(12-23-2024, 02:47 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: Isn't this the opposite of what we want? We need KC to beat Denver.

Oh, yes, sorry.
We want PIT to beat KC, I guess.
Don't know what I was thinking.
Trying to get last bit of work done before I go out and finish shopping and scrambling around lol.

(12-23-2024, 02:29 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: What NFL team goes through the year with no injuries? It's the lament of the losers. Our team is bad because of injuries.

Every team has injuries, that's a fact. But that doesn't negate teams get hurt by having multiple injuries to the same position group. That happen to every team now and again too. To pretend it doesn't is ignoring facts.

(12-23-2024, 02:51 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Every team has injuries, that's a fact. But that doesn't negate teams get hurt by having multiple injuries to the same position group. That happen to every team now and again too. To pretend it doesn't is ignoring facts.

Nobody is pretending injuries don't matter. What the debate is, is the quality of the players injured.

At DT, IF Rankins and all the DT's were healthy, I doubt we'd have a good defensive line still. I think Rankins isn't a good fit here.

Same in the secondary. If all of our CB's were healthy, I don't think we'd be great. Dax Hill shouldn't be a #1 CB. He was considered a failure at Safety and moved to CB. He's maybe a #3 or 4 CB on a good defense.

Turner likely isn't a top 3 CB on a good defense.

Hubbard's performance has been down. Maybe it's injuries? Maybe it's age. Murphy, Jenkins, and Ossai have been relatively healthy and they've largely struggled.

(12-23-2024, 03:29 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Nobody is pretending injuries don't matter. What the debate is, is the quality of the players injured.

At DT, IF Rankins and all the DT's were healthy, I doubt we'd have a good defensive line still. I think Rankins isn't a good fit here.

Same in the secondary. If all of our CB's were healthy, I don't think we'd be great. Dax Hill shouldn't be a #1 CB. He was considered a failure at Safety and moved to CB. He's maybe a #3 or 4 CB on a good defense.

Turner likely isn't a top 3 CB on a good defense.

Hubbard's performance has been down. Maybe it's injuries? Maybe it's age. Murphy, Jenkins, and Ossai have been relatively healthy and they've largely struggled.

Jenkins and Jackson both got hurt in camp and got thrown into the deep end with the other DT injuries. We were signing guys off the street (Guy) at DT. At DE, too (Henry). 

On top of that, Stone & CTB were awful early, Hubbard, too. Bell as well, and Battle was so out of sorts Anthony was getting snaps instead. And Pratt has struggled. 

Dax & Turner are not world beaters in coverage, but they are better than Hilton, Fig, and Ivey (who was also out early). 

Speaking of Hilton, he is largely wasted sitting back in zone. If he is not gonna blitz once in a while (run or pass) we are wasting his strongest attribute. That is on Lou. 

(12-23-2024, 03:29 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Nobody is pretending injuries don't matter. What the debate is, is the quality of the players injured.

At DT, IF Rankins and all the DT's were healthy, I doubt we'd have a good defensive line still. I think Rankins isn't a good fit here.

Same in the secondary. If all of our CB's were healthy, I don't think we'd be great. Dax Hill shouldn't be a #1 CB. He was considered a failure at Safety and moved to CB. He's maybe a #3 or 4 CB on a good defense.

Turner likely isn't a top 3 CB on a good defense.

Hubbard's performance has been down. Maybe it's injuries? Maybe it's age. Murphy, Jenkins, and Ossai have been relatively healthy and they've largely struggled.

Agree on DT, but to have all your DT's hurt but one is catastrophic no matter the talent. Dax was looking really good at boundary 
Corner and has first round talent. DJ Turner also was looking good before going down and could be a #1 with his speed and fluid 
hips which are elite.

CTB, Stone and Bell playing poorly along with terrible LB play, bad tackling and no pass rusher besides Trey have been our problems.

Thankfully these players are playing better for the most part at this point and we are finally playing opportunistic on Defense which 
seems to be the only way Lou's Defenses play well. We need a new DC after this season regardless because of this fact.

(12-23-2024, 03:41 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Jenkins and Jackson both got hurt in camp and got thrown into the deep end with the other DT injuries. We were signing guys off the street (Guy) at DT. At DE, too (Henry). 

On top of that, Stone & CTB were awful early, Hubbard, too. Bell as well, and Battle was so out of sorts Anthony was getting snaps instead. And Pratt has struggled. 

Dax & Turner are not world beaters in coverage, but they are better than Hilton, Fig, and Ivey (who was also out early). 

Speaking of Hilton, he is largely wasted sitting back in zone. If he is not gonna blitz once in a while (run or pass) we are wasting his strongest attribute. That is on Lou. 

I think some of our guys are better covering in man, but we seem to play Zone A LOT. And with no pressure, guys come open on us.

(12-23-2024, 03:51 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Agree on DT, but to have all your DT's hurt but one is catastrophic no matter the talent. Dax was looking really good at boundary 
Corner and has first round talent. DJ Turner also was looking good before going down and could be a #1 with his speed and fluid 
hips which are elite.

CTB, Stone and Bell playing poorly along with terrible LB play, bad tackling and no pass rusher besides Trey have been our problems.

Thankfully these players are playing better for the most part at this point and we are finally playing opportunistic on Defense which 
seems to be the only way Lou's Defenses play well. We need a new DC after this season regardless because of this fact.

I think a lot of us come out the same place:

The injuries hurt some amount particularly at a few positions, but there are other major issues. We need several major upgrades on defense. The young guys haven't produced much. And our scheme and coaching is questionable and needs upgraded.

Does that sound fair?

(12-23-2024, 02:48 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yeah...I think Mia and Indy both losing out is improbable.

Neither Miami nor Indy have to lose out.
Each of them have to lose only 1 game of their last 2.
Not super likely, but not impossible.

Miami - @Browns @NYJ
Indy- @NYG vsJags

Wouldn't surprise me to see Miami drop one of those two.
Indy, idk. Don't trust them very much to be consistent but they have an easy one. I could see the Jags giving them a good game though.

Regardless how it shakes out,
I'm excited to see Cincy having a BIG meaningful game in week 17 at home and potentially week 18 as well. After this disaster of a season, very surprising to see it meaningful this late. Everyone can root how they want, I for one am glad about it.

Also, week 18:
There is the possibility that Pitt needs to win week 18 to win the AFCN or lose it to Balt. Whether or not the Bengals are still hopeful of playoffs,, it would be super satisfying to see Cincy beat them and keep them from the AFCN title.

So there's that as well for me.

(12-23-2024, 04:05 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I think a lot of us come out the same place:

The injuries hurt some amount particularly at a few positions, but there are other major issues. We need several major upgrades on defense. The young guys haven't produced much. And our scheme and coaching is questionable and needs upgraded.

Does that sound fair?

That is very fair Pistons.

(12-23-2024, 04:25 PM)Bengal Billy Wrote: Neither Miami nor Indy have to lose out.
Each of them have to lose only 1 game of their last 2.
Not super likely, but not improbable.

Miami - @Browns @NYJ
Indy- @NYG vsJags

Wouldn't surprise me to see Miami drop one of those two.
Indy, idk. Don't trust them very much to be consistent but they have an easy one.  I could see the Jags giving them a good game though.

Regardless how it shakes out,
I'm excited to see Cincy having a BIG meaningful game in week 17 at home and potentially week 18 as well.   After this disaster of a season, very surprising to see it meaningful this late.  Everyone can root how they want, I for one am glad about it.

Also, week 18:
There is the possibility that Pitt needs to win week 18 to win the AFCN or lose it to Balt.  Whether or not the Bengals are still hopeful of playoffs,, it would be super satisfying to see Cincy beat them and keep them from the AFCN title.

So there's that as well for me.

Nice post Bengal Billy. Do I expect us to make the Playoffs? No, but beating the stealers and keeping them from the AFC North title 
would be immensely satisfying, if we somehow win the last 2 and everything falls right for us and we make the Playoffs that is gravy
and as we have seen anything can happen in the Playoffs.

With Burrow, Ja'Marr and Chase Brown along with a Defense that gets turnovers we can beat anyone.

(12-23-2024, 02:29 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: What NFL team goes through the year with no injuries? It's the lament of the losers. Our team is bad because of injuries.

100%

Lions have 5 LB and 6 DL on the IR right now. They signed and started a guy off the Rams PS. They signed and started another guy off the Broncos PS. They signed and started a guy cut off the Dolphins. They had another guy getting defensive snaps after signing him off the Jags PS.

(12-23-2024, 04:57 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 100%

Lions have 5 LB and 6 DL on the IR right now. They signed and started a guy off the Rams PS. They signed and started another guy off the Broncos PS. They signed and started a guy cut off the Dolphins. They had another guy getting defensive snaps after signing him off the Jags PS.

Yeah, the Lions have handled losing tons of Defensive starters very well. They have a great DC unlike us.

The Lions know they have a shaky defense they are super aggressive on offense to compensate for it worked against everyone not named bills. They aslo have physical back to gain tough yards on 3rd and short + occasionally bust a draw on 3rd and long. He trusts his team strength more than Taylor does just thought I would correct earlier observations about Lions

(12-23-2024, 04:25 PM)Bengal Billy Wrote: Neither Miami nor Indy have to lose out.
Each of them have to lose only 1 game of their last 2.
Not super likely, but not impossible.

Miami - @Browns @NYJ
Indy- @NYG vsJags

Wouldn't surprise me to see Miami drop one of those two.
Indy, idk. Don't trust them very much to be consistent but they have an easy one.  I could see the Jags giving them a good game though.

Regardless how it shakes out,
I'm excited to see Cincy having a BIG meaningful game in week 17 at home and potentially week 18 as well.   After this disaster of a season, very surprising to see it meaningful this late.  Everyone can root how they want, I for one am glad about it.

Also, week 18:
There is the possibility that Pitt needs to win week 18 to win the AFCN or lose it to Balt.  Whether or not the Bengals are still hopeful of playoffs,, it would be super satisfying to see Cincy beat them and keep them from the AFCN title.

So there's that as well for me.

It's hard to see either Miami or Indy losing a single game.

(12-23-2024, 05:27 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: It's hard to see either Miami or Indy losing a single game.

I think that’s the worst of our worries. We have to beat Denver and Pittsburgh. These would be our two bets wins of the year. Our best win so far is Dallas?

I think we beat Den, indi loses, Miami loses, and we lose to Pitt when it matters.

(12-23-2024, 05:27 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: It's hard to see either Miami or Indy losing a single game.

I'm absolutely torn between beliving in Indy having a crazy-easy schedule, and also believing in Indy habitually choking on win-and-in games against their division rivals.

(12-23-2024, 05:55 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I'm absolutely torn between beliving in Indy having a crazy-easy schedule, and also believing in Indy habitually choking on win-and-in games against their division rivals.

Indy has issues at qb. So you never know.

(12-23-2024, 08:34 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Indy has issues at qb. So you never know.

It happens all the time. The Colts were up big on the Titans, a team we just beat down and let them back into the game.

Not a good sign if you are a Colts fan, but a great sign if you are a Bengals fan and need them to lose a game to an inferior opponent.

(12-23-2024, 09:36 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: It happens all the time. The Colts were up big on the Titans, a team we just beat down and let them back into the game.

Not a good sign if you are a Colts fan, but a great sign if you are a Bengals fan and need them to lose a game to an inferior opponent.

Pressure

(12-23-2024, 04:57 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 100%

Lions have 5 LB and 6 DL on the IR right now. They signed and started a guy off the Rams PS. They signed and started another guy off the Broncos PS. They signed and started a guy cut off the Dolphins. They had another guy getting defensive snaps after signing him off the Jags PS.

lions injuries are recent...lets see how they do the rest of the way