What will be the biggest improvement ?

[redsfan2]

I know that we're still looking @ getting Gardner, and that there'll be some cuts etc ...... but which area of the team do you think will show the most improvement over last year ??

Offense ? Stronger arm at qb and big fast receivers ???? Kwash and Pdub breaking out ?? New guys stepping in ??

Defense ? Linebackers ??? 2nd year in the system and additions? Does Abdullah step in ? Secondary ??? same thing ..... Defensive line maybe ???

What about special teams ??? Better returns .... better coverage on returns ... kicking

Coaching ?? ....... Lewis' 2nd year on the job .... Adding Bresnahan ????

[BengalszoneBilly]

I'd say the biggest improvement will be defensively. It HAS to be. There was no way to go but up!

[Scottishbengal]

Nice topic.

The defence will improve especially against the run, and with more speed from the line of scrimmage I think we will look more menacing as a unit.

The offence will also improve as Carson offers more than Kitna and the versatility of the backs give us options.

But in my opinion the biggest improvement will come from the Tight Ends. It's time for Schobel to shine and post up some serious numbers, which I think he'll do this year.

[Tiger Stripes]

the defense is the biggest improvement, im sayin top ten fellas! the offense cant get much better than it already is. playoffs baby who-dey! :player:

[redsfan2]

Nice topic.

The defence will improve especially against the run, and with more speed from the line of scrimmage I think we will look more menacing as a unit.

The offence will also improve as Carson offers more than Kitna and the versatility of the backs give us options.

But in my opinion the biggest improvement will come from the Tight Ends. It's time for Schobel to shine and post up some serious numbers, which I think he'll do this year.

Thanks ....

An improved D line against the run and with more pressure on opposing qb's would help the secondary as well. The linebackers showed flashes last year before fading. Hopefully new blood at DT will help get them back on track.

Hope you're right about the TE situation, but I've got my doubts. I like Schobel well enough, but it's like Joisey and a couple of the other guys have noted .... you could tell what they were going to do by which tight end was in the game.

[redsfan2]

the defense is the biggest improvement, im sayin top ten fellas! the offense cant get much better than it already is.    playoffs baby who-dey!  :player:

I think most of the room for improvement on the offense is on the line and at the tight end slot. Can't wait to see how this new kid they drafted develops once he learns the game. It's unreal that he's that fast at the size he is. Should have been more specific .... I meant Stacey Andrews. I think he may end up being one of the better picks.

A lot of Kitnas problems last year started when the pass protection broke down. Having the other guys linebackers there while he was trying to hand the ball off had to complicate things too. Palmer is supposed to be a little better at avoiding the rush, but I'm hoping that the protection holds up enough where he won't have to worry about it. Being new, you know they're going to be coming after him to see if he'll rattle. It's going to be an interesting first few weeks.

[halp]

defense will definitely be a major upgrade especially in the secondary. special teams will shine this year. therefore defense and special teams will be the reason we win several games while our offense is jelling. and when it jells! look out, because it's major KICK ASS time!!!!!!!!

[Barbarian]

Actually, the run defense can get worse. Look at Kansas City. They can't stop anyone on the ground.

I'm thinking that nothing will improve and most of everything will get worse.

The Bungles didn't improve on anything in the offseason. Adding Gardener only adds a headcase.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Actually, the run defense can get worse. Look at Kansas City. They can't stop anyone on the ground.

I'm thinking that nothing will improve and most of everything will get worse.

The Bungles didn't improve on anything in the offseason. Adding Gardener only adds a headcase.

Your opinion. You're entitled to it. C'mon Barbarian, the defense (by the end of the season) was the WORST in the league. Totally "Bungle-ish", even I will admit. There is nowhere to go but up! I think Marvin has addressed the defense adequately in this off season. You disagree.

Only time will tell. If I'm wrong you'll have company saying "Bungles", and not just by me either. I think this whole board will come unglued if we revisit the past!

[halp]

YO B>>>>>>>>>>>> i thought we were going to drop the negative bengals word. and that isn't yo bar.........n

[redsfan2]

Actually, the run defense can get worse.  Look at Kansas City.  They can't stop anyone on the ground.

I'm thinking that nothing will improve and most of everything will get worse.

The Bungles didn't improve on anything in the offseason.  Adding Gardener only adds a headcase.

Hell of an outlook you have there.

Obviously something will change because most of the former team is now just that ..... the former team. What is it ??? something like 18 guys left on the team that were here when Lewis got here? Now whether they're better or not remains to be seen, but looking at his history Lewis hasn't been replacing bad players with ones that were worse.

Gardner wouldn't have been my first choice either, but I saw an interview where he owned up to creating his own situation and said he knew he'd have to go out an prove that he could still play. If he comes here ( it's not done yet ) then he's obviously convinced Lewis as well and just like the players he's cut and picked up, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt til he proves otherwise. As to a headcase, we just got rid of one that Gardner can't hold a candle to. Gardner most likely will get a 1 year deal for near minimum with a lot of incentives. If he pans out Great and if not we deep six him ala Dillon.

Last year, all the " experts " were saying that if the Bengals could manage to double their wins to 4 it would be a major improvement .... but they doubted it. Guess we'll just have to wait to see.

[redsfan2]

Actually, the run defense can get worse.  Look at Kansas City.  They can't stop anyone on the ground.

I'm thinking that nothing will improve and most of everything will get worse.

The Bungles didn't improve on anything in the offseason.  Adding Gardener only adds a headcase.

Your opinion. You're entitled to it. C'mon Barbarian, the defense (by the end of the season) was the WORST in the league. Totally "Bungle-ish", even I will admit. There is nowhere to go but up! I think Marvin has addressed the defense adequately in this off season. You disagree.

Only time will tell. If I'm wrong you'll have company saying "Bungles", and not just by me either. I think this whole board will come unglued if we revisit the past!

Sorry billy you're on your own with this one. I will never use the " B " word again and I won't care if I'm the only one on the board who doesn't and get cracked on by all the rest of you for not doing it.

I'll be as disappointed as anyone if the team doesn't continue to improve, but I won't resort to that. It's not that I have any faith in Mike Brown yet, but I am starting to trust Lewis. I don't think he'd be a hand puppet for anybody so if Mike does interfere then I would expect to hear about it from Lewis.

He's not a stupid guy, and I'm sure he had some kind of escape clause in his contract if things went south and Mike stuck his fingers back in the pot.

Rooney had a perennial loser in Pittsburgh, and so did Ralph Wilson in Buffalo. If they can turn those teams around, then it can be done here as well. " Places don't lose people do." Lewis said that when he came in here, and he's gotten rid of .. if not all then at least most of the losers .... players and coaches. Mike Brown is still here, but he hasn't thrown and interception or failed to get in from the 2 yard line. He has spent the money and turned control over to Lewis. The team surpassed almost all of our expectations last year, so lets not start wailing over a season that hasn't even started yet.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Listen Redsfan, I TOTALLY believe I will not have to revert to using the word "Bungles"! The worst record I see for Cincy at the end of the 2004 season is 8-8. I honestly think 12-4 isn't out of the realm of possibility, along with a Super Bowl appearance/win! :player:

I don't expect people like Barbarian to feel the same way, but I do understand why they feel the way that they do! So much promise with so little success delivered, but now there's a whole new feel to the organization with Marvin Lewis at the helm. Give him another year or two to change Barbarians, and other minds like his!

[redsfan2]

Listen Redsfan, I TOTALLY believe I will not have to revert to using the word "Bungles"! The worst record I see for Cincy at the end of the 2004 season is 8-8. I honestly think 12-4 isn't out of the realm of possibility, along with a Super Bowl appearance/win!  :player:

I don't expect people like Barbarian to feel the same way, but I do understand why they feel the way that they do! So much promise with so little success delivered, but now there's a whole new feel to the organization with Marvin Lewis at the helm. Give him another year or two to change Barbarians, and other minds like his! 

Believe me, I know what you're talking about. I get queasy before big games out of habit. It's going to take a while for all of us who will change to make the change. Others like Barbarian won't. Ever.

I've seen Barbarians in Cincinnati, Washington and now in Buffalo. They will find something to grouse about no matter what the record is or how far the team goes in the playoffs. He even said it himself he won't change his moniker for them till they win the superbowl ..... or words to that affect. He may have said playoffs. It doesn't matter though because he'll still refer to them in the same way. Half of it is to get everyone else going, and the other half is that guys like that would bitch if they got hung with a new rope. They just aren't going to be happy unless they're bitching.

I saw the progression here in Buffalo. Fans were complaining about Wilson because the team wasn't winning. Then they were winning but it wasn't consistent .... they couldn't get to the AFC chamionship. Then they were winning and going to the chamionship but .... get this the way they were winning was boring. Then of course they complained about going to the Superbowl and losing for 4 years.

It was pretty much the same when George Allen brought all the veterans in at Washington ......... complained about not being able to sustain due to the lack of young guys on the team. The song never stops, they just change the words to suit the circumstances.

It's a cycle. We've just been through an exceedingly long rough one. Don't let the Bastards ( or the Barbarians ) get you down.

[turningpoint]

P-dub and CJ will be in the top 10 in yds and catches among all NFL receivers. IMO

and the defense will once again be in the top 10.

we'll go 11-5

[Barbarian]

Actually, the run defense can get worse.  Look at Kansas City.  They can't stop anyone on the ground.

I'm thinking that nothing will improve and most of everything will get worse.

The Bungles didn't improve on anything in the offseason.  Adding Gardener only adds a headcase.

Hell of an outlook you have there.

Obviously something will change because most of the former team is now just that ..... the former team. What is it ??? something like 18 guys left on the team that were here when Lewis got here? Now whether they're better or not remains to be seen, but looking at his history Lewis hasn't been replacing bad players with ones that were worse.

Gardner wouldn't have been my first choice either, but I saw an interview where he owned up to creating his own situation and said he knew he'd have to go out an prove that he could still play. If he comes here ( it's not done yet ) then he's obviously convinced Lewis as well and just like the players he's cut and picked up, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt til he proves otherwise. As to a headcase, we just got rid of one that Gardner can't hold a candle to. Gardner most likely will get a 1 year deal for near minimum with a lot of incentives. If he pans out Great and if not we deep six him ala Dillon.

Last year, all the " experts " were saying that if the Bengals could manage to double their wins to 4 it would be a major improvement .... but they doubted it. Guess we'll just have to wait to see.

I'll quote it again, Redsfan:

"As to a headcase, we just got rid of one that Gardner can't hold a candle to."???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

I hope you're kidding Redsfan!!!!! Gardener whined about not flying 1st Class/not being picked up at the airport by a stretch limo while negotiating with an NFL Team!!! At least Corey Dillon's never done that. He's done other stuff as well--like lackadaisical play in Denver after signing a ridiculous contract.

I think he's a perfect fit for a Mike Brown Bungles Team. A guy that takes plays off??? A headcase??? Perfect fit.

Excuse me if I have that "hell of an outlook". Until they show me something other than mediocrity (that's what an 8-8 season is classified as), then I'll start believing. I have 13 years of hell as a fan as a reference. YOU GUYS ARE TOO OPTIMISTIC.

[jjakq27]

Excuse me if I have that "hell of an outlook". Until they show me something other than mediocrity (that's what an 8-8 season is classified as), then I'll start believing. I have 13 years of hell as a fan as a reference. YOU GUYS ARE TOO OPTIMISTIC.

If things don't improve maybe you should move on. If things are so bad for you then I have to question why you are still following the team.

[cincykent]

The Bengals season last year was not mediocre. They started off 1-4, which means they finished the season 7-4. Every team with new coaches and new systems start off slow. Once they got the system down and started to believe they began playing Marvin Lewis football. That being said, their run defense sucked most of the time. That has to be the area of biggest improvement.

[jrandom42]

Remember that the Carolina Panthers were even worse than the Bengals in 2001, going 1-15. Talk about a disaster! John Fox came in, cleaned house and the Panthers were 7-9 the next year. Last year, they were 11-5 against a tough schedule, and came so close to winning the Super Bowl. Not bad for a team most of their fans had written off after the 2001 season.

Marvin's response to Carolina's success: "Why not us?"

Is John Fox that much of a better coach, organizer, motivator and judge of talent than Marvin? Not from what I can see.

[redsfan2]

I'll quote it again, Redsfan:

[ntpou]

Our biggest weakness would be lack of experience at QB. If thats all we have to worry about I think we are doing just fine.

[Barbarian]

The Bengals season last year was not mediocre. They started off 1-4, which means they finished the season 7-4. Every team with new coaches and new systems start off slow. Once they got the system down and started to believe they began playing Marvin Lewis football. That being said, their run defense sucked most of the time. That has to be the area of biggest improvement.

Kent--PUL-LEAZE!!!

Here are the reasons why the Bungles had a mediocre season last year:

1. You're right--starting out 1-4--but that's not the only reason...............

2. The overall record of 8-8 is marginal. Ask anyone.

3. Losing to Arizona. When you lose to Arizona, it's like losing to a collegiate team. To top it all off, the Bungles had some no-name named Shipp run all over the "Defense". This should probably be the top reason for a mediocre season, if it wasn't for................

4. Losing to Cleveland in the final game. Talk about a total collapse. It was worse than the Kings Game 2 nights ago.

5. The way the season ended up.

[Barbarian]

I'll quote it again, Redsfan:

Yeah. I heard you the first time.

You left out the part where Gardner referred to his head coach as " that little man upstairs" and where he broke his hand on some nimrod in the parking lot of a Waffle House. Combined with what you did mention is the reason I said he wouldn't have been my first choice. Seeing as how you termed him a perfect fit though .... I guess he would have been yours. What he didn't do was refuse to play in a game where he was healthy and needed. Demand a trade a day after the trade deadline. Half strip after the last game of the season and then go on tv to reference a deal that didn't exist with the Raiders and offer a liquid diet to a guy that could end his career if he tried to make good on the threat. That's a Head Case in a class with maybe Jeff George and Ryan Leaf and that's about it.

You don't need me to excuse you for your outlook. You're the one that has to live with it. It is interesting that you became a fan in '90 when they were 9 and 7 and then went 4 and 12 the following year. Just makes me wonder why you didn't just jump back off the bandwagon way back then ???? If following the team made me that miseable, I dam sure would have.

Anyway point is that if 8 and 8 isn't good enough to bring you back into the fold, then I guess the 9 and 7 that made you a fan in the first place would be ?? So I'll look forward to your new outlook as soon as the team does better than 8 and 8.

As to optimists ...........

The difference between optimits and pessimist is actually quite droll

The optimst sees the donut and the pessimist just the hole.

[Kirkendall]

I stated that 1990 was the "BEGINNING OF FUTILITY" for this franchise. I've been a fan since the 1970s, dude--when they were "The BENGALS".

See, if you going to flame me--at least have your friggin' facts straight, bro.

Actually, your facts are wrong. The Bengals in 1990 were in the playoffs.

[Tiger Stripes]

Actually, your facts are wrong. The Bengals in 1990 were in the playoffs.