05-22-2020, 02:33 PM
(05-22-2020, 10:22 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Hell yes, I am in for some optimism. Changed my mood to "Optimistic" with some little rainbow (?) after Burrow was drafted. You nailed some of the specifics, but for me it boils down to several simple things:
Defense improved at all levels. Massive improvements at LB and DT.
Offensive line has added Fred Johnson, XSF, Akeem Adeniji, and Jonah Williams to last year's starting squad.
Healthy AJ Green, RBs as receivers instead of blockers, and Joe Fricking Burrow leading the offense.
I don't think anyone could argue there has ever been a bigger offseason in franchise history. Coaches learned a lot in year 1, and started to figure out how to get the rushing attack going, and that was without the outside weapons they will have this year. If you aren't optimistic, I feel sorry for you. I totally get it. Lucy has pulled the football away so many times that we simply have lost any optimism. But this year, whether they make the playoffs or not, will be one of the most exciting in team history. I can see the offense doing well early, and maybe losing some shootouts, but when the defense starts to gel by mid-season....no one is going to want to play this team down the stretch. That's my cup of optimism, with a bourbon chaser.
I think you could argue that those are all massive improvements, with more to come. The most suspect of the changes are the offensive line, but even that causes me to be hopeful.
I click my shot glass of bourbon with yours.