While playing the blame game you've left out me for not praying during games..  oh, and not going fishing often enough during crucial games . It's been proven that if I don't go fishing during crucial games we lose.. Maybe if I actually liked fishing it might make a difference .. 

(03-27-2018, 03:08 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Sorry, but I just can not imagine a guy being motivated enough to become an NFL head coach and then not give a shit about his reputation.

There are a few things to criticize Marvin for, but I don't see lack of effort being one.  You think you get upset because your favorite team has a losing record, just imagine how you would feel if you were a huge public persona and your entire identity was defined by that teams record.  It has to kill Marvin that he can't win these big games.  The fact that he doesn't pitch a fit like a child does not mean he does not care.

Marvin was not handed a coaching job because of his family name or because he was a famous NFL player.  He had to work his ass off to get where he is.  And I believe he has too much pride in his reputation to just half ass do his job.

I don't think it's half assed.....I just think there's no urgency to mix things up when there's little chance of getting canned.  Obviously, something isn't working when it comes to postseason, Stoolers, and some prime time games (those have gotten better, admittedly, but still not where it should be).  He's become too complacent, in my opinion.  Maybe this season will be different with the dismissal of a couple lifers, and new blood among the ranks.  Time will tell.

(03-28-2018, 11:40 AM)Wyche Wrote: I don't think it's half assed.....I just think there's no urgency to mix things up when there's little chance of getting canned.  Obviously, something isn't working when it comes to postseason, Stoolers, and some prime time games (those have gotten better, admittedly, but still not where it should be).  He's become too complacent, in my opinion.  Maybe this season will be different with the dismissal of a couple lifers, and new blood among the ranks.  Time will tell.

I gotta think it going to be different. The way I see it, Merv is on borrowed time here. I know people will argue, he could have a job as long as he wants it, and they could be right, but if Merv doesn't do anything, but win 7-9 games or does get to the playoffs and pees down his leg in the next 2 years, fans will make him and MB truly uncomfortable by not coming to games or the media pressuring them to fire him. 

Personally I'm preparing myself to consider chipping in for the  70 foot tall golden statue of Mikey and Marv in the event that we win the Super Bowl . I've already set aside a nickel under the back seat of some old car in the junk yard a few miles away. 

Marvin was being replaced by Hue Jackson. The Browns didn't' let Hue leave their building without a contract, and Marvin was left as "all we had".

As far as Marvin working for the worst owner in the league, I simply don't understand how people can defend Marvin on this issue when that ownership supplied one of the more talented rosters in the NFL for some time. Sure, no one wanted to see Whit leave (I would have never retained Zeitler for anything near $12 million, but that is another thread) but overall, this team has had really good talent. They were flat out dominant at times (2015) when we had Zimmer and Hue....once those coaches were gone, the team did a face-plant.

I am hopeful that Lazor can resurrect the offense and Austin can make the defense nasty again. But Lewis just isn't the innovative mind that is driving the top teams in the NFL.

(03-27-2018, 09:04 PM)jj22 Wrote: Another one. I have to admit, as negative as I can be, I'm exited about these new coaches. I know I'm setting myself up for disappointment. But for now, I believe they'll bring a spark....

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Lewis-transforming-Xs-and-Os-We-have-to-We-werent-good-enough-/e3960b25-33d6-4c0d-a8a3-9ba44f496005

If Austin is able to pull off the press coverage vs the old, stale soft zone.....things are already looking up on that side of the ball.

(03-28-2018, 11:51 AM)sandwedge Wrote: I gotta think it going to be different. The way I see it, Merv is on borrowed time here. I know people will argue, he could have a job as long as he wants it, and they could be right, but if Merv doesn't do anything, but win 7-9 games or does get to the playoffs and pees down his leg in the next 2 years, fans will make him and MB truly uncomfortable by not coming to games or the media pressuring them to fire him. 

Yeah....the one thing I really liked from jj's article was how it described all of the coaches getting together and doing walk throughs as units.  I would bet things were so stale and status quo, that there was no reason to do it the last few seasons.  Maybe we won't be so damn predictable anymore.  That's a very good thing if so.

(03-28-2018, 12:36 PM)Wyche Wrote: If Austin is able to pull off the press coverage vs the old, stale soft zone.....things are already looking up on that side of the ball.

Austin just may have the biggest challenge to overcome, given that he inherited his entire staff (iirc). That's a lot of old dogs ....

(03-28-2018, 12:41 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: Austin just may have the biggest challenge to overcome, given that he inherited his entire staff (iirc). That's a lot of old dogs ....

I think we'll go heavy on D once we get our OC and OT. That's 9 more picks to bring some youth to that side of the ball. Enough for him to mold.

(03-28-2018, 12:41 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: Austin just may have the biggest challenge to overcome, given that he inherited his entire staff (iirc). That's a lot of old dogs ....

Pretty much, except for that Jones cat.

(03-28-2018, 12:36 PM)SHRacerX Wrote:  

As far as Marvin working for the worst owner in the league, I simply don't understand how people can defend Marvin on this issue when that ownership supplied one of the more talented rosters in the NFL for some time.  

Because the front office did nothing to build that roster. No big trade. No big free agents. Nothing but rejects and draft picks.  We were just lucky our coaches were able to get top production from scraps and develop draft picks.

(03-28-2018, 12:52 PM)jj22 Wrote: I think we'll go heavy on D once we get our OC and OT. That's 9 more picks to bring some youth to that side of the ball. Enough for him to mold.

(03-28-2018, 01:08 PM)Wyche Wrote: Pretty much, except for that Jones cat.

Sorry guys, I was referring to coaching staff, not players. Without knowing how well-rooted all of his coaches are in the previous system, he is at a disadvantage because he isn't bringing in any of 'his' guys, whoever that might have been. WTS, however great or small the problems he faces because of this isn't something I know. Yeah, they're all football guys, and there aren't any real secrets to any of it. Just seems more difficult to effect a needed change when you only have the same old dogs to teach new tricks to .....

(03-28-2018, 12:39 PM)Wyche Wrote: Yeah....the one thing I really liked from jj's article was how it described all of the coaches getting together and doing walk throughs as units.  I would bet things were so stale and status quo, that there was no reason to do it the last few seasons.  Maybe we won't be so damn predictable anymore.  That's a very good thing if so.

Us predictable?? When my 14 year old son can tell you if they are running or passing, it's predictable......

(03-28-2018, 06:30 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: Sorry guys, I was referring to coaching staff, not players. Without knowing how well-rooted all of his coaches are in the previous system, he is at a disadvantage because he isn't bringing in any of 'his' guys, whoever that might have been. WTS, however great or small the problems he faces because of this isn't something I know. Yeah, they're all football guys, and there aren't any real secrets to any of it. Just seems more difficult to effect a needed change when you only have the same old dogs to teach new tricks to .....

I knew you were talking about the staff.....but isn't Daronte Jones the new CB coach?

(03-28-2018, 03:17 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Because the front office did nothing to build that roster. No big trade. No big free agents. Nothing but rejects and draft picks.  We were just lucky our coaches were able to get top production from scraps and develop draft picks.

So now building through the draft isn’t vogue? Be sure you don’t tell the Packers, Eagles, or steelers. They seem to be doing it with great success.

(03-29-2018, 11:30 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: So now building through the draft isn’t vogue?  Be sure you don’t tell the Packers, Eagles, or steelers.  They seem to be doing it with great success.

All of those teams bring in bigger name players from other teams through free agency and/or trades on a more regular basis than the Bengals did when building the roster a few years ago.

(03-29-2018, 01:47 PM)fredtoast Wrote: All of those teams bring in bigger name players from other teams through free agency and/or trades on a more regular basis than the Bengals did when building the roster a few years ago.

I agree with you on 2 of the 3.

The Steelers are every bit as bad as we are with bringing in free agents and making trades.

ML made the biggest addition through subtraction...getting rid of PA. I hope Pollack can produce results here like he did in Dallas. With Mixon and Gio running behind a good Oline, we could be scary good. They just need to get the next "right pieces" in the draft.

The Cody Glenn Deal helped us alot. Hart might be good depth, we don't know. We still need a C and an RT. We could go defense at 21, grab a center in the 2nd and hope Orlando Brown falls to the 3rd. After his combine debacle, (and the 16 personal fouls he picked up n his final season at AZ State), Burfict fell further than that. But there could be other quality RTs with fewer ??? available at 46, though it could be safer to think we'd be more likely to draft an OT worthy of a 1st round pick (i.e., a starter). If, by chance, we do go defense, I think I'd take Tevan Bryan. He's probably the best DLineman in the draft in terms of his versatility. Billed as "the next JJ Watt," Bryan is impressive at both DT and DE. I think we'd all like to see Bryan lined up with Carlos, Geno, Lawson on passing downs. Rashan Evans would also be a good candidate for SAM in our defense. Evans is another guy who could help us NOW. And according to that article, the FO is with Marvin in thinking about NOW.

(03-30-2018, 03:23 AM)Shady Wrote: ML made the biggest addition through subtraction...getting rid of PA. I hope Pollack can produce results here like he did in Dallas. With Mixon and Gio running behind a good Oline, we could be scary good. They just need to get the next "right pieces" in the draft.

The Cody Glenn Deal helped us alot.  Hart might be good depth, we don't know. We still need a C and an RT. We could go defense at 21, grab a center in the 2nd and hope Orlando Brown falls to the 3rd. After his combine debacle, (and the 16 personal fouls he picked up n his final season at AZ State), Burfict fell further than that. But there could be other quality RTs with fewer ??? available at 46, though it could be safer to think we'd be more likely to draft an OT worthy of a 1st round pick (i.e., a starter). If, by chance, we do go defense, I think I'd take Tevan Bryan. He's probably the best DLineman in the draft in terms of his versatility. Billed as "the next JJ Watt," Bryan is impressive at both DT and DE. I think we'd all like to see Bryan lined up with Carlos, Geno, Lawson on passing downs. Rashan Evans would also be a good candidate for SAM in our defense. Evans is another guy who could help us NOW. And according to that article, the FO is with Marvin in thinking about NOW.

We have a lot of guys with NFL experience to compete at RT or we could also push Boling to to LT and Glenn to RT so to me the one glaring need is center. We need a stud to anchor the offensive line, a position we have not been dominant really ever under ML.

I think Price will be available with pick #46 , kid from Arkansas I believe or Daniels, so I say take the best center on your board at #46.

A great decision on pick 21 would also help us in 2018, we need pick #21 to contribute a lot as well as pick number 46.