Jump to content

Odell Thurman to start?!?! Ready 2 boot Landon J?


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 60
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Simmons won't leave until he's ready. We're trying to improve our defense, not make it worse.

No one said he was.

I don't want him to leave.

I'm just saying, don't be suprised if he's not starting by the end of the year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Simmons won't leave until he's ready. We're trying to improve our defense, not make it worse.

There remains the decided possibility that Johnson is better than Simmons at this point. And he is absolutely cheaper. It's coming, I think. At some point this year, I am with Terry on this too, I think it's coming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as coverage skills go, Landon proly does at least equal Simmons.

Vs. the run, I'm not so sure. Landon thrives in open space where he can knife and evade blockers. He'd be more limited in range on the weakside and would have to take on more blockers in tighter space. He does keep from getting cut pretty well but he's more likely to get washed out than Simmons is.

IMO Simmons is still among the top half in the league at his position.

Landon and Thurman battling for the MLB spot will be interesting to watch unfold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to agree for the most part with DPM and a few others.

Thurman WILL be given every opportunity to win the MLB spot.If he doesn't win it in pre-season,I don't think it will be too many more games before he does take it.

Simmons is still a fine LB,and he seems to make big plays when they are needed,but if Thurman takes over at MLB,LJ will be pushing him for pt...which is a good thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you guys are crazy. simmons is still our best LB at this point. you guys are way too high. how long did it take our 2nd rounders to get into things and take over? williams took about half a season to get in rhythm...ratliff did ok but never anything tremendous...did he even get an interception? im sorry, but i never really saw simmons miss many tackles last season...i cant say that for landon, i can definately recall one on 3rd down that he let drag him for a first, i believe it was vs pittsburg and bettis.

LONG WAY to benching simmons for someone else whether it be landon or otherwise. silly kids. only way he gets taken out is by injury, *knock on wood*.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It amazes me that agents think they're doing their clients any favors by negotiating deals that pay $3.7 million to 33 year-old men. Even if Simmons is the starter the next year or two, there's no way he survives the salary cap in the last two years of his contract. It's only a matter of time before he's outclassed by his paycheck.

But for now he's the starter. And Landon is his heir. Fortunately for Simmons, his heir already has a job.

Is Odell impressive? Definitely. Could he start right away? Maybe. Is it smart to shuffle the rest of your linebacker corps based on the first impression of a rookie? No chance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sorry but i do not in any way in hell see our future linebacker core being:

LJ OT DP

you ppl are so funny...if i had my friends that like other teams look at this thread they would laugh at how deluted you guys are.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The tackle statistic is the most worthless statistic available.

Somebody please explain to me why this is true for a linebacker?

It is in fact thee most important statistic for them to measure production and their ability to get to the ball, when combined with tackles for loss and forced fumbles etc..,

If we were talking about a CB or a DT then yes it would mean much less.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sorry but i do not in any way in hell see our future linebacker core being:

LJ OT DP

you ppl are so funny...if i had my friends that like other teams look at this thread they would laugh at how deluted you guys are.

Just out of curiosity ditty, do you really see Simmons being the LB on this team to the age of 35+? Because I sure don't. And, given his salary, push is going to come to shove with him soon.

As much crap as people have given Justin Smith, Simmons has been no better or worse relative to his position over the years than Smith has been. Simmons has been a good solid LB. But he has NEVER been more than that. Never threatened all-pro, never spearheaded a ferocious D, never been a vocal leader, never really stepped up to be THE guy. Which is fine. he's been good but not nearly great. So, it's natural, to wonder about the long term value to a team of a guy who has been good but not nearly great and carries a massive caop number in 2006 and 2007.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ratliff did ok but never anything tremendous...did he even get an interception?

Talk about meaningless stats - but seriously I thought Ratliff was very impressive for an over-looked rookie the 2nd half of the year at CB.

He handled the strong side position quite well and is the type of depth player needed in draft picks the Bengals' haven't had for eons - instead of drafting a farce like Artrell Hawkins and championing him as your best CB, and expecting him to step right in and be some sort of shut-down CB.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sorry but i do not in any way in hell see our future linebacker core being:

LJ OT DP

you ppl are so funny...if i had my friends that like other teams look at this thread they would laugh at how deluted you guys are.

How couldn't you see that..Thurman will be a beast in the middle ...Simmons supplanted by Johnson and Pollack on the outside.. I think Simmons has some good years left in him but he is not a stud. He is an average, quality player. He will need to step his game up this year and help the Rookies. If he gets to a Pro Bowl we will all be loving and praising him, and this thread will be a joke. I think he wants to be in Cincinnat and will be forced to rework his deal sooner or later in the next few years to stay with the team though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, reading this thread so far I seem to agree with DPM on most of his posts. No one has mentioned Nate Webster yet. I guess most of us believe he won't be with the team as of June 1st?? 2 injuies to the same knee and no credible history to back up keeping him, plus drafting Thurman do seem to indicate that he will be gone.

Anyway, yes total tackles can be misleading, but you still want to see your LB's getting upwards of 100 tackles to show that they are playing well. If 50% of those are 5 yards+ down the field then the LBs are still not the biggest weakness...its still the d-line.

I don't see a permanent move to 3-4...I do see it being used in certain situations but with the majority of the defensive snaps being taken in a 4-3 alignment. You gotta like what N.E. did, using the same formations throughout most of the game, but switching on each play who was dropping into coverage and who was rushing. Kept the QB from making a good pre-snap read and kept the lineman from knowing who they were going to have to block on any given play.

I don't see LJ threatening Simmons for a starting job. I think he'll keep the MLB position, for now and in the future if he stays healthy and gets stronger then maybe moving out to WLB...or if he still has issues then staying on in a back-up role. Simmons is still the only LB the Bengals have right now with a full season of starts. He will lead the D by example and let some of the younger players do the trash talking to get them emotionally fired up. It will still be Simmons they look to for guidance. I can see Simmons numbers falling a little bit to start this season simply because teams are going to want to test the Bengals right side with a question at RE and a rookie LB teams will be going away from Smith, Simmons, and Pro Bowler James.

?, OT, and DP for the future LB corps...I can't see LJ being a long term answer.......yet. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Simmons played his best when he had other linebackers (read Spikes and Foley) as additional support. I believe he will again be a force at WS this year and into next, however he will slow down eventually (don't we all!).

2005 will find BS, LJ, and DP as your starting linebackers with OT getting work in the middle and LJ getting some work at WS. They will go to a 3-4 on occasion and that lineup will be BS, LJ, OT, DP. Remember, coverage skills will dictate alot of playing time and Simmons has them. It's yet to be seen if OT or DP can cover anyone at this level.

I frankly don't know what we'll do if the great DP experiment doesn't work out. A bridge to be crossed down the road I guess. Think ML has a plan? I bet he does.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Please, Simmons still gets p#ssed when he effs up. Don't ask him to take a paycut until some of these glorified rooks and 2nd yr players can shut him up. I don't see it happening because they ain't no mistakin' talent."

Even if pollack turned out to be a bust do you think simmons is worth 3.3/3.7million in 07/08??? I am fully behind simmons & keeping him on, when some one said he bulked up I was thinking wtf simmons said most weight he has ever put on was about 5pounds.but I still think 3million+ in the last 2years is too much.

But my opinion doesn't matter so why worry about it eh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only buttholes that do matter is marvin+crew.

You wouldn't know that the way some of the folks talk around here, would you?!

I think you could start a 2 question "Yes or No" poll here asking "Do you believe that you know more about football, and what's good for the Bengals than does Marvin Lewis?", and think about 20% would say they do!! :rolleyes:

Oh...IMHO... ^_^

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...