach may see that and keep
it rolling. At the very least he is a very valuable backup interior lineman.If
McRae is healthy enough to return, he will likely be in Cincinnati’s training
camp.
