06-13-2024, 06:36 PM
(06-11-2024, 05:31 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I'm usually an optimistic, but realistic, fan of this team.
I'm always hoping and cheering but I've never been this optimistic for the team.
My main reason for such high optimism this season is Joe Burrow, but more specifically the offensive line, because he led us to the Super Bowl and AFC Championship Game with a shitty offensive line, which now rankings have our line in the top ten or top fifteen. Karras might be a weak spot but I'd rather the weak spot be one at center than our tackles where speed rushers can get to Burrow. I'm excited for Cappa and Brown.
Burrow has had injuries, but he appears to be healthy, so won't he rip the league apart?
At running back, we had Mixon and Perine and it wasn't too impressive. Now, we have Moss and Brown, which I've said a lot that I think Brown's underrated and Moss is also better than he's given credit for.
At receiver, we might not be as good, but we still have Chase and Higgins (hopefully), and teams will have to sell-out to stop Chase, especially with the line giving Burrow time to throw, so any receiver will be able to produce with less coverage and a better running game. I've also voiced my optimism about Burton.
Gesicki and Hurst might be a wash, but I like that Gesicki's 6'6 and I think Burrow will look for him a lot in the red zone and on third downs.
On the defensive line, we have Hubbard and Hendrickson at ends, with Sample, Murphy and Ossai backing them up, which is pretty much the same.
At tackle, we did have Reader, Hill, and Carter, and now we have Rankins, Hill, Jenkins, and Carter, so I feel like that's an improvement.
At backer, we're pretty much the same (I think?).
At corner, we had Apple, Awuzie, Hilton, and Flowers, and now we have CTB, Turner, and Hilton, and I think Dax could be taking over the slot position, which I like, so I feel like that's also a wash.
At safety, we had Bell, Bates, Thomas, and Dax, and now we have Bell, Stone, and Battle, so I feel like that's a wash.
The only position I think that we might be weaker is receiver, but Burrow can make anyone look good, especially with Chase out there, and we improved GREATLY on the position group that kept us from winning the title in our first two playoff runs, the offensive line, so am I wrong for being this optimistic?
What am I missing? Why are people in the football world not higher on us?
Nah Brad, you aren't wrong to be this optimistic this year. I actually disagree on WR being worse, Boyd was falling off and dropping balls
that we needed in the clutch. Jermaine Burton is much more explosive and has fantastic hands, Iosivas I just heard was the player to watch
in OTA's and Charlie Jones should just get better as well if he can stay healthy.
At RB Zack Moss fits this Offense much better than Mixon did, better in the Shotgun as a pass protector and as a runner and Chase Brown
could really explode with more snaps. Would I like a better RB behind these two? Of course, but we might be getting this later, we will see.
I think the question is on Defense, namely the young players at DT and in the Secondary how they come along. When we went to the SB we
had a pretty great DT room with Reader, Ogunjobi, BJ Hill (I think Billings was here). We still have 1 of these guys, but we need Rankins,
Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson to really step up. Our youth in the Secondary was a big time problem last year and Logan Wilson and Sam
Hubbard being hurt I think was the topper on us giving up so many big plays and not being able to stop the run. Trey, Sam, Murphy and even
Ossai could be really good at getting to the QB this year as far as the pass rush.
Will Lou get this Defense back to that SB form? I think this is the question. If Burrow and the OL stay healthy our Offense will undoubtably be
tearing Defenses up this year.
