Bengals not giving Clausen much thought

[Proudiddy]

Well, sounds perfect for us to either bust huge runs with everyone bunched up at the line or Clausen to hit a lot of screens to DLo, Stew, Goodson, and Smitty... I don't know... For some reason, I have a better feeling about this game than I did the first 2 weeks.

[rayzor]

we've done well with the box stacked before using the same RBs, the same Oline (for the most part) and the same OC calling the shots.

in fact we've won a lot of games with pretty much the same personnel and coaches. aside from a few not so key elements, it's the same thing.

i don't have a good reason for the level of sucktitude but i really don't think that it's going to continue ofr too much longer. it usually takes a while to get this team going and this year is probably going to be no different.

at least they are trying different things to get this going. trying out different WRs, switching QBs and it's still early. lots of time for things to get better.

[ed bell]

The best I can tell, the Panthers have had the 8+ in the box strategy to deal with ever since Jake went down for the elbow.

Until that can be neutralized, the offense will never fire on all cylinders for 60 minutes. Leaning on 8+ in the box for the D is vulnerable, big time. If that strategy can be compromised, the floodgates open.

[BigCat#1]

i would say putting 9 in the box is respect...respect of our running potential. If we cant pass the ball with 9 in the box then we deserve to lose. plain and simple

[aussiePanther]

If we cant pass the ball with 9 in the box then we deserve to lose. plain and simple

This.

Problem is, none of us are sure we can... regardless of which of our QBs are under center...

[panthers55]

Have you been talking to panthers55

Exactly. If he had he would have heard that Clausen has a Jake like deep ball. Maybe that will be good for Smitty. He always made Jake look good, right??

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

This is a good thing for us. One first half should show us whether or not Clausen is "the guy".

If Clausen can't look respectable against a defense stacked against the run and not worried about the pass, then he'll never be top tier in this league. If he can't look respectable against a ballhawk defense that has adjusted after halftime, the same. If he can do both, then we've got something here, boys and girls.

[FuzzyDuck13]

Man foxy's offenses are so easy to gameplan against

[Mr. Scot]

Is Clausen or the lack of more than one receiver?

Why you now talk like Boris?

I am excited to see if they really go 1 on 1 with Smitty.. that will be our biggest opportunity in the pass game.. we also will see if Smitty 1on1 is the '05 guy, or if he's not quite got what he used too..

and if they are giving up short passes, I would HOPE that Davidson/Fox/whoever the f**k, actually game plans against this and look to move down the field on short passes... if/when successful I would expect the run game to open up quite a bit as well... and maybe we can get Gettis down the field on a few streaks after that..

I think they call these things "adjustments".

As a Panther fan, I've heard of them, but can't say I've ever actually seen one :sosp:

[Mr. Scot]

The best I can tell, the Panthers have had the 8+ in the box strategy to deal with ever since Jake went down for the elbow.

Until that can be neutralized, the offense will never fire on all cylinders for 60 minutes. Leaning on 8+ in the box for the D is vulnerable, big time. If that strategy can be compromised, the floodgates open.

Outside of the most obvious (i.e. outdoing them on execution) there are a couple of different ways you can combat defenses stacking the box.

Most common is to pass them out of it. Make yards in the pass game, force them to pull the safety back to help in coverage. Balanced teams can do this. I'm not sure we can (yet).

The other option is to get good blocking from your receivers and fullbacks. This is the more likely option for us at this juncture.

[Mr. Scot]

This is a good thing for us. One first half should show us whether or not Clausen is "the guy".

If Clausen can't look respectable against a defense stacked against the run and not worried about the pass, then he'll never be top tier in this league. If he can't look respectable against a ballhawk defense that has adjusted after halftime, the same. If he can do both, then we've got something here, boys and girls.

Disagree. I don't think it's possible we'll know whether Clausen is the future after the first half Sunday, or even after the full game.

My personal belief: I think he is a guy that this team can build it's future around, and I believe he'll show that over time. And if he does, you could argue that the NFC South will become the Mecca of NFL quarterbacking.

This Sunday though, I expect him to look like a rookie making his first start

All I'm hoping for this coming weekend is no physical injury and no ego bruises. Anything beyond that is gravy for me. Maybe three or four nice plays to show that the potential is indeed there, but even that'd be a bonus.

[Rented Mule]

Per beat writer Paul Deener, interviewed on Frank and Buck.

The team reportedly feels comfortable going with 8 or 9 in the box and leaving corners Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph on an island against Panther receivers. Clausen, he says, doesn't really scare them.

Naturally, we hope that proves to be a huge mistake. Objectively speaking though, is there any real reason for them to feel otherwise?

Why in hell should the Panthers scare anyone? Stuff the run and contain Steve Smith and it doesn't matter who's playing QB.

[jasonluckydog]

1-15 part2

[Grammer]

well considering the fact that fox loves to run on 3rd and long and with 8 guys in the box... this is gonna be a fuging bloodbath