Tempered Expectations with Burrow

[Luvnit2]

(07-25-2020, 08:35 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Dalton was just a second round pick, not number one overall, but he stepped into a loaded team with great coaches.

One of the best LTs in team history (Whitworth).  A solid vet RG (Bobbie Williams).  RT Andre Smith had been a bust his first two season due to injury.  But from '11-'13 he was a very good RT.  I believe in '13 PFF rated him as the best RT in the league.  Kyle Cook was also a very good OC before his injury in '12.  I think he only allowed 6 sacks over his first three full seasons as a starter.  Pat Kirwan at Sports Illustrated had Cook on his "Pro Bowl Snub" list in '11.  And no matter how much you want to shit on Nate Livings he was not that bad.  He played well enough to get a fat contract in free agency and none of the experts were screaming that Dallas overpaid.  That was a very good experienced offensive line.

Joe will have better skill players, but his O-line could be a disaster.  I love Jonah Williams, but at this point he has not proven he can play well in the NFL.  After Price and Ogbuehi we all know that first round picks are not guranteed to even be decent starters.  Sua-Filo has been  a back up since getting cut by the Titans in '18.  I like Jordan's potential, but he looked horrible last year.  Trey Hopkins is our only "proven starter" and he is no better than a middle of the pack OC.  Bobby Hart improved a lot last year, but I am not even sure he has a starting spot guaranteed.  It  is so bad that some fans are excited about a scrub the steelers cut last year or even our sixth round pick being able to contribute this year.

A healthy CP could not win in 2010, byt Dalton did win. Why?

It is way too early to right off our 2020 OL, like you said Smith did not play well in 208 to 2010, but did in 2011. Why can't Hart get better> Why can't Jonah be very good? I know this, Dalton did not have A vet Green, Boyd, Ross, a projected #1 WR pick we got with 33rd pick, Tate and others who may get cut. He did not have a Joe Mixon, Gio combo at RB.

I do know the majority of the media picked the Bengals by far as worst team in NFL in 2011, not so much for the 2020 Bengals as noone is saying worst team in the league