Technical difficulties involving our cable (internet/TV) have led me to be unable to watch the game tonight. Despair ye not! Everything is up and running now and I will have a VHS copy in hand tomorrow. I will be watching it tomorrow evening and typing as I go. So, unfortunately no analysis on the game from me until thenuntil then. Once again, however, we have a fellow reader stepping up. In the comments below you will find Nubsnobber's in game notes and thoughts broken down by quarter.
PS - I will not be reading up on it (nubsnobbers notes included) until after I've seen it. Personal peculiarity. I prefer to watch it like it's live, not ruin it by knowing the outcome ahead of time. Feel free to post your thoughts here as well -- just know I won't be reading them until after I've seen the game.
I knew you'd understand.
DF79
11 comments:
FIRST QUARTER
Kickoff (Lions receive). I missed who returned. The ball was bobbled, tackle inside the twenty around the 15.
1. 1/10 own 15. Kitna to Johnson 40 yards. This wasn't a ten yard pass with a thirty yard run. This was a highlight film catch. Ball was 35 yards in the air (underthrown a little) CJ came back and snatched it over top the defender. Man amongst boys.
2. 1/10 opp 45. Smith trap run right 5 yards. Solid run.
3. 2/5 opp 40. Pass right flat (Kitna to Williams) 15 yards. PEN. Off Pass Int. No question-push off
4. 2/15 50. Smith run right 14 yds. Nice hard run.
5. 3/1 on 36. Smith middle; stuffed -1 yds.
6. Harris punt. Downed inside the 5 (Furrey) PENALTY Furrey Illegal touching (was O/B; came in & touched.
DEFENSE
1. Run left 6 yards. Blown off ball.
2. 6 yard pass left flat Fisher's man; decent coverage, good tackle, forced O/B
3. 1 yard run Redding tackle; good penetration.
4. Incomplete pass to Ocho Cinco. Kelly broke up; very nice play.
5. Pass to Ocho Cinco; broken up by Kelly; nice hit. He bats the ball away, it takes a wierd hop off Johnson's hip, up in the air; intercepted by Kelly (5 yard return). Ocho Cinco hurt-never returns.
OFFENSE
1. Pass (Kitna to CJ) 8 yard right side.
2. Pass (Kitna to CJ) 30 yard post route TD. Perfect pass. (DA-DA-DA, DA-DA-DA)!!!
E.P. Good. Kickoff deep; tackle Pearson.
DEFENSE (Lions couldn't get off the field on this drive. I was hoping for better as they were blitzing and had very good tempo ALL GAME LONG, except two drives).
1. Pass right; incomplete.
2. Pass 15yds, right side slant route; Kelly burned.
3. Run right 5 yds--poor wrapping.
4. Deep sit down route (15 yard in route-caught in front of Kelly).
5. Run right; 6 yards; (PEN)
6. Pass 12 yard slant pass caught in front of Bodden.
7. Pass 30 yrd pass in to end zone against Bodden; incomplete, very good coverage.
8. RunDraw play blown up by Redding and Lenon.
9. PASS play chased by White (should've been sacked), ball thrown away.
10. FG Blocked by White.
OFFENSE
Orlovsky now in/didn't look great-had him rolling out. Kitna's good, Stanton relaly good; "O" cannot rollout, plus they did it 10 times and could sniff it.
1. 1/10 own 40 "O" rolled right; pass (incomplete)
2. 2/10 own 40 Bell run right (stuffed) 2 yards.
3. 3/10 own 42 Pass "O" to Roy; 7 yards Orlovsky cut route short and threw early due to blitz.
4. Harris punt. Good coverage.
DEFENSE
1. Run 3 yards (Bodden)
2. Pass incomplete. Ikaika Alama-Francis got pressure (only a three step drop, too). Almost a sack
3. BLITZ. Lewis sack. Bodden blitzed as well. Great stunt to get Lewis twisted in. Looked like center went to his left for double on redding, cody pushed to his left, big hole in middle and lewis almost ate carson palmer.
4. Punt. Return by Ellis ---five yards. END OF QUARTER.
-nubs
SECOND QUARTER
1. 1/10 own 40 RUN (Bell) left 4 yards.
2. 2/6 own 44 Rollout (right) "O" to Furrey dropped. Play was rushed/sniffed out by "D".
3. 3/6 own 44 PASS (O to Middleton) Good proetction; good route 7 yds.
4. 1/10 opp 48 PASS to Ellis (incomplete). Dropped.
5. 2/10 opp 48 PASS to Furrey down right sideline (incomplete) Would've been a very tough catch.
6. 3/10 opp 48 PASS to Furrey 18 yds. Nice catch. OLINE picked 2 blitzers up. Very nice to see.
7. 1/10 opp 30 RUN (Bell) bobbled handoff.
8. 2/9 opp 29 Rollout (right) incomplete to Fitz. Play was rushed/sniffed out by "D".
9. 3/9 opp 29 SACK. Jon Scott (LT) got beat straight up on speed rush off outside shoulder by Blackstock. Scott's feet never lifted out of the cement.
10. FG attempt; missed by Reyner.
DEFENSE (Lions pressure is crippling the Bengals right now)
1. Screen pass (right flat) Sniffed out by all (Joe).
2. PASS (left) incomplete. Robinson almost a pick (HE PLAYED AWESOME ALL NIGHT).
3. Pass 8 yds (Pearson). An interior lineman almost got a sack-I couldn't tell who.
4. Punt. Cason made two nice cuts and lost his footing. He could've broke it, still 15 yard return.
OFFENSE
1. 1/10 own 45 RUN (Bell) 2 yards.
2. 2/8 own 47 PASS (Standeford) 15 yds. Very nice; caught with hands.
3. 1/10 opp 40 RUN (Bell) up middle 2 yards
4. 2/8 opp 38 RUN (Bell) right -1 yds. Audible called on play; Belton bumped "O" before handoff.
5. 3/9 opp 39 Rollout (left) pass knocked down.
6. PUNT Pinned inside one---excellent coffin corner kick.
DEFENSE (Bengals go hurry up and trap Lions defense on field---BIG DRIVE for Bengals)
1. own 1 RUN 12 yards up middle. Poor tackling.
2. QB scramble 12 yards.
3. RUN right 5 yards.
4. RUN left 7 yards. Dizon messed up. (Don't remember what; can't read notes).
5. RUN right. Joe and Dizon nice play/tackle.
6. PASS curl 8 yards.
7. Cutback run; first down on play. Nice tackle Canon; just missed stuffing the third and 1.
8. DEEP in route 20 yards down field; Pearson beat badly. Incomplete.
9.PASS 7 yd slant pass; rocked by DIZON.
10. SCRAMBLE (Very good coverage); Fitz scrambles; Dizon allows Fitz to get outside and run 15 yds down sideline. 2:00 WARNING
11. PASS 17 yards (DIZON)
12. PASS 4 yd left flat; tackled Canon.
13. PASS 16 yds TD; Pearson beat like a drum; sucked over for corner route, post route to middle of end zone. XP Good. Lions 7 Bengals 7
OFFENSE (Kickoff; 30 yard return by Middleton. Pearson didn't block; gave up on play. That block would've sprung Middleton for "6".
1. 1/10 own 38 PASS Ellis left flat 7 yards.
2. 2/3 own 45 PASS Standeford left flat 6 yards.
3. 1/10 opp 49 PASS Ellis left flat 5 yards.
4. 2/5 opp 44 SCREEN right (Cason) 4 yards
5. 3/1 opp 40 PASS (Middleton) incomplete.
6. Punt. Bengals then down the ball HALFTIME. 7-7
-nubs
THIRD QUARTER
Kickoff - decent coverage.
DEFENSE
1. 1/10 BLITZ (Fluellen--forced fumble) hit also by Buster. Begals recover.
2. 2/15 PASS 15 yds. downfield crossing route. Incomplete.
3. 3/15 PASS left flat (incomplete). PUNT. (Middleton) fair catch.
OFFENSE
1. 1/10 own 40 RUN (Calhoun) left 1 yds.
2. 2/9 own 41 RUN (Calhoun) right 4 yards. HARD RUN!
3. 3/5 own 45 PASS (Standeford) 11 yards. Great catch--this kid is something.
4. 1/10 opp 44 PASS (Ellis) 7 yards. (Wants to make the roster too???)
5. 2/3 opp 37 RUN (Calhoun) right; cutback left 4 yards. HARD RUN.
6. 1/10 opp 33 RUN (Calhoun) left; -1 yards. Backside penetration w/ blitz.
7. 2/11 opp 34 RUN (Calhoun) FUMBLE; Orlovsky recovers -3 yards Cherilus beaten.
8. 3/14 opp 37 PASS (Ellis) Bad pass. incomplete.
9. 4th Rayner FG Lions 10-7
DEFENSE (Here goes tempo - Lions have dominated up to this poin; except 2nd drive so the Bengals go hurry-up offense and put tthe Lions "D" on the ropes.
1. 1/10 PASS (right flat) Blitz was on, backers were there -1 yrd.
2. 2/11 PASS 12 yards; cross route over middle.
3. 1/10 RUN Dorsey 6 yards
4. 2/4 PASS Utecht 22 yards.
5. 1/10 RUN Dorsey Good hit by Hicks, no wrap; Dorsey bounces off tackled by Joe. 3 yards
6. 2/7 PEN False Start 2/12 PASS to Caldwell 8 yds.
7. 3/4 PASS (Simpson) 15 yds.
8. 1/10 RUN 5 yards. Got killed off the ball. Looked like deer getting runover by ashphalt paver.
9. 2/3 RUN. Stuffed. (On 3 yard line trying to punch it in).
10. 3/3 PASS (Right flat) Edwards nice tackle; saves TD. 2 yards
11. 4/1 on 1. Greg Blue crushes somebody in a striped kitty kat hat. LIONS BALL.
OFFENSE
1. 1/10 own 1 PASS incomplete.
2. 2/10 own 1 RUN Calhoun left 7 yards.
3. 3/3 own 8 Bootleg right (almost a safety-sniffed out AGAIN, please don't run this with "O" again).
PUNT- - Harris crushed the punt. Big return for Bengals; Buster got leveled - check tomorrow for concussion report as he didn't play afterward, I think.
DEFENSE
1. 1/10 PASS (Screen; right) good coverage. 0 yards
2. 2/10 RUN (Dorsey) trap right; two yards.
3. 3/8 PASS 15 yard out pattern; incomplete, bad pass. FG good. 10-10.
OFFENSE (Ellis return kickoff to 25)
1. 1/10 own 25 RUN Pinner 7 yards.
2. 2/10 own 32 RUN Pinner 2 yards. END OF QUARTER.
-nubs
FOURTH QUARTER
OFFENSE
3. 3/1 own 34 RUN PINNER 2 yds. McHugh had a crushing lead block to spring him.
4. 1/10 own 36 PASS (Standeford) 45 yards. Made a terrific three move juke to get open. I thought the Bengal defender broke his hip between the second and third move as Standeford made him look STUPID. WHAT A GREAT MOVE.
5. 1/10 opp 21 RUN Pinner left 1 yard.
6. 2/9 opp 20 RUN Pinner right 12 yards.
7. 1/10 opp 8 RUN Pinner 0 yards.
8. 2/10 opp 8 PASS Standeford (slant move) incomplete.
9. 3/10 opp 8 DRAW to Calhoun 2 yards. Rayner FG Lions 13-10.
DEFENSE (Kick off; good coverage)
1. 1/10 own 25 PASS to FB in right flat o yards.
2. 2/10 own 25 PASS incomplete; great pressure (No hurry-up; Lions are bringing it again).
3. 3/10 own 25 PASS 15 yard crossing route; broken up by Robinson*** (4th very good play). PUNT.
OFFENSE Punt return - 2 yds (Moore) Stanton now in. "O" 50% completion; Stanton sharp.
1. 1/10 own 31 RUN (Pinner) right 2 yards.
2. 2/8 own 33 PASS (Moore) 8 yards.
3. 1/10 own 41 RUN (Pinner) right -1 yards.
4. 2/11 own 40 RUN (Pinner) left 3 yards.
5. 3/8 own 43 PASS; pocket breaks down SCRAMBLE Stanton 9 yards. Stanton has WHEELS!!! There is no way I thought he could get the first down---AWESOME!!!
6. 1/10 opp 48 BOMB to Middleton TD toasted the coverage. Lions 20-10
DEFENSE (Kickoff good coverage)
1. 1/10 PEN-Offside Lions Rudolph Hardie (Who is this chump???)
2. 1/5 SACK Some guy gets chipped by a RB; runs him over and eats the QB. Who was it---Rudolph Hardie. Played at Hampton, played with Felton WOW!.
3. 2/12 PASS (TE) flat pass tackle by Gardner.
4. 3/6 SACK Avril. Made a good power move; so much for speed move Killer. PUNT.
OFFENSE (WOW Punt return (Moore) went off for 40 yards; looked good, too nice move)
OK The other night I went off about pounding your opponent into submission---here it is.
1. 1/10 opp 41 RUN (Pinner) right side for 6 yards.
2. 2/4 opp 35 RUN (Pinner) right side for 10 yards.
3. 1/10 opp 25 RUN (Pinner) middle for 2 yards.
4. 2/8 opp 23 RUN (Pinner) right for 7 yards.
5. 1/10 opp 16 RUN (fake left Pinner) Stanton bootleg right 16 yd TD. Lions 27-10.
DEFENSE (Kickoff coverage good)
1. 1/10 own 25 PASS (6 yards) tackle Edwards.
2. 2/4 own 31 PASS (incomplete)
3. 3/4 own 31 PASS (5 yards).
4. 1/10 own 36 PASS (12 yards).
5. 1/10 own 48 PASS (PEN-False Start) 1/15 o43 SACK (Who else, slueths???) AVRIL and HARDIE.
6. 1/20 own 38 PASS (13 yds).
7. 2/7 opp 49 PASS (incomplete)
8. 3/7 opp 49 PASS (20 yards)
9. 1/10 opp 29 PASS to 5 yard line; time expired. 27-10 final.
-nubs
I know these are lengthy, but I tried to get them out for the out-of-towners that cannot see the game. I'll comment later when I can.
Game comments.
Special teams looked great. 1st Offense looks great. Defnse loked good at times; then great; then poor--we'll see.
QB-Stanton better than "O". Kitna ON FIRE!
HB-Smith-good;Bell-bad;Cason-decent returns; Calhoun ran hard. Pinner ran over people-posessed!
TE-blcokers, no real passing game tonight. Gaines looked good. FB-McHugh looked good, so did Felton. I don't recall seeing Bradley.
WR-We have the most talented nine guys in camp you will ever see. No way Middleton, Moore, Standeford, or Bellamy are there if we cut them.
OL-good, except for Scott giving up the sack.
DL-good, I found out who Hardie is, though. 5-0 looked good. Redding, dominate.
LB-so-so. I didn't see Ernie Lenon only a few plays. Dizon hot and cold, same with Buster and Joe. Lewis loked good early.
CB-no one played bad in this group. Ramzee Robinson played like a Pro-Bowler.
S- Pearson was awesome on special teams. He SUCKED in pass coverage. Greg Blue played better in pass coverage, but was still taking wrong angles. He stepped up big on 4th AND 1 on goalline.
-nubs
Thanks Nubs,
I wasn't able to see the game and was only able to pick up a Bengals radio channel for the last 1/2 of the 2nd quarter. It will be interesting to see DetFan1979's recap, and as he will be watching on tape and may catch a few different players making plays off the ball.
Sounds like typical preseason. Not all the same names mentioned in the 2nd game as were mentioned in the 1st. I didn't see Dizon's name much. This week it was
CJ for the TD, last week it was Roy. This is very good news. This week Stanton was better than Orlovsky. We didn't hear so much about Dizon, Davis, or Joe. Then Standeford, Moore, & Middleton step up. Sounds like Robinson played well. I believe he has some practice squad options left (could come into play depending how many DB's are kept).
Was Robinson playing CB, S, or Nickle?
Scott giving up a sack and Cherilus getting some LT play may be a signal that Foster has a leg up on Scott for the 3rd tackle. Sounds like the #1 D-Line played well and Fluellen is making a bid to be in the rotation. I don't put much into the Avril sack(s), because they came so late in the game. It was probably against a tackle who will be out of the league in two weeks. But at least he got his first sack so the pressure is off.
Win's in pre-season are not important. I look more at the 7-7 1st half score, and say this team has a way to go. But then at the half the Bengal’s announcers said the score was deceiving, and that the Lions dominated the Bengals. So that was good to hear.
I'd like to know a little about the O-Line. Who seamed to play well and who struggled? Who was the O-Line when the Lions punished the Bengals with all those 4th Quarter runs. Did they put the starters back in? How did Backus look, and how did Cherilus look at LT. Then there is the play of the guards. In particular Peterman, Davis and Ramarez. One of those guys may not make the cut.
The other bubble guy is Cody. How did he look? I didn’t see his name. That may not be bad if he is playing the nose tackle, and could be why we say Redding’s name a lot at the under tackle? I’d be interested in comments about Cody’s play and comparing it to Langston Moore (although he may have been out for this game).
Last year Carson Palmer and the 1st unit for the Bengals just ate up the Lions defense. I think he was 9 for 9. They just sliced through us. It was rally a preview of what was to come in the season. So from what was described as the #1 Defense play, was very good news. Also note with TJH out, and Chad Johnson getting hurt and leaving early, had to make our defense look good, so lets not read too much into this.
There is plenty to work on in the next couple of weeks. One good week of practice. Starters will play the 1st half against the Browns, then a short turnaround 5 days later, and the bac-ups get to battle it out to decidew who gets those last spots on the team.
The Lions did dominate the Bengals. Especially the first two drives. Kitna was spot-on, and was like a maestro.
The Bengals were horrible, kept Palmer in a couple drives, and were still horrible. (NOTE: Johnson, Houszmandzadeh, and Johnson were out the whole game. Ocho played three plays.
Looked like Robinson played straight corner. Maybe nickle a few plays, but no safety.
Starting OLINE looked good. Great in pass prot./average in run blocking. But they were all in the right spot at the right time, even with a few audibles.
Cody looked good, Moore didn't play (I don' think).
The second string OLINE with the big push was LT ? LG Ramirez C (Neither Raiola nor McCollum)RG was Davis RT Dunn.
-nubs
nubs, nice work!
Here are a few random thoughts I had during the game:
John Kitna is still perfect in passer rating after two brief preseason outings and looking very good.
If someone starts a church deifying Calvin Johnson, I'll become a member. Koolaid, anyone?
CJ's sensational 40 yard catch went for naught except field position thanks to Roy's push off. He needs to use his size and strength without blatantly cheating, although Moss got away with a bunch of it last year. Kevin Smith nearly erased Roy's first drive penalty rushing for 16 yards on 2nd and 17. Too bad he got stuffed for -1 on next play. I think Felton was behind him instead of paving the way, but my memory is always suspect. Before the next game, my new dish will be installed and I will have NFL Sunday Ticket with the SuperFan option and HD-DVR!!! Woo Hoo!
Orlovsky has no feet. Did anything positive happen with him out of the pocket? I don't think so. He was also hanging receivers (Furrey, in particular) out to dry with a few early high throws with a defender right there. I would have to watch again, but I think he figured out that he was not tossing to CJ and Roy and lowered his aim. He might have had more high throws, but I didn't notice them. Did a poor job of selling play action on more than one occasion.
Stanton keeps showing more. Excellent play action fake on his touchdown run. The Lions coaching staff may not agree, but I think he deserves to be bumped up to #2 so we can see him against better D and with better targets. He may not be ready now, but I think he will get there fast with more reps. His 50 yard TD deep to Middleton was right on the money and hit him in stride. Nice PA fake on that one too - safeties bit and left Brandon wide open.
Bell was indecisive and couldn't figure out where to go. If he makes the team over Pinner, I'm gonna break something. Pinner needs earlier reps. So far, he has had no time except against scrubs and it is impossible to gauge how much better he may be. Calhoun looked a bit better, but I'm still not sold on him. I did see him nicely stand up a defender in pass protection, though.
Special teams looked much better. Coverage was solid and both Middleton and Moore had nice returns. Pearson was right there to stuff one Bengal immediately. Might have had more good ST plays.
D. White was great on the blocked field goal - sliced right through and stuck his hand out. Nice to see Marinelli is allowing Kwan some weapons.
B. Kelly defended Ocho Cinco perfectly on two consecutive plays. The clip on NFL.com doesn't have the angle that shows how great the hit-knock the ball loose-stay with the ball-interception really was. Thing of beauty. I really like our supposed "has-been" additions. We forced a bunch of turnovers with a dismal secondary last year. Look out this year.
I suppose I should shower and go to work now. Cheers!
-SprBwlB4IDie
For the most part I enjoyed the game. Kitna did look pretty good along with the first team offense. D looked good at times, but definetly played ALOT faster!! They were attacking the ball and thats nice to see. The secondary played pretty good for the most part. Keeping the bengals offense and Carson Palmer out of the endzone not just some easy task.
All-in-All I am pretty pleased with what I saw in that game last night. Even with all the 3rd stringers playing, they were showing fire and intensity!!! Lookin good Marenelli!!!!
Even if its only preseason, for the Lions the win is important as a momentum builder going into the 2008 season after the fall of the 2007 season...... the "W" is the big statistic.
One intangible about the game that hasn't been mentioned is that Kitna had to come out of the game feeling mighty good.
If this wasn't the first time the Lions played the Bengals in Cinci since Kitna's signing with the Lions, it certainly was one of the first, since Palmer inherited the QB throne replacing Kitna as the Bengal starter.
And,
For Kitna to come out of the game with a perfect rating 158.3 and for Palmer to come out of the game with a Harrington-esque rating of 24.3.... had to have been some sweet revenge for Kitna.
Go Lions
5Bakerstreet
It's only preseason.
The Win's don't matter too much. Maybe a little bit in the area of moral. How the first string offense has executed means more. Seeing the potential of the rookies and realizing there were not any "busts" at this point, is big. Seeing second day drafted players having a real chance at making the roster is exciting. But the first two preseason games are more like live practices. The third game is about sustaining consistency, since the first stingers will be on the field longer. Eliminating mistakes when fatigue sets in. And, getting some clarity as who will be the surprise cuts.
Lets watch the RB rotation. I suspect Smith gets most of the reps with the #1 O. If Pinner gets any reps with the #1 O-line, it is a signal Bell is in real trouble. If Bell is in the line-up in the 4th quarter, it is another signal. He could turn into camp fodder for the final game, If he doesn't show more intensity and production in this game.
Stanton may only get a hand full of snaps in this game, because Kitna will play 2+ quarters. If Stanton's the thumb is sore, they may only give him a series, and mainly handing the ball off. It would at least keep the press quiet until the final preseason game when he should get a lot of reps.
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