(08-02-2018, 06:25 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: 7-9. Or 8-8.  That’s my prediction for the season.  Every year you Orange Kool aid drinkers get my hopes up and I legitimately think we can get over the hill this year.   Well you are NOT going to do that to me this year.  I’m sticking with that as my season projection.  I might even lower it to 4-12 or 5-11 too.  Just depends on how injuries go this preseason. I can even see us going 1-15 too and getting the #1 draft pick in next years draft.  So really I’m all over the place right now.




I’m also predicting draft season comes around these parts by the middle of October.   October 15th to be exact.

(08-03-2018, 01:53 AM)grampahol Wrote: There's absolutely no reason to not feel excited. It's football season right around the corner and whether they have a great season or not it's just plain fun to speculate about how good they can be  even when its painfully obvious there are big gaps needed to be filled. 
Just enjoy the ride. Enjoy the scenery and enjoy a cheap, greasy hamburger whenever available . You have absolutely nothing to lose by being excited about your team . 

(08-06-2018, 08:08 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Wow.  For a team that went 7-9 last year...where did the team not improve?  I will give you the QB position as our backup situation just went from solid to shitty.

Aside from that, where is this team worse than last year?  Folks forget that just keeping your top talent, and not only bringing in new talent that can start right away (Glenn, Brown) is a real challenge.  This team lost no one that was a key player a year ago (Lafell, but we got average production from a position that should have done way more across from AJ Green).

I don't mean to say your opinion isn't valid, or try to change your mind, but how do you see them getting worse?  

(08-07-2018, 10:56 AM)grampahol Wrote: Someone will be rooting for a 0-16 season just so we get the #1 overall pick in the draft and no other reason. This is Browns fans mentality . 
You see it every season though. We could be sitting at 10-5 and inevitably someone will say they need to throw the last game for the draft slot..   Well THAT'S real logic, eh?
After all, who wants to pick 29th in the draft AS IF the only teams to win always pick number 1 every season . 

Than we made all these moves, so i am like, we will see, could be good.

(08-02-2018, 05:56 PM)Brimey Wrote: Year after year I convince myself that this is the year that the Bengals make the leap. And year after year the season ends with a definitive thud of reality. But I'm looking at this team realistically and not seeing why this year couldn't be the year. The year a corner is turned and this team not only is in the playoffs, but winning some games. So tell me where I'm wrong in my rose colored view of the team as it stands.

QB: B.    Last time this team had healthy weapons and a decent offensive line number 14 had a great year. I believe he can do that again. He has to stay healthy though because the options behind him are scary.

RB: B+.  Mixon could be an absolute stud, and Gio is still a dangerous guy with playmaking ability.

TE: B+ Eifert playing even 10 to 12 games and Kroft? That's a great tight end duo. Obviously health is key, but Eifert IS playing right now. So my optimism seems warranted.

OL: C-  This grade is just below average. I don't see the line being a F anymore. We have a lot of young guys, and there is really no way to see how they will shape up. But apparently Ced is still bring abused in practice and standing out as the poorest lineman, and we we're counting on him to be our LT(!!!) last year! The line doesn't have to be great. Just average with the weaponry we have.

WR: B AJ Green automatically gives you a B. He's a top 5 receiver. And there is a plethora of young talent with top notch athleticism. Boyd, Malone, Ross, Tate as a red zone threat? The fact that they cut Lafell tells me the young guys are REALLY coming along. Red zone sets with Tate, Green, Eifert and Ross would be lethal.

DL. A  Dunlap, Atkins and Lawson on passing downs? Oh my. Lawson looks like he has the ability to be the best edge rusher we've had in forever. Willis looks impressive. Billings stepping up and reaching his potential would be huge

LBs. D This is the weak spot to me. Burfict is a great linebacker when he is healthy and motivated (and my favorite player in the league to watch play) and not suspended. Brooks looks to be a solid backer. The rest are very meh. Someone will have to step up between Vigil, Jefferson and Evans.

CBs B+. We have arguably the best young CB in football. Solid vets rounding out the rest of the unit. Dre Isn't great, but he's probably the 3rd best corner on the team which he's certainly capable of filling that role.

S. C Iloka and Williams are average vets. Bates may be starting sooner than later.

We added the OL coach of probably the best OL in football, the QB coach of perhaps the best QB in football and a DC that preaches what we've wanted the Bengals to do for years...get the ball get the ball get the ball.

The national media understandably discounts this team any opportunity they have. And the thing is it's usually a narrative of the Head Coach is still there and so is the QB. Well I see all new coordinators and serious talent at every single level of the team. And some serious YOUNG talent.

So please, dispel my notions. Don't allow me to trick myself this year like I have so many times. Bring me back down to earth before the cold hard reality of Bengals football always seems to as the season progresses.