membengal Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 A few things I have been musing about since the voluntary practices got underway that have led to a few thoughts which I will share here because I can:1. It's been a long time since I have felt this kind of no nonsense approach from a Bengals team. A LONG time. Another thread herein is worrying about the Blake optimism years, but I don't see any parallels there at all. Then, we were all just so happy to have someone anyone be able to throw a ball downfield that the holes in the rest of the team didn't matter. More importantly, those teams had not paid the price to be good, nor did they expect to be good. They just hoped to be good. And they were not.Now, with THIS team, they quietly go about their off-season business, now, after two years of ML, no longer even a story. Marvin expects players to be there, and they are. End of story. From that dedication and extra practice will come this team's ability to adjust quicker to what they see on Sunday's this fall, and will lead to extra wins. Oh yeah, and some honest to goodness laughers. I can't wait.2. The D will be better. Again, not really going to X's and O's for this hunch, more a read of the way the players are taking to Chuck B. It sounds good, flipping the D-line around, and I am betting Pollack and Thurman will be huge impact players, but the bigger deal here is, I think, that Chuck B. will be a better leader at coordinator for that bunch. Without a clear on-field leader for the D (Thurman evetually though, mark my words on that), they need someone in their face elsewhere. Leslie Frazier wasn't that guy, and I bet that, more than anything else, is what sealed his fate with Marvin. You have to play D with some passion and fire and swagger, and I think they are finally learning that this off-season. I liked the quote from Chuck B. about how happy he was that CJ and Palmer burned them deep in one session because he got to go to school with the D on that situation. Mind you, in that same article, it was mentioned that was only the second time that had happened in four sessions. Instead of focusing on the rarity of that, the focus is on eliminating it altogether. Good. About time.3. Depth depth depth depth depth. Clearly one of the reasons the Ravens and Steelers have been good and stay good is they always have somone buried on their depth chart who is ready to step in and play at a high level. The Bengals never really did. They do now. Particularly at WR, DB, RB and LB. Oh, and QB. In about one year, they will have that depth at O-line and D-line too, and it's close now. This allows them to withstand both injury and to make the hard choices at contract time to let star walk if they cannot afford it (Philly best at this). It ensures long term success. This makes me giddy.4. Nothing is ignored. Cannot say enough how nice it is to have weaknesses addressed. In the past, Bengals coachs would point to the 8-8 seasons and pay only lip service to the weak starts, probably muttering about how it would even out. Not Marvin. He is self-critical. The first thing on the lips of every Bengal this off-season has been the need to get off quickly. If that is their orientation now, they should be frothing at the mouth with it come September. Good. Ignoring past failure isn't the way to get better. Understanding the failure and making adjustments is. This coaching staff understands that basic premise. God bless them.5. Carson Palmer. Really, not much more to say here. If he is as good as we all think he is (and, more importantly the Bengals coaches think he is) then there will not be too many games in the next ten years where the Bengals are out of it heading into the fourth quarter. ( I call that the 2004 at Baltimore corollary).6. The goal is the playoffs and beyond. Has been since ML got here and remains that way. When they expect it, that's when it can happen. The pieces are sliding into place. The schedule isn't murderous. It's time to assert themselves. We know it and more importantly they know it. When a team is pulling in one direction is when good things happen. They are and good things will.Not sure what the point to this post was, but needed somewhere to say it.Mini-camp, mandatory camp, training camp. That's the next sequence for the off-season. Can't wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalPappaw Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 I must be drinking the same Kool Aid -- I can't wait for the season to start. Right now -- the feeling is great Just wait till we win a few at the beginning -- the band wagon will get crowded!! I like the attitude on the defense -- lets DOMINATE!!! Pollack and Thurman come with a built-in aggressiveness and hustle that just needs to be in the right place at the right time. That could take a while, but I believe both are fast learners and they should be ready to be productive after the pre-season games. AHHHH that Kool Aid is good!!! One final point -- the depth is going to pay off this year!! We will always have injuries and now that shouldn't slow us down as much as in the past. IN MARVIN WE TRUST Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schweinhart Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 The Bengals should finally feel like they are going to win every time they take the field. This is gonna be a great year to watch games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ29 Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 First off, great post. I totally agree on the swagger issue. You can see Palmer, Chad, T.J., and various members of the defense, including Madieu, gettong more and more confident. I think that over time, a swagger is something that allows teams to dominate. Examples of this arise in the early 90s in COLLEGE football, were teams like Florida State, who were so fast, intense and confident on defense that they were dominant. I think that the more confident our team gets, the more intense and tough they will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 I like the attitude on the defense -- lets DOMINATE!!! Pollack and Thurman come with a built-in aggressiveness and hustle that just needs to be in the right place at the right time. That could take a while, but I believe both are fast learners and they should be ready to be productive after the pre-season games. AHHHH that Kool Aid is good!!! OOOooo-Rahhhhh! I want the Defense to be feared throughout the league more than the offense, which will be quite fearsome in it's own right!Had the defense had been just a bit better last season, the Bengals could have easily gone 10-6. With a stingy, "All Up In Yo' Face" type of defense, the Bengals have a legit shot at going to Detroit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jditty47 Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 great post. wholeheartedly agree. i have a good feeling this year, a very good feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybren Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 A word on the defensive changes -- I like that it's not a complete overhaul, just a few additions, a few position changes. For all the problems the defense had last year, they also had some stretches where they played pretty well. And you gotta figure guys like Madieu and Landon are going to get better -- four or five more plays from them and we're in the playoffs. Factor in Pollack and Thurman and we're off to the races. Without having to deal with the chaos of a complete regime change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobcat Bengal Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 "Check out the swag, yo, I walk like a ball player' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted May 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 It's also nice to wear Bengals gear out of state and not get sympathy anymore, by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Orange Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Nicely put meme...as I watched the Bengals vs. Pittsburgh game that played last night on NFL network our D kept us in that game...it was the offense that wasn't pulling the trigger enough...granted they had their hands full with the Pittsburgh D. But we sacked the Rothlesinfjghbrurismshyejwejslkfhjger like 5 times...was stout against the run and it wasn't until like 3rd or 4rth quarter before they scored a TD on our D (CP threw one interception which they returned for a TD), but I'm telling you it looked far more like we had the top 10 rated D then those guys. They had 3 trips into the red zone and only came away with 3 points...and that's without a turnover...our D just sacked them and pushed them back. And this wasn't the only game I fel like our D outshined the O. It was so nice to hear late in the game "And the Steelers finally figured out a way to score on the ML defense"! (we had already scored 2 TD's on their D) This year we will hear much more of that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ29 Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Dear God, Big O, where the crap do you find these pictures?I guess you need one guy on every board to be a total loon(yet smart loon) in order to keep it running. Though at times it is disturbing, Orange's weird ass pictures keep me laughing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalByTheBay Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 Nicely put meme...as I watched the Bengals vs. Pittsburgh game that played last night on NFL network our D kept us in that game... They had 3 trips into the red zone and only came away with 3 points...and that's without a turnover...our D just sacked them and pushed them back. I caught most of that GOTW too Big O. It's funny how, even though I totally remember being impressed with how well our D played in that game, I sort of forgot about it. Also right on is the point that we are more tuning the D now than overhauling it. Yes, we will bring in a couple of players that are expected to start and contribute, but it should not be a completely disruptive set of changes (hopefully). One other thing, in watching the Squeelers game it occurred to me that we pretty much handed the Pats the key to beating Cheeseburger. Pressure, pressure, pressure. Just keep the run under control and then pin the ears back and get after him on 3rd down. The Bengals did a real good job in that game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Orange Posted May 31, 2005 Report Share Posted May 31, 2005 Hey NJ...funny thing is, my life's work is to try to influence kids your age to love God...of course I do that with a sense of humor (I hope). I also will pay anyone to be a Bengals fan here (Atlanta), but so far no takers....too many Vick worshippers...even though Peter King isn't even betting on them (Falcons) making the Playoffs according to the latest MMQB...which seems odd, cause people around here seem to believe that the Falcons are going to do some damage. Willie lives is town...I haven't eaten at his Fatburger restaraunts yet, but I will...Pollack got married here in town last weekend, he'll be up in Cincy to do voluntaries next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/11 Posted May 31, 2005 Report Share Posted May 31, 2005 this is gonna be a great season, i hope. barring injuries, our defense should end up bein a top-10. the only reason they wouldn't is because we'll have 35 points at halftime and teams will throw the whole second half. pretty psyched! who-dey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownsblow05 Posted May 31, 2005 Report Share Posted May 31, 2005 35 points at halftime would be very nice! Who-Dey :player: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ickeyshuffler Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 .funny thing is, my life's work is to try to influence kids your age to love God...of course I do that with a sense of humor (I hope)Really? How so? Or are you just kidding? Sorry just curious... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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