Just for kicks I thought I would go back and look at our rushing production last year. I can't even describe how bad it was.

Other than the 2 Cleveland games (Hill - 168 & 111) and the meaningless Week 17 game (Burkhead 119), we had ZERO 100 yard rushing performances by our RBs. That's pathetic.

Even worse?

In HALF of our games, the leading rusher had 50 yards or less.

Do we really need a RB to improve the running game? It seems to me that most of the successful teams come out throwing, build a nice lead, and then go to the rushing attack in the 2nd half to seal the deal.

(03-29-2017, 11:35 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Do we really need a RB to improve the running game?  It seems to me that most of the successful teams come out throwing, build a nice lead, and then go to the rushing attack in the 2nd half to seal the deal.

Well, we need something.  There were more than a few occasions where we had a lead at halftime and couldn't get anything done in the 2nd half.  I find it amazing that there were games where the leading rusher had 22 yards or 31 yards.

I may be in the minority. We don't need more RBs. Maybe a late round/undrafted flyer.

Is it the chicken or the egg...fault could lie in the OL

(03-29-2017, 11:39 PM)jeremydc Wrote: I may be in the minority. We don't need more RBs. Maybe a late round/undrafted flyer.

So you're ready to roll with:

Hill

and who else?  Gio is coming off and ACL, Peerman is a special teamer.

(03-29-2017, 11:42 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: So you're ready to roll with:

Hill

and who else?  Gio is coming off and ACL, Peerman is a special teamer.

Yup, and a late rounder. Again, I'm in the minority. With the current state of the o-line , very few RBs would be effective.

Need to fix the OL first. Probably starting by getting rid of a guy who can't coach an OL to run block.

Really good RBs can thankfully be found in all of the rounds of the draft. Unless they have holes, they're going to suck, though. Think about how amazing Steven Jackson would have been if the team around him was ever worth a damn. He could have been an all time great, 1st ballot HoFer. Instead he'll go down as a good RB. Putting a RB behind this OL with this OL Coach is a recipe for disaster, so don't bother using a high pick on one for now.

Yup. Hoping to get a few o linemen in the mid rounds. But then again, we may end up with Howard in the first,Mixon in the second according to a few mocks

We will Miss Burkhead. Nuff said.

(03-30-2017, 12:09 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: We will Miss Burkhead. Nuff said.

Miss him? The guy with 375 career yards, 2 career rushing tds, and 2 fumbles??? I think thatll be the least of our worries.

I can understand why people hate Hill, i really can. But his rookie year was extremely promising and i believe he should get back to his normal self. Hes big, can cut, quick. Great in open space. Has a nice stiff arm. Just had 2 bad years.

I think Hill has struggled with injury the past couple years. Hopefully he's healthy this year. Same with Gio, but late-season ACL sounds like a start on PUP to me.

Bengals will draft at least one RB this draft, probably two. Tra Carson might have a shot.

(03-30-2017, 12:29 AM)Gohards Wrote: Miss him? The guy with 375 career yards, 2 career rushing tds, and 2 fumbles??? I think thatll be the least of our worries.

I can understand why people hate Hill, i really can. But his rookie year was extremely promising and i believe he should get back to his normal self. Hes big, can cut, quick. Great in open space. Has a nice stiff arm. Just had 2 bad years.

...said everyone about RG3, and Doug Martin, and LeGarrette Blount, and Keenan Allen, and...

(03-30-2017, 12:50 AM)MaineBengal Wrote: I think Hill has struggled with injury the past couple years. Hopefully he's healthy this year. Same with Gio, but late-season ACL sounds like a start on PUP to me.

Bengals will draft at least one RB this draft, probably two. Tra Carson might have a shot.

If the Bengals are relying on Tra Carson, we might as well just hibernate through the season.

35 carries, 85 yards (2.4 YPC), 0 TD/1 Fumble

Those are his numbers in preseason against backups.

(03-29-2017, 11:40 PM)Goalpost Wrote: Is it the chicken or the egg...fault could lie in the OL

(03-30-2017, 12:01 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Need to fix the OL first. Probably starting by getting rid of a guy who can't coach an OL to run block.

Really good RBs can thankfully be found in all of the rounds of the draft. Unless they have holes, they're going to suck, though. Think about how amazing Steven Jackson would have been if the team around him was ever worth a damn. He could have been an all time great, 1st ballot HoFer. Instead he'll go down as a good RB. Putting a RB behind this OL with this OL Coach is a recipe for disaster, so don't bother using a high pick on one for now.

this and this imo

(03-30-2017, 12:29 AM)Gohards Wrote: Miss him? The guy with 375 career yards, 2 career rushing tds, and 2 fumbles??? I think thatll be the least of our worries.

I can understand why people hate Hill, i really can. But his rookie year was extremely promising and i believe he should get back to his normal self. Hes big, can cut, quick. Great in open space. Has a nice stiff arm. Just had 2 bad years.

I feel like I just read a Marvin press conference.

It's the offensive line and their coach. The man can apparently use ten fingers and a foot to easily coordinate between 88 piano keys and three pedals but coordinating five offensive linemen -- six if you count a tight end -- is hard.

Getting Andre Smith back and placing him at right guard should help things in the run game but let's take an honest look at the run game in 2016 -- and the two games against Cleveland don't count.

This was the worst run blocking I have ever seen in Cincinnati. Ever. Even Corey Dillon had holes to run through when the Bengals couldn't buy a win. Jeremy Hill couldn't find a hole because none existed. Even if a hole appeared, the offensive linemen couldn't hit their secondary blocks so linebackers ate Jeremy up too.

You could put Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Gale Sayers, or Marcus Allen -- all in their primes -- behind the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive line and this board would be simultaneously exclaiming, "What a bust! Holy BLEEP, we need a running back!"

What we need is a center, LT, RT and RG.

(03-29-2017, 11:38 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Well, we need something.  There were more than a few occasions where we had a lead at halftime and couldn't get anything done in the 2nd half.  I find it amazing that there were games where the leading rusher had 22 yards or 31 yards.

I agree, we need something.  Perhaps that something is a change in OL philosophy?  A team dead set on declaring itself as a run-first team, should focus their attention to selection of players that excel in run blocking, and pay particular attention to detail when it comes to blocking schemes and execution.

We need an Oline. Did you see what Dallas did this year? I love 'zeke and all but even Hill would look good behind that line.

(03-29-2017, 11:38 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Well, we need something.  There were more than a few occasions where we had a lead at halftime and couldn't get anything done in the 2nd half.  I find it amazing that there were games where the leading rusher had 22 yards or 31 yards.

Our short yardage performance was pathetic.  If a play got stopped at the 1 yard line, I would think "here comes the FG unit". 

That should improve with a bigger body at RG, stability at RT, and what I hope will either be a much improved Ced or Cam Robinson mauling folks at LT.

Our line has seemingly been built to be a group of solid pass-blockers, but they aren't stellar pass blockers and they are deficient run blockers.  I would rather see bigger bodies that both help the running game as well as wear down opposing defensive players.