Why do you feel optimistic about this Bengals team relative to prior years?

[2MinutesHate]

(05-25-2015, 12:52 AM)BengalChris Wrote: What I feel optimistic about:
1. LB depth has improved.
2. Return of MJ and the DL seems healthier and more capable. Although I would have loved it if they drafted Malcom Brown.
3. Jeremy Hill will be the starter from beginning over Bernard. That should give us 50+ more yards on the ground early on.
4. The secondary should be really nice.

What discourages me:
1. No reason to feel confident that Dalton will actually improve. He didn't improve last year (his 4th year). What makes a 5th year any better? :/ He seems quite capable of having really bad games, witness Cleveland on Thursday night and both Indy games.
2. The schedule is certainly tougher this year and the team has never won in Oakland and has a only 3 wins against the 49ers ever. Not to mention that we are going to Denver and have to play San Diego, Seattle, Arizona and Saint Louis.
3. Same owner.

There's a good chance Burfict and M. Jones won't come all the way back.  We will need Hawk/Dawson more than people think.  

WR's weren't upgraded when we had the money to do it.  That's a shame because Andy really needs all the help he can get.  He's not a QB that can just plug in anyone and make them a superstar like Brady.

J. Hill will be the starter but I see a little bit of Chad in him and God knows that Marvin just can't control those types of players.  
It's hard to believe we've never won in Oakland.  They'll be pumped up and I see us falling flat in that game.  The other games you mentioned will all be really tough, especially the Denver game.  

Mike Brown/Katie haven't surprised me in years.  This year was nothing different.
If we make the playoffs, we'll have a damn good team, so that's the good thing.  The bad is that I don't see a Super Bowl contender until we get the QB position figured out quite frankly, whether Andy's light comes on or it's somebody else comes in here.