Bengals Roster Ranked Near the Bottom of the NFL

[*SHRacerX*]

(07-08-2021, 12:15 PM)fredtoast Wrote: This just re-enforces the claim that Taylor is incompetent.  Marvin won 6 games with that no-talent roster while it has taken Taylor 2 years to win 6 games.

Marvin had to go.  I was furious when he was brought back after the '17 season.  But he was still a much better coach than Taylor has been.

You call the 2018 a no-talent roster and compare it to the 2019 and 2020 teams.  There are a few distinct differences that need to be noted before you give credit to Marvin for 6 wins and criticize ZT's 6 wins in two seasons.

1.) The 2018 roster still had AJ Green in his prime for more than half the season before being lost to injury.  That offense was actually doing pretty well before he went down.  The 2019 and 2020 teams had no true #1 WR, other than the consistent Tyler Boyd, which 2018 also had.

2.) The 2018 team still had Geno in his prime, as well as Carlos Dunlap.  The 2019 and 2020 teams showed Geno began to decline and Dunlap all but disappear by 2020.  These two, along with AJ Green, were the top talent on the team and highest compensated. 

3.) The 2018 secondary had first picks Dennard, Kirkpatrick, and WJIII.  The 2019 and 2020 roster had turds like BW Webb and LeShawn Sims starting.  

4.) The players at DT for the 2018 roster had a 10-sack Geno Atkins, a solid Billings, and depth with Glasgow.  Several of the players at DT last year were off the street. 

5.) The 2018 roster had future HOF candidate Cody Core.  Ok, that one was just for fun.

Your last statement that Marvin has been a much better coach than Taylor has been is 100% accurate.  I just disagree with the statement about the 2018 roster.  It was much better than that of 2019 and 2020. 

Looking forward, I have a lot of positive vibes about this younger roster.  Better depth, though still very thin at some areas.  Better top tier talent (your playmakers).  No "donkeys" at any starting position as far as I can see (although I have a lot of concerns about what Trae Waynes is going to look like).  This all is why I keep referring to the 2021 team as "No Excuses".  He has been allowed to overhaul the roster and Lou has been given a LOT of free agents that supposedly fit what he is trying to do on that side of the ball.  

ZT was brought in largely for his acumen on the offensive side of the ball, and I think we will see a fairly high-powered offense.  It will be up to the defense to take a significant step forward to make this team a legitimate playoff contender.