What Is Different and Is It Enough?

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(05-24-2017, 03:44 PM)ochocincos Wrote: This not only will help this year, but it will be great for next year. Imagine if Ogbuehi and Fisher pan out this year and the Bengals can retain Burfict, Minter, and Eifert?
That would only leave 1-2 OL spots needing to be solidified. Just one if Bodine actually takes a step forward and is re-signed. None if Westerman or Redmond proves solid at RG once Andre is done. The draft will really be opened up next year if any of these OL question marks no longer is a question mark.

So true, we will see but there are tons of reasons for optimism. If these two play well our team will be really tough on
down the road especially if we let Bodine go after this year and draft a Center early to solidify the interior O-line.

(05-24-2017, 05:26 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: I'm 'hoping' right along with you Nate, I just don't believe it.

Anything but shooting themselves in the foot would definitely be a pleasant surprise!

Don't blame yah, you have history on your side BG71...

But damn are we loaded this year in all 3 phases barring injuries.

[*ochocincos*]

(05-26-2017, 02:08 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote:
So true, we will see but there are tons of reasons for optimism. If these two play well our team will be really tough on
down the road especially if we let Bodine go after this year and draft a Center early to solidify the interior O-line.


Don't blame yah, you have history on your side BG71...

But damn are we loaded this year in all 3 phases barring injuries.

Yea here's the way I see it. If the OTs play well enough this year, the Bengals pick in the second half of the first round which could be a fitting spot for an interior OL (although they might not do that again if they had no plans on re-signing Zeitler). If the OTs fail, the Bengals pick in the top 10-15 and should be in a good spot for a good OT.
If all of Ogbuehi, Fisher, and Bodine improve, the Bengals could have a wide open first round based on who leaves in FA.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(05-26-2017, 02:16 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Yea here's the way I see it. If the OTs play well enough this year, the Bengals pick in the second half of the first round which could be a fitting spot for an interior OL (although they might not do that again if they had no plans on re-signing Zeitler). If the OTs fail, the Bengals pick in the top 10-15 and should be in a good spot for a good OT.
If all of Ogbuehi, Fisher, and Bodine improve, the Bengals could have a wide open first round based on who leaves in FA.

That is a good way to look at it. Great stuff Ocho. :andy:

[Luvnit2]

(05-26-2017, 02:16 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Yea here's the way I see it. If the OTs play well enough this year, the Bengals pick in the second half of the first round which could be a fitting spot for an interior OL (although they might not do that again if they had no plans on re-signing Zeitler). If the OTs fail, the Bengals pick in the top 10-15 and should be in a good spot for a good OT.
If all of Ogbuehi, Fisher, and Bodine improve, the Bengals could have a wide open first round based on who leaves in FA.

Very good post!

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Never know, JJ Dielman might come in and play great too, would love this.

Guy was a good player when healthy at Utah.

[*Nately120*]

(05-24-2017, 11:30 AM)bengalguy71 Wrote: I did and they would have won it, had their coach just ran the football in the 4th Quarter.  It still makes me leary about the NFL 'fixing' stuff. Not saying that Matt Ryan intentionally threw the pick, my question is why were they passing the ball at that point?   Back on topic, if I were a betting man, and was one who refused to let fan loyalty stand in my way of making money, I would bet the farm that the Bengals shoot themselves in the foot just like they have every year since 1991.

I have to say that it is interesting hearing Bengals fans claiming the Falcons "would have won if they would have run the ball" while we claim we would have won over Pittsburgh if we would NOT have run the ball after losing the month before in Arizona because we didn't run the ball.

The Falcons had 2016's top QB throwing the ball to one of the top WRs in a league where any incomplete pass is analyzed for anything that could give the offense a PI and 1st down.  I get it.  The real answer that is what you do doesn't work it is clear you needed to do something/anything else. 

[Shake n Blake]

(05-24-2017, 04:01 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: Those that say offensive line is worse are assuming that Andre Smith, Og, and Fisher are static in their development and the line will not be as good or even worse.  

Maybe those fans are correct.  But I'm optimistic OG Smith and Fisher will all improve this year.  I also think that Mixon with his running style will help.  

The defense was already respectable.  This year with players like Burfict, WJ3, Billings, Lawson, Willis, and maybe a healthy Dennard will make the defense darn right scary.

I'm not assuming those guys will not get better at all, I'm just assuming that Ogbuehi will certainly not be better than Whit was last year, and Andre will not be better than Zeitler. We're almost certain to be worse at those positions, unless someone wants to sell me on how Ogbuehi is an upgrade to a Bengals legend or how Andre Smith can bump inside and outplay a guy who spent his entire career at one position and is now the highest paid guard in the league. 

I just don't see it, but we'll see.

I do think RT will be better by default. No one can be as bad as Ogbuehi was last year, and I am somewhat hopeful with Fisher.

[BengalChris]

(05-20-2017, 12:33 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: Hey folks, I am making a rare cameo appearance, since it's the off season, and since moving from the fourth row 50 yard line to the upper deck!

I'm looking forward to August and seeing how things unfold and will watch, root, and follow, when I can, just doing so without the NFL Ticket.

My question is this;

What, if anything, is different about this year, opposed to any of the other seasons since 2011?

For those that think this year is different that leads to my next question;

With Brown and Lewis still at the helm, will the differences be enough and why?

Differences

1. Improved outside speed at receiver with Ross and Core looking good.
2. Lost one of the top LTs in the league and he's being replaced by one of the worse OTs in the league. If Ogbuehi has just a so-so OT season then he will have improved dramatically. I doubt he has that much improvement in him in one season.
3. Lost our best interior lineman, but replaced him with Andre Smith who will should be a better run blocker.
4. On defense we've gotten younger with Minter and Lawson at LB and we are hoping WJIII and the NT (forget his name at the moment) step up after both missed all of their rookie years.

Will it be enough?
Probably not enough to advance in the playoffs. Lewis will be Lewis. Defense will be top 10 scoring defense once again, but O-line will continue to plague the offense with back field pressure and penetration. Bodine is still the OC and will be leaky. Ogbuehi, even if he improves, probable won't be a good starter and since he's never played a full season there's no reason to suspect he will this year. We don't even have a decent backup at LT to boot.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(05-30-2017, 12:43 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I'm not assuming those guys will not get better at all, I'm just assuming that Ogbuehi will certainly not be better than Whit was last year, and Andre will not be better than Zeitler. We're almost certain to be worse at those positions, unless someone wants to sell me on how Ogbuehi is an upgrade to a Bengals legend or how Andre Smith can bump inside and outplay a guy who spent his entire career at one position and is now the highest paid guard in the league. 

I just don't see it, but we'll see.

I do think RT will be better by default. No one can be as bad as Ogbuehi was last year, and I am somewhat hopeful with Fisher.

All valid concerns but lets just not act like Zeitler deserved to be the highest paid Guard ever.

He was a terrible run blocker last year and at the very least Andre should be an upgrade in this part of the game if he can stay healthy.

Plus moving from being an OT to an interior O-lineman Andre already has a heads up in pass protection since he has faced the best pass
rushers that tend to mostly be on the outside. Andre Smith staying healthy is my biggest concern here, like you said, we will see.

(06-01-2017, 11:29 AM)BengalChris Wrote: Differences

1. Improved outside speed at receiver with Ross and Core looking good.
2. Lost one of the top LTs in the league and he's being replaced by one of the worse OTs in the league. If Ogbuehi has just a so-so OT season then he will have improved dramatically. I doubt he has that much improvement in him in one season.
3. Lost our best interior lineman, but replaced him with Andre Smith who will should be a better run blocker.
4. On defense we've gotten younger with Minter and Lawson at LB and we are hoping WJIII and the NT (forget his name at the moment) step up after both missed all of their rookie years.

Will it be enough?
Probably not enough to advance in the playoffs. Lewis will be Lewis. Defense will be top 10 scoring defense once again, but O-line will continue to plague the offense with back field pressure and penetration. Bodine is still the OC and will be leaky. Ogbuehi, even if he improves, probable won't be a good starter and since he's never played a full season there's no reason to suspect he will this year. We don't even have a decent backup at LT to boot.

BILLINGS!

Landon Lechler might be a nice surprise to some, he was dominant at North Dakota State is the same size as Whit and now wears #77.

Went undrafted cause of the small college but you cannot deny his great play, he might be a sleeper if Og sucks it up.

[Junglejuice]

Even with the offensive line issues this team could have easily been a 10-6 team with some better special teams play and without the huge amount of skill player injuries.
People get fixated on that record but most of our losses were 1 score affairs.

This is still a very good team.
Just need all the pieces on the field and a kicker who can do his job.

[bengals67]

we will lose two games to the Steelers and a third one if we both make playoffs.

If this year is a repeat of 2015, it would be beyond imagination for Lewis to be retained.

If 2017 is like 2016, he should be fired before the season ends.

[BengalChris]

(06-01-2017, 04:42 PM)Junglejuice Wrote: Even with the offensive line issues this team could have easily been a 10-6 team with some better special teams play and without the huge amount of skill player injuries.
People get fixated on that record but most of our losses were 1 score affairs.

This is still a very good team.
Just need all the pieces on the field and a kicker who can do his job.

Yeah, but we looked down right bad against good teams last year. NE man handled us, Houston's D dominated the Bengals O, Dallas ran over our run D and we were swept by Pittsburgh. Have to be able to beat those teams.

[Luvnit2]

(06-01-2017, 06:33 PM)BengalChris Wrote: Yeah, but we looked down right bad against good teams last year. NE man handled us, Houston's D dominated the Bengals O, Dallas ran over our run D and we were swept by Pittsburgh. Have to be able to beat those teams.

NE did not man handle us in 2016 at Foxboro where few opposing teams win. We were leading the game in the 3rd quarter.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(06-01-2017, 06:33 PM)BengalChris Wrote: Yeah, but we looked down right bad against good teams last year. NE man handled us, Houston's D dominated the Bengals O, Dallas ran over our run D and we were swept by Pittsburgh. Have to be able to beat those teams.

(06-01-2017, 10:41 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: NE did not man handle us in 2016 at Foxboro where few opposing teams win. We were leading the game in the 3rd quarter.

Should of beat the Texans as well if not for the missed kick. We had quite a few games that we could of won with a good Kicker.

Dallas was the only team that dominated us last year. Happy Peko and Maualuga are gone and Billings and Minter are here instead.

Same with Elliott who was perfect on point afters in college and is always right down the middle. Hit a 53 yarder in college too.

With Simmons working with Elliott we might be much better at Kicker this year. Simmons said he was looking for the next Justin Tucker.