Injuries as an excuse

[fredtoast]

Every NFL team has injuries and the best teams usually have better #2 guys, but when you get down to third string no team has a lot of talent.  And that is what really hurt the Bengals last year.  The injuries were concentrated in specific spots.

Last year at this time I thought DT would be one of the strengths of the team.  We had Reader, Atkins, and Tupou who had combined to play over 1800 snaps in 2019.  But last year we only got 378 snaps form those top three DTs, and Geno was invisible in his 119 snaps with only one tackle for the entire year.  Instead our top 4 DTs in snaps played last year included three guys who could not make an NFL roster this year (Mike Daniels, Xavier Williams, Margus Hunt) and another guy who signed for less than $1 million dollars to play for his 4th different team in 4 years (Christian Covington).

We also got killed at CB.  Our top 4 CBs all missed at least two games and totaled 25 starts missed with injury.  LeShaun Simms, Jalen Davis, and Tony Brown combined to play 773 snaps at CB last year.  That was more than Mackensie Alexander (642) and Darius Phillips (593), and only about 100 fewer than Jackson (886).  No defense is going to hold up with their  #5-#7 CBs combining to play more snaps than all but one of their top 4.

O-line was a bloodbath.  We did not have a single O-lineman start 16 games last year and only two started more than 10.  We had 11 different players start on the O-line with 4 back ups getting at least 5 starts.  We were so desperate that 3 different O-linemen started at more than one position.  Bobby Hart, Alex Redmond, and Michael Jordan started 30 games for us last year and none of them have made an NFL roster in 2021.

Every team gets injuries, but any team who had as many injuries concentrated in specific groups like DT, O-line, and CB would have struggled.

Better luck with injuries could improve this team just as much as the big free agents and top draft picks.

[BengalChris]

Is this a Taylor excuse thread? I've been waiting for this.

 

[fredtoast]

(09-01-2021, 07:33 PM)BengalChris Wrote:

Is this a Taylor excuse thread? I've been waiting for this.

No.  I trash Taylor constantly.

Just talking about what might improve the team this year.

[Gdale_Bengal]

(09-01-2021, 07:17 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Every NFL team has injuries and the best teams usually have better #2 guys, but when you get down to third string no team has a lot of talent.  And that is what really hurt the Bengals last year.  The injuries were concentrated in specific spots.

Last year at this time I thought DT would be one of the strengths of the team.  We had Reader, Atkins, and Tupou who had combined to play over 1800 snaps in 2019.  But last year we only got 378 snaps form those top three DTs, and Geno was invisible in his 119 snaps with only one tackle for the entire year.  Instead our top 4 DTs in snaps played last year included three guys who could not make an NFL roster this year (Mike Daniels, Xavier Williams, Margus Hunt) and another guy who signed for less than $1 million dollars to play for his 4th different team in 4 years (Christian Covington).

We also got killed at CB.  Our top 4 CBs all missed at least two games and totaled 25 starts missed with injury.  LeShaun Simms, Jalen Davis, and Tony Brown combined to play 773 snaps at CB last year.  That was more than Mackensie Alexander (642) and Darius Phillips (593), and only about 100 fewer than Jackson (886).  No defense is going to hold up with their  #5-#7 CBs combining to play more snaps than all but one of their top 4.

O-line was a bloodbath.  We did not have a single O-lineman start 16 games last year and only two started more than 10.  We had 11 different players start on the O-line with 4 back ups getting at least 5 starts.  We were so desperate that 3 different O-linemen started at more than one position.  Bobby Hart, Alex Redmond, and Michael Jordan started 30 games for us last year and none of them have made an NFL roster in 2021.

Every team gets injuries, but any team who had as many injuries concentrated in specific groups like DT, O-line, and CB would have struggled.

Better luck with injuries could improve this team just as much as the big free agents and top draft picks.

We already have 2 guys out for the season and 2 out for a long period of time, then there’s Wayne

[Clark W Griswold]

Injuries + lack of depth = a long season

They also lost their starting QB for a significant part of the season.

[Joelist]

While it is true we got crushed by injuries last year, it also exposed the quality of the depth pretty decisively. And a lot of this offseason saw moves to restock the proverbial closets on both lines and in the secondary.

So far this year the toll is not as bad. Both season losses are later round picks not starters (although Ossai was exciting).

[NUGDUKWE]

Yeah hopefully we can stay relatively healthy. DE seems to be the position that has been hit the hardest so far. Hopefully we have a healthy rotation all across the Dline to limit guys snaps specifically Hubbard and Trey so we can hopefully keep them healthy. Losing Ossai sucked but I really liked our Dline before adding Bj Hill. I'm really excited for week 1 and curious to see how this Defense stacks up.

[*ochocincos*]

OL, CB, and DL were hit badly by injuries last year.
It's no surprise to see all positions addressed with multiple FAs and/or draft picks.

I'm most nervous about the OL though. All the depth is rookies and Fred Johnson.
Really hope they don't have more than one injury at a time.

[jj22]

You'd think one of these years will be the year everyone stay healthy. I fear the next year will be 2025. Something bout dem years ending in 5.......

[Joelist]

So far I am holding my breath - I think this is the first season we have had all the intended starters healthy for Week 1 in the past few years.

[Fan_in_Kettering]

(09-01-2021, 07:54 PM)Joelist Wrote: While it is true we got crushed by injuries last year, it also exposed the quality of the depth pretty decisively.

This is a money quote along with what Fred said about the best teams having better second stringers. It sickens me watching the Steelers or the Patriots lose a star player and their backup comes in and plays better than a Bengal starter.

[impactplaya]

(09-01-2021, 09:48 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: This is a money quote along with what Fred said about the best teams having better second stringers.  It sickens me watching the Steelers or the Patriots lose a star player and their backup comes in and plays better than a Bengal starter.

Remember a couple years back on Thursday Night football.the Steelers whole backfield was decimated.
They trotted out Jaylen Samuels and Mason
Rudolph and proceeded to just steamroll 
The Bengals. I was so beside myself.

[kevin]

(09-01-2021, 07:17 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Every NFL team has injuries and the best teams usually have better #2 guys, but when you get down to third string no team has a lot of talent.  And that is what really hurt the Bengals last year.  The injuries were concentrated in specific spots.

Last year at this time I thought DT would be one of the strengths of the team.  We had Reader, Atkins, and Tupou who had combined to play over 1800 snaps in 2019.  But last year we only got 378 snaps form those top three DTs, and Geno was invisible in his 119 snaps with only one tackle for the entire year.  Instead our top 4 DTs in snaps played last year included three guys who could not make an NFL roster this year (Mike Daniels, Xavier Williams, Margus Hunt) and another guy who signed for less than $1 million dollars to play for his 4th different team in 4 years (Christian Covington).

We also got killed at CB.  Our top 4 CBs all missed at least two games and totaled 25 starts missed with injury.  LeShaun Simms, Jalen Davis, and Tony Brown combined to play 773 snaps at CB last year.  That was more than Mackensie Alexander (642) and Darius Phillips (593), and only about 100 fewer than Jackson (886).  No defense is going to hold up with their  #5-#7 CBs combining to play more snaps than all but one of their top 4.

O-line was a bloodbath.  We did not have a single O-lineman start 16 games last year and only two started more than 10.  We had 11 different players start on the O-line with 4 back ups getting at least 5 starts.  We were so desperate that 3 different O-linemen started at more than one position.  Bobby Hart, Alex Redmond, and Michael Jordan started 30 games for us last year and none of them have made an NFL roster in 2021.

Every team gets injuries, but any team who had as many injuries concentrated in specific groups like DT, O-line, and CB would have struggled.

Better luck with injuries could improve this team just as much as the big free agents and top draft picks.

and some guy named Joe Burrow got injured. 

Plus AJ Green and Ross after injuries were no good. 

Add in Mixon injured. 

Add in Jonah Williams lost rookie season to injury, so last year he was still a rookie in his first games. 

I like your point on Hart, Redmond, Jordan not in NFL now.  These bench warmers become Fan Favorites, but they weren't very good.  Was it not Hart and Jordan who blew their blocks and let Burrow get hit High and Low and put in Hospital. 

I know people say Injuries are part of The Game.  Still, any team that has too many injuries can not have a chance to win by running out their 2nd string.  Let us Hope Bengals have less injuries, I'm all for That. ...GO BENGALS. 

[CarolinaBengalFanGuy]

(09-01-2021, 07:33 PM)BengalChris Wrote:

Is this a Taylor excuse thread? I've been waiting for this.

 

I'll give Taylor excuses. First year got started way too damn late because they went to the Super Bowl and then last year like Fred said we were absolutely decimated with injuries as well as pandemic issues. That's not to say if there's some other BS excuse this year regardless we will need a new coaching staff.

[Sled21]

Every team has injuries, but at a certain point there are so many in key positions that you just can't compete. That happened to the Bengals last year. Hopefully, this year won't be as bad. Remember, although many here say we are years from winning, both Super Bowl teams went from worst to first in one season. This team has the talent to do it as well. It's all on coaches now.

[*bengalfan74*]

(09-01-2021, 10:58 PM)impactplaya Wrote: Remember a couple years back on Thursday Night football.the Steelers whole backfield was decimated.
They trotted out Jaylen Samuels and Mason
Rudolph and proceeded to just steamroll 
The Bengals. I was so beside myself.

Yep and I remember like 5 or 6 years ago they had like 4 starters out on O and 3 or 4 on D and everybody, media included, was saying Bengals ought to win this one.

They steamrolled us with no problem.

[*jason*]

(09-02-2021, 02:07 AM)kevin Wrote: and some guy named Joe Burrow got injured. 

Plus AJ Green and Ross after injuries were no good. 

Add in Mixon injured. 

Add in Jonah Williams lost rookie season to injury, so last year he was still a rookie in his first games. 

I like your point on Hart, Redmond, Jordan not in NFL now.  These bench warmers become Fan Favorites, but they weren't very good.  Was it not Hart and Jordan who blew their blocks and let Burrow get hit High and Low and put in Hospital. 

I know people say Injuries are part of The Game.  Still, any team that has too many injuries can not have a chance to win by running out their 2nd string.  Let us Hope Bengals have less injuries, I'm all for That. ...GO BENGALS. 

Redmond, Jordan, and Hart were fan favorites? Are you talking about opposing fans?

[TJ528]

(09-02-2021, 07:09 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Every team has injuries, but at a certain point there are so many in key positions that you just can't compete. That happened to the Bengals last year. Hopefully, this year won't be as bad. Remember, although many here say we are years from winning, both Super Bowl teams went from worst to first in one season. This team has the talent to do it as well. It's all on coaches now.

True, however, both Super Bowl teams had better coaching/coaching staffs.  I mean 89 alone Dick LeBeau goes on to be the master of defense with the Steelers and Sam was an innovator on offense.   Lou can't be confused with LeBeau and Zac isn't Wyche, at least none of his offense schemes I've ever seen has indicted that. 

[Sled21]

(09-02-2021, 09:04 AM)TJ528 Wrote: True, however, both Super Bowl teams had better coaching/coaching staffs.  I mean 89 alone Dick LeBeau goes on to be the master of defense with the Steelers and Sam was an innovator on offense.   Lou can't be confused with LeBeau and Zac isn't Wyche, at least none of his offense schemes I've ever seen has indicted that. 

Not sure how old you are so I'm not sure how long you have been a fan, but LeBeau was not liked as a HC here and had no success, and Wyche wasn't all that popular until we got to the Super Bowl. The year prior to that he went 4-11. Taylor is still young and is growing as a coach. He, to me, at least seems to learn from his mistakes. His book is not written yet. Maybe this year will be the last chapter, maybe it will be the greatest chapter... only time will tell.

[TJ528]

(09-02-2021, 09:27 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Not sure how old you are so I'm not sure how long you have been a fan, but LeBeau was not liked as a HC here and had no success, and Wyche wasn't all that popular until we got to the Super Bowl. The year prior to that he went 4-11. Taylor is still young and is growing as a coach. He, to me, at least seems to learn from his mistakes. His book is not written yet. Maybe this year will be the last chapter, maybe it will be the greatest chapter... only time will tell.

You are totally right...i HATED when they hired LeBeau because he's a career DC.  I was just referencing that Dick LeBeau was the defensive coordinator in 1988 on the team that had a stellar defense.  Great DB.  That's probably the best Bengals team of my life time.  

Personally, I was a fan of Sam Wyche when he was brought on in 1984.  I liked that he had an offensive mind.  That he studied under Bill Walsh.