Each year this is a little tricky because of the different teams playing different Base D’s. So I have taken some liberties and presented the best 3rd Down Rush package. So where do we have Big Los and Law Dog?

BTW here’s a wrap up of our ranking to date:
QB: 11-14 (over 90% have him anywhere from 6-18)
CB: 6-10 (our highest ranked group to date. 83% have them top 10)
RB: 11-16 (The rest of the votes are evenly split between 1-5/6-10)
As always the competition

ARZ: CHANDLER JONES/ MARKUS GOLDEN
ATL: VIC BEASLEY/ TAKK MCKINLEY
BAL: TERRELL SUGGS/ MATT JUDON
BUF: JERRY HUGHES/ SHAQ LAWSON
CAR: MARIO ADDISON/ WES HORTON
CHI: AKIEM HICKS/ LEONARD FLOYD
CLV: MYLES GARRETT/ EMMANUEL OGBAH
DAL: DEMARCUS LAWRENCE/ TYRONE CRAWFORD
DEN: VON MILLER/ BRADLEY CHUBB
DET: EZIEKIEL ANSAH/ KERRY HYDER
GBP: CLAY MATTHEWS/ MUHAMMAD WILKERSON
HOU: JJ WATT/ JADEVEON CLOWNEY
IND: JABALL SHEARD/ KEMOKO TURAY
JAX: CALAIS CAMPBELL/ YANNICK NGAKOUE
KCC: JUSTIN HOUSTON/ DEE FORD
LAC: JOEY BOSA/ MELVIN INGRAM
LAR: AARON DONALD/ MATT LONGACRE
MIA: ROBERT QUINN/ CAMERON WAKE
MIN: EVERSON/ GRIFFEN/ DANIELLE HUNTER
NEP: ADRIAN CLAYBORN/ TREY FLOWERS
NOS: CAMERON JORDAN/ MARCUS DAVENPORT
NYG: OLIVIER VERNON/ KAREEM MARTIN
NYJ: LEONARD WILLIAMS/ DAVID BASS
OAK: KHALIL MACK/ BRUCE IRVIN
PHI: BRANDON GRAHAM/ MICHAEL BENETT
PIT: CAMERON HEYWARD/ TJ WATT
SFF: ELI HAROLD/ CASSIUS MARSH
SEA: FRANK CLARK/ DION JORDAN
TBB: JASON PIERRE-PAUL/ VINNY CURRY
TEN: BRIAN ORAKPO/ DERRICK MORGAN
WAS: RYAN KERRIGAN/ PRESTON SMITH

I'm expecting big things from them this season with a fresh rotation.  6-10 easily.

Got to confess my ignorance of a lot of DEs in the league.  But my take is that typically teams have one really good DE and a middling one.


Dunlap is a really good DE.  Pair him with the combination of Willis and Lawson and we have a pretty dynamic combination.

It will improve if  Willis is able to upgrade his pass rush, and if we get an upgrade at the DT position.   If Brown, Baker and Billings pan out I'd say we are vying for a top 6-7 group.

A lot of ifs, but there's some good potential there.

6-10, could be top 5 if Willis and Hubbard come around. Dunlap might be the most disruptive End in the game, pay the man.

Lawson is an epic pass rusher, dude gets lower then any End i have seen, even Von Miller.

Willis will show why he was rated as high as early 2nd once he adapts to the game, can stop the run and rush the passer.

Hubbard is damn versatile, can rush the passer, stop the run and drop into coverage.

Expecting big things from Hub, even as a rookie. Had a 2nd round grade on him as well. Steal in the 3rd.

As a pass rush duo there isn't much better than The Kraken and The Law.

The Law just needs to get better at laying the law down against the run.

Very few teams can brag about the depth the Bengals have on the defensive line. If the offense and take the lead and allow the d line to pin their ears back they have the potential to lead the league...it's that IF though...lol

I went with 6-10, but that is with a contingency, of course. A. We can count on Lawson's production to increase linearly with his snap count. B. The DTs and LBs stoning the run, better than they did last year. C. The coverage doing their part to give the DL time to bust the play.

1-5. DL and CB should be the strength of this team. I’d probably only put HOU, DEN, and JAX ahead of us just glancing at that list. Maybe LAR too.

(07-20-2018, 06:52 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: 1-5. DL and CB should be the strength of this team. I’d probably only put HOU, DEN, and JAX ahead of us just glancing at that list. Maybe LAR too.

Bosa and Ingram are better as well...

I think they're in that 6-10 range.

Fun fact... I think ya'll were insane on those RB rankings.

Lawson and Dunlap both get 10 sacks each this year. MJ is a good Nickle DT, Hubbard will be effective,and I think Willis could suprise. #1 overall calling it.

(07-20-2018, 07:14 PM)jason Wrote: Bosa and Ingram are better as well...

I think they're in that 6-10 range.

Fun fact... I think ya'll were insane on those RB rankings.

Where did you have the RB's ranked again Jason?

Only 12 players in the NFL hit the rushing triple double last year (double digit sacks, pressures, hits) Law Dog was one of them and he did so in limited snaps.

Quit sleeping on dude. If he stays healthy he can be the best in the game.

My answer is predicated on the 3rd down package being successful, not the individuals listed. As such I went top 5, as Geno will be on the field as well, and not many of the other teams have the trifecta that way.

I ranked them just below the middle of the pack.

The reason is because I tried to rank them on what they have actually done, not potential. Lawson was a real gem of a find, and I hope we see a lot more of him at RDE on passing downs. We have needed a true edge rushing threat from the right side, and he could be it.

I think Willis would be a great base RDE, who will still generate pressure.

Carlos is great, but I feel it is poor usage of him to have him play 99% of snaps. Sure, he can do it, but how much more effective could he be if he was getting a bit more rest and coming off the sideline breathing fire? Hubbard rotating with him at LDE could pay huge dividends.

The biggest weakness has been the center of the defensive line. As great as Geno is, the spot next to him was a liability in rush defense and the ends never benefitted from much push up the middle. Hopefully, Chris Baker and Billings can improve upon the performance that position received last year. If we get Willis to sometimes line up at NT, with Geno at DT, Carlos LDE, and Lawson at RDE, that so-called "Nascar package" could be very fun to watch.

I voted 6-10. I think our rotation is going to be deep and productive.

I voted 11-16.

If this was a vote based just for their pass rush, I would have voted 6-10 instead.

(07-21-2018, 12:16 PM)Millhouse Wrote: I voted 11-16.

If this was a vote based just for their pass rush, I would have voted 6-10 instead.

I tend to agree with you.  For example, does the DE with the gaudy sack and pressure numbers also play disciplined to stone the run?  Does he catch the back sliding out for a screen?  Does he get his unit off the field on 3rd down, or does he have a lot of 1st down "wins"?

Think they sit at 11-16 but will climb a few rungs on the ladder this year easily landing them in top 10.

I voted for top of the heap just to show my true homerism... Even if they're terrible they still play for the Bengals which is always a plus in my homer book..  

(07-21-2018, 12:31 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Only 12 players in the NFL hit the rushing triple double last year (double digit sacks, pressures, hits) Law Dog was one of them and he did so in limited snaps.

Quit sleeping on dude. If he stays healthy he can be the best in the game.

Man, his shoulder skims the ground when he is bending.

Never seen a DE get that low. Mind blowing.

top 1/3rd of the league would be my guess.  Much better than our RBs, that's for sure.