04-15-2017, 07:39 PM
(04-12-2017, 01:19 PM)depthchart Wrote: Simply getting healthier and improving may not be enough for the Bengals in 2017.
Competition for Wildcards in the AFC should get tougher with what I see as at least 10 teams seriously competing with the Bengals for 6 total AFC Playoff spots.
The Patriots, Steelers, Texans, Raiders, Chiefs, Broncos, Dolphins, Titans, Ravens and Colts make 10.
The Bengals make 11 competing for 6 spots.
The Steelers will get Cameron Heyward & Martavis Bryant back plus some injured secondary help should return. They made the AFC Championship game last season and are the Favorite to win the AFC North in 2017. The Bengals need to find a way to Elevate their play to an Elite level to win this division. If not, they will be Bunched up into a large group of Wildcard contenders many of whom are Ascending teams. A 2017 AFC Wildcard will likely be harder to get than in recent years. The Bengals need to use this Draft to bring an Elite quality to at least one unit or area of the team. Do something to distinguish themselves from the Wildcard contending pack. Seattle was known for an Elite secondary. We have some Elite players scattered on both sides of the ball but need Top notch Units to Gel to actually start earning what the Great teams earn. Otherwise, we are just another team in the crowd.
I applaud the Steelers because they win playoff games and we cant even accomplish that but they were way overrated last year. The AFC was the weakest it had ever been because of injuries. Carr was hurt, Pitt got to play Miami with a scrub at QB. Then they went to Arrowhead and played a sorry ass KC offense and they still almost lost.
Like I said, they win the games they are supposed to, which sometimes we struggle with, but they are not that much better than us.
