What if any are the positives this season

[chopperbobby]

The water boys and girls are fairly quick at getting on the field during time outs, and they remember to bring the water. MVP performance.

[Bilbo Saggins]

Now that ZT has put some time in and has earned name recognition from his employers, it is only a matter of time until some of his extraordinarily well qualified and talented family members are offered lifetime positions at Club Bengal.

[Goalpost]

Quietly hopeful for Andrew Brown.

[reuben.ahmed]

not enough of anything.

Wilson made a couple good plays in 7 games, how is that a positive? That's like saying Geno's 1 sack through 6 games was "OK" at least he got a sack. Then again why did we have erickson back there when Wilson ran back a TD the game before?
Tate and Ross drops easy catchable balls, but make the tough ones. That's neutral. Ross is injured, that's negative, so he didn't make neutral.
Erickson is playing up to his potential, I give you that one.

The coaching seems like it's shambles with poor (according to us) play calls.

[*SHRacerX*]

(10-21-2019, 01:18 PM)hotweales Wrote: Are there any positives from this season to date?
I actually think there are a few positives and will be more going forward.

Special Teams has looked pretty good so far.
Wilson is an athlete and is one of the few Bengals that look quick on the field.
Erickson is starting to prove that he is simply put a football player.
The Center position has looked okay for the first time in a while.
Tate has looked okay and will probably only improve with more time and added confidence.
John Ross showed signs of life before injury.

positives for next season (I know already saying wait until next year)
We have many players getting snaps that would not have played as much with health.
A few guys may carve out roles allowing team to get younger
This season may just push FO over the edge to finally being more aggressive? (wait and see)
Andy Dalton's performance has to have them considering what is next. (He is not the total problem, but is not good enough to elevate players)

What do see as positives?

I think you nailed the positives, although I would add that Sam Hubbard has been really good as well.  

[PDub80]

A lot of positives for the Bengals IMO...

1: Most of the games have been close and winnable. The Bengals have had the lead or tied in the 4th quarter for, I believe, 4 or 5 of their losses. The Bengals aren't being massacred, they are losing. There is a major difference between the two in terms of outlook, IMO. Most of these games have come down to 3 or 4 plays. Which leads me to...

2: I like the coaching staff. Personally, I saw a disastrous season coming. I was okay (even bought $1,800/each season tickets - if that shows my commitment to enjoying the games no matter what) with that because I felt like with Taylor being super young and a HC newb, he was going to go through a lot of learning and growth. I feel like he is willing and able to change and am looking forward to that growth. Failure is far better teacher than success.

Side note: I appreciate his press conferences a lot and it shows he has a lot of character and self awareness. I understand the Bengals are losing, but Taylor continues to stand up there and take the heat instead of giggling off dismissively.

3: I LIKE the defense. Yep, that's right. I said it. I actually think the Defense has done a great job for the most part. DO they need players? YES. Are they needing to grow? YES. Are they doing their job until getting overwhelmed? For the most part....YES. I don't hate the D and think that they have fought their butts off through some major injuries and still kept the games reasonably close. If the offense could do ANYTHING (again, these games have come down to 3 or 4 plays, typically on offense) I believe it changes a lot of things and the Bengals could realistically be 4-3, 5-2, or even 6-1.

4: John Ross. He looked like stock trending WAY up until he got injured. That was exciting. Maybe he is Chris Perry 2.0, or maybe he is TJ or TO where his first few years are a mess and the light comes and then stays on. Either way, Ross was at least showing why the Bengals took him.

5: Auden Tate. Tobin gave an interview after the 2018 draft and said that the player he was most excited about was Tate. Then, Tate was never shown the field. Well.... who's laughing now? Tate is showing some major chops. Pressure makes diamonds. Tate is shown the field and is shining brightly. So much room to develop with him, I am excited to see him continue to play.

6: Now we know. The contract extension for #14 has worked itself out and the Bengals are ready to move on from the trap of "mediocre quality". The QB play has needed to get much better to be competitive and it just hasn't progressed forward. #14 couldn't grow past his peak in 2015 enough to find the consistency to maintain that level of play. The Bengals seem to have relented to that fact and, hopefully, allow #14 to move on after his current deal expires.

There's much more, but I'll stop there. Better things lie ahead for all! Be happy and excited about that, Bengals fans!

[corpjet]

remember when everyone said Billy Price was fine at C and I laughed

Finally we have the best C on the team playing C and Price moved (this however shows how bad our Guards are)

Positives
- Sam Hubbard
- Auden Tate
- Alex Erickson
- B Wilson (on special teams, he hasn't done anything on defense)

[Sled21]

(10-21-2019, 01:18 PM)hotweales Wrote: Erickson is starting to prove that he is simply put a football player.

Erickson has been proving that since the first time he stepped on the field. He has always been sure handed, and led the conference in returns. He may not get a lot of YAC, but if he gets to the sticks before Andy gets killed, he'll catch the ball for the 1st down.

[impactplaya]

Auden Tate is emerging as quality WR. He's starting to convert catches to 1st downs. His improvement cannot be denied.

Trey Hopkins rock solid this year despite the circus of failure around him.

Darius Phillips and Brandon Wilson 2 legit game changers
On special teams. And both in limited snaps made real
Atheletic plays on defense. Plays not seen from the starters

Germine Pratt is coming along errors and all.

Josh Toputa (sp) was disruptive in a small sample size

[WhodeyRay]

Tate, Hopkins, Hubbard and my lawn. Lawn has never looked better since I work on it every Sunday by halftime to keep from having a stroke watching this flaming pile of fun.

[HarleyDog]

I'm going to take a risk and respond to this without reading all the previous responses as I will go back after I'm done. Here's what I got so far on the positives:


Tate: He is performing better than I thought he would. I know many on here wanted to see him more involved, and he looks good and is progressing every week.

Wilson: looks great on returns

Hubbard: Dude is working hard and making a difference.

Erickson: Nice game last week. He's pretty consistent but under utilized.

Fans: less and less are showing up to show their frustration in how the team is ran. Rather it makes a difference or not will be seen but FA will depend on that and how quickly we try and turn things around for next season.

BengalsBoard Members: Although frustrated, you all are doing your best not to let it pour out onto other members with different opinions and that's the best positive out of it all. Win or lose, at the end of the day, we end up here together, bitching like family at Thanksgiving. But we're family so that's cool (as long as it stays within the CoC). 

[GreenCornBengal]

(10-21-2019, 01:30 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Wilson, Hopkins, and Billings are free agents. So yes - 3 of our rare positives...are in contract years. Funny how that works.

Ross flashed for what 1-2 games? He also showed that he drops A LOT of passes and can't be really relied upon as a #1 or #2 atleast at this point.

Tate and Erickson both had 1 good game. It's something.

I think a WR grouping of Green, Boyd, Ross, Tate, and Erickson would be pretty formidable with a QB who could spread the ball around.

Did you watch Tyler Boyd last week? Geeeeez

[fredtoast]

(10-22-2019, 09:22 AM)corpjet Wrote: remember when everyone said Billy Price was fine at C and I laughed

No I don't remember that ever happening.

Most of the talk about Price last year was how he was struggling.  So who is the "everyone" you are talking about.

[fortyyearfan]

(10-22-2019, 07:47 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: I'm going to take a risk and respond to this without reading all the previous responses as I will go back after I'm done. Here's what I got so far on the positives:


Tate: He is performing better than I thought he would. I know many on here wanted to see him more involved, and he looks good and is progressing every week.

Wilson: looks great on returns

Hubbard: Dude is working hard and making a difference.

Erickson: Nice game last week. He's pretty consistent but under utilized.

Fans: less and less are showing up to show their frustration in how the team is ran. Rather it makes a difference or not will be seen but FA will depend on that and how quickly we try and turn things around for next season.

BengalsBoard Members: Although frustrated, you all are doing your best not to let it pour out onto other members with different opinions and that's the best positive out of it all. Win or lose, at the end of the day, we end up here together, bitching like family at Thanksgiving. But we're family so that's cool (as long as it stays within the CoC). 

Good post Harley Dog,and we are all family trying to say in our own words but all saying the same thing,we want wins and players earning their bucks.All of us on here have worked so pickin hard and some are still at it just to buy a few tickets and watch our team.Its just so unfair to all of us.The only thing I can say that Might make a difference is to just stay home and do not go to games.I have had season tickets forever, but I have not been this year,I just give them to folks,I will not go in person and watch this.Gotta start winning,Mr. Mike Brown.You are going to lose all of us and once we start doing something else it will hard to get us BACK.

[jfkbengals]

(10-22-2019, 01:13 AM)BengalChris Wrote:
Positives? Special teams, which has the same coordinator as as before.

Positives for next season? Ah, we get to draft high, but gotta take that with a grain of salt.

 

This was my thought as well.

They are a really solid unit in all phases of the kicking game.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(10-21-2019, 01:30 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Wilson, Hopkins, and Billings are free agents. So yes - 3 of our rare positives...are in contract years. Funny how that works.

Ross flashed for what 1-2 games? He also showed that he drops A LOT of passes and can't be really relied upon as a #1 or #2 atleast at this point.

Tate and Erickson both had 1 good game. It's something.

I think a WR grouping of Green, Boyd, Ross, Tate, and Erickson would be pretty formidable with a QB who could spread the ball around.

Watch Wilson and Hopkins leave in FA. Both probably aren't happy they didn't get a look at their spots until now, being forced to watch worse players get the snaps ahead of them. Also not tempting to stick around on a 2-14 team (I think they'll beat the Jets and Dolphins). Also not sure Mike Brown will be willing to shell out the money that a desperate team will be willing to pay a decent starting C.


Until 2 of them get hurt, as they've done the last couple years. Then you're left with just a WR grouping of Boyd and Erickson, which is not formidable. One of the best abilities being availability, and all that.

[THE PISTONS]

(10-22-2019, 09:46 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Watch Wilson and Hopkins leave in FA. Both probably aren't happy they didn't get a look at their spots until now, being forced to watch worse players get the snaps ahead of them. Also not tempting to stick around on a 2-14 team (I think they'll beat the Jets and Dolphins). Also not sure Mike Brown will be willing to shell out the money that a desperate team will be willing to pay a decent starting C.


Until 2 of them get hurt, as they've done the last couple years. Then you're left with just a WR grouping of Boyd and Erickson, which is not formidable. One of the best abilities being availability, and all that.

I think Wilson is restricted so we'll hang onto him. Billings and Hopkins are the ones I think we might lose.

Losing Hopkins would be devastating. No other way to put it. Hopefully Hopkins and Jonah are solid lineman for us...then we need 3 upgrades. Lose Hopkins and we're forced to start Price at C or obtain a Center somehow.

Keep Hopkins and then draft another OT and maybe sign a free agent like Quentin Spain.