Give me your dark horse and your dud for 2018

[*SHRacerX*]

(04-07-2018, 07:43 PM)PDub80 Wrote: Stud: RG Christian Westerman - I think Westerman steps into the role and the Bengals do NOT spend a high draft pick on a G.

Dud: Andy Dalton - The offensive line and running game are better this season, but I predict Dalton does NOT improve and continues his erratic play - to the team's detriment. In typical fashion after having nowhere to turn, this will lead the Dalton gang to then blame the kicker, Randy Bullock, for Andy's poor performances. 2015 gets further and further away in the rear view mirror.

Ouch on Dalton.

I think Westerman is a great selection, and I think he and Redmond allow the Bengals to focus on other spots (center, RT possibly, but they did sign Hart to compete with Fisher).  It also provides the Bengals a back up plan to Glenn if he is injured (and it doesn't have to be Ced O, thank God):  You can slide Boling to LT, Westerman to LG and have Redmond at RG.  We had no real back up plan last year to Ced and finally made a switch once the season was over.  Lazor won't wait this year if it isn't working.  

The drafting of the right center is very crucial to this team's success in 2018 (no shit, right?)  I am hoping for Price or Ragnow.  

[PDub80]

(04-08-2018, 09:19 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: You are on a roll, my friend.  

Wilson got a shot late last year and was an impact guy on special teams.  I loved to watch that Houston team when he was there.  That defense had speed to burn and made plays all over the field.  My guy Fej proved to be a capable fill-in as a seventh rounder with minimal experience at coverage safety.  I think Brandon Wilson deserves a shot as the deep safety.  If nothing else, I hope he gets the shot in the preseason and shows that he should at least warrant consideration.  Our safeties never seem to stay healthy. 

And you are dead on with respect to Mixon.  I didn't want to draft him (more for PR than anything) but the kid kept his nose clean and showed flashes of being the guy we saw at Oklahoma.  I think, as you stated, that once he has the new offense installed and better offensive line play, the guy will soar.  I am not a fantasy guy, but I would want Mixon on my fantasy team this year.

I don't know if you caught the thread or not back right after the season, but in an interview/podcast Dave Lapham said that Bill Lazor took the run blocking scheme duties away from Alexander starting in week 11. Lazor totally changed the scheme and run fits from a Mid-Zone to an Inside-Zone, which was a major change in philosophy and blocking scheme. Lapham explained it as a really needed change and in great detail.

Mixon's avg per carry....

WEEK
11: 4.96
12: 4.86
13: DnP Concussion
14: DnP Concussion
15: 4.00
16: 5.33

Mixon should benefit wildly from this O-Line overhaul. Perhaps more than anyone.

[*SHRacerX*]

(04-07-2018, 08:09 PM)bambino5130 Wrote: Dark Horse: Jordan Evans: Really like his size, & jump off the ball. I thought MJ took way too many snaps away from Evans last year. Hopefully MJ gets cut, freeing up cap space to resign Geno & Los, & Evans gets his opportunity.

Dud: Dre Kirkpatrick: It seems everytime I almost quit on him, he seems to make a play like a pass deflection ..... only to follow it with a PI. Is he worth $10 million a year? Hell no. Could Denard prove he is the better CB, most likely.

Good picks.  I am surprised no one picked Dennard as a dark horse.  I really like the guy opposite WJIII.  Not sure Dre is a solid enough tackler to be the slot CB, but we will see what happens with him.  I would much rather have Dennard over Dre right now. 

[*SHRacerX*]

(04-07-2018, 10:12 PM)snowy Wrote: Dark hourse: Malone
Dud: Hewitt

Poor Hewitt.  Plays his ass off and is rewarded with less and less playing time.  I wonder if Lazor will do much with the FB (or HB) on the field?  I personally think the guy is a vastly underrated receiver out of the backfield.  

[PDub80]

(04-08-2018, 09:35 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Ouch on Dalton.

I think Westerman is a great selection, and I think he and Redmond allow the Bengals to focus on other spots (center, RT possibly, but they did sign Hart to compete with Fisher).  It also provides the Bengals a back up plan to Glenn if he is injured (and it doesn't have to be Ced O, thank God):  You can slide Boling to LT, Westerman to LG and have Redmond at RG.  We had no real back up plan last year to Ced and finally made a switch once the season was over.  Lazor won't wait this year if it isn't working.  

The drafting of the right center is very crucial to this team's success in 2018 (no shit, right?)  I am hoping for Price or Ragnow.  

My only (real) criticism and concern regarding Andy isn't how good he can be. He can be top shelf and elite at his peak. It'show bad he can be on an off week. He can be horrific. If he can just raise his level of bad game (all QBs have them) up to not THAT bad - 5 turnovers open day to the Ravens at home, anyone? - then the Bengals have a shot at winning any game.

But, until he does that and becomes more consistent, he's the player who scares me the most every week.

[Sled21]

My Dark Horse is also Jordan Evans. As the season closed last year, I was really getting comfortable with the level of progress he was making and was feeling like he could come in and play with little drop off. The more comfortable he gets, the faster he will play. I see big things for him.
Dud: not going to put that evil on anyone....

[Daddy-O]

Dark Horse: Ryan Glasgow. Like what he did as a rookie and expect bigger and better things as a second year player

Dud: Have to say Dre K

[*SHRacerX*]

(04-08-2018, 09:36 AM)PDub80 Wrote: I don't know if you caught the thread or not back right after the season, but in an interview/podcast Dave Lapham said that Bill Lazor took the run blocking scheme duties away from Alexander starting in week 11. Lazor totally changed the scheme and run fits from a Mid-Zone to an Inside-Zone, which was a major change in philosophy and blocking scheme. Lapham explained it as a really needed change and in great detail.

Mixon's avg per carry....

WEEK
11: 4.96
12: 4.86
13: DnP Concussion
14: DnP Concussion
15: 4.00
16: 5.33

Mixon should benefit wildly from this O-Line overhaul. Perhaps more than anyone.

Agreed 100%, except Dalton will benefit even more.  That overhaul is the one big reason I have hope (Lucy warming up to pull the ball away) for this year.  Lazor came in and made in-season changes to personnel and scheme.  I can't imagine how difficult that was to accomplish.  He didn't care about stepping on toes.  He even made a statement to the effect that coaches need to be able to disagree without taking it personally.  He saw what needed to be done to win (or at the very least, improve...what a concept) with the talent he already had on his roster. 

Lazor, with an entire off-season, gives me hope.  Maybe he should have been my dark horse. 

[*SHRacerX*]

(04-08-2018, 09:41 AM)PDub80 Wrote: My only (real) criticism and concern regarding Andy isn't how good he can be. He can be top shelf and elite at his peak. It'show bad he can be on an off week. He can be horrific. If he can just raise his level of bad game (all QBs have them) up to not THAT bad - 5 turnovers open day to the Ravens at home, anyone? - then the Bengals have a shot at winning any game.

But, until he does that and becomes more consistent, he's the player who scares me the most every week.

That opening day loss (our first home opening day in 7 years) was just awful.  I don't put it all on Dalton.  The pocket never moved with Zampese's offense (that was an immediate change made by Lazor) and the Ravens were just staying in their lanes and batting (or tipping) balls.  It was a pathetic effort, no doubt, but I think we will see the Dalton we knew and loved in 2015 again this season. 

[*SHRacerX*]

(04-08-2018, 09:43 AM)Daddy-O Wrote: Dark Horse:  Ryan Glasgow.  Like what he did as a rookie and expect bigger and better things as a second year player

Dud:  Have to say Dre K

Glasgow wasn't great, but when you consider what position he was being asked to play as a rookie and the amount of snaps he did play, it was a very solid rookie season for him.  I believe he may end up being a very solid presence in the middle of our defensive line for a long time to come.  Love his drive. 

[Yojimbo]

(04-07-2018, 04:46 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Neither was good a year ago so how can 2 players who did nothing be a dud. It is expected they will stink by most. A Dud to me should be either brand new with high expectations or someone who has played well the year prior.

I think the team has very high expectations of Eifert and Ross.

[snowy]

(04-08-2018, 09:39 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Poor Hewitt.  Plays his ass off and is rewarded with less and less playing time.  I wonder if Lazor will do much with the FB (or HB) on the field?  I personally think the guy is a vastly underrated receiver out of the backfield.  

If the running game gets back on track, Hewitt could be (should be) a part of that. And I've said before he should see more tight end work. I don't see either one of those things happening, though. I can see Hewitt in Cleveland along with the rest of the NFL

[pdub2005]

(04-07-2018, 11:14 AM)samhain Wrote: I can see the Burfict selection due to spotty availability.  

Disagree on WJIII due to the fact that most probably already expect him to be one of the 5 best players on the team.

WJIII has already arrived, at the least as a solid contributor. I don't think you can be a darkhorse when you play as well as he did last year. 

[*bengalfan74*]

Stud: Joe Mixon

Dud: Michael Johnson

[TKUHL]

It would be so Bengals like to come out this year with a killer OL only to have Dalton suck it up now that AJ is gone.

[BengalFanInNJ]

Dark Horse: Eifert. I think he has a fully healthy season and hits 800+yards receiving and 7 TD's.

Dud: Andrew Billings. I just don't think he is what many of us (including myself) thought he'd be.

[TSwigZ]

Dark Horse: Jordan Willis

I have a feeling he’s gonna breakout in his second year and honestly make Dunlap replaceable.

Dud: John Ross

I know this pick will cause some people to get mad but even healthy i can’t get my mind around it enough to see him not turning out to be a Peter Warrick type of a bust. Sure he’ll show some flashes because of his speed and skill set but i don’t see him putting it together. Sorry

[TSwigZ]

(04-08-2018, 07:13 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Stud: Joe Mixon

Dud: Michael Johnson

MJ has a lot of seasons under his belt even if he makes the team and repeats what he did last year i don’t see how we can label him a dud when we know what we’re getting from him and have zero expectations

[TheUberHuber]

Dark horse -- Kroft

Dud-- ross

[Lawless_1]

(04-08-2018, 09:28 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Very interesting dark horse.  I love it!  That would be the darkest of dark horses.  

I think you might have missed, however, how many really good NFL players ended up with one-year deals this year.  It seems to be the new trend.  Brown will love playing on this defense.  

I honestly don't know why people sleep on Hill. He was great in college. Vision, speed, power. He is a complete back that got lost in a crowded backfield in Atlanta because he took time to adjust from D2 to the NFL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbONj24BVKc