(07-03-2024, 08:13 PM)jason Wrote: The weak link on a weak chain.

Just saw a ranking today that had the Bengals OL at 10.

Ken Riley

(07-03-2024, 08:43 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Just saw a ranking today that had the Bengals OL at 10.

I hope so. I really like Amarius Mims. I think we finally got a difference maker on the line, and on paper they look to be improved. This is the third year in a row we can say that though so I'm firmly in the "show me" camp this year.

(07-03-2024, 08:45 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: Ken Riley

I loved Ken Riley when I was a kid. I think he'd be a personal foul waiting to happen in today's game.

(07-03-2024, 08:21 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: My hesitation with Reader is he is coming off a late season quad tendon rupture and his impact wasn’t really felt all that much last season. The rush defense was abysmal with and without him. It’s hard to accept an argument that he alone moves the needle enough to make Cincinnati a Super Bowl favorite.

I would argue that this year's supporting cast would be better than last season. Particularly at 3T with Rankins playing opposite of him.

Seeing as how I saw two Giants teams (you could say 3 with Lt, but I was too young) win super bowls mostly on the fact they could rush the passer… Geno or Carlos Dunlap.

Obviously Munoz and Dillion would be candidates.

but if we could airdrop a 8-12 sack/year guy into the current DL room, that would be a game changer. Instantly changes our pass rush.

AJ Green. Give Burrow another guy where he can just throw it up if the DB turns their back. Who is our #3? I like a lot of our options. But I'd like it better if it was AJ Green. Dalton made a killing getting to play with AJ while he was busy making miracle catches  

Geno Atkins in his prime

Teams win or lose based on QB. So why not give yourself a second QB who can get to the Super Bowl? I'd have Boomer Esiason backing up Burrow. Now you don't have to worry about injury or health concerns derailing your run.

(07-04-2024, 07:01 AM)BoomerFan Wrote: Teams win or lose based on QB. So why not give yourself a second QB who can get to the Super Bowl? I'd have Boomer Esiason backing up Burrow. Now you don't have to worry about injury or health concerns derailing your run.

this is a good point. except maybe I'd lean towards Ken Anderson

The best stretch of ball this group has played in the Burrow era IMO was the closing stretch of 2022 up through the Bills divisional game. They looked damn near unstoppable until the o-line started falling apart due to injuries. They key to that offense's efficiency, IMO was having a back in Perine that would make defenses pay for loading up vs the pass on 3rd and short. He was running behind Cappa and Collins, and it got to a point where that play was money in the bank.

Take Perine out and put Dillon in and imagine how nasty this offense becomes on 3rd and short. On top of that, you have a durable, big, and extremely physical runner that's a legit threat on every down. Burrow would take far less of a beating if teams had to worry about CD coming out of the backfield and gouging them on every play. Dillon has even more power and endurance by simply having a real offense to balance out the gameplan. They'd also get beaten up and tired much faster. Burrow having an off day? Dillon. O-line needs a morale booster? Dillon. Need to slow down a high powered opposing offense? Grind the game to a halt with 28.

The other obvious answer is a DL. Geno is an easy answer, but you have to wonder what a superior DC would have done with Justin Smith. I feel like Lou would be able to utilize him a bit more effectively than old Bresnahan. Lou loves bigger DEs on his line and also uses a multiple alignments. This would benefit Smith greatly.

How about the versatile Justin Smith underappreciated here but went on to an all-pro career in San Francisco

A back up QB (Esiason or Anderson) would be a nice insurance policy, but he only makes an impact if JB goes down.
A better lineman (Munoz) would be great if you have a running back that can hit the holes consistently and take pressure off the passing game.
I'm not sure if there are enough balls to go around for another WR to be happy(C. Johnson or Green) with Tee and Chase there .
Dillon was all we had on offense for a few years and he rarely didn't carry the team on his back.
Geno in his prime was unstoppable and just a pleasure to watch throw guys around.

Honorable mention: Burfict. He'd give this team the attitude needed on defense to intimidate our opponent.

I'm between Dillon and Geno, so I'm going against the rules a little and saying Geno for the defense and Dillon on the offense would give the best opportunity with the current roster to get this team to a championship.

If I have to pick one though, it would be Dillon. You have to score to win.

It's either Geno Atkins or Corey Dillion for me.

I'm going Geno.

Tough choice

(07-04-2024, 11:04 AM)Mer Wrote: A back up QB (Esiason or Anderson) would be a nice insurance policy, but he only makes an impact if JB goes down.
A better lineman (Munoz) would be great if you have a running back that can hit the holes consistently and take pressure off the passing game.
I'm not sure if there are enough balls to go around for another WR to be happy(C. Johnson or Green) with Tee and Chase there .
Dillon was all we had on offense for a few years and he rarely didn't carry the team on his back.
Geno in his prime was unstoppable and just a pleasure to watch throw guys around.

Honorable mention: Burfict. He'd give this team the attitude needed on defense to intimidate our opponent.

I'm between Dillon and Geno, so I'm going against the rules a little and saying Geno for the defense and Dillon on the offense would give the best opportunity with the current roster to get this team to a championship.

If I have to pick one though, it would be Dillon. You have to score to win.

I would advocate for a prime Odell Thurman, well, his only year was the prime, because he was a turnover machine.

Believe he had his had almost 10 in one season, 4 FF and 5 picks, plus a ton of tackles.

What could have been...

(07-04-2024, 11:38 AM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: I would advocate for a prime Odell Thurman, well, his only year was the prime, because he was a turnover machine.

Believe he had his had almost 10 in one season, 4 FF and 5 picks, plus a ton of tackles.

What could have been...

When folks discuss "What could have been.." often overlooked is the dude we took in the first round the year we drafted Thurman.

(07-04-2024, 12:00 PM)bfine32 Wrote: When folks discuss "What could have been.." often overlooked is the dude we took in the first round the year we drafted Thurman.

I had high hope for Pollack as well, but Odell shined more imo

(07-04-2024, 12:21 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: I had high hope for Pollack as well, but Odell shined more imo

I'll probably get some grief for this comment because I know a lot folks liked him, but I always felt Pollack was one of those tweener picks, like Reinard Wilson, that we were prone to do back then. Too small for DL and to big or slow for linebacker. I never thought he'd amount to much. 

(07-04-2024, 01:35 PM)Mer Wrote: I'll probably get some grief for this comment because I know a lot folks liked him, but I always felt Pollack was one of those tweener picks, like Reinard Wilson, that we were prone to do back then. Too small for DL and to big or slow for linebacker. I never thought he'd amount to much. 

I think that is an ideal example.

I recalling thinking Reinard was going to break out when they switched schemes, but I was wrong.


Think his claim to fame now is the punt coverage massacre when they returner did not call for a fair catch, but Wilson earned a penalty for leveling the guy...

(07-04-2024, 01:35 PM)Mer Wrote: I'll probably get some grief for this comment because I know a lot folks liked him, but I always felt Pollack was one of those tweener picks, like Reinard Wilson, that we were prone to do back then. Too small for DL and to big or slow for linebacker. I never thought he'd amount to much. 

or he coulda been TJ Watt