WhoDeyRevolution finally speaks out....

[bengaldoug]

Howard was the man before he got hurt. Maualuga sucks. Lawson was good last year, along with Burfict and Skuta, etc. Not world beaters at LB, but not that bad outside Maualuga. I think the LB situation is magnified a little too much because of Maualuga being as bad as he is, and the injury to Howard.

We have had as many as 7 DB's injured through training camp and the beginning of the season, and outside Nelson who is maybe a tad bit above average at best, our second safety is horrible.

DL is awesome. This is basically the same team as last year that had the #7 ranked defense in the NFL. You wouldn't think "much tweaking" needed done. Our secondary has hurt us a ton, and I personally think the huge presence of Pat Sims has been missed badly in the run game.

Offensively, our run game is way worse than it was last year with Benson, and with Cook getting injured and having two first year guards basically is not helping that situation.

Schedule and injuries have been hurting us a lot this year. The Steelers are a much better team than 3-3 also, but because of injuries, they have been god aweful for the most part too. Let's see how the Ravens respond after their ass kicking once they lost Webb and Lewis. Injuries play a huge role in how a team performs throughout the year. Dalton's run game is so poor, that he is struggling. There is no play action available because they only have to put 6 in the box to stop our run which is pathetic.

I think the team is decent (not great mind you, but decent). However, injuries and Lewis have really hurt this team this year. He does not have them prepared like they need to be to step in for injured players, our schedule is about to get brutal.

Until we find that star RB to help Dalton, and get some experience under our young line, we will struggle. I am already having to say, there is always next year cause this team is toast unless they get their head out of their collective asses quickly.

Come on, Crash, Bengals fans have been pointing to next year for 24 seasons now. Isn't it time to admit that under the present conditions next year is not coming?

 

[vancelot23]

None of those guys had half of what Marvin has had to work with.

Something is wrong at the top, but Marvin isn't any good either.

Ding ding ding. I keep saying this too. Those other guys had quarterbacks like Klingler, Akili drafted for them and started average-at-best guys like Blake, O'Donnell, and Kitna. Marvin Lewis has had Palmer and now Dalton.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

RB, C, MLB, S, CB.

These are huge holes for us, and we need to address them in the early part of the draft and FA this upcoming year.

MLB can be solved by getting rid of Muauluga and putting Burfict there.

I am not sure Cook is the guy to fix our C issues, but he is better than what we have had there this year so far. We could use a real mauler and field general at C.

I am not so sure CB can't be decent with who we have, but Hall has to come back to his old pro-bowl caliber play, and with Kirkpatrick and Jones, depending on how Dre produces and grows, that could be alright.

RB and S are major f'n needs though. Those have to be our 1st two picks in the draft this upcoming year unless Mike Brown really opens his wallet and/or creativity to get a franchise RB on this team via FA or trade.

Nelson is not great, but maybe can be pretty good if he is not having to cover everyone in the secondary that beats a corner. If we can actually get a good looking young S to add to Nelson, we would be much better off.

Who are the top 3 safeties this next year in the draft? They have to be our target, as I do not think there is a legit #1 RB in the draft this year who warrants a top 10 pick, which is where I think we may be picking...right around 10-12 this year. I think safety would be a better gamble in the 1st, and RB in round two. Unless of course Mike Brown can swing a deal to get like a Maurice Jones-Drew or whoever is available in FA this upcoming year. Another run of the mill RB whose career is on t he downside who needs a 2nd or 3rd chance is not goign to cut it. Dalton needs help.

I know #2 WR has been an issue this year, but I really don't think by next year it will be a major concern as I think Sanu and Jones will rise to the top and take slots 2-3 along with Whalen and Hawkins. A year of experience for all these young kids will only make them better if Dalton is given some help in teh run game.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

[/B]


Come on, Crash, Bengals fans have been pointing to next year for 24 seasons now. Isn't it time to admit that under the present conditions next year is not coming?

Yes, but hopefully we can at least sustain the current pattern we are in....playoffs, miss playoffs, playoffs, miss playoffs, playoffs.

If we get healthy and actually spend some of that cap now that we are forced to spend to 99% of the cap, along with a few upgrades over guys who are obviously struggling (Maualuga, Newman, Crocker/Mays, etc.) then we have a chance at the playoffs next season with a lighter top QB schedule, etc.

It sucks always having to say next year, but in this case this year, that is pretty much what we are left having to say, isn't it?

 

[bengaldoug]

I'm tired of sucking year in and year out. Even when we make the playoffs, we suck, and are exposed as such in the first round. It gets harder and harder to come back each year and try to support this garbage. I try every year to put a positive spin on these guys, and sooner or later I'm punished for it. This year it's been sooner.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Ding ding ding. I keep saying this too. Those other guys had quarterbacks like Klingler, Akili drafted for them and started average-at-best guys like Blake, O'Donnell, and Kitna. Marvin Lewis has had Palmer and now Dalton.

Well, Dalton had a good rookie season, but has hardly cemented his way into Bengal lore as one of our best with Cook, Anderson, Esiason (and unfortunately, I guess you have to add Palmer in here a bit before he got hurt and lost his balls).

Lewis has done a decent job of getting guys at certain positions in the draft and building them up. He has increased the talent of this team by a lot. He has got good coordinators I think. However, he has failed to develop some pretty significant positions in the decade he has been here and still hasn't been able to do it. Mike Brown has done a good job of picking up scrap heap talent and them buying into the team first attitude being preached now. However, until Marvin stops fucking up, and is actually able to develop a few holes he has never in his career fixed, we probably will not go anywhere. Mike Brown is smart with his money, I am not worried about that really (outside the whole Antonio Bryant thing), and with the league forcing him to spend to the limit, hopefully he uses that money wisely to upgrade and secure long term young talent. No matter what, Green and Atkins have to stay long term, very long term. Dalton, I think he is close to being on this list, but I need to see if he can be more consistant if given a decent running game.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I'm tired of sucking year in and year out. Even when we make the playoffs, we suck, and are exposed as such in the first round. It gets harder and harder to come back each year and try to support this garbage. I try every year to put a positive spin on these guys, and sooner or later I'm punished for it. This year it's been sooner.

I am not as old as you Doug, but I am 37, and it wasn't t he Bengals pre-90's that has been as issue, it has been the team post-90 that has been the trying and frustrating team to follow. So anyone that has been a fan since 1990 is all feeling the same way.

We deserve better, and hopefully someday we will get better. *shrug* who knows when that will be...unfortunately, I am hard wired a Bengals fan for life now, so even if they upped and moved to Los Angeles, I would have a very damn hard time not beign a Los Angeles Bengals fan. It is what it is. Each of us try to find some excuse to keep coming back the next year, because we can't stand the alternative either, not being a fan anymore.

 

[bengaldoug]

Do we really deserve better? Coming back year after year tells Mikey we're willing to tolerate whatever he does. Maybe if enough people left and told Mike Brown to go to hell he would start doing the right things. But we're never going to find this out because we keep coming back.

Bengals fan cry: " Thank you sir, may I have another?"

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Do we really deserve better? Coming back year after year tells Mikey we're willing to tolerate whatever he does. Maybe if enough people left and told Mike Brown to go to hell he would start doing the right things. But we're never going to find this out because we keep coming back.

Bengals fan cry: " Thank you sir, may I have another?"

I am going to the Bengals / Giants game but that is only because I got free tickets. I have not paid for a Bengals ticket in 8 years or more probably. I can't give up watching them on tv when they actually get televised though, and I like my orange and black Bengals crap I collect. Outside of being a fan who does the cheap stuff, I have not supported them financially really. That is the best I can do though, because I am not completely giving up.

 

[DanBengalfan]

I was considering buying a few tickets as birthday/christma present to my kid, now I'm like thinking, why torture him by making him watch this junk.

 

[bengaldoug]

I was considering buying a few tickets as birthday/christma present to my kid, now I'm like thinking, why torture him by making him watch this junk.

You have a responsibility to your son, Danno. Make sure he never gets the same disease you and I have. Take him to a game in Indy.

 

[BigBlueNation111]

You have a responsibility to your son, Danno. Make sure he never gets the same disease you and I have. Take him to a game in Indy.

 

[vancelot23]

We made the playoffs in 1988 and again in 1990, so we could follow that pattern and not make the playoffs again til 2026.

 

[cincygrad]

Let's not pretend this franchise EVER had a period of extended success. There were many great players here in the 70s, but we could never sustain a long period of success nor reach the postseason on a regular basis. We had 2 super bowl teams in the 80s and a playoff team in 83. The other years were largely disappointing. Every time the team seemed poised for consistent success the bottom fell out.

Regardless, these were different times - There was no free agency and the game was not a full-time deal. Once FA came into play and advanced scouting took over the team turned to complete shit. It's a lousy franchise.... No other way around it. I wish I hated them - I really do.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

We made the playoffs in 1988 and again in 1990, so we could follow that pattern and not make the playoffs again til 2026.

Naw. I don't see that happening with this young and talented team (mostly talented). One thing we have going in our advantage, 4 team division instead of 6 like it used to be.

We will be okay eventually, just not this year!

 

[DanBengalfan]

Thank God for the Browns.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Thank God for the Browns.

Pretty much.

 

[flamingrey]

Well, Dalton had a good rookie season, but has hardly cemented his way into Bengal lore as one of our best with Cook, Anderson, Esiason (and unfortunately, I guess you have to add Palmer in here a bit before he got hurt and lost his balls).

It's interesting you mention this. Just a couple weeks ago there was a post I read from I believe Carson's insider that used to be on the Bengals board where he mentioned a few rifts between Carson and Marvin.

If you've watched a few of the Raiders games this season, especially the one last week against the Jags, mentally, it's an entirely different Carson. I truly believe that Marvin had lost the locker room, and especially Carson. I do remember last season Whitworth jumping to Marvin's aide and letting on the great locker room they have and the great personalities. But I question, where is all of that now? It seemed to have been more facade than anything.

Sure, you can take this as Carson quitting, but looking at the flip side, it's a clear indication Marvin isn't where he was in 2003 when everyone - players, fans, city - bought into what he was selling. There is no more use for him.

 

[cincygrad]

It's interesting you mention this. Just a couple weeks ago there was a post I read from I believe Carson's insider that used to be on the Bengals board where he mentioned a few rifts between Carson and Marvin.

If you've watched a few of the Raiders games this season, especially the one last week against the Jags, mentally, it's an entirely different Carson. I truly believe that Marvin had lost the locker room, and especially Carson. I do remember last season Whitworth jumping to Marvin's aide and letting on the great locker room they have and the great personalities. But I question, where is all of that now? It seemed to have been more facade than anything.

Sure, you can take this as Carson quitting, but looking at the flip side, it's a clear indication Marvin isn't where he was in 2003 when everyone - players, fans, city - bought into what he was selling. There is no more use for him.

I don't think Marvin has lost the locker room. I think he's surrounded himself completely with 'yes men.' Any player that wasn't a good soldier of Marv's has found his way out of town. Any player that has questioned the operations in the media is magically gone from the team. Marvin continues to surround himself with vets that are loyal to him because he is loyal to them despite their declining skill sets. So no, I don't think he's lost the locker - I think he's constructed it in a way that isn't conducive to winning.

It's pretty clear what's wrong with this team and it's the same thing that a number of us were saying before the season. You can't just magically make marginal NFL players into key starters at important positions. A good coaching staff might be able to polish a turd or two, but we don't have that and we have more than a few turds.

 

[flamingrey]

Maybe "lost the locker room" was a bit extreme, but there's no denying that the vibe that came out of the locker room and onto the field was different between 2003 and 2006 than it is now. It's one thing to have "yes men" and another to have your team unequivocally buy what you're selling.