Exactly.Originally Posted by kaldaniels
For every Adrian Peterson or LaDainian Tomlinson, you have a Brian Westbrook(3rd round), Rudi Johnson(4th round), or Michael Turner(5th round).
I would like to see a runningback by committee approach. If done right, it can be very successful. It's not a fantasy owners dream, but if you look back to 2005, we were successful because of Rudi pounding the ball, then using Chris Perry (when healthy) as a pass catching threat on third downs.
Seems like Denver has been doing that for years.
Rem
Undoubtedly they set the model...but finally an increased amount of the league seems to be having sucess with it.
They need to work on their offensive line & defense. Badly. So NO early or even mid picks should be used on offensive skill players. None. They already are in ok shape there and a decent offensive line & defense is more important to any football team anyway. Look at the Titans. Cincinnati has always had nice (or at least acceptable) offensive skill players but when is the last time they had both a strong offensive line and a tough defense too? Throughout their history more attention has been spent on the offensive skill players but when the other areas have been in good shape THAT'S when they've won more. If Benson doesn't return they can pick up another back with a late pick or one that is released by someone else but if the line can't open up holes consistently and protect the qb and the defense doesn't improve it won't matter anyway.
Watching some of these teams play, does anyone think the Bengals might take a chance on a back that is buried on another team? Oakland, Tennessee, and the Giants all have three quality running backs. Maybe the Bengals could pull one away with a late round pick?
If the off season plan is to hope for Benson to sign and thats it, we're looking at 4-12 again.
If we upgrade the line and re-sign Benson, we're looking at a pro-bowl caliber back.
We need players in the trenches, not more skill players.
subtraction should be the first job at hand ... get rid of the losers, malcontents and me-first players. After that they can actually start to build something.
That's an old argument flyer. Outside of Ocho Cinco, I'm struggling to think of who is now a "me-first" player. And Chad has pretty much shown himself to be the model to not follow. I don't think he's a divisive force in the locker room because IMO Marvin has ignored him to the point of irrelevance. It's a lot like what Coughlin did with Strahan and Tiki and Plaxico. Get what you can on the field marginalize their impact in the locker room.
In fact, whether Marvin is to be believed or not, he has said repeatedly how impressed he was with the group, how they kept coming to work and were willing to be coached up. I haven't really heard anyone say Boo about the effort and dedication of anyone on this year's team.
Now they just need more talent.
the real problem is still Mike Brown and the losing will continue(except for the occasional confluence of fortunate events).
As long as Brown is dumb enough to bring back Henry(after the coach said there is no way he comes back) and cut players like Willie Anderson, the team is going nowhere.
Winning football is more about character at the NFL level as the talent level differences are not very big. That is why Miami can go from 1-15 to 11-5 and Dallas with all that talent can swim with the turds when the chips are down.
Attend to the issues on the line, and finding servicable running backs will be easy. Continue to draft RB's and neglect the line will not help at all.
Honestly, the Bengals would be smart to call Dallas. The Cowboys need to replace the draft picks they sent for Roy Williams. Dallas ain't sending Felix Jones but a mid round draft pick would probably net Tashard Choice who averaged 5.1 a carry. If the Bengals are really ambitious they could trade a 1st rounder and get Marion Barber.
I have a feeling Benson will ask for more than his britches and Brown will balk and draft a RB in the first round. Then build hype around a guy like Wells or Moreno to enduce ticket sales. The ever clueless fanbase (myself included) will then give in and buy even though the O Line is tired and the Defense is still shoddy. D needs a playmaker and the O line needs a FA end.
BTW, if Mikey hires EVEN a HAND PUPPET GM, I will watch every game. If something that unthinkable happens, I owe to myself to see every snap. 0-16 be darned!
So the Bengals went 4-11 because Chris Henry was on the team? Not sure if I buy that.
Again, give me the me first guys, and tell me how much influence you think they really have in the locker room.
Even without Willie, the Bengals have a good number of veterans who set the right tone and Marvin has gone out of his way to mention how hard the team is working. I think the character is fine. I think the team as constituted when fully healthy is probably a 7-9 team.
The difference is talent at the offensive and defensive lines. Right now, it just aint there. Add in injuries and the 2nd and 3rd strings which show a huge dropoff from the mediocre first string and you're going to lose double digit games.
The Dolphins went 11-5 because they won a great number of close games against a pretty weak schedule.
If the Bengals select anything other than O Line and D Line guys in FA and Draft I won't sit through yet another season. (If I had a dollar for every time I said that over the last dozen years, and still watch)
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