08-24-2017, 11:14 PM
(08-24-2017, 06:33 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: To me you can't go to the extreme with this. I mean you can't paint with a 10 foot wide brush and say the preseason means nothing and be totally correct. Likewise you can't use the same brush and say it means everything. The truth is somewhere in the middle for the majority of teams now days.
I believe in todays NFL where there's very little full contact practice, some teams (like ours) it has some importance. We need the practice ! Lots of new pieces, lots of chemistry to build, and especially the O-line needs the Reps.
In other words if we can't protect Dalton for more than 1.1 seconds I'm going to be worried. If our defense can't learn how to tackle I'm going to be worried. If our front four continue to get no pressure I'm going to be a little worried.
If we lose and don't look so good am I going to panic and say we're going 2-14 ? No
If we win 42-6 and hit on all cylinders am I gonna buy tickets for the Superbowl ? No
My opinion, FWIW, is still that this team has a lot of the pieces to be competitive. But until I see otherwise I still believe the O-line will be the spoke of the wheel that keeps us from being a real top level team.
Speaking as a Bengals fan since 1968, here's what I've learned and what my Bengal mottoes are:
1. Expect the worst, hope for the best.
2. It isn't a 'W' for this team, until there is no time left on the clock, they are at least a point ahead, and there are no yellow flags on the field!
