OUR 5 Bold Predictions for the 2020 Season

[3wt]

(08-10-2020, 11:33 AM)fredtoast Wrote: 1. Mixon breaks Bengals single season rushing record.  Rudi Johnson averaged 91.1 yards per game to set the record (1458) in 2005.  Mixon averaged 102.1 over the second half of last season and I believe the O-line will be better this year.

2. Pratt finished top 10 in the league in tackles.  Pratt's playing time increased steadily over the 2019 season until over the last 4 games he was playing 70% of the snaps.  Pratt had 34 tackles over those final 4 games.  I know it is a small sample size, but projected over a full season his 136 tackles would have ranked 9th in the league.  And, to be honest, with Vigil gone I look for Pratt to play well over 70% of the snaps this year.  I really like the guys we drafted, but I don't expect middle round picks to step in play at a top level immediately as rookies.

3.  Drew Sample will have more receiving yards than any Bengal TE in 5 years.  Not as incredible as it first sounds when you realize he only has to get to 440 yards.  Eifert is gone and I see pictures of Sample working out with Burrow.  I think they are building a chemistry.  And a rookie QB playing behind a sketchy O-line will be looking for his TE a lot.

4.  Our defensive backs will have 5+ sacks.  Over the last two season our DBs have combined for just 3 sacks (2 by Shawn Williams, 1 by DreKirk), but both Vonn Bell and MacKensie Alexander have seasons with 4+ sacks.  I see us using lot of sets with 3 Safeties on the filed at the same time and also using "run blitzes" that can lead to sacks on first and second down.

5.  Bengals win Super Bowl.  Why the **** not?

I'm loving this thread.  And a lot of these are bold but not unrealistic.   I am SO hoping the virus doesn't run rampant or take any players significantly down.

As for 5...   REP.    Go big or go home!