(12-31-2019, 04:44 PM)WiregrassBenGal Wrote: Most of the replies to this thread are interesting. Whether anyone thinks the Bengals can do it or not, it's much easier to go from a loser to a winner quickly in football than in other sports, which is part of what makes it so popular. There is the recent example of the Rams, who went from a nothing team to last year's Super Bowl. Even looking at the Bengals, does anyone remember how in 2011 everyone predicted a basement finish and a repeat 4-12 record? Instead, Andy, AJ and a few other scrappers surprised everybody.

(12-30-2019, 07:45 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I guess we're all vulnerable to the effects of the dead cat bounce.  

Buy your season tickets while you still can!  

(12-30-2019, 10:14 AM)kevin Wrote: Watch LSU vs Clemson to see the 2020 leader of this team in Burrow,  but they need to get him some blocking, not keep the bums you say have potential.  They have the potential to get Burrow career injured early, that is the only potential this O Line has.   Watch Burrow Jan 13th and hope Bengals also get him some blocking.  The Defense stinks also, worst against the run in NFL.  As Howard Cossell would say, Lets Tell It Like It Is.

(01-05-2020, 01:48 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Yep, 2019 Bengals look like a sleeping giant to me

(01-05-2020, 11:07 AM)Bengalitis Wrote: He is not a running QB. He will not fare well without an OL or at least as well as he could. If we don't have a superb Defense, this team will never reach the playoffs.

(01-05-2020, 03:52 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Friendly reminder that the Rams fired their coaches after they went 4-12 in 2016. The reason they went 11-5 the next year and 13-3 the year after with a SB appearance is because they didn't strap themselves to the anchor of bad coaching and fired Jeff Fisher, hiring Sean McVay.

Meanwhile the Bengals are going to keep their loser 2-14 HC/offensive playcaller.

(01-05-2020, 02:45 PM)samhain Wrote: I think expectations should be kept low for now.

I'm not overly hyped over the state of the roster as others are. Some of the guys people are getting excited about have very small sample sizes in terms of games played. Playing well is better than playing shitty, but sustained ability to play at a high level in the league is yet to be determined for many of these guys. This is not only true for the guys here, but (even moreso) for Burrow as well. That said, I'll grant that the roster seems to be in a better state than it was at the end of 18.

The thing I think that helps them now is the fact that the staff has a year under their belt. It's not going in blind anymore. Hopefully the improvements on defense and o-line are long-term ones and not just success against bad teams at the end of a lost season. We should see if the end of the year was a dead cat bounce or the start of something positive relatively quickly next season.

It's saying something that Taylor apparently hasn't lost the locker room after this horrendous year. That's something to build on.

From a roster perspective, I'm trying to see this offseason like the 2011 year when Carson left. At time there were pieces in place on the defense, but still work to do. They made an effort to add in the secondary and linebacker groups. They drafted 2 cornerstone offensive players that would sustain relative success for almost 10 years, This year, they have even better draft position, so that helps. They also got a lineman that would start for 8 years. After that, the 2012 and 2013 drafts added Dre, Zeitler, Gio, and Eifert to round out a pretty impressive roster of young talent.

Unless the staff shits the bed, they'll get another year or so to build IMO. I look at 2022 as the year that they'll be built to compete for something real. That should be enough to bring in a core of young talent for another 8-10 years.

(01-05-2020, 10:45 AM)Catmandude123 Wrote: I think every fan should wait until the team is all in for improving the team before buying ANY tickets let alone season tickets. My biggest fear is MB will try to ride the fans euphoria of signing Burrow while doing nothing to improve the roster in general. The shiny objects dazzle some idiots. DON'T BE FOOLED!!!!

(12-30-2019, 09:11 AM)Devils Advocate Wrote: Admittedly, I’m always overly optimistic about every season, but this feels different to me. The biggest question mark being the coaching, however I believe they will and should all return.

I’m curious to know how the defense ranked over the second half of the season or last 3rd of the season because they looked infinitely better than they did in the first half, but I don’t know the numbers.

I think we have real weapons at all the offensive skill positions with a very underrated CJ Uzomah and underused Eifert. I believe Auden Tate will have a breakout year, given the assumed new QB will trust him and not rely too heavily on other (established) receivers.

I think there’s question marks along the Oline, but they’re not as puzzling as the narrative indicates. I’d like to see an upgrade or two, but I think these cast-offs have enough potential to allow most plays to develop.

I’ve always been a fan of and defended Andy. But sometimes it is just the QB and as much as I like Andy, I’m hoping it was just him because that means all the other pieces are good enough for the next QB.

I believe we have an excellent front 7 on defense. I’m a 4-3 guy, mainly because I’m most familiar with it because of this team, however I think they have all the pieces to lean heavily on a 3-4 front as this gets all of their best players on the field at the same time. It would awesome to land a an established play maker at LBer because he’d make this group fierce but I don’t think it’s necessary. I like that kid from Cleveland that hasn’t been re signed yet. I think Evans, Lawson, Pratt and Vigil/Hubbard (I know I know) have the potential to be stout and could use some help but I think the team should focus on a ball hawking super stud Safety (if one’s available). I think this is the missing piece on defense a la Minka Fitzpatrick.

I think Darious Phillips showed enough (4 picks is the 3rd highest) that cutting Dre is worth the risk and savings.

I know people think this team is far-away, but I disagree. Hopefully Zac makes the leap in his second season.

(01-07-2020, 01:11 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: I think your name says it all!

REMEMBER 2015 when this team was 8-0.  EVERYBODY was on board, including myself, thinking that year was different and going to be special.  Then, low and behold, Dalton breaks his thumb.

I believe that WAS the season.  It seems like when it does seem to come together, a freak injury happens to this franchise!! 

(01-07-2020, 03:30 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: We always seem to get the bad break it seems.

Has to change doesn't it? Need to get a good one for once.

(01-06-2020, 12:44 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Bingo. Unless I see a change in attitude with this FO, Burrow is just the latest shiny toy that will have his career ruined by an apathetic and money-focused front office.

(01-21-2020, 04:58 AM)Devils Advocate Wrote: Just wanted to say I stand by my OP as far as this being a more talented team than their record.

But I also want to say that I think this team can ride Joe Mixon into the playoffs if that other Joe  can at least minimize his mistakes.

(01-21-2020, 10:18 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: They will be a better team if they sign a few decent free agents to make up for their recent draft misses. We know how that goes, though. So no, I'm not expecting them to light the world on fire next year.