(10-24-2016, 12:27 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I somewhat understood people being down on Hill last year. But with the way Gio tailed off last year, and how he's ran this year, I just can't help but sincerely believe it's a blocking issue. That said, I think there is a segment of fans who will never give Hill a fair shake for the following reasons:

1. A lot of folks hated that we passed on Carlos Hyde and had no clue who Hill was. They resented Hill because he wasn't Hyde.

2. Some people really really really hate dancing. Even if it's tasteful and harmless.

3. A lot of big Gio homers hate Hill because he keeps Gio from starting and/or getting more touches. I like both RBs, but I guess some people insist on favoring one or the other.

4. The playoff fumble

I have been pretty down on Hill, but more so the running game in general.  For a team that every year talks about establishing the run, and being a run first team, they are never very good at it.

I personally don't care if it is Hill or Gio that gets the bulk of the touches.  I think either just need to be able to move the ball to take some of the heat off of Andy. I do think Gio offers more in the passing game, but that is not his primary purpose.  I do get annoyed when people talk about catering the offense to Hill (Andy under center, a fullback, etc.) because I think that takes away opportunity from Andy and do not believe Hill is good enough to scheme things around him.

(10-23-2016, 06:25 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: 1. It's time for people to quit arguing over Hill and Gio. As we saw today, they're both good when they get holes to run through. Hill had more yards in 9 carries today (168) than Gio had in the first 6 games (167). The talent Hill displayed in 2014 is still there. Gio is still his dynamic self. Fwiw, Hill is now up to 5.2 YPC on the season.

2. It's also probably time for some to admit they were wrong about LaFell. He's now on pace for 850 yards + 9 TDs. Still leads the team in TD catches (which even I will admit I didn't see coming). Maybe he's not the long term answer, but it looks like he's completely over the injury that led to the Pats releasing him.

3. Mike Nugent is not a good kicker.

4. Dalton is on pace for 4720 yards and is sporting a 100.7 rating. Not sure what else there is to say about the guy. He keeps working and keeps getting better. He may be a guy that is considered top 5 after Brady, Brees, etc retire.

5. AJ Green is in the midst of a career year. On pace for almost 1800 yards. Its not all about the numbers either. He just looks like a man on a mission this year. So many amazing one-handed catches.

6. It's been beaten to death, but Ogbuehi is killing us. I honestly can't recall a tackle looking this bad for us. We've been spoiled.

7. 9-7 might win this division. With the Ravens spiraling out of control and Ben out 4-6 weeks, this division is about to start looking real ugly. I know we all have our doubts about Marv in the playoffs, but I'll always take the chance, however small it may be.

Not sure if someone already pointed this out, but here are a few of mine:

Run defense is not that good...at all
Geno not being Geno does not bode well for us.
Micheal Johnson looks slow and disinterested. 
The adjustments are still really slow. 
Andy is making me a 99.999% believer (yes, i've still been waiting in skepticism). 
AJ Green will be one of the greatest Bengals to play.

The ONLY way someone could still argue against LaFell is that Jones had his success last year with Eifert playing. LaFell hasn't had that yet, and may end up with fewer yards and/or TDs than 2015 MLJ with Eifert's return (assuming Eifert plays throughout the rest of the season).

But either way, LaFell has been a quality replacement.

(10-24-2016, 02:20 PM)bfine32 Wrote: The weaker your arm the more air you have to put under it.

1. I've seen plenty of Dalton bashers say the opposite when Dalton has thrown 50 yard passes on a rope. Then it was "guys with big arms put air under the ball". 

2. Jeff Blake put more air under the ball than any QB I've seen, and nobody ever accused him of having a weak arm. 

(10-24-2016, 08:55 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: 1. I've seen plenty of Dalton bashers say the opposite when Dalton has thrown 50 yard passes on a rope. Then it was "guys with big arms put air under the ball". 

2. Jeff Blake put more air under the ball than any QB I've seen, and nobody ever accused him of having a weak arm. 

Brady puts a lot of air under it when he throws it deep, hasn't seemed to hurt his numbers.

(10-24-2016, 12:27 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I somewhat understood people being down on Hill last year. But with the way Gio tailed off last year, and how he's ran this year, I just can't help but sincerely believe it's a blocking issue. That said, I think there is a segment of fans who will never give Hill a fair shake for the following reasons:

1. A lot of folks hated that we passed on Carlos Hyde and had no clue who Hill was. They resented Hill because he wasn't Hyde.

2. Some people really really really hate dancing. Even if it's tasteful and harmless.

3. A lot of big Gio homers hate Hill because he keeps Gio from starting and/or getting more touches. I like both RBs, but I guess some people insist on favoring one or the other.

4. The playoff fumble

The fumble aside, as bad it was, came long after the dislike for Hill. Hill was too tentative last year and I, like many people, thought he'd come out this year with a new attitude in his running, but the line play in front of him has made getting going at all a difficult thing to do.

We got to see what he can do with a so-so RT. Of course, it's not like Cleveland is sporting a top notch bunch of tacklers. So I take the performance as one which is a step in the right direction, but let's see some more of it before I'll believe anything is fixed.

(10-24-2016, 03:14 PM)Hoofhearted Wrote: Micheal Johnson looks slow and disinterested. 

Only 6 DEs in the entire league have more QB hurries than MJ.

Only 11 DEs have more tackles for loss.

Ony 20 DEs have more QB hits.

(10-23-2016, 08:43 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Yep and agree with Shake and most everybody else here.

Run game looked good and Hill looked like rookie year self today. Worried about injury though.

Erickson has been a waste so far, looked the real deal in preseason but that seems to have been fools gold.

Dalton and AJ are incredible ! Proving it weekly and are keeping Bengals afloat.

Bad clock management during first half conclusion that was quickly forgotten when Mary answered the hail to AJ. Thought a TO should have been taken as soon as Cleveland did not convert 1st down.

Worried about Whit's availability for London game too.

Still very happy to get win. Season was over in my book if we would have lost.

When you haven't heard of the player throughout the entire draft process, it's likely temporary if they have any preseason success.
It's unfortunate too...I was hopeful to see Erickson impact the return game in a positive way.

In a related note...Isn't Trindon Holliday still out there? He was a very PR and KR for Denver both years he was there. He is 30 years old though.

If I could fix just two things:

The offensive line would be choice No.1. And I hate to say it, but I just can't see how it can be done with Ced on it. We've just got to go with Winston or Fisher. Let Ced keep working, get a good training camp under his belt next year, and then we'll see. But right now some good right tackle play would be a great start. Bodine is Bodine and he's gonna keep playing.

Linebackers. Where are the linebackers? I haven't got a fix, except to say that I'd play Vinnie Rey over Dansby, and I was completely happy when we signed Dansby. But we've got to get some lb play somewhere. Is Vigil just unready, or what? Something's gotta happen there.

(10-26-2016, 05:15 PM)Thundercloud Wrote: If I could fix just two things:

The offensive line would be choice No.1.  And I hate to say it, but I just can't see how it can be done with Ced on it. We've just got to go with Winston or Fisher.  Let Ced keep working, get a good training camp under his belt next year, and then we'll see.  But right now some good right tackle play would be a great start. Bodine is Bodine and he's gonna keep playing.

Linebackers.  Where are the linebackers?  I haven't got a fix, except to say that I'd play Vinnie Rey over Dansby, and I was completely happy when we signed Dansby.  But we've got to get some lb play somewhere.  Is Vigil just unready, or what? Something's gotta happen there.

You are spot on about RT Thundercloud. Bodine has actually played pretty decent the last two games.

The Linebackers are just out of position most of the time. I would not put that all on Dansby, it is on Haslett and Burfict as well.

Vinny Rey has been our best LB this year no doubt.

(10-27-2016, 01:01 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: You are spot on about RT Thundercloud. Bodine has actually played pretty decent the last two games.

The Linebackers are just out of position most of the time. I would not put that all on Dansby, it is on Haslett and Burfict as well.

Vinny Rey has been our best LB this year no doubt.

 
I know that some like Haslett and he has a lot of experience; but, I didn't like the signing when they did it and still don't.

(10-24-2016, 09:58 PM)coachmcneil71 Wrote: Brady puts a lot of air under it when he throws it deep, hasn't seemed to hurt his numbers.

Tom Brady is one of the absolute worst deep ball throwers in the league.

(10-27-2016, 03:20 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Tom Brady is one of the absolute worst deep ball throwers in the league.

Tell that to Randy Moss.

(10-27-2016, 04:05 PM)coachmcneil71 Wrote: Tell that to Randy Moss.

Brady can throw a deep ball just as well right now as Moss can play WR.

Over the last two seasons ('14-'15) Brady has only completed 6 of 37 passes thrown over 30 yards downfield.  That is a 16.2 completion percentage.  I don't have time to do the numbers on every other QB in the league but I know Dalton completed over twice as many deep balls (15) and his completion percentage (34.1) is over double Brady's.

Brady really si one of the worst QBs when it come to throwing a deep pass.

(10-27-2016, 05:02 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Brady can throw a deep ball just as well right now as Moss can play WR.

Over the last two seasons ('14-'15) Brady has only completed 6 of 37 passes thrown over 30 yards downfield.  That is a 16.2 completion percentage.  I don't have time to do the numbers on every other QB in the league but I know Dalton completed over twice as many deep balls (15) and his completion percentage (34.1) is over double Brady's.

Brady really si one of the worst QBs when it come to throwing a deep pass.

The man hasn't had a real deep threat to throw it to since 2007-2008, when he had Moss. 
That said, the offense was changed around that time to a more TE oriented threat and a shorter passing game that allowed for a quick release. Obviously, so they could keep an aging Brady from taking unnecessary hits.

So, I would agree with you on the numbers without you having to display them based on what I know about their system.

The point I was trying to make to begin with is that AD is considered to have a weak arm and some say the same about Brady. My point was/is that being a supposed "weak armed" QB hasn't hurt Brady in the long run, and AD has played very,very well over the last two season's. 

If TB needs to, or has a verticle threat, he can still throw it downfield. That's not what they are doing on O in NE.

(10-27-2016, 07:24 PM)coachmcneil71 Wrote: The point I was trying to make to begin with is that AD is considered to have a weak arm and some say the same about Brady. My point was/is that being a supposed "weak armed" QB hasn't hurt Brady in the long run, and AD has played very,very well over the last two season's. 

You know me.

I don't care what point anyone is trying to make.  I just look for any little comment that I can start a fight over.

(10-27-2016, 08:09 PM)fredtoast Wrote: You know me.

I don't care what point anyone is trying to make.  I just look for any little comment that I can start a fight over.

^Truth^

(10-27-2016, 03:09 PM)coachmcneil71 Wrote:  
I know that some like Haslett and he has a lot of experience; but, I didn't like the signing when they did it and still don't.

The London Fletcher comments sure made me pause when we hired him and he has not shown me he is a good coach yet.

I am with you.

(10-27-2016, 08:09 PM)fredtoast Wrote: You know me.

I don't care what point anyone is trying to make.  I just look for any little comment that I can start a fight over.

Wow, reps Fred for being an honest fella.

I think I'll stick with "Nugent is not a good kicker".