All 11 Returning Offensive Starters

[The Big Orange]

I know it might not be a hot topic, but I think the fact that all 11 O starters are coming back is huge. I mean every year there are a ton of new teams who do tons in free agency and it becomes the talk of the league, like what the Vikings did this year. But there is something else to be said about continuity. And if you aren't a freakishly good coach like Bellicheck and maybe even Reid, there is a lot to be said about keeping your boys together.

You add to that people whom we know or at least strongly suspect have some real skills (ala Chris Perry and Warrick) who didn't play last year, but will this year, and things get a little scary how good we might be. You add to that how good this team the last few games the starters all played together before Carson got hurt and you have even more reason for optimism. And then we haven't even talked about the draft yet in the receivers who might show up huge (Chris Henry in particular-even though in all reality it will probably be another year or so) and we are a force.

I gotta think that opposing coaches in the know have chalked up this offense as a top 5 in their minds, if not a top 3. I think only Atlanta and Indy will put the kind of fear in oppossing defensive coordinators as we do. I don't think that players are as much in the know, but a lot of teams are figuring that their only chance for a victory is if our run D goes limp again.

Of course, I still need a lot of encouragement to think we are going to miles ahead of last year on that side of the ball...I still think we are going to be depending too much on rookies and non-starters last year, and guys who will be playing different positions this year.

[Bobcat Bengal]

One more year of having the same Offense will do wonders with Carson.

Particulary if Warrick sees the field.

[Kirkendall]

Did the Colts keep everyone on offense? Well, I guess Edge is still up in the air.

[The Big Orange]

It wouldn't surprise me...why mess with a good thing...but didn't they lose their TE?

[AGrizzlyBaer]

let pollard go but still have dallas clark so i mean ...

[The Big Orange]

Can you imagine if our defense was good enough that we felt comfortable to do that. We're still a couple years out for that. I'd guess we'll still have 2-3 new starters on D next year (safety, LB, and I'm not sure what else). Not necessarily rookies, but perhaps FA's.

[Kirkendall]

let pollard go but still have dallas clark so i mean ...

Ahhh. That's right. I wonder what it's like having an abundance of tight ends that, well, catch, and, well, run, and well, block; all at the same time! Then again, if that's our only bitching point, I'd say our offense is doing pretty well for itself.

[Kirkendall]

Can you imagine if our defense was good enough that we felt comfortable to do that. We're still a couple years out for that. I'd guess we'll still have 2-3 new starters on D next year (safety, LB, and I'm not sure what else). Not necessarily rookies, but perhaps FA's.

We have enough linebackers to start the entire defense.

[Spain]

The real ? is, will we have that slow start that has doged us for the last two years.