Hobsons latest idiot article

[BengalszoneBilly]

So...they let the offense fall into disrepair chasing what they have not had on defense? At some point some of the vast numbers of first four round defensive picks they have invested in have to stand up and live up to what they are supposed to be.

Go back, billy, and look again at all the first four round picks on D. I won't holler if they go first round defense (AGAIN) this year, but only if an elite DT slips to them. If the elite are gone, and they reach past an offensive guy they desperately need for a "solid" defender, then I will holler. The offense needs attention. Massive attention. Again, they have invested one hundred million dollars in Carson Palmer. He is in his prime. He needs a running game. He needs receivers. He needs blockers. The running game is broken. The receivers are aging rapidly (and are unstable). The line is older than dirt at key positions. They ignore all of that again, as they generally have over the last four drafts, and I will wait for the screaming when the offense is once again unable to move the ball in the red zone, control clock, block, or any of the rest of it that failed the Bengals in 2007.

btw: Signing Odom helps a ton at letting them do just what I want them to...invest some high round talent back in the offense.

IMHO the ONLY thing in disrepair on the offense is the line. Give Palmer more time in the pocket, open holes for your backs to run through, and last years problems on this side of the ball will vanish.

[bengalsfansince68]

IMHO the ONLY thing in disrepair on the offense is the line. Give Palmer more time in the pocket, open holes for your backs to run through, and last years problems on this side of the ball will vanish.

As Oliver Purnell used to say, "No question about it".

Too many place too much value on WR & RB. Build up the offensive and defensive lines and Carson will make it work with Kenny Watson in the backfield and Kevin Walter and Danny Farmer as the wideouts.

The only way that I would go offense in the first round is if a stud O-lineman falls to us and all stud D-linemen are gone.

I'd rather trade down then up.

[bryce40]

I really think that it would be quite easy to trade the Chiefs, I live in MO and he's already came out and said they will have at least 8 new starters this year and are looking to fill most if not all of them with rookies. Don't think they could use an extra pick or two from the Bengals to do this, do you?

[membengal]

Y'all do understand that CJ and TJ are rapidly moving over to "old" by NFL standards, right? And that CJ is at best 50/50 to not be a massive tool this year? And that Henry is on the doorstep to being forever suspended?

And that the Colts, with Harrison and Wayne, still found a good reason for a 1st round receiver in last year's draft? Why would they do that? Because you don't have a Peyton Manning and not give him weapons.

Of course there are needs all over this team, but don't think that WR is not one of them. So, yeah, a WR, if one is rated that high and appropriate to take at #9 overall, would not be the worst idea in the world. The only position that they should not be drafting BPA is qb. Everything else? A need. Except for maybe CB (after spending the last two 1s there).

[BengalszoneBilly]

Y'all do understand that CJ and TJ are rapidly moving over to "old" by NFL standards, right? And that CJ is at best 50/50 to not be a massive tool this year? And that Henry is on the doorstep to being forever suspended?

And that the Colts, with Harrison and Wayne, still found a good reason for a 1st round receiver in last year's draft? Why would they do that? Because you don't have a Peyton Manning and not give him weapons.

Of course there are needs all over this team, but don't think that WR is not one of them. So, yeah, a WR, if one is rated that high and appropriate to take at #9 overall, would not be the worst idea in the world. The only position that they should not be drafting BPA is qb. Everything else? A need. Except for maybe CB (after spending the last two 1s there).

I'm looking at this Bengals team working within Carson Palmers window of hitting HIS prime which I feel he's coming into. Chad and Houshmandzadeh are both in this same window IMO. Both receivers were drafted in 2001, only two years before our Heisman trophy winning QB. By comparison Terrell Owens was drafted in 1996, and still is a star player today! These relatively young stars simply cannot excel in this said window without a defense enabling them to get on the field and do it.

[bryce40]

Y'all do understand that CJ and TJ are rapidly moving over to "old" by NFL standards, right? And that CJ is at best 50/50 to not be a massive tool this year? And that Henry is on the doorstep to being forever suspended?

And that the Colts, with Harrison and Wayne, still found a good reason for a 1st round receiver in last year's draft? Why would they do that? Because you don't have a Peyton Manning and not give him weapons.

Of course there are needs all over this team, but don't think that WR is not one of them. So, yeah, a WR, if one is rated that high and appropriate to take at #9 overall, would not be the worst idea in the world. The only position that they should not be drafting BPA is qb. Everything else? A need. Except for maybe CB (after spending the last two 1s there).

I'm looking at this Bengals team working within Carson Palmers window of hitting HIS prime which I feel he's coming into. Chad and Houshmandzadeh are both in this same window IMO. Both receivers were drafted in 2001, only two years before our Heisman trophy winning QB. By comparison Terrell Owens was drafted in 1996, and still is a star player today! These relatively young stars simply cannot excel in this said window without a defense enabling them to get on the field and do it.

Agreed!

[HoosierCat]

Translating Hobson...

"With the ninth pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the bastard sons of Paul Brown select....a WR who'll allow them to trade Chad Johnson NEXT season..."

Which would grant you your heart's desire...right?

So...you're saying you gotta love Hobson?

[membengal]

billy, which conveniently overlooks that CJ is about as stable as Charles Manson at this point, in terms of reliability, and Henry, thanks to Goodell's hammer, not much better.

[HoosierCat]

I'm looking at this Bengals team working within Carson Palmers window of hitting HIS prime which I feel he's coming into.

Why? Since he got Kimo'd he hasnt been the same. This is completely off-topic, but why do you feel he's going to be better this year? What in last year's performance has you thinking so? What in the tools we have added for him (also known as none to date) makes you think this? Just asking.

Chad and Houshmandzadeh are both in this same window IMO. Both receivers were drafted in 2001, only two years before our Heisman trophy winning QB. By comparison Terrell Owens was drafted in 1996, and still is a star player today! These relatively young stars simply cannot excel in this said window without a defense enabling them to get on the field and do it.

Y'know...we had Chad and TJ...and for half the year even Henry lsat season and the O struggled game-in-and game-out. Sames line (with the same injuries), same RBs, same WRs, same old same old...we fell into the double digits in terms of offensive rankings last year. Where have we improved?

Again, just asking.

[BengalszoneBilly]

billy, which conveniently overlooks that CJ is about as stable as Charles Manson at this point, in terms of reliability, and Henry, thanks to Goodell's hammer, not much better.

Please. Chad WILL play ball the same as he ever did. He craves the attention, and with some help on the offensive line, he'll get his share of time in the limelight, and all this will be forgotten. He cherishes being featured on Sports Center. Bagging it on the field, or sulking on the bench will not satisfy his addiction.

As far as Henry, he's been a straight shooter for well over the amount of time for Goodell to get off his ass. Not an easy thing to do! I feel he will continue to do so. People can change given the chance. At this point I think he has turned his life around for the better.

Jesus...how the hell did I end up as the optimistic homer in this thread!?!

[membengal]

I have no idea, but making declarative statements about CJ being a decent guy in the clubhouse in '08 and Henry continuing to be a straight shooter really isn't optimism, it's willful blindness to the possiblities of one or both of them in effect being gone from the team in '08. I understand you want more defense drafted, early and often. Nothing wrong with that view, of course. The point I continue to make, in this and other threads which somehow characterize any musings about potential offense as ridiculous, is that targeting offense in the draft is far from ridiculous, and, indeed, equally as sane and careful in approach to the draft as knee-jerk drafting defense would be.

[HairOnFire]

Translating Hobson...

"With the ninth pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the bastard sons of Paul Brown select....a WR who'll allow them to trade Chad Johnson NEXT season..."

Which would grant you your heart's desire...right?

So...you're saying you gotta love Hobson?

Yeah, Hobson's really on a roll.

First, he clusterfugs the Shaun Rogers story in every way possible, then he chimes in five days late on somebody elses David Pollack story, and then he offers his first stab at a mock draft. In that mock he suggests the Bengals, a team that sent BOTH starting wideouts to the most recent Pro Bowl, be the first team in the 2008 draft to select a wideout. Yup, the very first.

And why of all teams would the Bengals do such a thing?

Well, because of need.

[bengalsfansince68]

Hobson did a mock and has us taking a WR at 9?

[COB]

Today James Hardy, receiver, University of Indiana, was interviewed on Sirius by Schein and Wilcots. Hardy said the two teams who seemed the most interested in him at the combine were Denver and Cincinnati. I don't read many mocks, but the couple I've seen show him going early 2nd round.

Hardy said he just had his pro day and various scouts and coaches showed up, except for the Bengals who sent their "whole coaching staff." That was his term and I doubt the whole staff was there. But it sounds like they sent a bunch. He said the Bengals were again very involved talking to him. They are, at least, talking to day one receivers.

[BengalszoneBilly]

The point I continue to make, in this and other threads which somehow characterize any musings about potential offense as ridiculous, is that targeting offense in the draft is far from ridiculous, and, indeed, equally as sane and careful in approach to the draft as knee-jerk drafting defense would be.

Then characterize this. Last season the Bengals had a league rated top ten offense. Conversely they had a bottom five rated defense. That difference is as ridiculous as things get, so the only thing that needs jerked around here is your head out of the sand and realize that without balance, the Bengals are going nowhere. Again. In simple terms I refuse to worry too much about Cincinnati's already formidable offense when the defense is still stinkin' up the league.

Fix. The. Problem. NOW!

[membengal]

They are trying to Billy, the way you fix a defense NOW, as you put it, is through free agent signings. Free agents on defense can have an immediate impact. Rookies on defense tend to take longer to become truly valuable. So, hopefully, the draft picks spent on defense in the last four years are finally coming off injury/suspension etc. and maturing enough to, along with a few choice free agents, do just that in improving this defense NOW.

As for offense, you can get immediate impacts from draft choices quicker, in my view, than on defense. That is NOT a reason to choose offense over defense always, obviously, but this year? When the "top 10" ranking from the Bengals offense masked obvious flaws that many on this board were hollering about (HoF most consistently, and, as it unfolded, most correctly come quickest to mind) as the season progressed is mentioned, I just stop and remember how ineffective that team was for long stretches of 2007 in games that were despertately needed. No red zone success to speak of. No consistency. No running game. A passing game that would on occasion simply disappear. A line that aged before our eyes.

All of that also needs fixing NOW. It's a problem NOW. What ails this team is NOT just defense. Not even close.

So, yeah, I won't be screaming with the masses if the Bengals go heavy on offense in the first four rounds this time around. It's time. It's past time. There are plenty of needs and reasons for them to do so, and if they can get a free agent DT at some point (as they are clearly trying to still do), then the way should be cleared for them to do the necessary maintenance on an offense that has to be attended to lest this team screw up and waste Carson Palmer's prime.