First semester report card

[jjakq27]

Joe Reedy of the Enquirer has given out his first half grades to the Bengals.

http://news.cincinna...ad+of+the+class

Quarterback B

Running Backs A-

Wide Receivers B-

Offensive Line B+

Tight ends C

Defensive line B

Linebackers B-

Secondary C+

Special teams C+

Coaching B

[Wraith]

I think those are pretty conservative grades given that they are 5-2 and the teams that were predicted as being weak (except for Cleveland) are proving much better than anticipated. If you told me at the beginning of the season that we lost to Denver and Houston at home I would have told you that we would have started the season 0-fer again or at best 1 win vs. Cleveland. Beating Green Bay and Baltimore on the road and beating Pittsburgh and Chicago at home are turning out to be very strong wins.

Oh and one more grade.....Front Office - A+ (I can't believe I wrote that)

Tank Johnson, Antuan Odom, Roy Williams, Chris Crocker, Cedric Benson, and Laverneus Coles are all impact players. Mike clearly called the 85 and Chris Henry situations correctly and he clearly called the T.J. situation right as well. The draft has been solid and last years draft is looking better all the time. The trade for Brian Leonard looks to be something of a genius move. And I think the Hard Knocks thing had guys motivated in the offseason and has clearly increased the perception of this team nationwide (I can't tell you how many people I have run into this year from Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota who have told me that they are pulling for the Bengals because they watched Hard Knocks). I am now going to book a ski trip in hell I hear they have good powder this year.

[redsbengalsbucks]

I think those are pretty conservative grades given that they are 5-2 and the teams that were predicted as being weak (except for Cleveland) are proving much better than anticipated. If you told me at the beginning of the season that we lost to Denver and Houston at home I would have told you that we would have started the season 0-fer again or at best 1 win vs. Cleveland. Beating Green Bay and Baltimore on the road and beating Pittsburgh and Chicago at home are turning out to be very strong wins.

I think they look reasonable, maybe a C for the Secondary and the ST's, but other than that I agree with them. Remember they are 5-2, but 4 plays away from 1-6.

[derekshank]

Who would have guessed 2 months ago that the O-Line would have received the 2nd best grade of any position on the entire team?

[bucksfan2]

Quarterback B

Would have been higher had Palmer has given away too many points so far this year. I think he is finally back in the groove which is a good thing.

Running Backs A

Benson led the league in Rushing yards after week 7. Can't expect much better.

Wide Receivers B

Coles had troubles with drops in the first few games. Otherwise the WR's have been a pleasant surprise.

Offensive Line B

Finally coming into their own. Too many false starts early in the season. Whit was getting penalized too often.

Tight ends D

Coats can't catch and both he and Faschi had trouble holding onto the ball against the Texans.

Defensive line B+

Have been impressive.

Linebackers B

Best corps of linebackers I have seen on the Bengals. Maualuga hits and Rivers quietly goes unmentioned. Dhani has brought toughness and leadership to the Bengals

Secondary B+

With the exception of Houston the secondary has played great. Can't really fault them for an improbable play.

Special teams D+

Huber has been much better than Larson. Shane can't kick the ball into the endzone. Even with the snaps were poor, Shane was unable to convert them. The special teams has been better since St. Louis was cut.

Coaching B+

Would be higher had they gotten their team ready against the Texans.

[jjakq27]

I think those are pretty conservative grades given that they are 5-2 and the teams that were predicted as being weak (except for Cleveland) are proving much better than anticipated. If you told me at the beginning of the season that we lost to Denver and Houston at home I would have told you that we would have started the season 0-fer again or at best 1 win vs. Cleveland. Beating Green Bay and Baltimore on the road and beating Pittsburgh and Chicago at home are turning out to be very strong wins.

Oh and one more grade.....Front Office - A+ (I can't believe I wrote that)

Tank Johnson, Antuan Odom, Roy Williams, Chris Crocker, Cedric Benson, and Laverneus Coles are all impact players. Mike clearly called the 85 and Chris Henry situations correctly and he clearly called the T.J. situation right as well. The draft has been solid and last years draft is looking better all the time. The trade for Brian Leonard looks to be something of a genius move. And I think the Hard Knocks thing had guys motivated in the offseason and has clearly increased the perception of this team nationwide (I can't tell you how many people I have run into this year from Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota who have told me that they are pulling for the Bengals because they watched Hard Knocks). I am now going to book a ski trip in hell I hear they have good powder this year.

I agree. It looks like they have re-tooled this team at almost every group. My only complaints are the team's reluctance to make a move sooner with Brad St. Louis and not drafting DeSean Jackson last year instead of Jerome Simpson. Watching him run up and down the field yesterday drove me nuts. Another is drafting Andre Smith. I think Eugene Monroe or Michael Oher might have been better picks or trading down might have been a better option. This year might be a complete washout for Smith. For a team desperate to make a move upward, they needed someone ready to make an impact right away.

But again, props to the front office group for getting some guys (see guys mentioned above along with Kyle Cook and Dennis Roland) that have turned this team around.

[redsbengalsbucks]

I think those are pretty conservative grades given that they are 5-2 and the teams that were predicted as being weak (except for Cleveland) are proving much better than anticipated. If you told me at the beginning of the season that we lost to Denver and Houston at home I would have told you that we would have started the season 0-fer again or at best 1 win vs. Cleveland. Beating Green Bay and Baltimore on the road and beating Pittsburgh and Chicago at home are turning out to be very strong wins.

Oh and one more grade.....Front Office - A+ (I can't believe I wrote that)

Tank Johnson, Antuan Odom, Roy Williams, Chris Crocker, Cedric Benson, and Laverneus Coles are all impact players. Mike clearly called the 85 and Chris Henry situations correctly and he clearly called the T.J. situation right as well. The draft has been solid and last years draft is looking better all the time. The trade for Brian Leonard looks to be something of a genius move. And I think the Hard Knocks thing had guys motivated in the offseason and has clearly increased the perception of this team nationwide (I can't tell you how many people I have run into this year from Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota who have told me that they are pulling for the Bengals because they watched Hard Knocks). I am now going to book a ski trip in hell I hear they have good powder this year.

I agree. It looks like they have re-tooled this team at almost every group. My only complaints are the team's reluctance to make a move sooner with Brad St. Louis and not drafting DeSean Jackson last year instead of Jerome Simpson. Watching him run up and down the field yesterday drove me nuts. Another is drafting Andre Smith. I think Eugene Monroe or Michael Oher might have been better picks or trading down might have been a better option. This year might be a complete washout for Smith. For a team desperate to make a move upward, they needed someone ready to make an impact right away.

But again, props to the front office group for getting some guys (see guys mentioned above along with Kyle Cook and Dennis Roland) that have turned this team around.

Andre is supposed to be on the field after the bye, if he has any positive contrbution, he maybe the push over the top that this team needs to win the division. Crap, did I just say that! Hope I didnt jinx them.

[SupaBran]

Why did you have to remind me about us passing on DeSean Jackson and taking Jerome Simpson?

Gawd, can you imagine if we took him? We would be legit and would also have a dynamic return man!

[Pidge]

Could be worse, we could have taken Turnip. I'd rather watch Jerome chewing gum on the sidelines.

[SupaBran]

That's kind of why I don't want to give up on Jerome without giving him a chance on the field.

[Ickey44]

That's kind of why I don't want to give up on Jerome without giving him a chance on the field.

I don't want to give up on him either, but there's a reason he hasn't played in a game yet. He's obviously not ready. I know he was a project and they knew he was a project. What I don't understand is taking a project in the 2nd round when there are many NFL ready guys available. Like Desean Jackson....

[SupaBran]

Quarterback: B+

Will be an A pretty soon

Running Backs: A

Ced and Jeremi have been exceeded all expectations. Leonard is great as well.

Wide Receivers: B

Chad is back! Coles has been the great pro replacing the big baby TJ. Andre "Bubba" Caldwell is for real.

Tight Ends: D-

Foschi was a decent pickup. Coats blows. Chase Coffman has been Jerome Simpson like slow to develop.

Offensive Line: B+

Will be an A once Andre starts.

Defensive Line: B-

Would be an A if we still had Antwan Odom. That's how much of a difference he makes.

Linebackers: B-

They've been solid, but not game changing great.

Defensive Backs: B-

Would've been better but that Houston game was just outright terrible.

Special Teams: C+

Would be an D- if we still had Larson but Huber is legit. Also, probably would've been a B+ if not for holding onto St. Louis for so long.

Coaching: A-

Its been way better than anyone could've expected. Brat has kept defenses off balance with his personnel packages and Zimmer should be given the key to the damn city for how he changed defense in Cinci.

[jjakq27]

Why did you have to remind me about us passing on DeSean Jackson and taking Jerome Simpson?

Gawd, can you imagine if we took him? We would be legit and would also have a dynamic return man!

But we probably wouldn't have taken Caldwell in the 4th. Maybe Simpson would have still been available at that point!

It's easy to project in hindsight but it does gnaw at me a little.

[TJJackson]

Could be worse, we could have taken Turnip.

I missed this one....who the heck is Turnip?

passing on DeSean Jackson and taking Jerome Simpson?

To be fair, the other most coveted available WR when Jerome was selected was Limas Sweed, who also has done basically jack squat in the NFL

[Wraith]

They were looking at the possiblity that Chad was going to wash out and they needed someone with his skill set. As talented as Desean Jackson is he is not big enough IMHO to handle the load across the middle nor can he outfight defenders in the red zone, he is a great fit for philly who already had big guys and already had a good TE on the roster but I don't think he would have been as great a fit for us.

[COB]

Quarterback: B+

Will be an A pretty soon

I give Carson an A right now.

His leadership has been very important to this team. I remember an episode of Hard Knocks where they showed Carson talking to a rookie on the sideline. I can't recall the exact quote, but Carson was saying something "like wait until we play Pittsburgh in here, the whole place is orange and going crazy." A little thing you might think. Not so. Hardly anyone was extolling the virtues of playing for the Bengals. Chad spent the offseason telling everyone it sucked playing for the Bengals, and writing a book to support his thesis. Yet there was Carson Palmer, pumping a rookie up with tales of how great it is to play in PBS. He gets an A from me.

[Pidge]

Could be worse, we could have taken Turnip.

who the heck is Turnip?

Limas Sweed

A play on words and root vegetables.

I'm wasted on you barbarians!

[Pidge]

Why did you have to remind me about us passing on DeSean Jackson and taking Jerome Simpson?

Gawd, can you imagine if we took him? We would be legit and would also have a dynamic return man!

But we probably wouldn't have taken Caldwell in the 4th. Maybe Simpson would have still been available at that point!

It's easy to project in hindsight but it does gnaw at me a little.

Damn good point. I was really glad when they took Caldwell. I wouldn't swap him even for Desean Jackson. Different receivers for a start but I'll put cash money on Caldwell playing in this league longer than Desean Jackson and being a more valuable player to this team in the long run.

[Pidge]

Quarterback: B+

Will be an A pretty soon

I give Carson an A right now.

His leadership has been very important to this team. I remember an episode of Hard Knocks where they showed Carson talking to a rookie on the sideline. I can't recall the exact quote, but Carson was saying something "like wait until we play Pittsburgh in here, the whole place is orange and going crazy." A little thing you might think. Not so. Hardly anyone was extolling the virtues of playing for the Bengals. Chad spent the offseason telling everyone it sucked playing for the Bengals, and writing a book to support his thesis. Yet there was Carson Palmer, pumping a rookie up with tales of how great it is to play in PBS. He gets an A from me.

I remember that. I just D/Led the series a few nights back. I think the rook he was chatting to was cut shortly after but eh, the point remains. I'll give him an A also. He's been money and the true face of the Franchise. Ultimate professional and solid all the way.

[agreen_112]

I agree with all but the LB's.. They've been average. I give them a C. That's constructive. I think they need to and they will get better.

[TJJackson]

Could be worse, we could have taken Turnip.

who the heck is Turnip?

Limas Sweed

A play on words and root vegetables.

I'm wasted on you barbarians!

Turnip = Limas Sweed?

[Pidge]

Turnip, parsnip, Swede etc. I don't know why I bother!

[TJJackson]

Sorry - I have never heard a turnip called anything other than a turnip - and I have never heard Limas Sweed called by that nickname :-)

i should have googled for the two terms together - http://www.asianonlinerecipes.com/vegetables-guide/turnips-swedes.php

[Pidge]

Sorry - I have never heard a turnip called anything other than a turnip - and I have never heard Limas Sweed called by that nickname :-)

i should have googled for the two terms together - http://www.asianonlinerecipes.com/vegetables-guide/turnips-swedes.php

I'm glad I have opened up your mind in the ways of root veggies. Also, turnips are not swedes. Nor are they parsnips for future reference. OK, I think this has a been a good exchange.

I give you people gold and this is what I get.

[Pidge]

Oh, also, turnip is a slang expression over here for someone who is generally useless.