The Bengals OL has ranked in the top 3 of pass block efficiency the past 4 years. Outside the top 10 once in PFF Era PER PFF

Not bad at all....I'd imagine some of this has to do with Gruden's quick pass short route concept but still i've always thought as a whole this unit is very good and it looks like PFF's ratings prove it. Add to this fact our top 2 picks were linemen.

This to go along with a very strong running game and weapons like AJ Green on the outside.

This offense should be top 5 if healthy if we get even average QB play. It's too damn talented.

Nice article on CJ about Sam and the Bengals beating the brakes off of Glanville and the Oilers back in 1989. I watched the entire game and was stoked afterwards. Went outside and threw the ball around even though it was the middle of winter.
I just loved that quote from him, was pure awesome!
Someone feel free to bring it over here if they like. I'm not savy like that or I would.

So we've had many discussions about ole boy Dalton. I have a few questions I'll pose to some of you and would like an honest sincere answer. I will only respond to those that have first made an actual attempt to answer these questions.

1. At what point are we allowed to blame the QB for his inferior playoff performances instead of saying it's 100% Marvin's fault and is there a scenario where we can blame both? (If you feel neither are at fault like FredToast, then please explain who is at fault?)

2. Do you feel that Dalton is improving as a QB?

3. Are you confident in Andy Dalton taking us to the Super Bowl one day?

I'll be patiently waiting and am truly looking forward to your answers. Just pretend someone else asked these questions. I'm sure that will allow you to answer them objectively, or not.

http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap3000000499554/nfl-coach-power-rankings

NFL.com


Not sure he's overly deserving of that rank, but it's about as high as I'd put him.

Amazing that he's the second longest tenured coach now. 0-6 in the playoffs.... ouch.

Thoughts?

Pick 1 Kicker (K) and 1 Punter (P)

KICKERS
HORST MUHLMAN

1st kicker to ever make FGs of 50 yards of more in 3 consecutive games
Former Professional Soccer Player. Considered to have one of the strongest leg of his era.

JIM BREECH

Most Points in franchise History
Career 71.4% FGM

SHAYNE GRAHAM

Only Kicker in Franchise history voted to the Pro Bowl
Career 86.8% FGM
 
PUNTERS
PAT MCINALLY

1 Time All-Pro/ pro Bowl
Led the NFL in Punting Average in 1978 and 1981

LEE JOHNSON

Led NFL in 1995 with a 38.5 Net Average
Franchise leader in Punts and Yards

KEVIN HUBER

1 Time Pro Bowl
Franchise record Punting Average and Net Average (Career)

An article from the board's friend Jim Owczarski...

You can never truly go back again, even if the memories of the past are fond. Revisiting the past is never quite the same, especially when you've developed carpel tunnel from World of Warcraft and grandma rolls out the friendly farm animals with the big red barn and silo.

So, five years after Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer debuted his "Fisher-Price" package centered around young pass rushers Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins and Michael Johnson, it's clear that while the names are the same, the game is a little different.

Read the rest here.

Dude throws touchdown passes and can nail long kicks!

Was without pads on and no defensive rush, but check this out!

He's a Jack-of-all trades! It's unreal! A lot of NFL kickers probably have trouble making that kick!

At least we know we have some insurance if we ever get in a pinch!

Interesting article from Coley Harvey

How strong should the Cincinnati Bengals be across the next three years?

Pretty strong, according to a trio of ESPN's Insiders.

In ESPN's Future RankingsInsider that were published Tuesday, NFL Insiders Mike Sando, Louis Riddick and John Clayton broke down each of the 32 teams based upon how it appears their rosters, front offices and coaching staffs will look within three seasons. Several factors went into the rankings. The three voters were asked to rate teams on a 0-100 scale in five categories: roster (excluding quarterback), quarterback, draft, front office and coaching.

Receiver A.J. Green and the Bengals are expected to have a strong 2015 season, according to ESPN's future power rankings. Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports
Taking all of that into account, they ranked the Bengals eighth. That's up five spots from last offseason.

Although Sando noted the relatively high ranking primarily was the product of drops from teams like the Eagles, 49ers, Bears and Rams, the Bengals still had negligible changes in multiple areas from last year. The average of their rankings from Sando, Riddick and Clayton in three of the aforementioned categories practically stayed identical, while their non-quarterback roster slipped.

What helps the Bengals' three-year outlook the most? Sando believes it's their front office. He's probably right, considering the way director of player of personnel Duke Tobin has partnered with coach Marvin Lewis in recent years to make savvy decisions with respect to building the roster primarily through the draft.

Next offseason figures to be an important one for both men, not to mention executive vice president Katie Blackburn, team president Mike Brown's daughter who controls the majority of day-to-day team activities. Cincinnati currently has nearly 30 players who will be eligible for free agency next March, including Pro Bowlers A.J. Green and Andrew Whitworth, and rising stars George Iloka, Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu.

Because of the changes that could be coming to the roster in the coming year based on free agency, it's kind of surprising to see the Bengals projected to still have a top-10 team three years from now. They certainly do have a top-10 roster this season, and Tobin and Lewis are a major reason why.

Although there is no uncertainty about Lewis' contractual status entering this season -- he signed another one-year extension earlier this offseason -- it isn't set in stone he'll be in charge of the team three years from now. One has to imagine that eventually the Bengals' patience will wear thin if Lewis continues to get them to the playoffs and still can't manage a postseason win. His one-year extension also only has him under contract through 2016.

There's also uncertainty, as Riddick pointed out, about quarterback Andy Dalton's postseason play. His success across the next three years could dictate how strong the Bengals ultimately are, particularly if the Bengals are able to keep much of their current talent in place around him.

When the voting for the All-Defense team was calculated there was a tie for the #2 Safety. Both Tommy Casanova and Reggie Nelson received 27 votes. So we will have a quick one-day run off.
 
TOMMY CASANOVA

3 Time Pro Bowl
17 INTs in a 6 year Bengal Career
 
REGGIE NELSON

384 tackles, 7 Forced Fumbles
15 INTs in a 5 year Bengal Career

Cincy Jungle reporting that Hobson says Bengals need another WR.

Are they any free agents out there now that we should pick up?

I trust Bengals judgment on the draft but this raises an issue about drafting two OTs in one and two instead of using one of those picks on a WR.