"....the two players I liked watching the most were Barry Larkin and Eric Davis. I was suitably entertained by their effortless skill that I didn't need them crashing into walls like a squirrel on a coke binge." - dsmith421
When I see Cam I see a big arm and a fast runner, he's not accurate and he doesn't make good decisions. He's also not shown any leadership at all.
I think Dalton has a huge upside. When our offense is rolling he's spreading the ball around all over the place and is great. The issues I see with him now are when he gets confused by the defense. That's what Lebeau did the Gruden and Dalton on Sunday Night. Just about every 3 step drop ended with panic when he saw his 1st few options weren't there. That'll only get better with experience.
I'm not saying he's gonna be Drew Brees or anything, just saying that I don't think it's fair try to say what he is or isn't yet. He has a lot of ups and downs, that's not uncommon for a guy halfway through his 2nd year.
11 wins. In the NFL. You don't luck into that. You don't easy schedule your way into that. The NFL doesn't make easy schedules. This isn't college football. There really aren't patsies out there. Are there easier schedules than others? Of course. But you need to play well each week to win. There is none of this "we are just flat out better than them and can play flat and win" stuff going on. Not in the NFL.
THe NFL is DESIGNED for parity. The Bengals played the 3rd place teams in each the AFC West/East that year. They played the NFC north whose division had just 1 winning team the season before and a very average division that next year. They lost to the Colts and Jaguars that year who were very good teams and went 1-2 vs the Steelers.
There are a lot of teams that luck into winning in the NFL each year. It's the nature of the NFL where bad rules and parity rule the league.
The Bengals went 1-1 vs the Steelers that year. Sorry, but counting a game where they lost their starting QB and one of the starting WR on the first play of the game doesn't really count for me.
I don't care enough to keep coming back to argue this, but I will just leave it with this: I don't care how the schedules are made to set up parity, last years record doesn't mean much for how the team will be the next year.
Go BLUE!!!
Did that movie actually get made? That looks incredible.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
No one said great. I said they didn't luck into the playoffs or even luck into being good. They were a good team. They weren't a great team. No one said anything close to that.
I think Dalton can be great. Last season he had 4 fourth quarter comebacks and showed a heck of a lot more poise and leadership at the QB position than Palmer ever showed. I think the big problem has been the injuries to the OL and the lack of a running game. The current losing streak has a lot to do with teams figuring out that they don't have to respect the Bengals' running game. They can drop extra players in coverage to double and triple up on Green. Gresham has had problems with the drops too.
Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!
For me, the Bengals greatness ended the day Paul Brown died and Mikey assumed control. Instead of football people. the Bengals FO consists of bean counters and lawyers, including the clown commissioner who negotiated their sweetheart lease.
I see folks comparing the Bengals and the Reds and I just don't buy it. The Reds have more experience in their front office, an owner that cares about the team and its heritage, and character. Counter that with an owner who steadfastly refuses to even bring his team into the 1990s, remains aloof, and pays himself for being a GM.
When you walk into GABP, you know it's a ballpark dedicated to the Reds and its fans. When you walk into PBS, it's as anonymous as a parking garage.
The Bengals can rot and anyone dumb enough to pay for tickets, gear, or beer there are the proverbial fools being parted from their money.
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