Name 3 players who have to have career years to insure playoff return.

[JumboTron]

The.
Offensive.
Line.

How they go so goes this season.

[kevin]

It's a good Thread....I just don't think in terms of 3 players in football. Maybe basketball. Not football. I think we all know who the key players are and it will take more than 3 to have a good season. Certainly I would think people who are NOT Bengals fans may know of Dalton, AJ Green and on defense Atkins. Yes, we could use good seasons from these 3....but it will take more, much more. ....Football is a team game. Teams with a couple individual stars finish last. All around good teams finish first. The Season starts when Training Camp opens any day now. You are only as good as you practice. All Super Bowl Winners always say it all began back in Summer Camp. Some Super Bowl Winners have even said THEY KNEW by their Summer Camp that something was different and THIS was their year.

[*SHRacerX*]

Joe Mixon
AJ Green
Vontaze Burfict

If they have "career years", the offense and defense will surely be rolling. I have no doubts what Dalton will do with the likes of Ross, Core, Boyd, Eifert, Uzomah, etc. in his stable. I also feel like we will have the best front four in a very long time when Willis/Lawson rotate in at RDE and they join Dunlap, Geno, and Billings. Special teams are going to be significantly improved with Elliot, our new kicker, and the speed merchants helping in the coverage and return teams.

I just have to know one thing...Is anyone proud of me for not putting Fej as one of my three? It wasn't easy.

[grampahol]

I'm going with Conspiracy-theoryland and say it'll be a money maker for the league to have the great Cinderella team (Us) win it all. 
We have a good story line that can be sold around the nation. 50th anniversary,  never won the big game,  owner in the twilight of life and players that win one for the grifter.. err Giffer.. 
Refs will be instructed to look the other way as our O-line is permitted to hold with impunity and so on which will give rise to a whole new generation of Squeeler fans pretending it's all one big conspiracy to steal victory from their ever deserving and loving embrace.  Awwww... 
I'll take it..  

[BFritz21]

(07-23-2017, 02:57 PM)wolfkaosaun Wrote: Ogbuehi, Fisher, and Bodine.

I have faith in our other positions, but our offensive line could be the worst in the NFL.

It doesn't matter what skill players you have. If the line doesn't maintain blocks, open holes, or give solid protection, you won't be able to get the most out of those skill players.

I was just thinking skill players but they'll all do their thing so you're absolutely right.

I've been preaching all along that our offensive line is my one doubt about this team.  We're loaded with talent almost everywhere else, but we can't do anything without our offensive line.

[CJD]

(07-23-2017, 08:00 PM)Pat5775 Wrote: This.

As long as this patchwork offensive line holds up (and we can stay relatively healthy), we have enough talent to win at least 10 games. 

So, in other words, the weaknesses of the patchwork offensive line (Particularly Ogbuehi and Fisher) need to have career years?

[PV Bengal]

(07-23-2017, 08:18 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Meh could care less about returning to the playoffs. Its about winning in the playoffs.

True enough ... but you've got to make the playoffs before you can win a playoff game.

[XenoMorph]

Cedric Ogbuehi
Billings
The new kicker...


Wont be hard for them to have "Career years"

[XenoMorph]

(07-24-2017, 07:40 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Joe Mixon
AJ Green
Vontaze Burfict

If they have "career years", the offense and defense will surely be rolling.  I have no doubts what Dalton will do with the likes of Ross, Core, Boyd, Eifert, Uzomah, etc. in his stable.  I also feel like we will have the best front four in a very long time when Willis/Lawson rotate in at RDE and they join Dunlap, Geno, and Billings.  Special teams are going to be significantly improved with Elliot, our new kicker, and the speed merchants helping in the coverage and return teams.  

I just have to know one thing...Is anyone proud of me for not putting Fej as one of my three?  It wasn't easy.

if they have career years it could also mean plenty of others are slacking which will be good for fantasy bad for playoff hopes.

[*Go Cards*]

Pick any three from O-line. It is that important this season in my book. Will say

Smith
Jake
Ced

[Pat5775]

(07-24-2017, 10:05 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: So, in other words, the weaknesses of the patchwork offensive line (Particularly Ogbuehi and Fisher) need to have career years?

I guess, but really they just need to be halfway decent. To me, a "career year" involves pro bowl numbers and franchise records. If be ecstatic if that happened but realistically I'd be happy if they just have a mediocre year. That alone would be a huge improvement from last season 

[CJD]

(07-24-2017, 12:31 PM)Pat5775 Wrote: I guess, but really they just need to be halfway decent. To me, a "career year" involves pro bowl numbers and franchise records. If be ecstatic if that happened but realistically I'd be happy if they just have a mediocre year. That alone would be a huge improvement from last season 

Well, for Ogbuehi and Fisher, being halfway decent would be a career year for each of them .

[wolfkaosaun]

(07-23-2017, 03:31 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: but what your skilled players can do is help overcome a subpar line.. on the flip side you can have the best line in the league and if you lack in skilled players.. you wont be able to compete at the level you want either... 

When we and experts look at our offense, we rank very high in skilled player positions but very low on the line.. so a happy medium can do the trick.. our skilled players if they perform at the level expected and if our line can just play average at best (which with the young of three of them , improvement should be easier to gain than hopefully a veteran to raise their performance).. that gives us a chance... especially with the expected Defense we have

That is true, but something we also have an issue with is health. Green and Eifert both went out for the season last year and we saw how our offense went.

I do agree, it does balance out in a sense. And I do think our defense always gives us a chance. But we saw our offense when Ogbuehi started and when Fisher started.

If those 3 have career years, then I'm 99% positive we make the playoffs. The 1% is barring injury.

(07-23-2017, 05:48 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Well, those were the exact 3 that I was going to list.  However, we have been chronicling the importance of them having a good year, since free agency began.  So, in gesture of good sportsmanship, I'll select 3 completely different players.  Andrew Billings, William Jackson III, and Nick Vigil.  If those 3 meld into the defense, and become the players that we think that they can be, it may not matter if the offense can score more than 14 pts./game.

I'm also excited to see Minter on defense. We finally have a LB in the middle who can cover very well and I think adds a dynamic to the linebacking corp we haven't had in quite some time when it comes to the MLB psoition.

[reuben.ahmed]

Andy Dalton, Vontaze Burfict, AJ Green

[TKUHL]

1. Dalton- Tons of weapons
2. Ced- Hope LT just clicks for this guy
3. Bodine- Not much needs to be said

If I could pick a couple more it would be

4. G. Adkins- Having Billings and fresh players to rotate should help

5. Eifert- Just stay healthy, with Ross and Mixon he should have a monster year.

6. Kirkpatrick - Stay level headed and play like you deserved to be kept over Whitworth and Zeitler.

If the line plays well everything will be fine. If not we are done before we even begin.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(07-23-2017, 12:11 PM)impactplaya Wrote: Every playoff team has a minimum of 3 players who are elite at their position or Plays at a dominating level for 16 games.
You can name the teams no reason to list examples
Last year the Bengals had A.J Green.....Whit....can't really think of a 3rd guy...anyhow
In order for a playoff return name for the Bengals who need to be game changers....impact players ......pick your 3.
I'm gonna go with
Cedric Ogeubi
Tyler Eifert
Andy Dalton

Gotta be the O-lineman, specifically Og, Fisher and Bodine.

I like our Guards, i think Andre will be good at RG and i think Boling is very underrated.

If Og, Fisher and Bodine play solid we should have a 1st round bye.

[SunsetBengal]

(07-24-2017, 02:57 PM)wolfkaosaun Wrote: That is true, but something we also have an issue with is health. Green and Eifert both went out for the season last year and we saw how our offense went.

I do agree, it does balance out in a sense. And I do think our defense always gives us a chance. But we saw our offense when Ogbuehi started and when Fisher started.

If those 3 have career years, then I'm 99% positive we make the playoffs. The 1% is barring injury.


I'm also excited to see Minter on defense. We finally have a LB in the middle who can cover very well and I think adds a dynamic to the linebacking corp we haven't had in quite some time when it comes to the MLB psoition.

Maybe I'm just weird, but I actually see Minter as a bit of a lateral move.  Sure, he's a bit younger, definitely more athletic.  But, we gain in pass coverage, we lose in ass at the point of contact, in the hole...  Which is why I chose Vigil as my LB in my defensive 3.

[*bfine32*]

(07-24-2017, 07:40 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Joe Mixon
AJ Green
Vontaze Burfict

If they have "career years", the offense and defense will surely be rolling.  I have no doubts what Dalton will do with the likes of Ross, Core, Boyd, Eifert, Uzomah, etc. in his stable.  I also feel like we will have the best front four in a very long time when Willis/Lawson rotate in at RDE and they join Dunlap, Geno, and Billings.  Special teams are going to be significantly improved with Elliot, our new kicker, and the speed merchants helping in the coverage and return teams.  

I just have to know one thing...Is anyone proud of me for not putting Fej as one of my three?  It wasn't easy.

I guarantee that Mixon has his best year yet. 

[*SHRacerX*]

(07-24-2017, 10:38 AM)XenoMorph Wrote: if they have career years it could also mean plenty of others are slacking which will be good for fantasy bad for playoff hopes.

Not necessarily.  AJ Green was on his way to a career best last year before injury.  That didn't stop Tyler Boyd from having a solid start.  And Burfict is the heart and soul of the defense.  If he is dominant like he can be, our defense will be top 5, maybe even higher.

Mixon is the wildcard.  If he takes off, watch for Hill to go nuts trying to prove himself.  We saw Sexy Rexy play well behind the same line that Hill sucked behind.  If Mixon is having a great year, you can bet we will get all Hill has to try and get a second contract somewhere.  

[XenoMorph]

(07-24-2017, 09:59 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Not necessarily.  AJ Green was on his way to a career best last year before injury.  That didn't stop Tyler Boyd from having a solid start.  And Burfict is the heart and soul of the defense.  If he is dominant like he can be, our defense will be top 5, maybe even higher.

Mixon is the wildcard.  If he takes off, watch for Hill to go nuts trying to prove himself.  We saw Sexy Rexy play well behind the same line that Hill sucked behind.  If Mixon is having a great year, you can bet we will get all Hill has to try and get a second contract somewhere.  

True but with Gio healthy to start TC   mixon might not get the chance to blow up early