Football Outsiders/ESPN - AFC North Needs: Bengals

[Ryan Mc]

Originally Posted by Stewee28

Well, I guess I could see where we might want to take Warmack if he fell to 21, but I just dont see that happening.....

That's what came to mind for me too. I don't know if their assessment of Boling is right, but I do know we gave up a lot of sacks last year and struggled to consistently run the ball, so there's room for improvement up front. Warmack and Jonathan Cooper are two of the most highly rated guards to come out in years, and with it not being a sexy position that people generally pick high it is entirely possible that we could have our choice at #21. Picking guards in the first round back-to-back years would get many people squawking, but personally I've never understood why the position is not valued more highly. You really can't do anything on offense without good guard play.

[fortyyearfan]

Originally Posted by McC

I think Whit's starting to show his age too. Can't help love the guy and what he means to the team, but if you have a 30 something LT and your next franchise LT is staring you in the face in any round. you will never go wrong drafting him. A lot of teams don't have one of those because there aren't that many to go around. It's never a mistake to get one.

Hey Wildcatsforever, that was a very good post and you hit on reality.Everyone who knows how football really works, it all starts with your lines and they Have to be topshelf.The bourbon thing was funny too!!!!

[bradfritz21]

They hit it except for the fact that we need a big, bad-*** safety to roam the middle, play in the box, and make receivers and tight ends fear coming over the middle.

We also need another backer, even if Burfict does play MIKE.

[SunsetBengal]

Originally Posted by Aquapod770

If I remeber correctly Boling was rated as a top 5 guard in the league for most of the year on PFF...admittedly his play trailed off at the end of the year, but that might have something to do with him playing the most snaps of anyone on our oline.

Yes, he did grade out well against inferior competition. But, he withered down the stretch run, as the competition got a lil' bit tougher.

I like Boling, he's a smart player, gives 100% effort, he just gets physically outmatched at times.

He proved he belongs on the team. I see him as a good backup, spell-starter.

For the OL to truly be able to dominate, they need to keep building it. Besides, the depth on OL is paper thin..

[BigPapaKain]

Originally Posted by Aquapod770

If I remeber correctly Boling was rated as a top 5 guard in the league for most of the year on PFF...admittedly his play trailed off at the end of the year, but that might have something to do with him playing the most snaps of anyone on our oline.

Originally Posted by J24

Allot of the sacks were do to Andy holding onto the ball to long. I like our oline allot especially if we start Robinson over Cook.

Just check out the Eagles game on Game Rewind to find out how well the interior line held up down the stretch. Surely the D-Linemen getting past Cook and Boling as quickly as they would have had those 2 not been there adversely affected Boling's overall rankings and makes that whole 'Dalton holds on to the ball too long' comment seem like the person making it has the attention span of a goldfish. Especially when you go further back and remember that people were complaining Dalton didn't hold on to the ball long enough for plays to develop. But let's not turn this into a Dalton thread. Boling needs upgraded in order to slow down those tough defenses, as does Cook.

[NATI BENGALS]

"Boling took up the reins and led the Bengals straight into the ground"

If by ground they mean playoffs. Then I agree.

I often times find myself wishing ESPN would just go away.

[SunsetBengal]

Originally Posted by NATI BENGALS

"Boling took up the reins and led the Bengals straight into the ground"

If by ground they mean playoffs. Then I agree.

I often times find myself wishing ESPN would just go away.

Hey man, take your head out of the sand...It was defense and ST that led the Bengals into the playoffs, down the stretch of the season.

Offense was a shrinking violet after the SD game..

[Luvnit2]

Originally Posted by Scarlet&Orange

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story...ngals-steelers



Thoughts??

I knew Boling was bad, I had no idea how bad. Add in Whittworth being a great pass protector and poor run blocker and it explains a lot on why our OL needs a lot of work. Is Wharton the answer? I know he is a proven run blocker, but is just ok against the pass. It appears Boling needs a lot more work than most of us realized. Tough to run or pass when your OL is not good. Good news is Zeitler should get better, keep Smith because he is an anchor along with Whittworth. I guess looking at draft needs, we need to look at 2A or 2B for guard/center to take over for Wharton or Boling or center if Cook or Robinson can't get it done.

Great article.

[NATI BENGALS]

Originally Posted by SunsetBengal

Hey man, take your head out of the sand...It was defense and ST that led the Bengals into the playoffs, down the stretch of the season.

Offense was a shrinking violet after the SD game..

So you consider leading a team into the ground making the playoffs? Because I don't. That was my point. No doubt we owe a lot of our success to D and ST. But our offense was good enough to get us into the playoffs.

I am not surprised that our offense with a second year QB and OC, brand new starters at all three interior OL positions, no back up HB worth a squat, and the consistent shuffling of our #2 WR including a UDFA and two rookies struggled. But guess what. We made the playoffs. And the second year player starting his first games in the NFL at LG did as good as can be expected from a 4th round pick.

Boling did not single handily run this team into the ground.

[Aquapod770]

Originally Posted by BigPapaKain

Just check out the Eagles game on Game Rewind to find out how well the interior line held up down the stretch.

Every single player on our offensive line was utter garbage that game...every one.

[BigPapaKain]

Originally Posted by Aquapod770

Every single player on our offensive line was utter garbage that game...every one.

And every game after they weren't exactly stellar; not like they were in the beginning of the year.

[BengalsRocker]

Originally Posted by Luvnit2

I knew Boling was bad, I had no idea how bad. Add in Whittworth being a great pass protector and poor run blocker and it explains a lot on why our OL needs a lot of work. Is Wharton the answer? I know he is a proven run blocker, but is just ok against the pass. It appears Boling needs a lot more work than most of us realized. Tough to run or pass when your OL is not good. Good news is Zeitler should get better, keep Smith because he is an anchor along with Whittworth. I guess looking at draft needs, we need to look at 2A or 2B for guard/center to take over for Wharton or Boling or center if Cook or Robinson can't get it done.

Great article.

Take Frederick from Wisconsin.

At best he'll be our next starting Center.

At worst he could replace Boling or be a solid back-up at the G position.

[Aquapod770]

Originally Posted by BigPapaKain

And every game after they weren't exactly stellar; not like they were in the beginning of the year.

True...a few games in the middle of the year they were just flat out dominating people

[bengalfan74]

Originally Posted by SunsetBengal

Yes, he did grade out well against inferior competition. But, he withered down the stretch run, as the competition got a lil' bit tougher.

I like Boling, he's a smart player, gives 100% effort, he just gets physically outmatched at times.

He proved he belongs on the team. I see him as a good backup, spell-starter.

For the OL to truly be able to dominate, they need to keep building it. Besides, the depth on OL is paper thin..

Yes Boling faded down the stretch !

We need to take a serious look at LG and C this year. Both Cook and Boling should be backup's at best.

[renorvis]

Boling did fade down the stretch because this was basically his rookie season. Most if not all rooks slump at some point in the season. So to remedy this we go and draft another ROOKIE LG to replace him? The same rookie that could fade just as Boling did down the stretch? Yeah that makes sense

[Millz]

I pretty much agree with this as I just read the other teams too. I guess I am in the minority of fans here, but I completely agree with what it said about Boling. Our run game to the left side of was awful, as in we couldn't get a push on that side between Boling and Whit. Hopefully Wharton can step back in healthy and take over as he was supposed to, or worst case scenario we find one in free agency or the draft.

[Joelist]

Facts are facts - Boling did hit a wall in the second half of the season and was terrible in the playoff game. Basically teams started bull rushing him when it was clear from the tape that he lacked the power to anchor properly against that type of pass rush. It was also why the run game struggled badly to the left.

So that is the million dollar question - can Boling improve on the lack of power for next season? If not then he is a backup and we need a LG with more strength. The irony was Livings had the strength but coupled it with the football instincts and IQ of a brick - as Dallas discovered last year.

That said, we also need a faster option at RB and a reliable possession WR.

[BronxBengal]

Once again this supports my claim that Paul Alexander (offensive line coach) is horrible. He needs to go, shown the door. He was here before Marvin and we had underperforming lines and no talent. Now they have talent and the line is still underperforming. Paul Alexander is a joke for an offensive line coach. Hit the road Jack!!

[D.Boon]

Originally Posted by Aquapod770

If I remeber correctly Boling was rated as a top 5 guard in the league for most of the year on PFF...admittedly his play trailed off at the end of the year, but that might have something to do with him playing the most snaps of anyone on our oline.

Boling was brutal down the stretch. Cook caught all the flack but Boling was equally bad if not worse.

[D.Boon]

Originally Posted by BengalsRocker

Take Frederick from Wisconsin.

At best he'll be our next starting Center.

At worst he could replace Boling or be a solid back-up at the G position.

I'd be all for it or taking Warmack in one if he were to somehow fall to the Bengals. But honestly I don't see them investing heavily in the interior O-line. I get the feeling that they're satisfied with their personnel there.

[McC]

Originally Posted by D.Boon

I'd be all for it or taking Warmack in one if he were to somehow fall to the Bengals. But honestly I don't see them investing heavily in the interior O-line. I get the feeling that they're satisfied with their personnel there.

I get that feeling too, though I think it's a huge mistake. There is def. room for upgrade.

[DennyG2]

Originally Posted by Scarlet&Orange

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story...ngals-steelers



Thoughts??

pretty good read. I knew Bowling was bad, just didn't know that he isn't even backup worthy either...

[Anderson_fan1988]

Originally Posted by renorvis

Boling did fade down the stretch because this was basically his rookie season. Most if not all rooks slump at some point in the season. So to remedy this we go and draft another ROOKIE LG to replace him? The same rookie that could fade just as Boling did down the stretch? Yeah that makes sense

Well Zeitler was a rookie too and he didn't fade....although Boling wasn't a rookie so this point is moot.

[hacker]

Originally Posted by J24

Allot of the sacks were do to Andy holding onto the ball to long. I like our oline allot especially if we start Robinson over Cook.

Whit gives up alot of pressures on passing downs and is not stellar in the run game himself

[McC]

Originally Posted by DennyG2

pretty good read. I knew Bowling was bad, just didn't know that he isn't even backup worthy either...

It is just one guy's opinion, isn't it?