Not going over the flaws of this team because they've been talked about to death.

Yes, we have many promising rookies to look forward to. But they're still rookies.

I plan to enjoy watching their development and looking forward to next year. But I find it hard to be optimistic about a good showing this year from the bengals.

(07-22-2017, 12:25 PM)THE Bigzoman Wrote: Not going over the flaws of this team because they've been talked about to death.

Yes, we have many promising rookies to look forward to. But they're still rookies.

I plan to enjoy watching their development and looking forward to next year. But I find it hard to be optimistic about a good showing this year from the bengals.

I mean.

The team hasn't been able to win a playoff game in 26 straight seasons. That's comical failure, you have to try to be that inept for that long in this league.

I don't think anyone has any real expectations. And if they do, their just being delusional.

We mostly just have to stay healthy, and we will be fine.

You do what you want with your expectations and I'll do what I want with mine.

(07-22-2017, 12:33 PM)OrangeLacroix Wrote: I mean.

The team hasn't been able to win a playoff game in 26 straight seasons.  That's comical failure, you have to try to be that inept for that long in this league.  

I don't think anyone has any real expectations. And if they do, their just being delusional.

:troll:

They are tempered.

Optimistically tempered !

Yet still tempered.

(07-22-2017, 12:25 PM)THE Bigzoman Wrote: Not going  over the flaws of this team because they've been talked about to death.

Yes, we have many promising rookies to look forward to. But they're still rookies.

I plan to enjoy watching their development and looking forward to next year. But I find it hard to be optimistic about a good showing this year from the bengals.

Why not? The bengals haven't had 2 bad seasons in a row in the last 10 years, and usually follow up a losing season with a 9+ win season and wild card birth.

Are we going to have some growing pains? sure, but so is every other team out there and we usually don't start our rookies right away unless injuries strike or they are that much better than the vet. So your comment really makes no sense. Start Rookies and people *****, don't start rookies and people still *****. I think they do a pretty decent job and mixing the rookies in so they aren't setup to fail right away and can build their game confidence. 

Only 5 teams last year didn't have a rookie penciled in as a starter on Opening day.  Bears, Bengals, Redskins, Vikings and 49er's.

(07-22-2017, 01:42 PM)McC Wrote: You do what you want with your expectations and I'll do what I want with mine.

Damn rights.

Not tempering my expectations in the regular season, we should be a damn good team, one of the best.

It is when we get to the Playoffs my expectations temper.

BTW BigZ....

If you don't want to talk about the flaws or strengths it is hard to understand where you are coming from.

There are way more reasons to be optimistic than pessimistic this year.

I for one am excited that my favorite team in my favorite sport is about to begin a new season.

(07-22-2017, 02:26 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: BTW BigZ....

If you don't want to talk about the flaws or strengths it is hard to understand where you are coming from.

There are way more reasons to be optimistic than pessimistic this year.

I mean, we can if you want. I've just seen them discussed to death so I didnt think there was a need to.

Off-season was god awful offensively. Defensively we'll be fine. But I don't see the offense improving.


Again, the bright spots to it all are a bunch of rookies. Even defensively it's like that with Lawson billings wj3 etc. Theyre promising, but still rookies. How many rookies turn into daks and zekes year one?

(07-22-2017, 01:43 PM)McC Wrote: :troll:

I'd love to hear your season predictions.

I bet you have been wrong every season for the last 20 years. 

(07-22-2017, 02:14 PM)Go Cards Wrote: They are tempered.

Optimistically tempered !

Yet still tempered.

Optimistically temperd?

(07-22-2017, 03:35 PM)THE Bigzoman Wrote: I mean, we can if you want. I've just seen them discussed to death so I didnt think there was a need to.

Off-season was god awful offensively. Defensively we'll be fine. But I don't see the offense improving.


Again, the bright spots to it all are a bunch of rookies. Even defensively it's like that with Lawson billings wj3 etc.  Theyre promising, but still rookies. How many rookies turn into daks and zekes year one?

Well here is the point of why expectations can still be strong, we don;t need daks and zekes out of our draft.. Dallas did and probably still do this year ... It was not like we had no talent at WR or RB coming into the draft.. if Mixon and Ross perform as average to good rookies that will be a big bonus to our offense.... 

If the o-line holds up anything is possible this season.

(07-22-2017, 05:38 PM)magikod Wrote: If the o-line holds up anything is possible this season.

and we overcome major injuries to our core players.. outside of the o-line (which is still major issue coming in) I believe we have upgraded our team in many areas :  

1. LBS:  added a solid one in Minter, added speed and youth
2. CBs:  retained Dre,, have Jackson coming in really as a semi rookie #1, more experience coming back with others
3. Dline:  got younger on line and have Billings coming back from injury, so depth should be good with a rotation
4. WR: Added speed for sure.. kept Lafell, 2 year now for Boyd and Core
5. RB; Gio looks like will be fine,, added Mixon to go with Hill
6. TE:  No setbacks in offseason with any of them... 
7. QB:  Dalton healthy coming in and still have one of the top backups in the league behind him.

If we stay healthy and the Oline steps up and surprises us, the sky is the limit. I wouldn't be shocked to see 10-12 wins this season.

If we are gutted with injuries again and the Oline is as bad as it looks on paper, we are obviously in serious trouble. In that case, I see 4-6 wins if we're lucky.

Realistically, if I had to guess I'd say we finish somewhere around .500. I think it's very likely the offensive line will suck royally. Football is a game won and lost in the trenches. We'll win quite a few games solely because of our strong defensive line. But without a solid line on offense, we will struggle to put up points (and keep Dalton/McCarron healthy). That will unfortunately be a killer.

On the bright side, maybe another down year will mean goodbye to Marv. For the future of the franchise, that wouldn't be so terrible.

(07-22-2017, 08:24 PM)Pat5775 Wrote: If we stay healthy and the Oline steps up and surprises us, the sky is the limit. I wouldn't be shocked to see 10-12 wins this season.

If we are gutted with injuries again and the Oline is as bad as it looks on paper, we are obviously in serious trouble. In that case, I see 4-6 wins if we're lucky.

Realistically, if I had to guess I'd say we finish somewhere around .500. I think it's very likely the offensive line will suck royally. Football is a game won and lost in the trenches. We'll win quite a few games solely because of our strong defensive line. But without a solid line on offense, we will struggle to put up points (and keep Dalton/McCarron healthy). That will unfortunately be a killer.

On the bright side, maybe another down year will mean goodbye to Marv. For the future of the franchise, that wouldn't be so terrible.

Well you might be right.. but Matt Ryan was sacked 37 times last regular season.... and look what they did.. granted they were able to run the ball well.. but still 37 sacks is a lot and they went 11-5 in regular season.. 

(07-22-2017, 12:33 PM)OrangeLacroix Wrote: I mean.

The team hasn't been able to win a playoff game in 26 straight seasons.  That's comical failure, you have to try to be that inept for that long in this league.  

I don't think anyone has any real expectations. And if they do, their just being delusional.

This is the psyche of some Bengal fans who think regardless of any logic that "This will be the year because____"

I equate it to an addicted gambler who thinks their next play they will hit big!

(07-22-2017, 03:35 PM)THE Bigzoman Wrote: I mean, we can if you want. I've just seen them discussed to death so I didnt think there was a need to.

Off-season was god awful offensively. Defensively we'll be fine. But I don't see the offense improving.


Again, the bright spots to it all are a bunch of rookies. Even defensively it's like that with Lawson billings wj3 etc.  Theyre promising, but still rookies. How many rookies turn into daks and zekes year one?

Well, don't forget, these two guys had veterans from all positions all around them. Best offensive line in football. Dez Bryant out there. Jason Witten is one of the most underrated tight ends.

It's not like they were in rebuild mode.

But we've had rookies be successful here.

Dalton and Green were VERY successful their rookie season. Especially considering what happened to this team in general.

Dunlap had 9.5 sacks his rookie season.

Hill and Gio both had VERY productive rookie seasons. Hill had 1300+ all purpose yards and Gio had 1200+ all purpose yards.

And that's just from our team. There's multiple other teams that had players come in their rookie year and make an impact.

So, I mean, it's not hard to believe that John Ross and Joe Mixon could have success with the likes of Dalton, Green, Eifert, LaFell, Boyd, Hill, and Gio around them. If anything, it allows us not to be one dimensional.