Terrifying potential in 2018.

[HarleyDog]

Love it! More stoked today that yesterday. I know writers write, but there is a lot of truth to this. We can blow this up!

https://bengalswire.usatoday.com/2018/07/16/bengals-offense-has-terrifying-potential-in-2018/

Quote:The Cincinnati Bengals need many things to go right for the offense to realize its potential in 2018 — but the upside is perhaps greater than most NFL teams can boast.

Those many things include a new-look offensive line keeping Andy Dalton clean. It also includes the health and production of John Ross and Tyler Eifert, among others.



Ranking the offense 16th in projections recently, Bill Barnwell of ESPN seemed to concur:

Quote:If the Bengals could ever get all of their weapons on the field at the same time and protect Andy Dalton, they would be absolutely terrifying. Imagine a receiving corps with A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert, Tyler Boyd and 2017 ninth overall pick John Ross as the primary targets, and the duo of Gio Bernard and Joe Mixon working out of the backfield. Injuries limited several of those weapons in 2017, with Eifert and Ross combining for just five touches all season.

This potential is part of the reason the Bengals front office felt strongly enough to extend Marvin Lewis again despite consecutive disappointing seasons.
It’s also part of the reason the team retained Bill Lazor as offensive coordinator after he served as an interim last year and the offense still struggled.
It’s going to start in the trenches for the Bengals. But the way they have insulated Dalton with elite talent at the skill positions still has a huge potential payoff.
Many will debate the 16th ranking the Bengals received from Barnwell, but the Bengals have a chance to cement an even higher ranking if things can fall into place.

Barnwells an idiot!

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

I mean, last year they were like the worst Offense in the NFL so i can understand the 16 ranking but if this O-line
can block decent and we can stay healthy we have the skill players to be very dangerous. Looking for a huge year
from Dalton and Mixon primarily. Might be spreading the ball around too much for AJ to have a monster year.

We will see, but it looks great on paper.

[*bengalfan74*]

Yes it is !

If it all comes together and I think there's a pretty high chance it will. This team will make some waves this year.

[Bengalbug]

(07-16-2018, 07:27 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I mean, last year they were like the worst Offense in the NFL so i can understand the 16 ranking but if this O-line
can block decent and we can stay healthy we have the skill players to be very dangerous. Looking for a huge year
from Dalton and Mixon primarily. Might be spreading the ball around too much for AJ to have a monster year.

We will see, but it looks great on paper.

Who on this roster do you expect to steal greens targets?

His target share is always ridiculous, regardless of the year. So if the ball is spreading around that means green still gets his, while everyone else fights for leftovers.

[grampahol]

(07-17-2018, 12:22 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: Who on this roster do you expect to steal greens targets?

His target share is always ridiculous, regardless of the year.  So if the ball is spreading around that means green still gets his, while everyone else fights for leftovers.

That's always the case for every big star on every team every season. Will newcomers step up and take his place?  Eventually it'll happen.  Nobody stays young and remains THE STUD forever. The only question is will the young guys step up and become THE STUDS this year or the next?  AJ will be the stud for awhile ,but not forever. It's only a matter of time. 
Think about it. Right now there's some kid nobody has ever heard of just ready and waiting to become the next huge Bengals WR and doesn't even know it. 
Hell, for all we know it might even be my 58 year old decrepit carcass just waiting to be the next big thing in Bengaldom.. Hint: Don't hold your breath on that one .. lol

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(07-17-2018, 12:22 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: Who on this roster do you expect to steal greens targets?

His target share is always ridiculous, regardless of the year.  So if the ball is spreading around that means green still gets his, while everyone else fights for leftovers.

If they can stay healthy, Ross, Eifert, Boyd, Malone, even Auden Tate in the Redzone and Kroft if Eifert doesn't
stay healthy. Plus i expect to see the RB's get a lot of pass catching opportunities this season. AJ still should have a
great season, just saying the ball should be spread around more with him opening it up for others.

[Bengalbug]

(07-17-2018, 11:43 AM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: If they can stay healthy, Ross, Eifert and Boyd, maybe even Auden Tate in the Redzone and Kroft if Eifert doesn't
stay healthy. Plus i expect to see the RB's get a lot of pass catching opportunities this season. AJ still should have a
great season, just saying the ball should be spread around more with him opening it up for others.

Look at 2015, when the ball was moving and Green had one of his best seasons. The more the ball spreads out the better year green has due to single coverage.

If we have 2-3 others step up with 50-60 catches, green will still put up 85+

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(07-17-2018, 11:55 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: Look at 2015, when the ball was moving and Green had one of his best seasons.  The more the ball spreads out the better year green has due to single coverage.  

If we have 2-3 others step up with 50-60 catches, green will still put up 85+

Good point, didn't really think of that.

Could be his best year, dude is still in his prime and coming off his most frustrating year. Could light up the league.

Ross has that speed that could really open it up for him and has been burning our best Corner in minicamp.

I could have it completely backwards on AJ.

[XenoMorph]

(07-17-2018, 12:22 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: Who on this roster do you expect to steal greens targets?

His target share is always ridiculous, regardless of the year.  So if the ball is spreading around that means green still gets his, while everyone else fights for leftovers.

part of the problem is how many targets green gets... Don't get me wrong he gets them cause Dalton trust him the most... But over the years Dalton has also forced many a ball to green that probly needed to go elsewhere... If he can spread the ball around to the other receivers and get them involved constantly it will let green work a little cleaner out there.   He will still get more targets than any single other person on the team.  But the Difference shouldn't be as great if everyone is up and running.

[sandwedge]

(07-17-2018, 01:20 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: part of the problem is how many targets green gets... Don't get me wrong he gets them cause Dalton trust him the most... But over the years Dalton has also forced many a ball to green that probly needed to go elsewhere... If he can spread the ball around to the other receivers and get them involved constantly it will let green work a little cleaner out there.   He will still get more targets than any single other person on the team.  But the Difference shouldn't be as great if everyone is up and running.

I was going to answer almost the same, it means AJ might not have to beat double coverage every play. Once Ross starts beating single coverage inside or out, safeties are going to have pick their poison.  I think even Malone will cause fit problems.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(07-17-2018, 01:20 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: part of the problem is how many targets green gets... Don't get me wrong he gets them cause Dalton trust him the most... But over the years Dalton has also forced many a ball to green that probly needed to go elsewhere... If he can spread the ball around to the other receivers and get them involved constantly it will let green work a little cleaner out there.   He will still get more targets than any single other person on the team.  But the Difference shouldn't be as great if everyone is up and running.

Yep, there are times when Dalton goes to Green too much and forces throws. Not good.

Hopefully these others guys namely Ross get good chemistry with Dalton so this doesn't happen as much.

[XenoMorph]

(07-17-2018, 02:15 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yep, there are times when Dalton goes to Green too much and forces throws. Not good.

Hopefully these others guys namely Ross get good chemistry with Dalton so this doesn't happen as much.

eifert being on the field changes a lot for us too.  we didn't use the TEs to attack nearly as much without him,

[Hoofhearted]

The last thousand yard rusher we had was Jeremy Hills rookie season. I loved getting pumped up this time of year, but I am not sure I have seen a ML coached team's offense be "terrifying". I think 2013 and 2015 was his best offenses, all with Hue. I am not so sure if Marv trust Lazor as much as he does Hue.

[fredtoast]

To me Eifert would be the biggest single difference maker. But unfortunately he is the one guy I don't have faith in returning to his old form.

Every team tries to get better by adding players and draft picks, but many teams also lose players to free agency or age. And very few have a top 10 pick who contributed zero last year returning healthy.

We have a chance to make a big leap, but everyone has to remember that we are leaping from the very bottom. So "scary" may be stretching it a bit.

[XenoMorph]

(07-17-2018, 02:28 PM)Hoofhearted Wrote: The last thousand yard rusher we had was Jeremy Hills rookie season. I loved getting pumped up this time of year, but I am not sure I have seen a ML coached team's offense be "terrifying". I think 2013 and 2015 was his best offenses, all with Hue. I am not so sure if Marv trust Lazor as much as he does Hue.

Gotta base the run game off the last 2 games last year when it was apparent a change was made...

[*ochocincos*]

The intention was to always have Green, Eifert, Boyd/LaFell, Ross, and Mixon/Gio since both Ross and Mixon were drafted last year. Unfortunately, Eifert and Ross couldn't get on the field and the offense suffered because of it. Given Eifert's uncertain timetable for being able to start training camp, I'm not confident we'll get too see that combo (much) this coming season.

[*ochocincos*]

(07-17-2018, 02:28 PM)Hoofhearted Wrote: The last thousand yard rusher we had was Jeremy Hills rookie season. I loved getting pumped up this time of year, but I am not sure I have seen a ML coached team's offense be "terrifying". I think 2013 and 2015 was his best offenses, all with Hue. I am not so sure if Marv trust Lazor as much as he does Hue.

It's worth mentioning that Mixon, Bernard, and Hill did combine for 1200 rushing yards and 692 receiving yards (1892 total yards) on 943 offensive snaps. While none of them reached that ideal 1000 yard metric, they did do well if you compare their combined workload to a typical workhorse RB.

For reference, those three combined were near identical to what Le'Veon Bell put up (1291 + 655 = 1946) on 943 offensive snaps.

[Steve]

(07-17-2018, 02:18 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: eifert being on the field changes a lot for us too.  we didn't use the TEs to attack nearly as much without him,

every time Eifert catches a pass I am afraid he's going to get hurt when he gets tackled....that's why I did didn't want us to draft Ross.....
I wanted TE O.J. Howard....
but we shall see....

[SunsetBengal]

The potential to be dangerous is there, but unless the blocking and tackling are on par, they may not make much noise.

[BoomerFan]

I believe our offense should be better. Not sure how much better -- we may be buying into our own hype on how improved the OLine will be. We'll know pretty soon though -- if the RBs are getting more YPC we'll know it is legit. And that could be huge not just for the offense but the defense as well (time of possession).