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Any Doubt the Bengals Need A Strong Safety?


BengalChamps

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This is my first post! Be gentle.

Any coincidence that what may be the 2 best Strong Safeties in the AFC(Polamalu and Lynch) have their teams in the AFC Championship game? That seems to be the difference between a good defense and a championship defense.

The Bengals might be playing tomorrow if one of those guys played for us.

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This is my first post! Be gentle.

Welcome! :sure:

The Bengals might be playing tomorrow if one of those guys played for us.

I firmly believe they'd be playing tomorrow if Palmer played for us. I agree though, safety is a big need for this defense. Throw in some defensive lineman that can play marginally well, and we have a good defense.

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At some point a regular poster is going to bash you for using the

term "Strong" safety; Marvin made a comment before last year's

draft about needing versatile players like Madieu rather than a

one dimensional David Fulcher type safety.

Nonetheless you are right. Anyone who has ever watched football

knows that this team needs an enforcer in the middle of the

field. Madieu is a nice player, but he is never going to strike

fear into the hearts of Heap, Miller or Winslow as they run down

the middle of the field looking back for a pass.

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I would say the Bengals would have advanced in the playoffs if they had a free safety. Kevin Kaeshivarn getting beat like a drum over the top deep and in the red zone had more to do with the Bengals loss vs. Pittsburgh than any strong safety factor did. In fact, the strong safety play of Ohalete actually helped stall the Steelers run game and forced Big Ben to beat the Bengals deep, which he did largely because of no pass rush, K2 getting beat, and the play of Tory James at CB.

To go 11-6 with the absolute lack of a pass rush that the Bengals showed week in and week out should be testament enough that the play of the two backup safeties this year is not the greatest need for the team to improve nor safeties in general why teams advance in the playoffs.

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Any coincidence that what may be the 2 best Strong Safeties in the AFC(Polamalu and Lynch) have their teams in the AFC Championship game?

:rolleyes:

Yes, it would be a coincidence if that were true, but since its not, its not even worth discussing.

Whether or not YOU rank them as the best is not the point. They are both GOOD.

Discuss.

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It is just a coincidence that they both have good SS. Last year a big deal was made about the NFL's 2 best kickers being in the superbowl. Of course having good players at particular positions doesn't hurt... but the fact that this particular position has talented players on both teams is nothing more than coincidence.

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Any coincidence that what may be the 2 best Strong Safeties in the AFC(Polamalu and Lynch) have their teams in the AFC Championship game?

:rolleyes:

Yes, it would be a coincidence if that were true, but since its not, its not even worth discussing.

Whether or not YOU rank them as the best is not the point. They are both GOOD.

Discuss.

You are right, weather or not i rank them as the best is not the point. The point is, john lynch isnt even a SS. Hes a FS.

We have Madieu, a great safety. You dont need 2 stars back at that position. Also Ed Reed is the best safety in the AFC, and like someone else said, it is just a coincidence that both teams have good safetys.

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I am starting warm up to the kid from FSU, Watkins, who just might be available late R2

http://www.nflfans.com/x/2006/showplayer.p...y=Pat%20Watkins

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingr...patwatkins.html

Me too. He showed up real well in the FSU bowl game. Lots of aggressive play and range in coverage. He's skinny but there's no reason to think he couldn't add at least 20 pounds in a couple years. How that affects his speed would remain to be seen. But as he is right now, he can play. I would suspect he'd definitely be there in the 2nd and maybe even the 3rd. There's other safeties like Daniel Bullocks and Dwayne Slay who stand to get the nod ahead of Watkins IMO. Coupled with the early entries of KO and Bing, that should make Watkins drop some.

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I also like Watkins from FSU.

The following is my list of candiates (in order?) for safety (starters/depth) for the Bengals:

- Mike Huff (Texas) and Jimmy Williams (Va Tech) = gone by the time we draft.

- Ko Simpson (S. Caro.) = Good athlete, 6 int his freshman year. Plays the ball well and is a good hitter/tackler

- Dwayne Slay (Texas Tech) = Big hitter. Caused 8 fumbles this past year. Long arms. Sometimes "hits", instead of "tackling.

- Antonio Cromarte (Fla St) = If(When) he recovers from his knee injury, he will be able to play corner or safety. Love to get him in the third round -- but I doubt he lasts that long.

- Darnell Bing (USC) = Has his moments -- but I'm not convinced , yet. I need to see more of him.

- Pat Watkins (Fla St) = Tall with good range. Good special team player (gunner) Good tackler

- Jarvis Herring (Fla) = Big hitter/tackler. Does play the pass reasonably well.

- Donte Whitner (OSU) = SS type. Not sure about his pass coverage skills.

- Mike Lorello (W. Va.) = Play maker. Seems to lack speed, but still makes plays all over the field." Maybe a 4th rounder

- Greg Blue (Ga.)= Big hitter. Seems a step off in coverage and makes too many tackles down the field instead of at the line of scrimmage.

- Anthony Smith (Syracuse) = Kiper likes him -- but I'm not convinced.

I would like to see us take any two of these. :sure:

There are several other candidates for Bengals safeties (i.e. play pass and stop the run.), but I haven't had time to watch them on tape, yet. :lol:

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I hear you Pap.

There's a couple other I'll be eyeballing during Senior Bowl week: Jahmile Addae WVA, Marcus Hudson NC State (who's still getting put in at CB), and Daniel Bullocks Nebraska.

Bullocks and Hudson were also invited to the combine. Addae shoulda been IMO.

Plus there's some decent safeties who got no All-Star game invites and aren't combine bound either like Harrison Smith Cal and Wesley Smith Memphis who should get Pro Day visits and invites for workouts by teams.

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What happens in Bengaldom and on this site, in particular, if no safeties are drafted on the first day? How about if no safeties are drafted during the entire seven rounds like last year? I am in no way dogging last year's great draft, but I couldn't believe that we didn't get a safety.

Could it happen again? Does Marvin have kahunas that big?

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