These are teams Bengals can take the field with. Losers, not play-off teams like Patriots. I still think AT Miami is a hard road game for Bengals. Still, Miami is pretty bad also. Browns aren't very good either. Taylors coaches have improved the Defense from last season. Not the Offense, but The Defense. I'll say Bengals improved Defense carries them to 3-13 and they avoid having worst record in Bengals history of 1-15. Bengals could get a couple late season wins off some fellow loser teams.

Maybe that awful defense of 2018 is starting to get fixed. The awful offense since 2017 is going to take longer to fix because of the failed Ogbuhei & Fisher Price experiment. I now agree that quarterback is a huge problem. Dalton, Finley and Dolegala should not be the 3 in preseason in 2020. My guess is we've seen the last of AJ Green and maybe Dalton, and either way we close the book on Dalton to Green that was very good for many years, but all things end. This team still has major O Line needs and now some WR needs. Not that there aren't needs in Defense, but LB or edge rusher in 1 may now be foolish with such huge offense needs. This is also some of worst offensive coordinator plays Bengals have had. I think that makes the QBs look worse, because maybe the plays aren't very good.

Bring on Miami and Cleveland and lets see how Bengals do against these losers. These games will show Bengals greatest needs in the draft. If players on Bengals offense or defense look bad in these games, it's time to fire them if they can't play even bad teams. Time to see which Bengals step up last 2 games with NO QUIT. These are really preseason games for 2020 now, and lets see who steps up and is worth keeping. I put that above the draft, because if nobody steps up, if everybody quits. you can not draft 53 new players.

I'm starting to see QB, WR, O Line as needed picks. The D could use LB help. Not sure 1 draft can do it, unless maybe they trade down and get many picks in first 3 rounds. Something to consider if this Burrow is off the board. If Bengals draft 2 or 3, might want to trade down for more 1st, 2nd & 3rd round picks. Some team might trade picks to get Young. Bengals with many needs, need many picks. That or crawl through 3 years of drafts to start winning. Also in today's NFL you need a QB that if the D leaves open running daylight, you have a QB that can run as well as throw. A slow pocket QB doesn't cut it right now. See Seattle and Baltimore.

I am fairly certain QB will be #1 but I have no interest in an EARLY WR, when there are much greater needs at G, OT, LB, S, and DE.

Luckily, it is a very deep draft and perhaps the Bengals could get more outside speed in Rd 4 to be better prepared for AJ missing games.

Lose to the Dolphins, crush the Browns.

Or lose to both.

By no means should they beat both.

That would be absolutely catastrophic to the future of this franchise.

(12-16-2019, 11:38 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Lose to the Dolphins, crush the Browns.

Or lose to both.

By no means should they beat both.

That would be absolutely catastrophic to the future of this franchise.

You guys act like we can just determine who we win against. We've been trying to win EVERY game this season and already lost to the Browns and some other bad teams.

Yeah the Browns are bad...but we're way worse.

It's not like our goal was to get the #1 pick all year and now we can actually win some games because we're that great.

(12-16-2019, 12:01 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: You guys act like we can just determine who we win against. We've been trying to win EVERY game this season and already lost to the Browns and some other bad teams.

Yeah the Browns are bad...but we're way worse.

It's not like our goal was to get the #1 pick all year and now we can actually win some games because we're that great.

The last time we played the Browns we outplayed them. This team is better than their record, especially now that the offensive line is healthy and looking like a semi-functional unit. 

I just don't want the Bengals and their fans to have suffered through this entire season only to catch the wind in their sails in the final two weeks and blow their chances at a franchise changing QB just for the sake of "morale."

(12-16-2019, 12:08 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: The last time we played the Browns we outplayed them. This team is better than their record, especially now that the offensive line is healthy and looking like a semi-functional unit. 

I just don't want the Bengals and their fans to have suffered through this entire season only to catch the wind in their sails in the final two weeks and blow their chances at a franchise changing QB just for the sake of "morale."

We are absolutely not better than our record. We're able to run the ball now, but we can't score points.

Interestingly, when we had extremely low yardage early in the season, people were like 'points matter'.

Now that we're able to run and our yardage totals are better and our points are lower, people are like 'yards matter'.

It's great being a Bengals fan! Teams like the Dolphins, Giants, and Redskins are actually occasionally winning games late in the year. Wins are improvement. Having to sift through the stats to find increases, isn't.

(12-16-2019, 08:55 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I am fairly certain QB will be #1 but I have no interest in an EARLY WR, when there are much greater needs at G, OT, LB, S, and DE.  

Luckily, it is a very deep draft and perhaps the Bengals could get more outside speed in Rd 4 to be better prepared for AJ missing games.

If you factor in AJ Green not on this team come March,  how solid are we at WR compared to other teams ?  

(12-16-2019, 12:13 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: We are absolutely not better than our record. We're able to run the ball now, but we can't score points.

Interestingly, when we had extremely low yardage early in the season, people were like 'points matter'.

Now that we're able to run and our yardage totals are better and our points are lower, people are like 'yards matter'.

It's great being a Bengals fan! Teams like the Dolphins, Giants, and Redskins are actually occasionally winning games late in the year. Wins are improvement. Having to sift through the stats to find increases, isn't.

I agree Bengals are NOT better than their record and have NOT been losing on purpose for draft pick, that is last thing in players and coaches minds.  

I do think the Defense that was awful all 2018 and start of 2019 has improved under the coaching or whatever.  The Defense looks good for first time since 2017.  Now the offense still stinks.  However Miami and Cleveland are as bad as their records.   If Atkins, Dunlap, Dennard keep playing like they have second half of season, Bengals will finish 3-13.    

Actually, that would be a good thing if the Defense is back to playing good ball.  There are few draft rounds and if the Defense of Dunlap and others shows they are back to good ball,  we can focus draft on this awful offense. 

The Bengals Defense has been better than 2018. You can see the Defense is better. The problem is not only does the Offense not score, but they make many turnovers giving other teams free points which you can not blame on the Defense. Our Offense is giving opposing teams more free points than the 10 some points a game they score for themselves. Even pick 6's by Dalton and Finley every game. Bengals offense scores more for the other teams than for themselves. You take away all the offensive turnovers, and the Bengals Defense gives up few points. It is Bengals offense giving up all the points and field position and games second half of 2019.

So The Defense has turned it around from the Defense Disaster of 2018 coaching. I think enough to beat Miami and Cleveland with Defense. The offense could lose these games, but Mixon and Benard could have good games against them. So 3-13 record is possible, thanks to the Defense playing better. If Dunlap and Company are flying to the ball as they have lately, Bengals win last 2 games.

This D still sucks. There is nothing good about this D other than the line starting to somewhat play like they should, somewhat. Same with the Oline, sure their a little better but still pretty bad. Plus who knows what’s going on with Glenn next year and there are no indications that J.Williams is any better than Og at this point. I will be pissed if they win the last two games. There’s more holes on this team than a men’s bathroom stall in SF. Fix the lines, draft a LB that’s worth a damn for once. I don’t even care if we get a QB this year cause there’s no way you can throw him out there anyway. Just fix the trenches already.

(12-16-2019, 12:01 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: You guys act like we can just determine who we win against. We've been trying to win EVERY game this season and already lost to the Browns and some other bad teams.

Yeah the Browns are bad...but we're way worse.

It's not like our goal was to get the #1 pick all year and now we can actually win some games because we're that great.

What? You don't think this is the greatest bengals team in history? Why, they coulda been a contender this year if they didn't suck so much so there is that! 

(12-17-2019, 03:44 AM)kevin Wrote: I agree Bengals are NOT better than their record and have NOT been losing on purpose for draft pick, that is last thing in players and coaches minds.  

I do think the Defense that was awful all 2018 and start of 2019 has improved under the coaching or whatever.  The Defense looks good for first time since 2017.  Now the offense still stinks.  However Miami and Cleveland are as bad as their records.   If Atkins, Dunlap, Dennard keep playing like they have second half of season, Bengals will finish 3-13.    

Actually, that would be a good thing if the Defense is back to playing good ball.  There are few draft rounds and if the Defense of Dunlap and others shows they are back to good ball,  we can focus draft on this awful offense. 

The Bengals Defense has been better than 2018.   You can see the Defense is better.  The problem is not only does the Offense not score, but they make many turnovers giving other teams free points which you can not blame on the Defense.   Our Offense is giving opposing teams more free points than the 10 some points a game they score for themselves.   Even pick 6's by Dalton and Finley every game.  Bengals offense scores more for the other teams than for themselves.   You take away all the offensive turnovers, and the Bengals Defense gives up few points.  It is Bengals offense giving up all the points and field position and games second half of 2019.  

So The Defense has turned it around from the Defense Disaster of 2018 coaching.   I think enough to beat Miami and Cleveland with Defense.   The offense could lose these games, but Mixon and Benard could have good games against them.   So 3-13 record is possible, thanks to the Defense playing better. If Dunlap and Company are flying to the ball as they have lately, Bengals win last 2 games.

As long as they don't throw the ball even one time they stand a chance. In fact, if the goal is to win just run the wild cat formation every play.. Get Tayveon Williams on the active roster as well and just use 3 backs on every stinking play..   

(12-17-2019, 03:33 AM)kevin Wrote: If you factor in AJ Green not on this team come March,  how solid are we at WR compared to other teams ?  

If Green is gone, I would go after a WR in the second round, perhaps....it would depend on how many picks they had in terms of trades, etc.  I am just so tired of grabbing the shiny new toy and doing nothing to protect it. 

(12-16-2019, 11:38 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Lose to the Dolphins, crush the Browns.

Or lose to both.

By no means should they beat both.

That would be absolutely catastrophic to the future of this franchise.

^This^

I hope the Dolphins are up on us 45-0 by halftime so I can quit sweating. Then I hope we break our foot off in the Browns ass, Hubbard face plants Baker Hayfield, 5 X. OBJ curls up in a fetal position at midfield. Landry comes over to ZT yelling come get me and so on.

We are going to have to go defense sometime guys. We can't keep waiting until the 3rd round to address the D. Folks hate to hear it, but even after picking Burrow, it's going to take a couple drafts to fix this team. We just don't have enough picks and with Dalton playing bad, we aren't going to be able to trade him, and with Green injured and not playing in years it seems, no one is trading for him, which means we won't pick up any picks since they screwed up the trade deadline and didn't have any foresight into the worth of Dalton/Green this offseason.

Yea I wish we could go QB, WR, OT early. But we are completely ignoring the Defense yet again with that strategy.

(12-17-2019, 10:05 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: ^This^

I hope the Dolphins are up on us 45-0 by halftime so I can quit sweating. Then I hope we break our foot off in the Browns ass, Hubbard face plants Baker Hayfield, 5 X. OBJ curls up in a fetal position at midfield. Landry comes over to ZT yelling come get me and so on.

This

I hope the Bengals lose Sunday. Its in the best interest of the franchise to rest Mixon and start Jake D. Burrow is such a perfect fit. I find this whole scenario fascinating. NFL coaches/Players aren't wired to tank. I think Zac could lose the locker room (seems like he's lost Boyd). But he also must look long term (management as well). Burrow is from the area, clearly is beloved. He could have that place sold out week 1. Burrow is our reward for sticking around thru the worst season in franchise history.

If the Bengals should some how win the last 2 games, it will be nice for the record but look at who we did win against, the Jets, and possibly the Dolphins & Browns. They don't exactly have stunning seasons either. I guess we have to look at it like this, somebody has to win the last 2 games.

(12-17-2019, 10:25 AM)jj22 Wrote: We are going to have to go defense sometime guys. We can't keep waiting until the 3rd round to address the D. Folks hate to hear it, but even after picking Burrow, it's going to take a couple drafts to fix this team. We just don't have enough picks and with Dalton playing bad, we aren't going to be able to trade him, and with Green injured and not playing in years it seems, no one is trading for him, which means we won't pick up any picks since they screwed up the trade deadline and didn't have any foresight into the worth of Dalton/Green this offseason.

Yea I wish we could go QB, WR, OT  early. But we are completely ignoring the Defense yet again with that strategy.

I agree. With the caveat that we shouldn't reach in the 2nd round for a defender. If there's a LB that is there that is worth the pick, then I think we should take him.

But if there's a first round grade OT/OG at 33 and the closest LB has a late 2nd round grade on him, I'd hope we don't reach for the LB just to fill a need.

Like you said, it'll take a few years to fully rebuild this team. It'd be best to always prioritize talent over need (relatively speaking, of course.)

(12-17-2019, 11:02 AM)Bigcatfan Wrote: If the Bengals should some how win the last 2 games, it will be nice for the record but look at who we did win against, the Jets, and possibly the Dolphins & Browns. They don't exactly have stunning seasons either. I guess we have to look at it like this, somebody has to win the last 2 games.

Nightmare Scenario ... Bengals win their last 2 games and wind up picking 3rd to 5th. Mikey is enamored with Burrow and gives up all our picks this year to move to #1.

(12-17-2019, 12:11 PM)PV Bengal Wrote: Nightmare Scenario ... Bengals win their last 2 games and wind up picking 3rd to 5th. Mikey is enamored with Burrow and gives up all our picks this year to move to #1.

He could never make that fatal mistake like Mike Ditka did for the Saints when he wanted Ricky Williams so bad. And look what it got him. Nothing, but fired.