Team Structure

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(07-06-2021, 08:39 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: ..


2021 Tampa Bay  7   6
2020 Kansas City  6  17
2019 New England  5  21  
2018 Philadelphia  7  4
2017 New England  4  8
2016 Denver  16  1
2015 New England  11  13
2014 Seattle  17  1
2013 Baltimore  16  17
2012 New York Giants  8  27
2011 Green Bay  9  5
2010 New Orleans  1  25
2009 Pittsburgh  22  1
2008 New York Giants  16  7
2007 Indianapolis  3  21


The numbers next to each team's name represent their offensive and defensive rank for those given seasons.  As you can see, it's pretty mixed as to whichever approach works best.  The only deductions that I can surmise is that being good on both sides of the ball is good, and having the top defense wins the championship 3X as many times as the top offense.

Good stuff, Sunset.  I would imagine you could win a lot of bar bets with that ranking for the 2012 NYG having the 27th ranked defense.  I think their defense must have just figured it out in the playoffs because they had that NASCAR line that could just get after folks.  They held one of the greatest offenses of all time (The Pats in the Super Bowl) to something like 16 points.  

One thing I will say that is probably a common characteristic in every one of these teams is they had to be really good at SOMETHING.  Like, even that middling-ranked 2013 Ravens team....they had an excellent deep ball, and they would take appx 5 deep shots a game.  It was something they did extremely well that forced opponents to try and adapt to keep in check.  

Now, heading in to next season, I see a few things that the Bengals could be REALLY good at:

Spreading you out and attacking through the air.  This also makes me thing they could go more hurry-up.  With Burrow's cerebral side, and his quick decisions, I like the idea of not letting the opposing defense substitute.  Bengals could even come out with two TEs and still attack you in the air when you are in a base defense.  They have a lot of options, but still a lot of unprovens (the line, Chase).

Rushing attack.  Yep.  You heard me.  I think they could be an elite rushing team.  Mixon has set the bar high for himself, and with big guys like Spain and Carman in the middle, and better play out of the RT position (and a healthy Jonah), they could find themselves one of the better rushing attacks.  The mere threat that they have in the receiving corps could push safeties back and that would help the rushing attack. 

Run defense.  With the depth they now should have with big guys in the middle (Reader, Ogunjobi, Shelvin, Tupou, Wren), the rushing defense could be one of the greatest improvements on the team.  

I wish I had more optimism for the pass rush, but I feel a lot is being placed on the rookies like Ossai and Sample.