The Bengals need to suck it up, break the norm and make a damn trade

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(10-01-2024, 09:27 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: No.

Unless then get a crazy deal offered in their favor, the team will get better as they get healthier.

Part two is the offense gelling and getting better as well, after the typical slow start.

I cannot be the only fan who has seen this happen in the Taylor era...

The defense? Yes, you are the only one who thinks they have seen this happen.

Having the 27th scoring defense after 4 weeks isn't just a "typical slow start". 

In 2023 we started out giving up 23.5 per week in the first 4, finished with the 21st scoring defense at 22.6.
In 2022 we started out giving up 17.5 per week in the first 4, finished with the 6th scoring defense at 20.1.
In 2021 we started out giving up 18.75 per week in the first 4, finished with the 17th scoring defense at 22.1.
In 2020 we started out giving up 24.75 per week in the first 4, finished with the 22nd scoring defense at 26.5.
In 2019 we started out giving up 27.5 per week in the first 4, finished with the 25th scoring defense at 26.3.

We've never vastly improved our season scoring defense compared to our first four games. Our best improvement was 2019 where it was the first year of installing the system, and that was just 1.2 points per game better. If we matched that this year that would put us at 24.8, or currently the 25th scoring defense in the NFL. That's not touching the fact that 3 of the 5 years we've actually gotten WORSE not better with the whole season, and those are significant decreases.