(12-06-2019, 01:44 PM)R3stangs Wrote: Eifert was great until all his injuries. Kind of like the ones AJ has now. Are you so sure he's going to be great going forward? How much are you willing to bet on that as an owner?

Eifert was never “great” he had one really good year. And even then it was mostly TD’s. He’s never put up big yards.

(12-06-2019, 01:43 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Why should he risk injury in a contract year to play for a terrible team? Would you?

Forum recap of general defenses:

-Zac Taylor - Who could win with this terrible management?
-AJ Green - Why should he rush back to play for this terrible team?

Yet there is a thread about how great of a coach Zac Taylor will be. The future is bright!

(12-06-2019, 01:36 PM)R3stangs Wrote: Why do players who are getting paid to play right now get the choice of whether they want to play or not based on the teams record?

There are plenty of players who are playing through injury right now on our team and others because they don't have the resume and clout AJ has.  AJ is a special case because he's trying to be convinced to stay by an owner/GM who pretty much has nothing to offer him.  He's not going to be offered a long-term deal like he wants, he's not going to be on a team that has a shot to win that SB AJ has been dreaming about for most of his life, and so on.

AJ wants stuff that Mike Brown won't/can't give him so in response he's letting him walk over him for a bit.  This will last until we franchise AJ and he either gives up and goes back to playing "good soldier" or goes completely nuclear.

(12-06-2019, 01:47 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Eifert was never “great” he had one really good year. And even then it was mostly TD’s. He’s never put up big yards.

Yep. His 'greatness' is mostly a myth.

(12-06-2019, 01:45 PM)higgy100 Wrote: Well, that's what happens when your OL is terrible. You have to keep your TE in more to block.

Plenty of times AJ is a no-show even when he's on the field. When he decides to take over a game that's when he's back to being a top 3-4 WR.

It's never about ability when there's way too much unavailability....

Total bs

(12-06-2019, 01:41 PM)R3stangs Wrote: I hope not. Spending big money on a guy who can't/won't get on the field is not going to help this team with so many other glaring holes.

Maybe AJ doesn't want to play for any team that is dumb enough to give an injury-prone vet like him a giant contract?

(12-06-2019, 01:33 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Can a team win with 2 key guys playing that amount of time?

I will say yes...if they know how to adjust playcalling to adapt to their strengths.
Example: If your top WRs are out or being neutralized, you better start emphasizing the run game and/or your TEs.
This was the big reason the Bengals have floundered in the past. They relied too much on the health of AJ and Eifert and couldn't adjust when they weren't both healthy.

(12-06-2019, 01:48 PM)Nately120 Wrote: There are plenty of players who are playing through injury right now on our team and others because they don't have the resume and clout AJ has.  AJ is a special case because he's trying to be convinced to stay by an owner/GM who pretty much has nothing to offer him.  He's not going to be offered a long-term deal like he wants, he's not going to be on a team that has a shot to win that SB AJ has been dreaming about for most of his life, and so on.

AJ wants stuff that Mike Brown won't/can't give him so in response he's letting him walk over him for a bit.  This will last until we franchise AJ and he either gives up and goes back to playing "good soldier" or goes completely nuclear.

Yep. And in return AJ says the right things...because IF you try to force Bengals managements hand...they spite you and refuse to trade you, etc.

(12-06-2019, 01:45 PM)higgy100 Wrote: Well, that's what happens when your OL is terrible. You have to keep your TE in more to block.

Plenty of times AJ is a no-show even when he's on the field. When he decides to take over a game that's when he's back to being a top 3-4 WR.

It's never about ability when there's way too much unavailability....

Zac doesn't know how to use TE's in this offense. It's very clear.

(12-06-2019, 01:43 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Why should he risk injury in a contract year to play for a terrible team? Would you?

So come every contract year players should pack it in so they don't risk injury for the next contract? 

If he's still injured, then fine. Stay off the field and go on the IR list to make room for someone who wants to play. Basically I don't want him back because he'll want to much for a player that has become to high of an injury risk.

If he's dragging his feet for the reason you listed above then I don't him back for other reasons. Again, he is being paid extremely well to play right now. Why is it OK to ignore that fact?

(12-06-2019, 01:50 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I will say yes...if they know how to adjust playcalling to adapt to their strengths.
Example: If your top WRs are out or being neutralized, you better start emphasizing the run game and/or your TEs.
This was the big reason the Bengals have floundered in the past. They relied too much on the health of AJ and Eifert and couldn't adjust when they weren't both healthy.

Zac doesn't seem like one who can adjust. We're 1-11 and I feel like Management thinks it's because we're missing AJ Green.

(12-06-2019, 01:48 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yep. His 'greatness' is mostly a myth.

Great in the red zone...

(12-06-2019, 01:52 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Zac doesn't know how to use TE's in this offense. It's very clear.

What does he know how to do?

(12-06-2019, 01:53 PM)jason Wrote: Great in the red zone...

Red Zone? Is that a nickname for a hospital or IR?

(12-06-2019, 01:52 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Zac doesn't know how to use TE's in this offense. It's very clear.

Remember, in "this" offense you have just an adequate QB in Dalton who most people want out of here until, of course, RF screwed up but, far more importantly, an OL that has been as bad as any in the NFL the past 3 years...That can hardly be debated....

(12-06-2019, 01:55 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: What does he know how to do?

He seems to be good at saying 'The Team still buys in!' at press conferences. I see some fans parrot that.

Hint: IF a team buys in, you don't have to keep telling everyone.

(12-06-2019, 01:53 PM)jason Wrote: Great in the red zone...

Yep. That was about it. But so is John Ross and nobody is calling him great...

(12-06-2019, 01:56 PM)higgy100 Wrote: Remember, in "this" offense you have just an adequate QB in Dalton who most people want out of here until, of course, RF screwed up but, far more importantly, an OL that has been as bad as any in the NFL the past 3 years...That can hardly be debated....

The offensive line is bad. No doubt. But, our offensive efficiency ratings were considerably better last year. And this team has been healthier for the most part.

This 'modern' offense hasn't worked out.

(12-06-2019, 01:57 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Yep. That was about it. But so is John Ross and nobody is calling him great...

So you're convinced Eifert is the same player right now as he was previously. Is that your point?

(12-06-2019, 01:52 PM)R3stangs Wrote: So come every contract year players should pack it in so they don't risk injury for the next contract? 

If he's still injured, then fine. Stay off the field and go on the IR list to make room for someone who wants to play. Basically I don't want him back because he'll want to much for a player that has become to high of an injury risk.

If he's dragging his feet for the reason you listed above then I don't him back for other reasons. Again, he is being paid extremely well to play right now. Why is it OK to ignore that fact?

Mike Brown is being paid even more "extremely well" to own and run an NFL team and he's been dragging his feet for decades.  This is why you try to run a business in a way that actually inspires people to want to be a part of it rather than in a way that convinces people to find jobs elsewhere or stay away.

You reap what you sow.  For some reason people have an easier time grasping that AJ Green is phoning it in from the bench all season than they do seeing Katie and Troy phone it in (or not even bother to phone in anything) on vacation and/or Mike Brown dozing off in a luxury box.  This just in....lazy owner who doesn't care about winning has employees who aren't dying to jump on a grenade for him!  Life is actually somewhat fair sometimes...crazy, I know.