05-10-2019, 06:48 PM
(05-09-2019, 01:53 PM)depthchart Wrote: "The Buck stops here" is a phrase that indicates exactly who is responsible.
Fans tend to see matchups as Dalton versus Big Ben or the Steeler O-line versus the Bengal D-line or soon to be AJ Green versus O'dell as the storylines.
If the Bengals defense falters in 2019 due to poor linebacker play then fingers may point at Malik or Pratt or Preston or Vigil as not stepping up or panning out. Maybe fire the linebacker coach to appease the fans and draw attention away by placing the Buck on that Coach.
Should 2019 not go well, the Cycle of fans picking out certain players & Coaches to blame will likely hit the repeat button.
Some may say; Dalton can't carry a team -or- the young linebackers busted -or- Hart had to step up but didn't -or- Ross laid an egg -or the team had one too many injuries -or- this or that Coach needs to go -or- the D-line is still one DT away
A position Coach or two may get fired and Draft talk begins again with fans eyeing say a replacement for Ross, or that missing DT or one more Offensive tackle or the next Devin White or maybe even a 1st round QB that fans are certain can "carry a team" to replace Dalton.
The Buck has made it's rounds stopping at many players and a few Coaches but who really benefits from this ?
At the end of the day it isn't the Bengals players versus the Steeler players or Bengal players versus the players of 31 other teams.
It is the Vision of the Bengal Front Office & decision makers versus the Steeler Front Office or versus the rest of the Front Offices in the NFL.
They pick the players, hire the Coaches, decide that Preston/Malik/Vigil/Pratt make a good enough nucleus of linebackers to go into a season with.
The Front Office pencils in Hart as a starter or doubles down on Ross or expects Dalton to carry the team or retains a Coach seemingly forever or hires inexperienced Coaches or likes the linebackers they have.
The Patriot way found & developed Tom Brady and injuries are not constantly derailing the Patriot way because their way has a way of overcoming obstacles (like injuries, player departures) that always seem a constant ready excuse for the Bengal Front Office.
Front Offices have varying aptitude levels & skill levels of their own that set them apart from each other.
That cream rises to the Top.
Mike Brown recently said that Dalton needed to "re-establish himself" placing the Buck right in Dalton's lap but maybe instead of Dalton re-establishing himself the Bengal Front Office should establish themselves.
Every player chosen, Coach hired and game result is a reflection of the Vision the Bengal Front Office embarked upon.
Their PLAN versus the Plans of 31 other teams each and every season.
A survival of the fittest game of Chess (so to speak) where the players are just the hand picked Chess pieces.
Does the Bengal Front Office have the drive, Vision & aptitude level to "establish" themselves as winners is the real question.
Lots of good points here Depthchart. I don't know, i think Mikey is a little old to learn new tricks. I hope the rest of the FO can though, i think hiring Zac Taylor was a great start as all the players seem very excited and highly motivated for once. Seems much different then when Marv was here.
