Moving forward...

[*SHRacerX*]

(12-20-2016, 07:44 AM)sonofstat Wrote: top priority in the draft for me is RDE and OLB.

Safety is a problem but I want to see one of Derron Smith/Fejeldem/Shaw get significant playing time in last 2 games before jumping on safety as a top 3 need.  I think the bigger problem with safety is that Iloka/Williams are not natural center fielders, but in the box thumpers.  Think its square peg - round hole issue.

For the third priority need...I'd like a proven OL starter in free agency - and I'd favour a roadgrader over an 'athletic' pass pro guy. Either OT or Center..i just think we need an upgrade and I'm done with wasting high picks on development guys.  

Right now saying we need a new bellcow RB or speedy WR is a nice to have in my opinion because if we get the same sort of OLine play next year then it will not matter.

Agreed on all fronts, but your last point made me stop and think.  While there is some truth to this, if you look at what almost every team the Bengals have faced in the playoffs over the previous five years, those teams go in to a max protection front with only two receivers and a single back.  They can slip the TE or back out for a pass, but they start with only two receivers in the pattern.  Here is where the Bengals have seemingly had no answer and they didn't again on Sunday.  They can't get pressure with their front four against six blockers.  Sometimes, Piggy would have more than five seconds while the LBs just continue to drop, the WRs fly upfield, taking the CBs and Ss with them, and it opens up short checkdowns for the TE or RB that go an easy 10 yards.  I think Piggy only completed one or two passes downfield because they didn't have to!  The underneath route was wide open, there was zero pressure, and the secondary had to cover for a very long time.  

I realize this is a defensive issue, but I wonder why the Bengals don't do more of this on offense?  One of the reasons is no one fears a player like Lafell getting over the top.  They also don't fear our RB as a short passing threat, with Gio out and as I mentioned in another thread they didn't run a single TE or RB screen when the defensive alignment was screaming for it.

In lieu of massive changes on the offensive line, the play design needs to improve dramatically.  A vertical threat is the greatest need on the offensive side of the ball.  Maybe that player can be Core?  I hope he gets a lot more snaps down stretch.