Thoughts from the HoF game

[Jungletiger]

Seems us fans always either expect by some reach that the team is superbowl bound or going to be awful.

 

we have improved many things over last year.. but we havent seen them yet. so there is a sour taste in my mouth after the HOF game, and its solely based on 90% performances by backups, scrubs, PS and non-nfl talents performance ... the cowboys passing it up on our backups, hall sat most of camp so far rehabbing, and pacman is our nickel but seemd to start opposite hall. our starting fat boy right tackle didnt play, our new first round pick studly TE missed most of camp thus far and didnt get a TON of PT in the game, palmer completed a few passes, no gameplan obviously, just running plays, hit some missed some got murdered a few times..

 

what does it mean? what does it change for 2010? 99% of the fans will say the answer to those questions is NOTHING, but why are we so annoyed by the game? even with first units in, we arent playing to win, there isnt a plan to obtain, hold and increase a lead, just testing certain guys in certain roles and testing some plays...

 

deciphering what matters and what doesnt is hard, is michael johnson a badass sack machine about to unleash hell? or an above average young player smoking some backup linemen who arent gameplanning for him or anythone else on the D?

 

if we cant get bummed we cant get excited either.. being smoked by McGee and TE #4 on depth chart is just as meaningless as the sacks, smashing the bows oline, punt return, etc..

 

but M Johnson getting the sacks DOES mean something.. it means he is better than 2nd teamers by far.. which is a good thing. it means he is at least even with the starting guys.. and palmer getting sacked by 3 guys at once, even tho we dont have a blocking scheme for the cowboys specifically, it still shows a substantial weakness exists there, and probably in more than one place.. but does kelly on the end taking one outside rusher and compressing the other guys down to get the others doubled fix it? does andres return lock down the right? kelly lock down the left allowing the middle to clog itself and protect the inside pressure from getting to carson?

 

benson did nothing, in the box score, but atkins wrecked shit!, one means nothing and the other means we should be pumped?

 

we get 4 more shots at it, looking for improvment in places of concern, and freaking out over failures where we expected to stay strong or get even stronger...

 

and if we could stay healthy thatd be nice...

 

as for me, im looking for guys to make good decisions and have enough ability to beat the guy across from him. watched JT and Jordan.. jordan sucked, but he is clearly the beter athletebetween the two.. can the decision making be taught? if so why hasnt it been already?

 

and there are decisions all over the field with backups like this.. looking at trent, coaches said they liked him being a good learner, doesnt gamble, but i dont see the agressive corner i see in jojo and hall and jones, etc..

 

but is he good on teams somewhere?

 

with 80 players on the roster its too mind boggling to make heads or tails out of anyone beyond the top 30 guys on the team..

 

what specifically do you look for?, purposely ignore? hopeto gain from the preseason you watch?

 

http://forum.go-bengals.com/index.php?showtopic=55571

[ravinmaniac52]

It is just preseason, even lower, the HOF game.

 

I watched.

 

Two things. Chad didn't really want to say Robin and just make Palmer move a littl or around and he stinks.

[Guest BallTMore]

Like rm said, I wouldn't read anything into the HOF game.

 

 

Having 5 pre-season games would suck.

[BengalBilly]

Like rm said, I wouldn't read anything into the HOF game.

 

 

Having 5 pre-season games would suck.

No doubt. IMO two is all that is needed. Three at most.

[papasmurfbell]

It will be at 2 in the next couple of yrs.

[JPPT1974]

Hey it's just pre-season. First pre-season of the year. So they still have a long way to go.