are we supposed to care?

[jbuck]

that this banged up mess can compete. Sure I'm up for a miracle, but Christmas has come and gone

 

[cincygrad]

I'm happy that the 3 game win streak kept the season relevant through the holidays. The path to the playoffs is clear - There is still a good shot. But, I think we're too banged up and I think we lose in KC this week which will likely (but not certainly) make week 18 irrelevant.

As for the postseason. I think there will be a lot of blowouts - There will be some seriously flawed teams that sneak in. I suspect that Baltimore, Miami and Buffalo can cause the most trouble in the AFC. Time will tell.

 

[jbuck]

God bless Bengal fans everywhere!

 

[jbuck]

Tay Tay may be at the game and she is bad luck for KC. Travis probably suggested she stay away. You name a tour or album 'Karma' you never know what will happen. These relationships never work

 

[DanBengalfan]

we have given Kanye West a box seat to counteract the presence of Taylor Swift. so I predict a bengals victory.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Should have embraced the tank...

Winning a bunch of games that, ultimately, don't lead anywhere - just screwing up the draft position...lol

 

[DanBengalfan]

I quit worrying about missing the draft position.

teams often pass on great players and draft mediocre players, so they aren't really scouting and watching tape the way they should.
they don't know what they are drafting. after marv harrison jr, I don't see any can't miss types that would help us more than the next guy.

we need to fill the holes and make a team.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I quit worrying about missing the draft position.

teams often pass on great players and draft mediocre players, so they aren't really scouting and watching tape the way they should.
they don't know what they are drafting. after marv harrison jr, I don't see any can't miss types that would help us more than the next guy.

we need to fill the holes and make a team.

That's true - but guys who the Bengals will need to fill positions at are more available at 10-12 than they are at 18-20.

Especially WR and RT - high end guys. Now, do they pass, do the players live up to expectation - who knows...but that's not really the point - the point is, they are available. At 20, they are not...and it makes the scouting and development even more important - and with how this OL has developed...you want as high a talent as you can get, because not many guys have just gotten better at blocking under this regime.

 

[DanBengalfan]

they pretty much depend on luck with draft picks, sans the burrow or chase type picks

 

[Cincyfan78]

they pretty much depend on luck with draft picks, sans the burrow or chase type picks

I mean...

They've done really, really well in the draft. Pratt, Wilson, Hubbard, CTB are all guys who are, or trending, towards high level play. Hill and Battle have been OK, but young. I still like Turner, but he was likely pressed into more than he was ready for.

Where they've missed - OL. And maybe DE. Fine - hit F/A there...but Chase, Higgins, Boyd all very good...I like the 2 WR's they picked last year Jones and Iosivias.

It's really hard to bang the Bengals' draft picks over the past 3-4 years. More hits than misses.

 

[cincygrad]

I mean...

They've done really, really well in the draft. Pratt, Wilson, Hubbard, CTB are all guys who are, or trending, towards high level play. Hill and Battle have been OK, but young. I still like Turner, but he was likely pressed into more than he was ready for.

Where they've missed - OL. And maybe DE. Fine - hit F/A there...but Chase, Higgins, Boyd all very good...I like the 2 WR's they picked last year Jones and Iosivias.

It's really hard to bang the Bengals' draft picks over the past 3-4 years. More hits than misses.

I see your point, but they haven't capitalized on many picks from the 4th round and after. While I realize these are lower probability picks, you need to hit on a few - Particularly when you have extra due to comp picks, which we have had over some of the Taylor years. I suppose Volson counts as a hit, but that is only if the late season progress he showed this year is real and that he'll be a solid starter from here on out. As for the receivers.... Yoshi has shown a little, but he had less stats than Cody Core, so I'm not ready to declare him starter material at this time. Chuck Simmer does not excite me.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I see your point, but they haven't capitalized on many picks from the 4th round and after. While I realize these are lower probability picks, you need to hit on a few - Particularly when you have extra due to comp picks, which we have had over some of the Taylor years. I suppose Volson counts as a hit, but that is only if the late season progress he showed this year is real and that he'll be a solid starter from here on out. As for the receivers.... Yoshi has shown a little, but he had less stats than Cody Core, so I'm not ready to declare him starter material at this time. Chuck Simmer does not excite me.

Part of that 4th after mix is Chase Brown, Evan MacPherson, Brad Robbins and DJ Ivey who I thought was playing well before tearing his ACL as well.

 

[cincygrad]

Part of that 4th after mix is Chase Brown, Evan MacPherson, Brad Robbins and DJ Ivey who I thought was playing well before tearing his ACL as well.

I think Brown is a good prospect and has shown a lot. Could be a terrific pick. Mac has been great for us - But he is a bit of a rarity in that a lot of drafted kickers have struggled with their first teams. Overall, I think his biggest issue is that the Bengals don't give him many easy kicks. This year he is 18-18 from 50 and under and hasn't missed an XP. But he's kicked 12 field goals beyond 50 yards missing 5 of them. So his 83% accuracy makes him look like a bottom fourth kicker in this league, but I think he's been much better than that.

Robbins should have to compete for a job next year. He has not been good at the things we knew he wasn't (doesn't have a booming leg) but also hasn't been good at the things he's supposed to be good at (hitting it high and putting it inside the 20). I liked Ivey's game a lot - I hope the leg injury doesn't hurt his development.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I think Brown is a good prospect and has shown a lot. Could be a terrific pick. Mac has been great for us - But he is a bit of a rarity in that a lot of drafted kickers have struggled with their first teams. Overall, I think his biggest issue is that the Bengals don't give him many easy kicks. This year he is 18-18 from 50 and under and hasn't missed an XP. But he's kicked 12 field goals beyond 50 yards missing 5 of them. So his 83% accuracy makes him look like a bottom fourth kicker in this league, but I think he's been much better than that.

Robbins should have to compete for a job next year. He has not been good at the things we knew he wasn't (doesn't have a booming leg) but also hasn't been good at the things he's supposed to be good at (hitting it high and putting it inside the 20). I liked Ivey's game a lot - I hope the leg injury doesn't hurt his development.

I am just saying, the cupboard is not completely barren from the 4th round on. First round picks are terribly hard to predict, more less guys in the 4th round and beyond where you are hoping the scouting has been amazing and some luck falls to you in those rounds. I am not saying those rounds can't be a little more productive, but I bet we are still on par with a lot of teams for quality of player selected in those rounds.

 

[DanBengalfan]

I guess my faith in their continued drafting success is blighted. if they simply follow the ratings provided by most sports outlets, they have a better chance than just picking all Ohio State players. but they will do what they want.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Going back to 2021 - 4th round or later:

2021 - Hit on Sample. Why? Best run blocking TE in the NFL. Certainly not what we all would like - but he's been invaluable as a blocker. Hit on McPherson. I always liked Chris Evans - but just didn't get the run with Perrine in town. The rest of the picks are whiffs.

2022 - Volson - starter. Tycen Anders - solid ST contributor and has flashed, but torn ACL ended his season. Also injured his rookie year. Last pick was Gunter that year...he didn't pan out. So, 2 of the 3.

2023 - Charlie Jones - Punt return for TD - has speed. Was injured, but has flashed he could be a 3rd/4th WR guy, and ST return Ace. I'm good here. Chase Brown. Good. Yoshi - Good. Brad Robbins - F. F-minus. Should have called Chrisman back up. Woof. DJ Ivey - Good until his ACL.

So, missed on a few more in 2021 - but 2022 and 2023 have a lot of high potential guys. They may not be sure fire starters, but they are going to raise the depth ceiling.

I think the Bengals are likely in the league average for hitting on the 4th round, or later, over this span.

 

[jbuck]

sign our players, wait , get lucky

that's the new plan

 

[cincygrad]

A reminder that the Bengals 2023 schedule was absolutely brutal. As many things went wrong this year, we won 8 games with no real breaks. Next year's team will have some advantages over and above injury luck.

 

[Cincyfan78]

A reminder that the Bengals 2023 schedule was absolutely brutal. As many things went wrong this year, we won 8 games with no real breaks. Next year's team will have some advantages over and above injury luck.

It's hard in the midst to be objective - but overall - this year wasn't a total loss. When you consider Burrow wasn't Burrow for at least 4 games, then was lost in game 10...Higgins and Chase missing games, and Higgins having a ROUGH contract year, and the defense wasn't what it was as it added basically 4 new starters all in the secondary and returned 1 guy from a torn ACL, and other manner of issues...you're right...this team still won 8 games...several of them with a backup QB when still in the hunt for the playoffs.

Just goes to show you that maybe this team is still better than we all likely give them credit for...imagine a year like this, hardest schedule, but with a healthy Burrow? Or a defense that grows in the 2ndary much faster...suddenly looking at 11-12-13 potential wins. As it is, they'll likely get a small break next year getting the last place team in the divisions they play while returning nearly everyone needed healthy.

 

[DanBengalfan]

It's hard in the midst to be objective - but overall - this year wasn't a total loss. When you consider Burrow wasn't Burrow for at least 4 games, then was lost in game 10...Higgins and Chase missing games, and Higgins having a ROUGH contract year, and the defense wasn't what it was as it added basically 4 new starters all in the secondary and returned 1 guy from a torn ACL, and other manner of issues...you're right...this team still won 8 games...several of them with a backup QB when still in the hunt for the playoffs.

Just goes to show you that maybe this team is still better than we all likely give them credit for...imagine a year like this, hardest schedule, but with a healthy Burrow? Or a defense that grows in the 2ndary much faster...suddenly looking at 11-12-13 potential wins. As it is, they'll likely get a small break next year getting the last place team in the divisions they play while returning nearly everyone needed healthy.

he was obviously still in rehab mode when we started the season. it's tough though. I mean, he wants to play, but he was obviously not ready. if the coach benches the billion dollar man and starts browning instead and we lose, buh buy coach.