I expect the coaching changes to give Dalton a new lease on his Bengals life

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(01-12-2019, 02:06 AM)BengalChris Wrote: I pretty much expect the new coaches to want to fix the OL and LBers as their top priorities, plus our best TEs are all free agents or injured or both. While AJ is getting older, Mixon is entering his prime, as is Boyd. If they can fix John Ross there will be enough weapons to win in the playoffs this year.

I believe they'll give Dalton this next year to make the jump to contending. If he does, then great. If he doesn't, then they'll have fixed some key issues which have been holding this team down and we can snag a QB in the 2020 draft.

Now, of course, that is assuming the front office doesn't drive some key guys away, but as Mike Brown is fading into the background the days of sloppy GMing could be coming to an end.

At the very least, I would think a new offense that teams have not seen from us before would have to have some modicum of success.  That is my lowest expectation.  I believe what you said is very accurate.  Dalton will have a better line, he has great weapons when healthy, and our defense should be able to get off the field with a new LB corps.  I don't believe the team is miles away.  I believe the team's coaches were miles away.  

I don't want to overestimate the current coaching staff as it is being assembled, but I can't help but feel that it will be miles ahead of where we were with Marvin and Co.  

Look at what minor changes accomplished this year despite the injuries:  Pollack replaces Alexander.  Mixon leads the AFC in rushing.  The YPC is as good as I think we have had since the days of Rudi Johnson (and I loved Rudi, but he had a stellar line).  

Get rid of the panty-waste zone off-coverage and use your first round corners as they were intended to be.  We saw some of this toward the end of the season and the team was competitive despite having no AJ, no Boyd, no Dalton, and no Burfict.  

I am as optimistic as I have been in a long time as to how immediate the impact can be felt on this team.  I just hope whoever gets the nod as DC is a hard ass that won't put up with laziness and poor conditioning.  I know there is a lot of debate about how some of the best DCs, etc, aren't in that mold, but I don't think THESE players respond to being coddled.  Give me a Zimmer type that will eat their asses when they deserve it and will get the most out of them.  

Do that, and this team will not be punked by a douchey QB from Cleveland and they MIGHT just stop losing twice to pissburgh every year.