TACKLING HEAD-ON
Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said the Bengals missed 14 tackles last Sunday, the most in his six seasons.
“Unfortunately, a bunch of things we talked about all last year bit us again. The missed tackles, yards after contact, the 100-yard radius again,” Anarumo said. “Guys were in the right spots, just have to make the plays. We’ll continue to work it. It’s something that we’ve been preaching since the spring. We’ve got to do a better job. I’ve got to do a better job coaching it.”
But the other thing he wanted to get fixed from last year, the communication, came through loud and clear, he said. The Patriots didn’t have a play longer than 17 yards.
“I was proud of the lack of explosives,” Anarumo said. “We gave up one touchdown, but in that type of game we’ve got to give up no touchdowns.”
New starting safety Geno Stone had three of the missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, but he and Anarumo don’t think it’s going to be an issue.
“I didn’t get much (action) in preseason, but I think I’m getting back on track,” said Stone, who played three preseason snaps in games. “You have to work on it in practice. Take good angles and make sure you find the ball, and (in practice) make sure you at least tag with two hands and make sure you’re in position to make the tackle and do it in a game. That’s the thing. When you’ve got it in a small area, you have to make the tackle. I think we’ve been doing a good job with that, we just have to go out and do it.”
Stone, who led the AFC in interceptions last year while with the Ravens, nearly began defense of his title with an end-zone pick until it was knocked out at the last instant while he battled for it on the ground.
“I’m still mad about that,” Stone said. “That’s why they brought me here. Eliminate plays like that and make turnovers … I should have put my hand the other way. I’ll get it next time.”
Anarumo thinks there are picks in his future, especially after seeing the next snap after the near interception.
“You’ll see him physically upset during a play. It’s a red-zone play,” Anarumo said. “Jacoby (Brissett) goes to throw it on a slant and he’s going to intercept it and he’s like, ‘Why didn’t you throw it?’ During the play. So he had a couple of opportunities in his mind. He could have tracked the ball a little better on one of the tackles that he missed. But I thought his communication was great. He was in the right spot. He helped out the younger corners. I thought he did well.”
So Stone has plenty of motivation in this one. The Ravens lost last year’s AFC title game at home to the Chiefs.
“I still think about it,” Stone said. “I’ve never been that close in my career (to the Super Bowl). To lose at home, it sucked. I’m not taking it as a revenge game. I just take it as another game, but I feel like I owe them a little bit.”
SLANTS AND SCREENS
Burrow said he’s hasn’t been reading the criticism that has been unleashed since Sunday. But he can get a sense of it with Wednesday’s questions.
“It’s a luxury right now to be criticized by all you guys about how we played on Sunday,” Burow said. “Because I was sitting in the wings for seven weeks last year. So I’m just excited to be out there.” …
Linebacker Logan Wilson (knee) didn’t practice Wednesday …
Neither did right tackle Amarius Mims (pectoral) …
Defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr., who had surgery on his thumb Friday, didn’t practice Wednesday, but indications are if he’s not back for Sunday it’s going to be soon …
Defensive tackle B.J. Hill (knee) was limited …
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