Stock Market "Buy" signals - 2016 deficiencies seem Upgraded in most areas for 2017

[depthchart]

Like Stocks, an NFL team can Leap forward on a year over year basis.

I see more positive signs than negative ones going into 2017 when looking at what went down in 2016.
An Upward pointing arrow for this team.

The injuries to Eifert, then AJ & Gio in 2016 offered Andy Dalton the opportunity to work with the other young receivers and Andy had to Adapt & be a Coach on the field in a way. He couldn't lean on AJ & Eifert and had to be more of a Field General, trying new formations while working at being more experimental & creative. This should make Dalton better in 2017, with all weapons healthy, PLUS young players like Tyler Boyd will have more experience. Then throw in the addition of JOHN ROSS and the signs point up here versus 2016.

The D-line will have a Youth infusion with Andrew Billings & Jordan Willis. Kevin Minter comes in at Linebacker and lots of positive signs are coming from Carl Lawson with many of his team mates calling him a potential standout pass rusher. Nick Vigil also has more experience year over year.

Bring in 1st round Corner William Jackson III and a more experienced Kei'varae Russell & Josh Shaw. I expect William Jackson III to show flashes of excellence early and often throughout 2017. Safety Shawn Williams struggled some early in 2016 but settled into his role which will lead to more Stable Safety play in 2017 year over year. Shawn Williams is experienced now.

Clearly room for growth in the Field Goal kicking area in 2017 versus 2016.

Now bring in a young legged, Stud running back in Joe Mixon who is noticeably faster than Jeremy Hill. I think it will become obvious fairly quickly that Mixon has more Elite qualities than Hill. Excellent pass catcher as well. Mixon should put a new identity Stamp on the running game and have a bigger impact than many might think. Joe Mixon should close the talent Gap that exists between Le'veon Bell and Jeremy Hill leading to a much more Formidable Bengals running game to couple with elite passing weapons like Eifert, AJ, Ross. Getting scary here for defenses.

The Big worry is the Offensive Line which loses Whitworth and Zeitler year over year. A Major loss but not a deal breaker to me. The 2016 season offered the Bengals the opportunity to try out Cedric at right tackle, then move him to left while giving Jake Fisher development time at right tackle. Lessons were learned here with line shuffling variations during 2016. Some time was spent in 2016 preparing options for 2017. I think the Bengals planned for the loss of Zeitler but expected to have Whitworth in 2017. I see Jake Fisher rising to the occasion at right tackle.
Cedric is Motivated to save his reputation and reports are that he has been Strength training all offseason. At his young age he could easily gain a tremendous amount of physical strength in one motivated off season as he also naturally matures. Anthony Munoz and Dave Lapham have both been singing Cedric's praises lately. Lapham said that there is no doubt that Jake & Cedric have the feet to be solid NFL tackles. He also said that they were NOT misevaluated. Room for an Upward arrow in their development in 2017.

While the Offensive Line play may take a step back in 2017 in the experience area with the loss of Whit & Zeitler, it just may be that the additions of a healthy Eifert, AJ, Gio PLUS the additions of John Ross & Joe Mixon will make it much easier for the 2017 O-line to perform at a decent level. Having the Offensive Co-ordinator in his 2nd year should also be a plus that takes a little more pressure off of the O-line when compared to 2016. In short, the 2016 team lacked the healthy & New Weapons that the 2017 team should have and this will make it harder for defenses to tee off on the O-line in 2017 than it would have been for the defenses to do in 2016. This difference coupled with hopefully some solid development from Fisher & Cedric may just allow the O-line to not Buckle to the point of bringing down the team.

I see the weakest Link holding and not breaking, in part due to many other Links getting stronger, more experienced and faster.

[Luvnit2]

(08-09-2017, 01:59 PM)depthchart Wrote: Like Stocks, an NFL team can Leap forward on a year over year basis.

I see more positive signs than negative ones going into 2017 when looking at what went down in 2016.
An Upward pointing arrow for this team.

The injuries to Eifert, then AJ & Gio in 2016 offered Andy Dalton the opportunity to work with the other young receivers and Andy had to Adapt & be a Coach on the field in a way. He couldn't lean on AJ & Eifert and had to be more of a Field General, trying new formations while working at being more experimental & creative. This should make Dalton better in 2017, with all weapons healthy, PLUS young players like Tyler Boyd will have more experience. Then throw in the addition of JOHN ROSS and the signs point up here versus 2016.

The D-line will have a Youth infusion with Andrew Billings & Jordan Willis. Kevin Minter comes in at Linebacker and lots of positive signs are coming from Carl Lawson with many of his team mates calling him a potential standout pass rusher. Nick Vigil also has more experience year over year.

Bring in 1st round Corner William Jackson III and a more experienced Kei'varae Russell & Josh Shaw. I expect William Jackson III to show flashes of excellence early and often throughout 2017. Safety Shawn Williams struggled some early in 2016 but settled into his role which will lead to more Stable Safety play in 2017 year over year. Shawn Williams is experienced now.

Clearly room for growth in the Field Goal kicking area in 2017 versus 2016.

Now bring in a young legged, Stud running back in Joe Mixon who is noticeably faster than Jeremy Hill. I think it will become obvious fairly quickly that Mixon has more Elite qualities than Hill. Excellent pass catcher as well. Mixon should put a new identity Stamp on the running game and have a bigger impact than many might think. Joe Mixon should close the talent Gap that exists between Le'veon Bell and Jeremy Hill leading to a much more Formidable Bengals running game to couple with elite passing weapons like Eifert, AJ, Ross. Getting scary here for defenses.

The Big worry is the Offensive Line which loses Whitworth and Zeitler year over year. A Major loss but not a deal breaker to me. The 2016 season offered the Bengals the opportunity to try out Cedric at right tackle, then move him to left while giving Jake Fisher development time at right tackle. Lessons were learned here with line shuffling variations during 2016. Some time was spent in 2016 preparing options for 2017. I think the Bengals planned for the loss of Zeitler but expected to have Whitworth in 2017. I see Jake Fisher rising to the occasion at right tackle.
Cedric is Motivated to save his reputation and reports are that he has been Strength training all offseason. At his young age he could easily gain a tremendous amount of physical strength in one motivated off season as he also naturally matures. Anthony Munoz and Dave Lapham have both been singing Cedric's praises lately. Lapham said that there is no doubt that Jake & Cedric have the feet to be solid NFL tackles. He also said that they were NOT misevaluated. Room for an Upward arrow in their development in 2017.

While the Offensive Line play may take a step back in 2017 in the experience area with the loss of Whit & Zeitler, it just may be that the additions of a healthy Eifert, AJ, Gio PLUS the additions of John Ross & Joe Mixon will make it much easier for the 2017 O-line to perform at a decent level. Having the Offensive Co-ordinator in his 2nd year should also be a plus that takes a little more pressure off of the O-line when compared to 2016. In short, the 2016 team lacked the healthy & New Weapons that the 2017 team should have and this will make it harder for defenses to tee off on the O-line in 2017 than it would have been for the defenses to do in 2016. This difference coupled with hopefully some solid development from Fisher & Cedric may just allow the O-line to not Buckle to the point of bringing down the team.

I see the weakest Link holding and not breaking, in part due to many other Links getting stronger, more experienced and faster.

Great read

I agree, I  think Whittworth surprised them when he turned down the exact same 2017 money Rams gave him for a 2 year deal

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Yeah, great stuff, i agree with pretty much everything you say here Depthchart.

Definately a lot more reasons to be optimistic this season than reasons to be pessimistic.

[depthchart]

(08-09-2017, 02:14 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, great stuff, i agree with pretty much everything you say here Depthchart.

Definately a lot more reasons to be optimistic this season than reasons to be pessimistic.

I'm optimistic.

I see a Rebound coming and for us to be Nipping at the Steelers hiney this year.

I still give the Steelers the edge with Big Ben but they will have their hands full with this Healthy Bengals team that added new Weapons.

The Steelers will have a fight on their hands. Maybe even literally with Burfict in the mix.

I see 2 head to head games that will be Brutal Battles. Highly emotional and physical. Bengals players have to want respect real bad.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-09-2017, 03:27 PM)depthchart Wrote: I'm optimistic.

I see a Rebound coming and for us to be Nipping at the Steelers hiney this year.

I still give the Steelers the edge with Big Ben but they will have their hands full with this Healthy Bengals team that added new Weapons.

The Steelers will have a fight on their hands. Maybe even literally with Burfict in the mix.

I see 2 head to head games that will be Brutal Battles. Highly emotional and physical. Bengals players have to want respect real bad.

Luckily we have a pretty easy schedule early besides the Texans game cause i think it will take a bit for the O-line to gel.

I think if our O-line can play decent this year we will win the AFC North over the Steelers. Our Defense will be better than
theirs most likely and we have just as many or more weapons on Offense for Dalton to choose from if these guys can stay
relatively healthy. The problem with this of course is our HC who is a Steeler fan and treats them different.

Our players and as you said specifically Burfict dislike the Steelers big time and these are the ones playing the game.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(08-09-2017, 02:03 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Great read

I agree, I  think Whittworth surprised them when he turned down the exact same 2017 money Rams gave him for a 2 year deal

According to Hobspin. Please stop spreading that lie. We've seen how in the past that's not always as exactly the same as they have claimed.

Unless they offered a $5m signing bonus, they didn't offer the exact same 2017 money. If the Rams cut him after 2017, he walks away with $12.5m. That's not the exact same money as offering a guy a 1yr/$9m deal with $0 signing bonus and $0 guaranteed money.

[THE PISTONS]

It's hard to say. Generally when you play younger players they're faster and more athletic but they make more mistakes.

I think our overall talent level is higher. I think we have a lot more speed nearly everywhere.

The Falcons played a bunch of young guys and had success...so I think we could too. We shall see.

[Brownshoe]

I'm very optimistic about this team. I think the defense will be a juggernaut, and the offense can be very very explosive. Last year while Green was healthy we could move the ball down the field relativity easily, and there was always a threat that we could go and have that one big play that gains a lot of yards (which happened almost every game that Green was healthy). Our offensive line was horrible last year too. I don't think that our line is going to be that much worse than last year, so I don't see our offense stalling that much. The biggest reason IMO why our offense wasn't that great was because of the lack of weapons, which isn't the case this year. I think it's funny how many people are saying we are going to go 8-8 or worse. I have already said that I will do a sig bet with anyone who thinks we will go 8-8 or worse, and so far no one has accepted.

[kevin]

Stock Market buy signals especially for Chicago Fans where they have Bears and Bulls.

I changed my mood from doubtful to hopeful after team at least resigned a few free agents and had their draft. They need to get out of the gate fast though. I've heard that teams that start 0-3 almost never have a good season. That Baltimore Defense and Super Bowl Ring Flacco will be a good AFC NORTH season opener.

[THE PISTONS]

The amazing thing about us is...we haven't won a playoff game in 25 straight seasons...yet every offseason we think it's our year.

[Brownshoe]

(08-10-2017, 01:17 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The amazing thing about us is...we haven't won a playoff game in 25 straight seasons...yet every offseason we think it's our year.

Really that has only been the case from ~2013 until this season. You might have a couple of years like that back when Palmer was here (and healthy), but I don't think that it's every year.

[THE PISTONS]

What's that saying in a league known for parity and worst to first?

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-10-2017, 01:17 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The amazing thing about us is...we haven't won a playoff game in 25 straight seasons...yet every offseason we think it's our year.

(08-10-2017, 01:20 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: Really that has only been the case from ~2013 until this season. You might have a couple of years like that back when Palmer was here (and healthy), but I don't think that it's every year.

I agree with Brownshoe here. I have always been excited going into the seasons but there was usually always some
weakness on one side of the ball, Dalton and Green were young, the Center position sucked (still does) but Bodine was
a touch better last year.

This is the most talented roster i have seen with this amount of speed in all 3 phases, on Offense, Defense and ST's.

Peko, Maualuga, Tate are all gone replaced by much better players IMHO.

Billings, Minter, Erickson/Adam/Boyd at Returner. Then adding Ross, Mixon and now Lawson impressing i completely
understand the excitement. I understand the Tackle concerns though for sure but Og finally getting an entire Offseason
to work and Fisher finally being to stay at one position should really help.

This team might be able to carry our HC this year if the players can stay healthy.

[depthchart]

(08-10-2017, 01:17 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The amazing thing about us is...we haven't won a playoff game in 25 straight seasons...yet every offseason we think it's our year.

Marvin is like a guy Walking a Tight Rope between two Skyscrapers each year. Getting to the other side would mean a Playoff win.

On many occasions he can walk 4/5 of the way and make the Playoffs only to lose the Playoff game.

On two occasions he walked within INCHES of being able to reach the 2nd building and win a Playoff game. The Wind kicked up (so to speak) with injuries to Dalton and Palmer those 2 seasons and he fell to the bottom again. His best 2 teams without the starting QB.

It is that "almost" or "just about there" feeling we have had (like in 2015) that keeps me at least thinking that he could actually make it to the other side someday.

Is he Bill Belichik ? Of course not.

Can we look pretty sound as an Organization when we do the 4/5 of the way, 5 straight Playoff appearances walk ?  Yes

Do we wonder what if, had Palmer & Dalton played those 2 Best Team's seasons that they were hurt ?  I do

Had they played, maybe Marvin would have taken that last step.

The Marvin "almost" did it feeling makes it still seem possible to actually happen one day, if healthy.

May be a Coyote versus the Road Runner fool's dream. I get that but 2 times we had really good teams without the starting QB. Just like the Coyote had the Road Runner in a cage for a few seconds before he got out while the Coyote was getting his plate, fork and knife.

"Almost".

This year may be Marvin's last try at the Tight Rope though. He may just get across this time.

[THE PISTONS]

What is that saying in a league where 90% of the teams have won 5+ playoff games since our last playoff win.

Yet Marvin's entire head coaching career...all 13 some years has been chasing A SINGLE PLAYOFF WIN.

[*rfaulk34*]

(08-10-2017, 02:12 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: What is that saying in a league where 90% of the teams have won 5+ playoff games since our last playoff win.

Yet Marvin's entire head coaching career...all 13 some years has been chasing A SINGLE PLAYOFF WIN.

I think it goes something like, "here we go again".

Or maybe, "different year, same shit". 

Something like that...

[THE PISTONS]

Our roster has A LOT of flash. Anytime you draft a guy with the fastest 40 time in the history of the combine that's the case...but teams win in the trenches.

Our secondary could be a concern also. Jackson is unknown. Dennard has been underwhelming. Kirkpatrick is above average to good. Jones seems to be on the decline. Iloka and Williams aren't known for coverage. Not saying they will be a huge weakness...but it's something to watch.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-10-2017, 03:30 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Our roster has A LOT of flash. Anytime you draft a guy with the fastest 40 time in the history of the combine that's the case...but teams win in the trenches.

Our secondary could be a concern also. Jackson is unknown. Dennard has been underwhelming. Kirkpatrick is above average to good. Jones seems to be on the decline. Iloka and Williams aren't known for coverage. Not saying they will be a huge weakness...but it's something to watch.

Most definately teams win in the trenches, the O-line is definately a concern and we all know it.

But... even here there are reasons for optimism. But i guess we will get a better idea tomorrow night against a good front.

I disagree on our Secondary being a concern. We were pretty tough to pass on last year with not much of a pass rush and
players like Peko, Hunt and Maualuga on the team. Billings, Lawson/Willis and Minter should be an upgrade IMHO.

We should be much better this year in both our pass rush and in our Secondary cause of it. Not to mention Shawn and George
having a year behind them gaining chemistry on the back end.

[Interceptor]

We have a good machine with all the parts in place to make a run for the Lombardi. However, it won't do much until we get a new driver behind the wheel.

[THE PISTONS]

The mediocrity goes beyond Marvin as coach. It's the organizational culture.

I'm reading a book called Chasing Excellence and they talk about how most peoples top aspiration is just to become competent. There is a whole new level beyond that called excellence.

It made me think of the Bengals.

We have largely the same management team in place that hasn't won a playoff game in 26+ years...and people wonder why Marvin wasn't fired. Part of the answer is that Mike Brown knows Marvin will work with him and not rock the boat. An established coach would want to fight for more control.