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Quote:The case for: It doesn't require a lot of faith to buy into a group that won 22 games from 2021-22 and reached the Super Bowl and AFC championship game during that span. Despite Joe Burrow's injuries - a calf ailment contributed to a 1-3 start before the quarterback was lost for the season in November to a wrist issue - Cincinnati still forged ahead to a 9-8 mark, with their playoff hopes lingering until Week 17. Burrow's recovery bears watching in training camp, but his trajectory is thus far reassuring. Signing Trent Brown and drafting Amarius Mims to address the hole at right tackle could position Burrow to enjoy the best protection of his career - though that's not a very high bar. Meanwhile, a defense that was undone by its league-worst allowance of explosive plays should be in better shape at safety thanks to the arrival of Geno Stone and return of Vonn Bell. It's little wonder why the team didn't budge on trade requests from two key starters in wide receiver Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson: This is a legitimate contender.
If we can finally protect Burrow, I think he's going to have a monster year. Signing Trent Brown should fortify our line because I think Orlando Brown has a big year. Burrow could be scary good this year.
I've already talked about how I like our end rotation and how we should get good play from the interior with guys like Hill, Jackson, Jenkins, etc, and they left Dax out of the secondary talk, which I think he could be good at corner,
Quote:The case against: The AFC North was the only division to have four teams with winning records in 2023. It may be even more brutal this season. The Bengals' offense could experience a few bumps with running backs Zack Moss and Chase Brown stepping in for mainstay Joe Mixon and a new No. 3 receiver needing to emerge following the departure of dependable slot Tyler Boyd. The pieces are in place for progress along the defensive line and in the secondary, but some recent unproven early draft picks will be counted on to become reliable contributors.
The AFC North is always rough, but I think we're a team finally built to go through the gauntlet this season.
Brown and Moss are a massive upgrade from Mixon, IMCO, and Burrow can make any receiver look good, which Burton, Irwin, or Iosivas could easily step into the #3 from the slot, and not to mention that Chase will play some slot this season. They also didn't even mention our tight ends, who could be big for us and I think Burrow looks their way a lot.
Quote:The bottom line: Cincinnati completed the worst-to-first transition in 2021. The team won't have nearly as far to go to repeat the feat this year. As the only group on this list that finished above .500 last season, the Bengals are a far more proven product than any of the other candidates. They might be behind the Ravens for the title of AFC North favorite, but it shouldn't be by much.
The X factor is our line because Burrow will destroy defenses with time to throw and then I think the defense will just create lots of turnovers with teams having to throw to keep up with us and having a stable of defensive ends that can get to the quarterback with guys also coming from the defensive tackle spot.
Of course I agree. There are lots of factors why, Burrow healthy, us being so bad last year running the ball, us always being in the Shotgun
early last season, our Defense being so bad at giving up explosive plays because of youth and poor communication etc.
Also, that was a historical season for our Division, they won't be that good again. No Division has ever had all 4 teams finish above .500
with 3 making the Playoffs. At least one of the teams that were ahead of us should fall off a bit this year.
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(06-26-2024, 05:56 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Of course I agree. There are lots of factors why, Burrow healthy, us being so bad last year running the ball, us always being in the Shotgun
early last season, our Defense being so bad at giving up explosive plays because of youth and poor communication etc.
Also, that was a historical season for our Division, they won't be that good again. No Division has ever had all 4 teams finish above .500
with 3 making the Playoffs. At least one of the teams that were ahead of us should fall off a bit this year.
I see the Browns possibly falling off just because of the Watson shit-show, but, outside of that, they have a good roster.
The Steelers don't have a bad roster, either, but, just like the Browns, the quarterback room could be rough with Fields and Wilson because I don't see Wilson leading the Steelers to much this late in his career and I don't think Fields offers much other than maybe goal line runs and maybe plays like they use to use Kordell "Slash" Stewart in the 90s.
The Ravens adding Henry means the ball will be in Lamar's hands less, which is always good, and then they've also lost multiple starters on the offensive line and Clowney on the d line. Personally, I think Lamar gets exposed this season.
I agree with you that Burrow being healthy and under center more also gives us a lot of versatility and allows us to use our run game and other weapons in a more effective way.
I can't wait for training camp and the season to get going!
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(06-26-2024, 06:29 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Imma b pulling for our boys down in Music City
I'm going to try and get down to that game, the Carolina game because my brother lives down there and then Dallas because my childhood friend lives down there.
Hope we can meet up in Nashville if I can get there
(06-26-2024, 06:25 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: The Steelers don't have a bad roster, either, but, just like the Browns, the quarterback room could be rough with Fields and Wilson because I don't see either of them leading the Steelers to much this late in their careers.
Justin Fields is only 25 years old and has only been in the league 3 years at this point.
He just wasn't an actual good passer, which is why CHI moved on from him.
If a QB coach can figure out how to get him more accurate and throwing more in general, he could maybe become a long-term QB in the league at some point.
But right now, I foresee Wilson as the starter with Field as the backup.
Wilson hasn't thrown for 4000+ yards since 2020, but if they have a good defense and running game, I think he could be good enough to get them back into the playoffs if not even possibly a playoff win depending on the team they would play.
Zac Taylor 2019-2020: 6 total wins
Zac Taylor 2021-2022: Double-digit wins each season, plus 5 postseason wins
Zac Taylor 2023: 9 wins despite losing Burrow half the season
Zac Taylor 2024: Started 1-4. If he can turn this into a playoff appearance, it will be impressive.
(06-27-2024, 12:21 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Justin Fields is only 25 years old and has only been in the league 3 years at this point.
He just wasn't an actual good passer, which is why CHI moved on from him.
If a QB coach can figure out how to get him more accurate and throwing more in general, he could maybe become a long-term QB in the league at some point.
But right now, I foresee Wilson as the starter with Field as the backup.
Wilson hasn't thrown for 4000+ yards since 2020, but if they have a good defense and running game, I think he could be good enough to get them back into the playoffs if not even possibly a playoff win depending on the team they would play.
Yes as much as it sucks to say I think the stealers are our biggest threat in the Division this year with Russ at QB.
He could also teach Fields a thing or two for the future. The QB's the stealers had last year were terrible specifically Pickett.
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(06-27-2024, 12:21 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Justin Fields is only 25 years old and has only been in the league 3 years at this point.
He just wasn't an actual good passer, which is why CHI moved on from him.
If a QB coach can figure out how to get him more accurate and throwing more in general, he could maybe become a long-term QB in the league at some point.
But right now, I foresee Wilson as the starter with Field as the backup.
Wilson hasn't thrown for 4000+ yards since 2020, but if they have a good defense and running game, I think he could be good enough to get them back into the playoffs if not even possibly a playoff win depending on the team they would play.
Thanks. I wasn't thinking.
The Steelers could use him like they did Kordell Stewart back in the 90s. I didn't hate the Steelers as much back then because the Bengals sucked and I was more into college football, but his style was the way I played quarterback because I had a decent arm but I was a hell of a runner.
(07-01-2024, 08:04 PM)grampahol Wrote: I'm kind of hoping Joe is able to badly embarrass Fields and keep Ohio State regretting not making him their starter..
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(06-27-2024, 01:22 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yes as much as it sucks to say I think the stealers are our biggest threat in the Division this year with Russ at QB.
He could also teach Fields a thing or two for the future. The QB's the stealers had last year were terrible specifically Pickett.
To me Lamar is still the King of AfC, he has dominated as a starter is better than Wilson.
(06-27-2024, 01:22 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yes as much as it sucks to say I think the stealers are our biggest threat in the Division this year with Russ at QB.
He could also teach Fields a thing or two for the future. The QB's the stealers had last year were terrible specifically Pickett.
Russ is cooked. Fields can't play within the pocket.
(07-03-2024, 07:17 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: To me Lamar is still the King of AfC, he has dominated as a starter is better than Wilson.
I think this is soon to turn around and Joe will be King of both the AFC and AFC North.
Of course Lamar is better than current Russell Wilson but that isn't saying much.
(07-04-2024, 03:37 PM)TCUBengal34 Wrote: Russ is cooked. Fields can't play within the pocket.
I'm not worried about the Steelers, at all.
True about both Russ and Fields most likely, but I still think they are both upgrades over Pickett who was terrible.
Hope your correct and the stealers won't be a problem. I just think of the AFCN teams besides us they have improved on their weaknesses
the most. The Ravens lost a lot of starters and a great DC in McDonald. The Stains are pretty much the same with a hobbled Chubb.
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