07-30-2016, 11:46 AM
It kills me how national media predicts (yet again) that the Bengals will slip. This time the reason they give is that we lost MLJ and Sanu. Yet they predict the Steelers taking the division despite losing Bryant and Heath Miller. They also lost Bell for 4 games and he and Ben rarely stay healthy for a full season.
Rationally there are more reasons to like the Bengals than the Steelers this year. The Bengals are still younger, healthier (knock on wood) and have been more consistent over the last 5 years (a stretch where the Steelers went 8-8 twice). If not for a 6 game streak of facing backup QBs, the Steelers were on track for another 8-8 season last year.
Sure, the Steelers have a potent offense when everyone is healthy and not suspended, but that won't be the case and that defense is still a weakness. Btw, for all the hype Ben gets, he had 21 TDs to 16 INTs last year. I don't figure on him getting better without his 2nd best WR (Wheaton is average at best) and his safety valves (Heath and Bell). Antonio Brown can only do so much.
Rationally there are more reasons to like the Bengals than the Steelers this year. The Bengals are still younger, healthier (knock on wood) and have been more consistent over the last 5 years (a stretch where the Steelers went 8-8 twice). If not for a 6 game streak of facing backup QBs, the Steelers were on track for another 8-8 season last year.
Sure, the Steelers have a potent offense when everyone is healthy and not suspended, but that won't be the case and that defense is still a weakness. Btw, for all the hype Ben gets, he had 21 TDs to 16 INTs last year. I don't figure on him getting better without his 2nd best WR (Wheaton is average at best) and his safety valves (Heath and Bell). Antonio Brown can only do so much.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
