(08-19-2021, 09:13 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Last year we had 11 different players START on our O-line. We had 9 different players start at least 5 games. Some of these players started at different positions.
I know we did not have much talent on our O-line last year, but the situation was made much worse by the injuries and suspensions that caused the lineup to change almost every week. There is no unit in football where it is more important for the players to get used to who is playing beside them.
I think this year there will be a big emphasis on picking 5 and trying to play them together all year. That makes the decisions on the rookies even harder. Is it better to go with the five best on opening day and then work the rookies into the lineup if they continue to improve during the season. Or do you go opening day with the 5 guys you anticipate being the best five by the end of the season.
On one hand the O-line may be a bit weaker at the start of the season if we start a rookie (I doubt it will be 2), but on the other hand the O-line may end up better because of the continuity.
I can tell everybody right now that when Trumpy or Collinsworth were on WLW Sports Talk, they were not big on the word Potential. Every single player in every draft ever has been said to have Potential. Potential means you haven't did anything yet or proved anything yet.
The Bengals #1 Problem is Simple. It is Basic Football 101 from Pee Wee to Pros. The Bengals #1 Problem is how to Protect their #1 Pick Quarterback. They already put him in the Hospital in his first season. He is still trying to come back from that injury.
The Bengals better put in front of Burrow the 5 best Blockers they have. They may not even have 5 good Blockers, and there in lies the problem. They need to start 5 good Blockers Game One, and if they don't have 5 good Blockers, do not even put Burrow back on the field to get clobbered and career injured as fast as Greg Cook.
Bengals must field their Best Team Now, and throw the word Potential out the window. Joe Burrow has the talent to take this team far, but this sorry sad sack Cheap Walmart O Line of Mike Browns is going to get him early career injured and shackle Bengals into Last Place for many years to come. Mike Brown who proudly says that he see's no reason to pay a Guard has created the Worst O Line in The NFL from 2017 to 2020. Every lard butt they have brought in to block was said to have Potential by Mike Brown and his Yes Men Stooges. Last Place and getting Quarterbacks put in Hospital is indeed their Potential.
So we can forget Potential, and just HOPE they have 5 Blockers who can actually Block, and THAT is very much in question. IF they can find 5 out of this group of talentless pig belly moon pies that can actually Block, then they MUST play them NOW to try to protect the future of this team in one Joe Burrow. Otherwise, do not even play Joe Burrow if Bengals still have the Worst O Line in The NFL.
Every single Bengal Blocker is here on Potential. Not one of them has yet to prove they belong on This or Any Other NFL Team. If 5 actually step up and show they can protect Joe Burrow, They Must Play.