Don’t Mess with the Defense (Much)

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(02-18-2022, 10:22 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Who else is happy Lou Anarumo didn’t get the Giants’ head coach job?

Lou did miracles with the defense once he got “his guys” in place via free agency and the draft.  

The Bengals’ defense needs very little offseason tweaking. Given BJ Hill’s situation there might be a need for an additional defensive lineman or two to rotate fresh personnel in throughout the game.  Getting Joseph Ossai and Larry Ogunjobi back will help as well.

Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson are the best linebackers we’ve seen in Cincinnati in decades.  Wilson is terrific at breaking up passes and making interceptions while Pratt tackles like Vontaze Burfict without the crazy streak.  

The secondary is solid but much depends on Jessie Bates’ situation.  If he goes elsewhere we’ll need to get someone awesome.  As for Eli Apple he’s good against the run but against the pass his hands turn into Dan Coats.  This is fixable.  

What else do we need on defense?

Kettering coming in hot with their take.

The defense finished...
17th Scoring
18th Overall
26th Passing
5th Rushing
12th in Sacks
17th in Turnovers
22nd in 3rd Down %
27th in Penalties

The rush defense was very very good, and they were above average in sacking QBs, but overall it actually wasn't an above average defense. Let alone "miracles".

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Also, Pratt is definitely not Burfict (go back and watch early Burfict highlights if you start believing otherwise) and if a highly drafted CB has bad hands, that isn't something you can just fix in their 7th NFL season. No doubt some HS coaches and some college coaches have already tried before the NFL, and NFL coaches have tried for 6 years. To use the classic line, that's why he is a CB instead of a WR.