Atkins and Dunlap Frustrated with Being Phased Out

[*ochocincos*]

(10-20-2020, 10:20 AM)Hoofhearted Wrote: That and if you lose games in spite of disciplining, that's not really going to win you a lot of respect with these guys. I don't mind him punishing him, but it only looks like the right call when the results are there. What player is going to trust his decision making when he's losing like this? It's just a fine line to walk in the NFL. It's why being a leader of grown ass men that play a violent sport is incredibly difficult. 

Yep.

You expect that if you pay someone $10+ mill a year, you get good production from them.
If you bench them, you are guaranteed to not get production from them.

For Dunlap and Atkins specifically, you have guys getting more snaps over them who have lower ceilings and lower floors, so it doesn't really make sense to play the guys they are playing (Amani Bledsoe, Xavier Williams) over Dunlap and Atkins.

As for Dunlap being frustrated playing OLB...I am surprised he's not playing 3-4 DE given his size. He's almost perfect for that, no?

3-4 lineup could be:
NT = Covington
DEs = Dunlap, Atkins
OLBs = Lawson, Hubbard (Bledsoe or Kareem until Hubbard is back)
ILBs = Bynes, Pratt

[Sled21]

(10-20-2020, 11:27 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Yep.

You expect that if you pay someone $10+ mill a year, you get good production from them.
If you bench them, you are guaranteed to not get production from them.

So what do you suggest then, just let him continue to go out and take up space on the field picking his nose instead of putting forth any effort at all? Benching him is really the only means of trying to motivate him to play better.

[*pally*]

(10-20-2020, 11:06 AM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Whoa...

There must be a whole lot more going on behind the scenes for Dehner to speak this way.

What a disaster.

I think, in hindsight, that it may have been telling that his teammates did not pick Geno to repeat as team captain.  Veterans don't usually lose that job.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(10-19-2020, 05:06 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I'm as hard on ZT as anyone but we are only getting half the story. For all we know Dunlap and Atkins could be completely dogging it. Maybe that want to ease Atkins back in. I dont know - there just seems to be more to this than what's being said. Wish the beat writers would get to the bottom of it. It's honestly lazy/one sided reporting.

Agreed, and as for Philips and Williams....they got torched at Indy. They warrant their positions on the pine, Dunlap has as well. We will soon see if they're just easing Atkins back in or not. 

[Bengalfan4life27c]

All these fans blaming players. Zac has 3 wins and 1 tie through 22 games. What has Zac accomplished that he can be an accurate evaluator of talent. Name 1 player better than he was before Taylor got here. He chose to start Ryan Finley over Dalton. He continually plays Tate, Erickson, Thomas meaningful snaps. His expert evaluation thinks Fred Johnson was capable of starting at G. He benches Phillips who has played reasonably well. Choosing to keep an extra K on the active roster. So i'm not blaming any players for the dumpster fire that is Zac Taylor.

[Rubekahn29]

(10-20-2020, 11:36 AM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: All these fans blaming players. Zac has 3 wins and 1 tie through 22 games. What has Zac accomplished that he can be an accurate evaluator of talent. Name 1 player better than he was before Taylor got here. He chose to start Ryan Finley over Dalton. He continually plays Tate, Erickson, Thomas meaningful snaps. His expert evaluation thinks Fred Johnson was capable of starting at G. He benches Phillips who has played reasonably well. Choosing to keep an extra K on the active roster. So i'm not blaming any players for the dumpster fire that is Zac Taylor.

Phillips played plenty on Sunday and was easily our worst DB out there. 

[*pally*]

(10-20-2020, 11:13 AM)sandwedge Wrote: Not suggesting that. I am suggesting if the vets are just loafing and not putting in the work, then why not give the job to young guy who works his ass off and is willing to learn. I do agree with getting rid of them soon, however at the beginning of the season, who knew Geno would get injured and Carlos would be a lil *****, who is washed up?

There are plenty on this board who for years have advocated for the team "to play the young guys"  Well that is what is happening

[Sled21]

(10-20-2020, 11:36 AM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: All these fans blaming players. Zac has 3 wins and 1 tie through 22 games. What has Zac accomplished that he can be an accurate evaluator of talent. Name 1 player better than he was before Taylor got here. He chose to start Ryan Finley over Dalton. He continually plays Tate, Erickson, Thomas meaningful snaps. His expert evaluation thinks Fred Johnson was capable of starting at G. He benches Phillips who has played reasonably well. Choosing to keep an extra K on the active roster. So i'm not blaming any players for the dumpster fire that is Zac Taylor.

The players are the one's on the field missing blocks, false starting, dropping passes, getting no push or getting to the QB, allowing reception after reception in front of them, allowing teams to run the ball at will. Taylor is on the sideline. He may call the plays, but the players have to execute. Plenty of blame goes to the players.

[Bengalfan4life27c]

(10-20-2020, 11:40 AM)Sled21 Wrote: The players are the one's on the field missing blocks, false starting, dropping passes, getting no push or getting to the QB, allowing reception after reception in front of them, allowing teams to run the ball at will. Taylor is on the sideline. He may call the plays, but the players have to execute. Plenty of blame goes to the players.

Because he constantly has the wrong players playing. Cowboys should bench Zeke rest of season based off of your logic

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(10-19-2020, 09:11 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Margus. Show some respect for the 2nd greatest Estonian NFL player of all time!

Who's the 1st? 

[Sled21]

(10-20-2020, 11:42 AM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: Because he constantly has the wrong players playing. Cowboys should bench Zeke rest of season based off of your logic

Oh, ok.

[Big Boss]

(10-20-2020, 11:40 AM)Sled21 Wrote: The players are the one's on the field missing blocks, false starting, dropping passes, getting no push or getting to the QB, allowing reception after reception in front of them, allowing teams to run the ball at will. Taylor is on the sideline. He may call the plays, but the players have to execute. Plenty of blame goes to the players.

And if these issues have persisted in 18+ losses in two seasons, at what point does it become more than a player issue? Taylor says they gotta fix the mistakes. 22 games later and the mistakes aren't fixed. That's a long stretch of games with little-to-no improvement.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(10-20-2020, 08:54 AM)Fullrock Wrote: Dunlap has been non-existent, and Geno has been shut out on 37 snaps so far, not even a single stat on the stat sheet including not even a QB pressure.

In typical fashion, this organization missed the opportunity to trade two aging veterans while they still held some trade value last year while in the middle of a 2-14 season. Now they're eating millions for no production.

This is correct.

[Sled21]

(10-20-2020, 11:47 AM)Big Boss Wrote: And if these issues have persisted in 18+ losses in two seasons, at what point does it become more than a player issue?

I didn't say it wasn't more than a player issue. The assertion was that the players had no blame in this crapshow.

[*ochocincos*]

(10-20-2020, 11:29 AM)Sled21 Wrote: So what do you suggest then, just let him continue to go out and take up space on the field picking his nose instead of putting forth any effort at all? Benching him is really the only means of trying to motivate him to play better.

I suggest trading them or cutting them if they can't find a trade partner. While the Bengals would suffer some additional dead cap, they would still ultimately save a few mill this year that they can roll over into next year.

[Sled21]

(10-20-2020, 11:48 AM)ochocincos Wrote: I suggest trading them or cutting them if they can't find a trade partner. While they would suffer some additional dead cap, they would still ultimately save a few mill this year that they can roll over into next year.

With Carlos I agree. I still think Atkins is recovering and still has gas in the tank. Atkins has never had an attitude or effort problem.

[*ochocincos*]

(10-20-2020, 11:50 AM)Sled21 Wrote: With Carlos I agree. I still think Atkins is recovering and still has gas in the tank. Atkins has never had an attitude or effort problem.

We'll see what Atkins ends up doing by year's end, but I would think he needs to put up 5+ sacks through the last 10 games to justify keeping him beyond this year. Basically, he needs to maintain 0.5 sacks per game average. He was higher than that average in 2015-2018 but he did not average that last year.

He's set to be paid $14.8 mill in 2021 and $16 mill in 2022.

[Sled21]

I really don't get what's up his ***. Taylor has said he is just bringing him along slowly due to his shoulder injury. Lou has already said he would like for him to play almost every snap, but wants to make sure he is healthy enough to do so. If I'm Taylor or Anarumo, Atkins is playing every snap against Cleveland.... whether he is puking on the field or not. Never thought he was a diva, but geeze grow up.

[*ochocincos*]

(10-20-2020, 01:19 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I really don't get what's up his ***. Taylor has said he is just bringing him along slowly due to his shoulder injury. Lou has already said he would like for him to play almost every snap, but wants to make sure he is healthy enough to do so. If I'm Taylor or Anarumo, Atkins is playing every snap against Cleveland.... whether he is puking on the field or not.  Never thought he was a diva, but geeze grow up.

The Bengals are about to play their 7th game and he's been active for the past two already. He definitely needs to be playing more than 30% of the snaps. His run defense is underrated, he's not just a pass rush specialist. Let him earn that pay.

The Bengals need to find out if he's worth keeping around for the last 1-2 years of his contract.

[Wes Mantooth]

(10-20-2020, 01:19 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I really don't get what's up his ***. Taylor has said he is just bringing him along slowly due to his shoulder injury. Lou has already said he would like for him to play almost every snap, but wants to make sure he is healthy enough to do so. If I'm Taylor or Anarumo, Atkins is playing every snap against Cleveland.... whether he is puking on the field or not.  Never thought he was a diva, but geeze grow up.

Did something new come out?  Did he say something?