10-10-2016, 09:24 AM
I'm usually not a doom and gloom type of fan, but as I watch this team this season it's becoming more evident that the window for this current roster has closed. To have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl (or even our first playoff win since I was a toddler) you need your core group of guys peaking together at the right time. You also need to sprinkle in some luck in terms of your competition. So, let's review.
Andy Dalton appears to be at the top of his game. It's tough to complain about his level of play this year, especially considering the circumstances surrounding him. The same can be said for AJ Green. Lafell has filled in admirably and I think Boyd will improve as he gets more playing time in the league, although it's hard to truly gauge what we have here because...
The OL looks to be in shambles. Boling appears to be the only one at least playing at the same level as last year. Whitworth has regressed, although he is not even close to being a weak link. Bodine is Bodine. I think we knew what to expect out of him coming into the season. Zeitler has been the most surprising to me. He honestly looks like he has regressed, which doesn't bode well for him in a contract year. I can't tell if he has gotten worse, or was simply masked by the better OL play around him in past years. I had no idea what to expect out of Ced this year, but he has certainly been unimpressive. I can tell you that the 17 sacks surrendered is tied for second highest in the league and our 3.4 rush yards per attempt ranks us 28th in the league. For that reason I'm not even sure I can give a fair assessment on Hill and Gio.
You probably could've pegged Eifert as a guy who was up and coming as the season started, but we've still yet to see him on the field. I would expect some kind of positive contribution from him when he hits the field, but as the saying goes, there's no ability like availability. Kroft has made no impact on the passing game to speak of, and Uzomah, while still raw, has been inconsistent.
The DL, which has been at least a nominal strength of the past has not been holding up. They've proven that they can take on an inferior line and beat them (Dolphins), but when faced with a good OL (Cowboys) they are getting cleared out. Dunlap and Atkins have been good but not dominant, and I'm pretty sure I saw a picture of Michael Johnson on a milk carton (he probably went missing when they dropped him into pass coverage for the 2,345th time this year).
The LBs have looked slow to say the least. Burfict is only two games into the season and his conditioning so I'll give him a pass, but I can't say that there are any LBs playing at the top of their game at this point.
Dre Kirkpatrick and Josh Shaw have been the best of the secondary. Say what you want about Adam Jones, but he is not having a good season. He is continually getting beat, often times by #2 and #3 receivers. Shawn Williams has looked lost in coverage at times and we are not seeing the impact plays from Iloka that we've seen in the past (both may be suffering from the loss of Reggie Nelson).
Last but not least, the often forgotten category of special teams. We rank 24th in the league in kick returns average and 31st in the league in punt return average. Not sure much more needs to be said here.
So, we find ourselves in a position where maybe a handful of guys are peaking while the rest are regressing (or just aren't very good). I could throw out more stats and figures to try and make a point but this team isn't passing the eye test. The talent and depth just isn't there this year, and they don't have the coaching to make up for their deficiencies.
-End Monday morning rant.
Andy Dalton appears to be at the top of his game. It's tough to complain about his level of play this year, especially considering the circumstances surrounding him. The same can be said for AJ Green. Lafell has filled in admirably and I think Boyd will improve as he gets more playing time in the league, although it's hard to truly gauge what we have here because...
The OL looks to be in shambles. Boling appears to be the only one at least playing at the same level as last year. Whitworth has regressed, although he is not even close to being a weak link. Bodine is Bodine. I think we knew what to expect out of him coming into the season. Zeitler has been the most surprising to me. He honestly looks like he has regressed, which doesn't bode well for him in a contract year. I can't tell if he has gotten worse, or was simply masked by the better OL play around him in past years. I had no idea what to expect out of Ced this year, but he has certainly been unimpressive. I can tell you that the 17 sacks surrendered is tied for second highest in the league and our 3.4 rush yards per attempt ranks us 28th in the league. For that reason I'm not even sure I can give a fair assessment on Hill and Gio.
You probably could've pegged Eifert as a guy who was up and coming as the season started, but we've still yet to see him on the field. I would expect some kind of positive contribution from him when he hits the field, but as the saying goes, there's no ability like availability. Kroft has made no impact on the passing game to speak of, and Uzomah, while still raw, has been inconsistent.
The DL, which has been at least a nominal strength of the past has not been holding up. They've proven that they can take on an inferior line and beat them (Dolphins), but when faced with a good OL (Cowboys) they are getting cleared out. Dunlap and Atkins have been good but not dominant, and I'm pretty sure I saw a picture of Michael Johnson on a milk carton (he probably went missing when they dropped him into pass coverage for the 2,345th time this year).
The LBs have looked slow to say the least. Burfict is only two games into the season and his conditioning so I'll give him a pass, but I can't say that there are any LBs playing at the top of their game at this point.
Dre Kirkpatrick and Josh Shaw have been the best of the secondary. Say what you want about Adam Jones, but he is not having a good season. He is continually getting beat, often times by #2 and #3 receivers. Shawn Williams has looked lost in coverage at times and we are not seeing the impact plays from Iloka that we've seen in the past (both may be suffering from the loss of Reggie Nelson).
Last but not least, the often forgotten category of special teams. We rank 24th in the league in kick returns average and 31st in the league in punt return average. Not sure much more needs to be said here.
So, we find ourselves in a position where maybe a handful of guys are peaking while the rest are regressing (or just aren't very good). I could throw out more stats and figures to try and make a point but this team isn't passing the eye test. The talent and depth just isn't there this year, and they don't have the coaching to make up for their deficiencies.
-End Monday morning rant.
