I voted WR. I think there are enough bodies at FG that one of them will step up and take the spot this year. Receivers however, none have proven the ability to get separation. Boyd is the closest we have to AJ right now....

I would say every weakness we had player wise last year is still a weakness this year. Why? Because no one has proven a damn thing yet.

I read a lot of "if" "hope" and "should" in the previous comments. So until someone asserts themselves at rg, rt, c, wr those will remain ? Don't we see better than we hear?

On def can we start playing better against the run? Cover a tight end or slot receiver in the middle of the field?

AJ missing catches at critical times

1: Head Coach
2: QB

Those are the two biggest things holding the Bengals back from being AFC contenders. Those two positions on the team have the biggest influence on everything else.

(05-06-2018, 10:02 AM)cooper Wrote: AJ   missing catches at critical times

Or the QB being trash missing critical throws left and right - for example, 2018 Jags game he missed a wide open Green deep. Or maybe him (idiotically) throwing it away on 4th down at the end if a close game? Those things probably hurt more than a drop or two.

(05-05-2018, 07:28 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: As a team, what weaknesses do you see on our team?

Other - specifically offensive scheme.

Close second is offensive ground game.

Third is lack of defensive playmakers in the secondary. 

Went with o-line. We were 31st in rush offense

http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing

We aren't going anywhere if that continues.

We were 30th in rush defense. So, in general we failed on both sides of the ball here.

Run the ball. Stop the run. The old simple formula that we stand out ugly in.

It's funny, us cats r excited about the Bengals moves. What do ESPN say?

'The Bengals' free-agent signings have included a punter, a backup quarterback and one-year deals for linebacker Preston Smith and tight end Tyler Eifert. They did acquire offensive tackle Cordy Glenn in a trade, but otherwise it has been a quiet offseason in Cincinnati.'

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/NFLpowerrankingsx180327/2018-nfl-power-rankings-risers-fallers-free-agency

(05-06-2018, 11:33 AM)Goalpost Wrote: Went with o-line.  We were 31st in rush offense

http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing

We aren't going anywhere if that continues.

We were 30th in rush defense.  So, in general we failed on both sides of the ball here.

Run the ball.  Stop the run.  The old simple formula that we stand out ugly in.

Yo I think running the ball iz important especially because we don't need Dalton passing 40+ timez a game.

We have AJ Green...then a bunch of mediocre WR's until some dude stepz up.

I'd have preferred Griffin, too. Maybe they thought he was too undersized for the scheme they want to run. I don't know. Marvin is awful at drafting LBs. Maybe Austin sees something in Jefferson that we don't. I know it's his job to be upbeat in the media on draft day, but he seemed excited about him.

The other thing we have to hope for is that Mark Walton posts some good numbers as RB #3. We know that Mixon and Gio could both miss time again this year. Injuries happen. Walton could be very important insurance.

Still, I wish Griffin was in Stripes.

(05-06-2018, 10:58 AM)PDub80 Wrote: Or the QB being trash missing critical throws left and right - for example, 2018 Jags game he missed a wide open Green deep. Or maybe him (idiotically) throwing it away on 4th down at the end if a close game? Those things probably hurt more than a drop or two.

Anyone that suggests AJ Green is a weakness for this team is obviously a troll. Don’t waste your time.

Offensive line chemistry. They absolutely needed upgrades at three spots, and one competition spot for the leftovers. They got two, one is a rookie. Bottom line is though they have to grow chemistry quickly and pick the best five. I understand guys like Westerman and Redmond played descent, but if they have to shuffle again they're in trouble.

(05-06-2018, 01:31 AM)Lionel Hutz Wrote: Other. Coaching, toughness, leadership all ongoing issues with this team.

x2 and this has been going on for 15 years. 

On paper, I don't see a true weakness with the roster. Maybe Safety...but I don't think those guys are "bad" really. The line should be much improved. Burfict + the reigning tackle champ = strength, although it could be rough during the suspension. 

WR2 will be a weakness if Ross doesn't step up. TE will be average at best if Eifert isn't healthy.

Lot of what-if's here (even more than usual) but I like our roster...on paper.

DT is another area where there are huge question marks. Beyond Geno, no one has established themselves as a bona fide average to above average starter. Baker was good in 2015 and Billings has flashed here and there since becoming healthy. I could see that position group going either way this year. Near dead last vs. the run was not a good look for the DTs last year.

(05-07-2018, 07:10 AM)Bilbo Saggins Wrote: DT is another area where there are huge question marks. Beyond Geno, no one has established themselves as a bona fide average to above average starter. Baker was good in 2015 and Billings has flashed here and there since becoming healthy. I could see that position group going either way this year. Near dead last vs. the run was not a good look for the DTs last year.

Don't mean to get off topic here, but I think Billings may actually get TWO more years here to prove himself. Dude has been hurt but he's only 23 years old right now. That's young. 

OL

We had many holes on OL last year after losing Whit and Zeitler. Then Andre leaves this year.

We add a LT with injured foot and Center with torn pec. Nice pieces but both questionable right now.

Would have liked to have seen more depth brought in.

(05-05-2018, 11:10 PM)t3r3e3 Wrote: Other:  Specifically, some combination of a weak right side of the o line, Mike Brown, Marvin Lewis, uncertainty at WR behind AJ, thin at LB until Burfict comes back from the annual sabbatical, questions at safety, no good complement to Geno at DT, and a terrible backup at QB.

Yeah, we don't have a sure thing. We have what  was a below average team and we  may have filled some obvious needs.  I THINK.....we have talent that WILL  evolve.  We have SOME nucleus.   Ross is virtually, a rookie.  Westerman + Redmond and Hart...MIGHT help the O Line.  Ced and Fisher MIGHT turn out well.  Who's the DT next to Geno? Well.... we have good candidates and no sure thing.

On the passing game, Eifort and Ross were rd 1 guys and BOTH might  make a nice impact.  We MIGHT have aa way better O-line which upgrades the whole offense.

I want to see some bright spots in Preseason.  For now, call me optimistic.   There's a LOT of good possibilities.  I think we start out with a better OC and OL coach. That can be a boost.  I can't predict a PLAYOFF run, but I feel we can get 8-8 and MAYBE better.

I voted Offensive Line. It says give specifics. Now why it asks for specifics here and not the other positions, I do not know. I'll say because until it is fixed, it is still broken. In 2017 Bengals had the WORST OFFENSIVE LINE IN NFL. They went into 2017 this way after losing Whitworth and Zeitler. It didn't get much better over the season in spite of those who will say it did. Over the season the running game and passing game suffered. Dalton was sacked and pressured more than any QB in NFL due to no blocking. The Pittsburg game fans that don't know the game complained of Dalton throwing the ball out of bounds too often, but with no blocking he was avoiding the sack. Ken Anderson and most NFL QB's ever have thrown ball out of bounds to avoid the sack. Dalton just had to do it more because of WORST OFFENSIVE LINE IN NFL.

Now, when you have THE WORST OFFENSIVE LINE IN THE NFL, it's going to take a lot to improve that. Bengals did get Buffalo Bills Left Tackle to hopefully replace Whitworth. Ogbuehi was just awful at LT and I hear they are not picking up his last season option. Hopefully that solves LT. LG is in good shape with Bolling. Bodine is gone and center and enter top pick rookie Price. Center is hard for a rookie. Urban Meyer says Bengals just got a great player. Maybe like when drafting Munoz, he will be an instant improvement even though he has to learn as a rookie. The right side becomes a question. There are players to battle for Right Guard and Right Tackle and I would not put anybody's name down in ink. These spots will be won in training camp and preseason and over the course of the regular season. Nothing is set in stone at Right Guard or Right Tackle. Bengals brought in a guard from New York Giants, so don't be assuming the Bengals guard from last year. Don't be assuming Fisher at RT either. There are other tackles in camp and Fisher has been more of the problem than the solution on WORST OFFENSIVE LINE IN NFL. If Ogbuehi is still on team in preseason, he will be fighting for this spot as well. I would hope they take a look at Perkins from Texas and others in camp. I'm not a fan favorite and the best blockers should win the jobs.

The BAD NEWS is it could all be a mistake and not come together and Bengals remain WORST OFFENSIVE LINE IN NFL.

The GOOD NEWS is they have made some changes from 2017 line. If this team can start blocking, this team can WIN. No blocking caused Bengals defense to be on field more than any defense in NFL. I really think the defense did a great job often going on field in bad field position with no rest and still not allowing points to keep team in the game. Most of the time the D kept the score low for an NFL game, but offense just had no blocking to score. If blocking can open running lanes, and protect Dalton to get the ball to Green and others in the air, then Bengals can WIN.

2018 depends on the blocking. with improved blocking Bengals could be a power on offense and defense. without blocking they will be lucky to win 4 games. It all comes down to BLOCKING. Once they find the 5 starters and solid back-ups, they need to go bowling together, eat together, as the 1980's decade Bengals O Line. The idea being the more time they spend together as a unit, the more they will be a unit on the field. This is not like drafting a RB or WR. To build an O Line is one of hardest things in football. It takes time. Practice, hard work and time. All the O Linemen and TE's coming together as ONE BLOCKING UNIT. I do not expect the Bengals to be where they want to be at start of season. My hope is they are better than 2017 at start of season and over season they come together to be good enough to win in play-offs by improving each week and grinding and reaching down for that extra more each week. When they become a solid blocking unit, the Bengals can go Super Bowl because the defense and other offensive players are good enough for Super Bowl if they get BLOCKING. I'm also hoping the wicky wacky split O Line plays of Hue Jackson are gone. THE WORST OFFENSIVE LINE IN NFL has their hands full just coming together as a unit. There is no extra time to be practicing the stupid split O Line plays of Hue who isn't here anyway, he is in Cleveland. Throw that complete garbage out because it never worked anyway. Not once did I ever see putting O Linemen out with WR work, not once. Paul Brown would be burning those plays and getting back to basic run blocking and basic pass blocking. THAT is where the WINS will come from. I can see stacked lines to right or left, but no more of that garbage of tackles out with WR. I blame that horse hockey as part of collapse of our O Line. Hue is now in Cleveland with 1-31 record there. Burn the Hue plays and let Lasor and this O Line coach from Dallas run their playbook.

I voted Offensive Line because I'm basing this primarily on starters.
Out of all the starters, I'm most worried about RT and then RG. I'm worried even with Fisher back to full health, he still may not be a good RT and Hart or Ogbuehi likely aren't going to be any better. For RG, I have confidence in Westerman from what little we've seen of him toward the end of last year but I can definitely understand some skepticism/worry for him, Redmond, or Hopkins.

(05-05-2018, 07:28 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: As a team, what weaknesses do you see on our team?

Obviously, the line is a huge question mark with Fisher struggling at right tackle, but let's hope he can finally put it together with being fully healthy and with Pollack's coaching, and Hart will hopefully push him.  Glenn appears to be an upgrade at left tackle and is even glorified by some experts as one of the top ten left tackles in the league.  Price can hopefully anchor the line and be the leader and strongpoint on the line that we've been missing since Braham.  Guard is still a question mark and should be a good competition with Redmond, Westerman, Boling, and Hopkins.

The line could be, and (at the moment) appears to be, a weaknesses, but Pollack could turn it into a strength or at least a serviceable squad.  

We obviously have AJ and Ross could be coming into his own, and LaFell is also average but, outside of those three, depth could be a concern at receiver.

Safety could be seen as a weakness, but I'm hoping that Bates brings some excitement into the secondary and is a force at one safety spot for us.

Is backer a weakness?  We have Burfict and Jefferson, but will our third backer be good enough?  Can Preston Brown get it done?  Is Vigil improving enough?  Rey?

I left off Marvin and I'm hoping that it finally clicks for him this year and that the assistant coaches help mask his weaknesses and that he listens to them.  He didn't have coaches good enough to be strong enough minds to have an influence on him, but I'm hoping that they play a part in game planning and clock management this year.

Do you agree with my weaknesses?  What weaknesses do you see?

Good thread Brad. RG and RT are the questions now and SAM Linebacker but with Westerman, Redmond, Fisher,
Taylor, Perkins, Jefferson all in the fold they might not be questions very long with our new coaches.

Just have to coach up our weaknesses honestly and with Pollack here the right side of the Line should get coached
up with all these guys. I think Malik Jefferson could be a great SAM for us. He was about my 4th ranked LB'er in this
Draft. Has great talent and upside, good tackler, great athleticism, knows how to engage and cover.

Jessie Bates III is a great ballhawk, just is very young just like Malik. Coach up his tackling and this guy can be a
Pro Bowler very soon. You cannot teach his ballhawk skills. Shawn should be used more as a Nickle Linebacker now.