10-21-2020, 01:02 PM
(10-20-2020, 01:34 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Tee Higgins
Joe Burrow
Jonah Williams
Tyler Boyd
Jessie Bates
WJIII
Mackenzie Alexander
For me, it is two things: They are producing and they aren't whining about anything.
These players are doing the complete opposite:
Carlos Dunlap
Geno Atkins
Darius Phillips
John Ross
AJ Green
Shawn Williams
I know having AJ Green on the bottom list will annoy some, but his attitude and behavior in the first 5 games of the season was awful, so sorry...not sorry.
Why are the players in the first list producing? Jessie Bates isn't just a Pro Bowler, but maybe an All-Pro. Jonah Williams is coming on strong. Higgins had a huge game, and Boyd has been very steady. I almost put Lawson in the first group but he didn't have much impact against the Colts, but at least he isn't pissing and moaning about it or playing time. These players are from all different position groups, so you can't say "it's the defense" or something like that. Dunlap was one of the best DEs (statistically) in the NFL the last 8 games of the season last year, but so what? Your season was already over? Since when is it acceptable to simply turn it on for half a season? He clearly hasn't found that light switch yet this year.
As much as I wanted to throat-punch ZT for his play-calling after getting up 21-0 and scream at Anarumo to get pressure on Rivers, these players in the second list represent a hell of a lot of the money this team has spent on payroll. I think it is time to put more ownness on them and let the coaches try to work around them as they will not be in the long term plans.
Lastly, I just heard the Dolphins, at 3-3 (one game out of first in AFC East), are starting Tua after the bye week. This, with Fitzpatrick playing extremely well. I have no idea if this is best for them in the long run, but I have to admire their focus on their franchise QB and not an aging (but pretty amazing) Fitzy. The Bengals might be trying to do the same thing. Why focus on a lazy, underperforming, complaining group of players that are not a part of the long term plans? Yes, I wanted to win this year also, but not at the expense of Burrow and the long term.
Agree with everything you said, I just don't know what the FO can do about it right now. They would eat a ton of dough if they
just cut all those guys and brought in other players to fill their spots. The time to move on from these players was in the Offseason.
