04-27-2020, 12:27 PM
(04-26-2020, 06:40 PM)J24 Wrote: 2011 QB Vs 2020 QB
Dalton VS Burrow- I would Say Edge goes to Burrow by a large Margin
2011 RB Vs 2020 RB
Benson + Scott vs Mixon + Bernard- Again have to give 2020 the edge here by a large Margin
2011 WR/TE Vs 2020 WR/TE
Green, Simpson, Shipley, Caldwell, Gresham vs Green, Boyd, Ross, Higgens, CJ UZ- Edge again goes to 2020.
2011 O- Line vs 2020 O- Line
Whitworth, Livings, Cook, Williams, Smith Vs J. Williams, Jordan, Hopkins, Xavier, Fred/Hart- Edge by a large Margin goes to 2011. Whit & Smith are undeniably the better pairing at Tackle. Also Cook & Williams were pretty established at that time.
2011 D- Line Vs 2020 D-Line-
Geathers, Peko, Atkins, Johnson, Dunlap, Fanene, Rucker, Sims vs Dunlap, Reader, Atkins, Hubbard, Lawson, Brown, Tupo- Edge goes to 2011 but it's by a tiny Margin. The difference to me is what type of Atkins we have. If Geno plays like he did from 15-19 then 2020 is better but if he plays like he did last season then it's 2011.
2011 LB Core vs 2020 LB core
Howard, Rey M, Lawson, B. Johnson vs Pratt, Bynes, Wilson, Gaither- Slight Advantage goes to 2011. Howard & Johnson were complete players who could cover a ton of ground in the middle of the field. Rey M was physical and Lawson had rush ability. I like the potential of the 2020 group but only Bynes is the only truly established as a player right now.
2011 Secondary vs 2020 secondary
Hall, Clemments, Jennings, Jones, Nelson, Crocker vs Jackson, Wayne's, Alexander, Phillips, Bell, Bates. - Advantage 2020 I really Think Jackson will be a stud @ CB+ Bates will also put himself back into the best Safety conversation. Hall got hurt that year which really screwed that Secondary because neither Jennings nor Clemments were any good at CB.
2011 Specialists vs 2020 specialist
Nugent, Huber vs Bullock & Huber- Even
2011 coaching vs 2020 Coaching
Marvin, Zimmer, Gruden, Simmons vs Taylor, Lou, Callahan, Simmons- Advantage 2011 Marvin had already proven himself as a coach + Zimmer is one of the best defensive minds ever to coach on the sideline. Other than Simmons Zacs staff has a ton to prove. I like the current staff though but there unproven at this point.
I bring this up because like this current squad the 2011 team was expected not to do that much. However that team went on to make the playoffs. The 2020 team is in a similar situation this season to that team. We have the talent to surprise people this season.
QB - Absolutely on paper. Burrow is a much much better prospect than Dalton was. Dalton did surprise a lot of people with his rookie year though, and looked very decent. If Burrow is anything like his last college season he wins this by a total landslide, but I worry a little about such high expectations.
RB - Definitely 2020. Mixon/Bernard is a very good duo. Benson/Scott were maligned, but other than Ced Ben's one good season you weren't getting fireworks from these two.
WR - Assuming fitness, 2020 again. Take AJ out of that 2011 group and it's just not great. Take AJ away now, and we still have others we could get things done with.
OL - 2011 definitely. One Andrew Whitworth is better than the 5 starters we have currently!
DL - I'd personally say 2011. In that year, a lot of those guys were still around their decent parts of their careers. We do have some promise in this group this year though, so they could prove to be better.
LB - I didn't think a ton of that 2011 group tbh, and again there's some hopes put into young prospects at LB for this year. Hopefully potential can outbeat 2011's experience.
Secondary - Like you've said, Leon Hall was missing and that was an enormous hit to that team. I really like what we've in FA with our secondary, I think we could be pretty decent. Fingers crossed. I'll give 2020 the edge.
Nuge v Bullock - I'll go Nuge but not exactly a big difference here.
Coaching - I agree with you. 2011 definitely has the upper hand, but even then we knew that the coaching would limit that team. Current coaching is unproven as anything and now has a potential superstar to help mould. Serious question marks about whether 2020's coaches are any good at all really. Hope they are!
I think if the two played each other, it'd be a decent game, I feel 2011 would eek it out unless Burrow is just red hot. The rest of the league has also changed in these 9 years though, and IIRC we struggled to beat anybody who was all that decent in 2011. We just got enough wins against average teams. I'd see something like a 7 win year this year as ok, with future success the goal.
