New Bengals 2005 Prediction

[DesperateDerelict]

Walter's has the Bengals projected as 1st in the AFCN, followed by PIT, BAL, then CLE.

LINK: AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals (Last Year: 8-8).

Major Additions:

WR Chris Henry, OT Adam Kieft, DT Bryan Robinson, OLB David Pollack, MLB Odell Thurman.

Major Subtractions:

DT Tony Williams, OLB Kevin Hardy, CB Dennis Weathersby, P Kyle Richardson.

Offense This Year: Cincinnati has one of the best offenses in the league, and they showcased some of their explosive power late last season. After enduring Carson Palmer's growing pains during the initial stages of 2004, averaging just 18 points during the first seven games. Palmer settled down, as the Bengals scored 27.6 points the remainder of the season. Palmer is maturing into one of the better signal callers in the NFL, and it helps that he has great weapons surrounding him. The best is Chad Johnson, a top-five receiver. Johnson caught 95 passes for 1,274 yards in 2004. One of last year's most improved players was T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who registered 978 receiving yards. Peter Warrick, Kelley Washington and rookie Chris Henry round out the rest of Cincinnati's dynamic receiving corps. At running back, the Bengals possess one of the elite runners in the league. Rudi Johnson garnered 1,454 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last season. A minor concern with Cincinnati's scoring unit is their offensive line. They have three great linemen -- left tackle Levi Jones, left guard Eric Steinbach and right tackle Wille Anderson -- but center Rich Braham is 34 and right guard Bobbie Williams should not be starting in this league. The Bengals also lack any sort of presence at tight end. Matt Schobel led the group with 201 yards.

Defense This Year: Cincinnati's excellent offense was accompanied by a horrific defense last year, but that will no longer be the case. The Bengals surrendered 4.7 yards per rush last season -- fifth-worst in the NFL -- and consequently had problems stopping the pass, because they had to place eight men into the box. The run defense will be vastly improved, because Cincinnati signed defensive tackle Bryan Robinson, a run stuffer, and drafted outside linebacker David Pollack and middle linebacker Odell Thurman, both of whom are already No. 1 on the depth chart at their respective positions. Pollack and Thurman will combine with Brian Simmons to form a stellar linebacking corps. Defensive ends Duane Clemons and Justin Smith are also good at defending the run. The one hole in the Bengals' rush defense is strong safety Kim Herring, who struggles in run support. Cincinnati's expected improvement against rushing attacks will only help their pass defense. Clemons and Smith combined for 14½ sacks in 2004, assisting a sound, but unspectacular secondary. Corners Tory James and Deltha O'Neal are a bit overrated because they registered 12 interceptions last season. O'Neal is a decent cornerback, but James is 32. He may eventually be supplanted by Keiwan Ratliff, but the Bengals lack any sort of depth at corner beyond the second-year player from Florida. At free safety is Madieu Williams, who could eventually develop into one of the finer safeties in the NFL.

Schedule and Intangibles: The Bengals have decent special teams. Kicker Shayne Graham connected on 27 of 31 field goal attempts last season. Ratliff, the team's punt returner, maintained an average of 12.2 yards per return. He didn't score a touchdown, but his average outclassed the opponents' average of 7.4. No team returned a punt or kickoff for a touchdown against Cincinnati... Marvin Lewis coached the team to 1-4 starts in consecutive seasons. Don't expect that trend to continue. In Lewis' first season, the Bengals were coming off a 2-14 campaign and the aura of losing still manifested itself in Cincinnati's locker room. In Lewis' second season, Palmer was making the first five starts of his NFL career... The Bengals will be enjoying a third-place schedule in 2005. Soft, non-divisional opponents include: Houston, Tennessee, Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit and Buffalo.

Analysis: Cincinnati's high-powered offense and much-improved defense will be the reason they qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1990. Lewis has resurrected the Bengals.

Projection: 12-4 (1st in the AFC North).

[BengalszoneBilly]

Good link! Lots of other good reads there too. Thanks Desperado!

[HairOnFire]

Perhaps a little bit optimistic for anyone not named Homer, but a pretty solid recap. My biggest complaint has to do with the claim that beyond Keiwan Ratliff the Bengals totally lack depth at CB. It may be unproven depth but I think the opposite is true.

Pretty big roundhouse shot at RG Bobbie Williams too. I wasn't thrilled with his play at starting RG but I hadn't written off the hope that he might step it up this season. The recap seems to dismiss that idea by claiming Williams shouldn't have a starting job anywhere in the NFL.

Liked the way they described Rudi Johnson as an elite player. Don't like it? Well, choke on it.

Damn, 12-4?

[derekshank]

no joke! 12-4? Does this guy live in Cincinnati? I feel like a home when I say 10-6! Go get 'em Walter!

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

This isn't by Joe Walter is it? Because it sure does sound exceptionally bright to not be written by a homer!

Lovin' it!

[Kazkal]

3rd article saying bengals will win the afc north or better

Dammit so much for being a sleeper when every one is expecting us now

"Defensive ends Duane Clemons and Justin Smith are also good at defending the run. "

He needs to do his home work o_O

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

Interesting. In his Squeeler Review he says "Unless both Bettis and Staley get hurt for an extended period of time, and Roethlisberger suffers a severe sophomore slump, the Steelers should find themselves atop the AFC North again"

Kind of contradicts his "Projection: 12-4 (1st in the AFC North). " for the Bengals...

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

WOW, this is high praise. I just read his review of the team from last year, and he was vicious. He was anti-Carson Palmer, anti-Marvin Lewis, and a bit confused in who our defensive backs were. Of course so were we, with Weathersby going down and all the shifts in the secondary.

[Kazkal]

l

[DesperateDerelict]

If you look at his Predictions (already posted for week 1) he has us clobbering the turds by 17! I LIKE IT!

[Tampa Bengal]

Finally some good press. I just hope we come out of the gate on fire this year.

[ArmyBengal]

Analysis: The Ravens have two problems: Kyle Boller stinks, and their defense is overrated.

Agree or disagree, this made me laugh !!!

WHODEY !!!

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

Analysis: The Ravens have two problems: Kyle Boller stinks, and their defense is overrated.

Agree or disagree, this made me laugh !!!

WHODEY !!!

Made me laugh. Of course I would have said the Ravens have three problems: Kyle Boller stinks, their defense is overrated, and most importantly, KYLE BOLLER STINKS!

[cincy9275]

i was thinking more like 10 to 11 wins. but i take as many as we can get

[tibor75]

If this guy who nobody has heard of has us winning 12 games, it must be true.

[GROIIIDayton]

no such thing as an overrated defense with ray lewis and ed reed although i do think the bengals will beat them twice if they try to play that 46 defense...and kyle boller does suck but he has a few recievers now or at least one. We can win 12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[walshfan]

Bobbi Williams has his deficiencies when it comes to pass blocking thats true.

His forte is run blocking and he does a decent job at it... thats not to say

the position isnt worth looking at to upgrade in the future.. Right now it's sufficient.

[DontPushMe]

You know you didnt do anything productive in the offseason when a 5th round tackle that looks to be a career backup is a "Major Addition"

[HoosierCat]

The run defense will be vastly improved, because Cincinnati signed defensive tackle Bryan Robinson, a run stuffer, and drafted outside linebacker David Pollack and middle linebacker Odell Thurman, both of whom are already No. 1 on the depth chart at their respective positions. Pollack and Thurman will combine with Brian Simmons to form a stellar linebacking corps. Defensive ends Duane Clemons and Justin Smith are also good at defending the run.

His takes on the offense and special teams/intangibles are fine -- but the above is bust-a-gut-laughing level homerism. Robinson is a good replacement for Williams, but his presence will "vastly improve" the run D? Pollack and Thurman are chock full of potential. But can we see them take a single NFL snap before we declare our LB corps "stellar"? And the bit about Clemons being a run-stuffer...

[membengal]

The run defense will be vastly improved, because Cincinnati signed defensive tackle Bryan Robinson, a run stuffer, and drafted outside linebacker David Pollack and middle linebacker Odell Thurman, both of whom are already No. 1 on the depth chart at their respective positions. Pollack and Thurman will combine with Brian Simmons to form a stellar linebacking corps. Defensive ends Duane Clemons and Justin Smith are also good at defending the run.

His takes on the offense and special teams/intangibles are fine -- but the above is bust-a-gut-laughing level homerism. Robinson is a good replacement for Williams, but his presence will "vastly improve" the run D? Pollack and Thurman are chock full of potential. But can we see them take a single NFL snap before we declare our LB corps "stellar"? And the bit about Clemons being a run-stuffer...

He uses the future tense..."will"....so, no, I am not gonna bang him for that. It's a prediction. Will it come to pass? Who knows? But there is nothing wrong on its face for him to project the corp as stellar...now they either will be or they will not be, but it is not out of the realm of possibility either.

Plus, unless I missed it, where did you see that he was a Bengals fan? I thought he was a neutral...

[HoosierCat]

Hmmmm...OK. So...as long as I use the word "will" I can't be busted on? It's just a prediction, and will it come true, who knows? Have I got this right? OK, here we go...

DontPushMe will take his head out of Corey Dillon's butt.

Billybroome will give up Wild Turkey and become an evangelical Sunday a.m. TV preacher.

Kirkendall will become a liberal.

HairOnFire will become a Browns fan.

Big Orange will make a post without an amusing picture.

not-another will admit Caleb Miller looks like Frodo Baggins.

...more later...

[membengal]

To me joisey...THIS is a homer statement:

The Bengals have one of the best LB corps in the NFL.

This is far less of a homer statement:

The Bengals WILL have one of the best LB corps in the NFL.

Why? Because there is at least some reason to hope/believe for the second one. Plugging in Thurman/Pollack gives some reason to believe that they are headed in that direction. Are they? Dunno. I hope so. Mind you, I was not the one who wrote it. But to call a guy who is not a Bengals fan (apparently) but is a neutral football observer who trashed the Bengals a year ago in his predictions a "homer" because he sees good things for the LB corp is just plain overly pessimistic. Perhaps the above second statement from one of us on here would be "homer", because by our very presence on this board we are rather fond of the Bengals, but coming from an outsider? That criticism/charge is kinda misplaced.

PS...there is a 0% chance I am wrong about that... :-)

[DesperateDerelict]

Soft, non-divisional opponents include: Houston, Tennessee, Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit and Buffalo.

Are these really the 'soft' opponents of our schedule? Are there any soft games in the NFL? Houston is better, Green Bay still has Favre, da Bears and da Lions are on the road, and we haven't beaten Buffalo in forever.

The only double-digit odds on our schedule will be Cleveland (twice) and Tennessee (although on the road). The soft teams in the NFL this year will be: Cleveland, Tennessee, San Fran, Denver, and a bunch of maybe's (AZ, SEA, OAK, MIA, NYG, NO, and TB).

To better judge a schedule, perhaps we should look at how many head-to-head games against elite teams. We play 4 - PIT (twice), MIN, and IND. The only other elite teams are NE and PHI.

So I don't think our schedule is very damn soft.

[HoosierCat]

But to call a guy who is not a Bengals fan (apparently) but is a neutral football observer who trashed the Bengals a year ago in his predictions a "homer" because he sees good things for the LB corp is just plain overly pessimistic.

Fine. Forget "homer." Let's call him a Laughably Over-Optomistic Neutral Entity, or "Looney" for short.

Amounts to the same thing.

And he does not simply "see good things." He make a flat-out statement that two completely untested rookies (one converting to a new position) and an aging, converted DT on his 3rd team will -- not might, not could, not should, but will -- "vastly improve" the run D.

Hey, I hope he's right. But I'll believe that just as soon as I see it.

[HairOnFire]

And the bit about Clemons being a run-stuffer...

I agree that's gut-bustin' funny, but I have to remind myself that I've attacked Duane Clemons play at LDE for at least two years now and not once have I done so without several Bengal fans coming to his aid by claiming he was a very solid run defender. Several have even claimed that Clemons is a far more complete DE than Justin Smith.

To be fair, I've always considered those views to be moronic, but I never allow myself to forget that they come from sources that are supposedly knowledgable fans who are familiar with the team. I just assumed they were slightly fugtarded opinions derived by fans who were unfairly focused on the high position Justin Smith was drafted at instead of his level of play.

Frankly, I think it took Marvin Lewis making his dissatisfaction with Clemons at LDE publically known before most fans began voicing any displeasure with Clemons. And now, after a few words from Marvin...the honeymoon is over. My guess is that in his recap the writer is simply a little bit behind the times.