BengalByTheBay Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 The Bengals site today is looking at O Line. Probably nothing surprising to anybody in the following:Tentative starting lineup: LT Levi Jones (3), LG Eric Steinbach (2), C Rich Braham (11), RG Bobbie Williams (5), RT Willie Anderson (9). Veteran reserves: C Larry Moore (7), G-T Victor Leyva (4), T Alex Sulfsted (3), G-T Scott Kooistra (2), C-G Thatcher Szalay (2), T Pete Lougheed (1), C Mike Mabry (1). Anybody else a little concerned about the huge drop-off from the starters. I think the starting line looks pretty darn solid. Don't know too much about Williams yet, but he looks to be a little younger than Goff. Other than that, Leyva, Sulfsted, Szalay have all been talked about for the last few pre-seasons, but haven't seemed to ever threaten to start. I think Moore may at least be a little depth at C, but if either T loses some time, it could spell some trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 Well with Moore he can play center or guard and has started both spots in the NFL so I'm pretty confident in him. Leyva isn't a terrible guard, just so long as he doesn't play tackle. Kooistra is young but has got potential...but no playing experience, and that has to get worked on in the preseason hopefully....I've also heard good things about Szalay. Unfortunately the nature of the NFL means nearly every team in the NFL is thin on the line, especially at tackle....So we are pretty much on the same ground as every other team. Unfortunately there is no way to tell until one or more of those guys actually has to step up and play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalByTheBay Posted July 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 I guess I agree about the fact that most teams do not have good depth at line -- good point. I'm just a little worried about players like Leyva who have done enough to stay around and I hear every spring about how they've matured, but they never break in or get any PT. Last season when Levi went down and Rehberg was torched in his absence really got me thinking about what a big problem the depth can be here. The pass protection especially with Palmer back there could really suffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witt-tiger29 Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 i completely agree with the trend in the nfl...if you are an o-lineman and can basically either run block or pass block pretty well (for the NFL) you will most likely not be backing anyone up for long...lineman on the offensive side are that hard to find...i hope steinbach kills people this year i loved the pick and hope he has an absolute breakout year...i do have a question about levi jones...i personally havent seen him justify a 10 overall pick...especially being the 3rd tackle already...what do you guys think about the pick, is he bound to break out this year and be dominant or is he just going to be a solid if not unspectacular tackle for us for years to come?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyline Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 ive been impressed with levi jones. also, don't forget about stacey andrews. i know he will need some time to develop, but he should still make an impact at some point this year. at least on goal line plays... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 i do have a question about levi jones...i personally havent seen him justify a 10 overall pick...especially being the 3rd tackle already...what do you guys think about the pick, is he bound to break out this year and be dominant or is he just going to be a solid if not unspectacular tackle for us for years to come?? Huh? He's the starting left tackle. He's holds down the most important position on the o-line. He got heaps of consideration for the pro bowl last year and came back to play less than one week after having flipping knee surgery He had one bad game last year and that was in Baltimore, the one he was injured at, and that says to me that he may have had some problems early on and it finally got to him...But Levi is the left tackle for the next decade and will be in the probowl if not this year then next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalByTheBay Posted July 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 Levi and Steinbach are solid for the next decade. I don't think there's any room to question Levi's performance. Yeah, maybe he was a little bit of a reach at 10, but he's worked out great with a very steep learning curve. As for Andrews, I'm definitely hoping he lives up to his tremendous potential. I had sort of assumed that he won't be getting too much field time this year though as he seems to be somewhat of a project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadLuck Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 Our back-ups aren't really that bad... I'd say their on par with most back-ups in the league. Moore is a quality back-up and Szalay is supposed to be pretty decent. It could be better, but it doesn't necisarily worry me. I think resigning Goff or that other guard who left whose name escapes me would have been a good idea... But we're not in trouble as far as O-Line depth is concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrandom42 Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 do have a question about levi jones...i personally havent seen him justify a 10 overall pick...especially being the 3rd tackle already...what do you guys think about the pick, is he bound to break out this year and be dominant or is he just going to be a solid if not unspectacular tackle for us for years to come??Right now, Levi is performing at a higher level than either of the two tackles selected ahead of him. Mike Williams at Buffalo has been inconsistant and is one of the reasons for the Bills' offensive woes. Bryant McKinney had a decent season last year, but he's struggling to keep his weight down. Rumor has it that he reported to mini-camp over 400 lbs, bringing back nightmares of Korey Stringer.Levi has shown he can handle the position well. Marvin pretty much stuck him out there to handle DEs one on one and I don't think he's allowed more than a 3 or 4 sacks the past 2 seasons. I did like watching him against Terrell Suggs, especially considering their mutual history. As far as I can tell, if Levi recovers from his surgery okay, he'll do just fine. I think he'll be in the same class as Jonathan Ogden very soon, and the Pro Bowl will follow soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 I guess I agree about the fact that most teams do not have good depth at line -- good point.I disagree. The thing about the offensive line is that it's the most under-rated and 'taken for granted' area of football. Therefore, we (as fans) rarely hear about up and comers or anything close as the attention as other positions receive. Unless they've become pro-bowlers or had awesome college careers, meaning 1st round draft picks, you'll never hear about them unless you actively look up their careers. I'm not picking on you BengalByTheBay, but I believe a second teamer offensive lineman, is as important, if not more, than the backup QB or the backup RB. It's very frustrating when QBs and especially RBs have GREAT games and little acknowledgement is given to the linemen.I'm a lineman at heart, played guard nearly all of my life, so year after year, I protest at the lack of spotlight given to the guys that best define the game itself as well as a key, if not the primary, ingredient to success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 As for Andrews, I'm definitely hoping he lives up to his tremendous potential. I had sort of assumed that he won't be getting too much field time this year though as he seems to be somewhat of a project. I wouldn't be surprised to see Andrews sooner rather than later if there's any let down on the offensive line. Especially if Carson is getting hammered because someone is not able to offer decent pass protection by getting beat play after play, which isn't out of the realm of possibility by ANY means.He's a monster...granted an inexperienced monster, but a monster with tons of potential IMHO! :player: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalByTheBay Posted July 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 Found a nerve there, huh, Kirk? You actually make the same point the thread is meant to make...the depth behind the starters on the line is (IMO) questionable and it is important. Again, first-time starter at QB and the backups are a big concern to me. I'm not saying these guys are bad, I'm saying I haven't seen them hardly play at all. And, once more, Levya in particular has been mentioned as possibly moving up in the rotation for 3 pre-seasons now and I can't remember seeing the guy on the field once during the season. Don't call him out for any reason other than he's been around as back up for awhile and he was supposed to have a good upside. And I don't think it's because our line has been so solid for the last couple of years because, as you may recall, they were still playing around with Goff at C at the start of last season. (A failed experiment that took its toll on Kitna.) Moreover, they started Steinbach as a rookie, which I'm not sure they would've rushed so much if they had any other option. So, take it easy big guy, the line is important -- that's the whole point. You've gotta agree though that a lot of teams that get a couple of linemen hurt generally get into some serious trouble offensively, i.e., the depth at line isn't there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted July 13, 2004 Report Share Posted July 13, 2004 Found a nerve there, huh, Kirk?Not at all.. I was more or less emphasizing the same point, but I went a little deeper in the NFL and from a personal perspective of being in the same position. The thing that irritates me the most is the lack of attention they get from national (and local in Cincy) media attention. I wasn't referring to you at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalByTheBay Posted July 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 Gotta agree wholeheartedly there. Big Willie's a great example of your point, but even moreso because he's been on a poor team shunned by the national media. Tremendous, consistent player for many years (how do you think CD got all those yards anyway?), but you couldn't get anyone who's not a Bengal fan (and probably a lot of Bengal fans too) who could tell you who he is. I was so hyped when he got the ProBowl trip -- finally -- this last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 I was so hyped when he got the ProBowl trip -- finally -- this last season.Wasn't that awesome? I remember hearing it on WLW (local radio station in Cincy for non-residents) driving home from work and I shouted really loud, slammed my fist against the car ceiling and picked up highway speed from about 70 to damned near 95 MPH.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishcovga Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 I wouldn't say our line is thin at all. - I'm not sold on Leyva, Kooistra, or Sulfsted. But I am sold on Larry Moore. The guy anchored a line that didn't allow Peyton to even get sniffed at the 3 years he played with him.* Bobbie Williams, - I'll wait to see what he can do come preseason. Big doesn't always mean you can run block. You have to have some fire in your gut to get into a DT's pads faster than he gets into yours ! :player: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wat Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 i heard bobbie williams is an AWESOME run block but is struggling with the pass protection because he has slow feet. that is why we have heard about leyva getting the starts in training camp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.