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…
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