Bengals vs. Vikings to open season

[DanBengalfan]

not very good is still better than bad. to clarify...


very bad is very bad
bad is bad
mediocre is mediocre
good is good
very good is very good
elite is elite

my guess is we are somewhere in the mediocre to good category, but we certainly aren't in the very good or elite.

 

[Cincyfan78]

not very good is still better than bad. to clarify...


very bad is very bad
bad is bad
mediocre is mediocre
good is good
very good is very good
elite is elite

my guess is we are somewhere in the mediocre to good category, but we certainly aren't in the very good or elite.

I'm not a huge fan of the D-Cord, but even I understand that last year's defense was a complete MASH unit. Nearly everyone along the line missed time at some point, or played through/with injuries that clearly limited them.

I think the LB's did OK with Bynes and the young guys. I'm still surprised they didn't look to bring him back on a Vet-minimum deal.

DB's were the next group hit hard. I think every CB from 1-4 missed time, and several the season.

Safeties played well. Bates is a pro-bowler, and Bell came on late. Just need a little depth here to help prevent any injuries from sapping the group.

So, to sum up - only LB's and Safeties were the groups to not suffer major injuries across the board - and surprisingly, these two groups played fairly decent.

Get Reader back 100% - add in Shelvin next to him - get Hubbard back for a full year with Hendrickson and then Ossai and the other edge guy as depth and that line is much better, especially at DT where it's going to absolutely clog up any kind of inside running game and free up the DE's and LB's for more 1-1 opportunities.

DB's get a boost with healthy DB's and several guys on 1-year prove it deals - and the LB's and Safeties return some good core guys and/or playmakers.

The trappings are there for a good defense - the question in my mind is going to be the coaching....I'm just not sold on the D-Cord.

 

[DanBengalfan]

yea, we can't be top 10 until we come together as a cohesive unit and play well as a defense.

I suspect Burrow and company will give them less 3 and outs though, which is important to a defense not getting burned out by the end of the halves.

 

[Cincyfan78]

yea, we can't be top 10 until we come together as a cohesive unit and play well as a defense.

I suspect Burrow and company will give them less 3 and outs though, which is important to a defense not getting burned out by the end of the halves.

The "hidden" stats that don't show up on defensive stats, but 100% affect them:

-Offensive 3-outs - meaning the defense has little to no rest, or spends the majority of the game on the field wearing them down.

-Offensive drives that end with punts inside their own 30 (usually meaning good field position for the other team).

-Turnovers inside their own 50 (meaning the defense is already giving up likely points with a FG).

Hopefully, a healthy Burrow, an added weapon in Chase (because let's face it, AJ was more of a decoy last year than anything), and any upgrade along the OL to help Burrow, but also Mixon - gain 1 or 2 of those 3rd and shorts - and suddenly the drive is moving along instead of stalling.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

The "hidden" stats that don't show up on defensive stats, but 100% affect them:

-Offensive 3-outs - meaning the defense has little to no rest, or spends the majority of the game on the field wearing them down.

-Offensive drives that end with punts inside their own 30 (usually meaning good field position for the other team).

-Turnovers inside their own 50 (meaning the defense is already giving up likely points with a FG).

Hopefully, a healthy Burrow, an added weapon in Chase (because let's face it, AJ was more of a decoy last year than anything), and any upgrade along the OL to help Burrow, but also Mixon - gain 1 or 2 of those 3rd and shorts - and suddenly the drive is moving along instead of stalling.

Don't forget Mixon missed over half the season as well, so t he running game was not nearly as scary without Mixon. Could help grind the clock down possibly depending on how good playaction is.

 

[cincygrad]

One of the not-so-hidden defensive stats that has killed this Bengals team for years is the points before halftime. Two-minute defense has been brutal and its the one thing that makes me worry most about this staff..... That is, even with better talent and some luck with health, will we be 'strategically' better and start getting the stops when they are most needed.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Don't forget Mixon missed over half the season as well, so t he running game was not nearly as scary without Mixon. Could help grind the clock down possibly depending on how good playaction is.

If Mixon plays more than 12 games I'll be impressed. the OL needs to do their job and make our rbs look adequate.

 

[Cincyfan78]

One of the not-so-hidden defensive stats that has killed this Bengals team for years is the points before halftime. Two-minute defense has been brutal and its the one thing that makes me worry most about this staff..... That is, even with better talent and some luck with health, will we be 'strategically' better and start getting the stops when they are most needed.

No doubt this has been, probably, the most frustrating thing to watch with the defenses over the past several seasons.