07-17-2015, 10:30 AM
My ranking vote would be : ??????
We have never seen AJ, Jones, Sanu and Eifert healthy for a whole season together and we are never ever healthy at WR in the play-offs. We have been forced to play bench warmers that were on the team for kick returns but as receivers were not very good and never got open in the play-offs. In the play-offs, it's not been so much that the QB doesn't hit them, but the fact that our bench warmers get no separation. They couldn't get open if they had all day. This is not just my opinion but what the TV broadcast announcers of these play-off games have said.
When healthy, Dalton to AJ has been a great combo getting us 4 straight seasons to play-offs. The problem is that nobody else has ever stepped up in the play-offs, so the opposing play-off teams could double down on AJ. With AJ injured against Colts, we had no chance and that game can not be blamed on Dalton at all, not with Jones and Eifert also injured and we were playing the worst of the worst at WR, and they got no separation the entire game.
So, if healthy, we could have good receivers for the first time in a long time, and you add that to our RB's of Hill and Gio and a very possible Bart Starr/ Len Dawson like Dalton and we could have a heck of an offense.......but until it happens, our receivers are a huge question mark. I don't want to over rate our receivers. I don't want to over rate any of this team. This is the year these players need to step up and do it. They know it, we know it. They can go as far as they are willing to go, it's up to them, starting in 14 days in training camp. Until they do it on the field, all is hype. This could be a 1981 or 1988 type season or a 4 win season, it could swing either way. Much will depend on injuries, how much these young players have matured into veterans, and how much EXTRA effort they put into each practice and game. How much do they want to win ????
So I say a big question mark rating....unknown......but I will say the team has carried kick returners that when forced to play WR do to injuries, they aren't worth a darn. I know you need special teams, but back up receivers should be able to come in and play if needed. Having no chance against Colts really showed that as a weakness. We don't need back up receivers who can kick return but can't get open and make catches. If you can't count on them or use them, find other back-ups. I can see needing return men, but first they must be able to play their offense or defense position. If they can't do that, it creates a huge problem when they are forced to play.
I can't compare them to any other team, since nobody knows really what we have at WR just yet. I will guarantee that Dalton to AJ is not enough, not even close to enough. If that's all we got, NFLdefenses will be all over those plays.....but I can hope, and I hope we go into play-offs with enough quality receivers for the first time in many years, and with our RB's and our O Line and our Defense, plus Nugent/ Huber, that this is the year of the Tiger. ...Go Bengals !!!!
We have never seen AJ, Jones, Sanu and Eifert healthy for a whole season together and we are never ever healthy at WR in the play-offs. We have been forced to play bench warmers that were on the team for kick returns but as receivers were not very good and never got open in the play-offs. In the play-offs, it's not been so much that the QB doesn't hit them, but the fact that our bench warmers get no separation. They couldn't get open if they had all day. This is not just my opinion but what the TV broadcast announcers of these play-off games have said.
When healthy, Dalton to AJ has been a great combo getting us 4 straight seasons to play-offs. The problem is that nobody else has ever stepped up in the play-offs, so the opposing play-off teams could double down on AJ. With AJ injured against Colts, we had no chance and that game can not be blamed on Dalton at all, not with Jones and Eifert also injured and we were playing the worst of the worst at WR, and they got no separation the entire game.
So, if healthy, we could have good receivers for the first time in a long time, and you add that to our RB's of Hill and Gio and a very possible Bart Starr/ Len Dawson like Dalton and we could have a heck of an offense.......but until it happens, our receivers are a huge question mark. I don't want to over rate our receivers. I don't want to over rate any of this team. This is the year these players need to step up and do it. They know it, we know it. They can go as far as they are willing to go, it's up to them, starting in 14 days in training camp. Until they do it on the field, all is hype. This could be a 1981 or 1988 type season or a 4 win season, it could swing either way. Much will depend on injuries, how much these young players have matured into veterans, and how much EXTRA effort they put into each practice and game. How much do they want to win ????
So I say a big question mark rating....unknown......but I will say the team has carried kick returners that when forced to play WR do to injuries, they aren't worth a darn. I know you need special teams, but back up receivers should be able to come in and play if needed. Having no chance against Colts really showed that as a weakness. We don't need back up receivers who can kick return but can't get open and make catches. If you can't count on them or use them, find other back-ups. I can see needing return men, but first they must be able to play their offense or defense position. If they can't do that, it creates a huge problem when they are forced to play.
I can't compare them to any other team, since nobody knows really what we have at WR just yet. I will guarantee that Dalton to AJ is not enough, not even close to enough. If that's all we got, NFLdefenses will be all over those plays.....but I can hope, and I hope we go into play-offs with enough quality receivers for the first time in many years, and with our RB's and our O Line and our Defense, plus Nugent/ Huber, that this is the year of the Tiger. ...Go Bengals !!!!
1968 Bengal Fan
