03-31-2021, 03:17 PM
(03-31-2021, 01:14 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: Time will tell. Every team needs to expect injuries every year. They must find a way to overcome. Assuming that every player will be healthy this season because they weren't last year doesn't ring for me. The coaching staff has shown their lack of flexibility in overcoming injuries and not having "their" guys the past two years, so I just don't carry confidence that somehow it's all going to go perfectly this year and the Bengals are finally a playoff team under Taylor.
I'm hoping for the best, but I think it's important to be realistic, too. We added one guy to the OL this year and I see a lot of praise that our OL issues are fixed now and I just don't buy that. The team is one injury away from being right back where they were. And how do we really have that much more depth on the defense? We lost Dunlap, Lawson and Geno on the line since we started last season and added two guys in FA. Yes, if we get guys back from injuries we'll have more, but that's not an offseason improvement where the team was proactive in building depth. You mention Bullock lost us a couple of games and he's gone. Yes, he is. But we have an unknown at that spot now. The new guy could lose the team more games or be a clutch kicker for years to come. I can't hold up Bullock being gone as an improvement until we see the replacement.
I'm excited for every new season, and I want and hope for the best. I'm always amped through TC and going into the opener to see how the team performs. But there's really nothing that's happened in the last 3 months that's gotten me particularly optimistic thinking this is the year the team turns the corner with this coaching staff and the personnel changes they've made or haven't made.
I pretty much agree with everything you say here MileHigh.
I dont think you can say the OL issues are fixed now because we signed Reif and brought back Pollack. Do I think the team believes they'll be better on OL with the addition of Pollack, yes. However, in reality we don't know if Jonah can play a full season. He's played 10 games out of 26 so far. If i remember correctly both XSF and Spain were nicked up last year and Reif is a great pick up but the guys 33/34 years old. The chances of us staying 100% healthy on the line are slim and none.
Randy Bullock sucked as a kicker but Seibert, I believe is his name, was cut from the Browns and missed quite a few clutch kicks with them. So are we really improving in that area.
