What are your guys thoughts on Will Clarke and Margus Hunt, 3 weeks in?

Clarke has 2.0 sacks in 3 weeks and Hunt has made some splash plays and highlight plays.

Probably more upside at this point than Michael Johnson. Speaking of, did MJ do anything today, like get at least semi-close to a sack or hurry? Talk about falling off since his one really good season.

(09-25-2016, 07:58 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Probably more upside at this point than Michael Johnson. Speaking of, did MJ do anything today, like get at least semi-close to a sack or hurry? Talk about falling off since his one really good season.

I didn't see him do anything positive for the team.

I did see him standing around doing nothing on one play

Margus Hunt has been a pleasant surprise thus far.......Will Clarke has played solid, he needs to be starting instead of Michael Johnson at this point....

(09-25-2016, 07:58 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Probably more upside at this point than Michael Johnson. Speaking of, did MJ do anything today, like get at least semi-close to a sack or hurry? Talk about falling off since his one really good season.

I think the only time I heard MJ's name is when he got called for a hold

Hunt and Clarke look better than expected so far, and Hunt seems to have taken pretty well to playing inside.

(09-25-2016, 10:35 PM)E Wrote: Hunt and Clarke look better than expected so far, and Hunt seems to have taken pretty well to playing inside.

I agree, I expected Bengals to sign a veteran defensive end to help those youngins in the backup spot.

It's nuts. I expected this team to have a top 5 o-line, a gangster secondary, and for these two to be exposed for the frauds I believed them to be. Turns out our secondary is garbage, our o-line is shit, and these two are actually contributing.

Clarke has been awesome, but he hasn't played enough, IMO; his 2 sacks have been pure effort and power/speed.

Hunt with another block today; 'nuff said. He's played better than anyone could've imagined.

MJ would've had a sack today, but slipped right before getting to Siemien.

Otherwise, MJ would've had a sack last week, if not for the chokes; I'm hoping for 4/5 sacks on Thursday. They should dress Deshawn.

The Estonian Eliminator is playing lights out!

Margus with two kick blocks in 3 games. He is also consistently exerting pocket pressure and shutting down his run lane. And yesterday, I saw him shove a Denver player off of him after the whistle. I think he is finally getting the chippiness that he has been lacking. I have believed in the past that he was just to nice a guy to play angry football. I now believe he's getting there.... I called at the beginning of the season that this will be his breakout year, and so far he's proving me right. So far I think his play puts him in the top tier of our Dlineman. Meanwhile, last time I saw Geno he was on a milk carton...... (yeah yeah, I know he's doubled, but he's always doubled)

(09-25-2016, 07:58 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Probably more upside at this point than Michael Johnson. Speaking of, did MJ do anything today, like get at least semi-close to a sack or hurry? Talk about falling off since his one really good season.

He had a crucial defensive holding play that kept a scoring drive alive for Denver.

(09-26-2016, 09:08 AM)yellowxdiscipline Wrote: He had a crucial defensive holding play that kept a scoring drive alive for Denver.

It was a bullshit call.... even the announcer called it.

[quote pid='271851' dateline='1474853740']
Hunt and Clarke look better than expected so far, and Hunt seems to have taken pretty well to playing inside.
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This /\

(09-25-2016, 11:26 PM)samhain Wrote: It's nuts.  I expected this team to have a top 5 o-line, a gangster secondary, and for these two to be exposed for the frauds I believed them to be.  Turns out our secondary is garbage, our o-line is shit, and these two are actually contributing.

For real.  Clarke has had himself a nice season thus far, and Hunt is beginning to come around, especially on teams.  

(09-25-2016, 11:26 PM)samhain Wrote: It's nuts.  I expected this team to have a top 5 o-line, a gangster secondary, and for these two to be exposed for the frauds I believed them to be.  Turns out our secondary is garbage, our o-line is shit, and these two are actually contributing.

What of our front four?  That no one on earth could block?  The best player thus far has been Margus Hunt?  A guy I was ready to drive back to Estonia (I know you can't, but that was my weak attempt at humor on this grey day)?  Where is Geno?  Where is Dunlap?  Talked about the sack record and you got one in three games?  Peko also looks better than I expected.  We are getting more out of Peko, Hunt, and Clarke, but the big money guys look flat?  It makes me sick.

I blame the coaches.  100%.  If you are not able to get the most out of your players, then you shouldn't be getting the most out of your paycheck.  Do YOUR job, coaches.  Right now, I see countless examples of coaches getting more out of less all around the NFL.  You have more talent and you are laying eggs left and right.  

Our coaches are awful.  Plain and simple.  They won't change, so we can't expect a different result.  Even with Burfict, our coaches won't change and that is why they seemingly always crap the bed in big games.  The other team is better prepared and, more importantly, better at making adjustments.  

The fact that Hunt, Clarke, and Peko are the "stars" of our Dline thus far in the season tells us all we need to know about our Dline. Do they look good, or does Dunlap (yes, Dunlap, Denver was down to their 3rd string RT and Dunlap should have abused), MJ, and Atkins look that average making them stand out more?

(09-26-2016, 09:56 AM)jj22 Wrote: The fact that Hunt, Clarke, and Peko are the "stars" of our Dline thus far in the season tells us all we need to know about our Dline. Do they look good, or does Dunlap (yes, Dunlap, Denver was down to their 3rd string RT and Dunlap should have abused), MJ, and Atkins look that average making them stand out more?

I think it's the opposite, they are leaving Hunt or Clark one on one while focusing on Dunlap and Geno depending on the personnel. Watching Fletcher Cox drive Decastro into Ben all day yesterday though really made me wonder what is going on with Geno. I will point out the Steelers got called for holding a lot yesterday versus not at all against us.

(09-26-2016, 09:56 AM)jj22 Wrote: The fact that Hunt, Clarke, and Peko are the "stars" of our Dline thus far in the season tells us all we need to know about our Dline. Do they look good, or does Dunlap (yes, Dunlap, Denver was down to their 3rd string RT and Dunlap should have abused), MJ, and Atkins look that average making them stand out more?

I quickly scanned the play by play for the Steelers game and I saw that the Steelers were flagged 4 times for offensive holding. Its about time.

(09-26-2016, 09:33 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: What of our front four?  That no one on earth could block?  The best player thus far has been Margus Hunt?  A guy I was ready to drive back to Estonia (I know you can't, but that was my weak attempt at humor on this grey day)?  Where is Geno?  Where is Dunlap?  Talked about the sack record and you got one in three games?  Peko also looks better than I expected.  We are getting more out of Peko, Hunt, and Clarke, but the big money guys look flat?  It makes me sick.

I blame the coaches.  100%.  If you are not able to get the most out of your players, then you shouldn't be getting the most out of your paycheck.  Do YOUR job, coaches.  Right now, I see countless examples of coaches getting more out of less all around the NFL.  You have more talent and you are laying eggs left and right.  

Our coaches are awful.  Plain and simple.  They won't change, so we can't expect a different result.  Even with Burfict, our coaches won't change and that is why they seemingly always crap the bed in big games.  The other team is better prepared and, more importantly, better at making adjustments.  

If not for holds (not just misses, I'm talking holds), Dunlap would be at 4 sacks right now.

That Pitt game REALLY ****** with people's heads and perceptions of the team.