05-14-2022, 09:53 AM
(05-13-2022, 12:53 AM)puddycat Wrote: Last year we proved we proved we could beat anybody. This year we need to prove last year wasn't a fluke. Last year we overperformed. This year we need to put teams away.
We're a much better offensive team this year than last year. I think the defense could easily backslide; more teams will be better prepared. That only matters if we don't dominate the clock, which I think we should be able to do. The passing game will get even better, as coverage will be softer when our line is improved.
Lastly, the schedule got much harder, especially within the division which we won at 10-7 with the worst team at 8-9. Actually, the worst team finished at 9-7-1 and went to the playoffs.
Last year Joe Burrow was sacked 70 times in 20 games, the next QB was Tannehill at 48 sacks in 18 games. That will improve; I can't even imagine a world where it doesn't.
I think that barring injuries to significant players this team could go 12-5. That would be almost as impressive as last season which will be hard to top. The schedule is brutal and the AFC ridiculous. 12-5 would be monumental. Vegas has the Bills and Bucs the most wins at 11.5. So Vegas says absolutely no way.
I think the defense will take a step forward not back. Why? I think Lou has big plans for teams with a lot of special packages. I think he’s got designs on substitution groups using a core of about 18 players. I also think that we will start faster. Taylor is old school. He likes to set up plays that will result in big plays due to setting things up. He basically schemes for later. That sometimes necessitates running plays that aren’t likely to be highly successful. He’s saving the hollow point bullets for later. But I think the offense’s biggest difference will be consistently getting something out of nothing that happened so much last year. We struggled establishing the run yet we had to stick with it. The offense was explosive last year. This years about controlling games.
