Pacman down: advantage Week #1

**JoeCool5** · 07-24-2017, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens75

Pacman has issues and so does Burfict and I guess Mixon but I think by and large the Bengals players are cool. I think you're letting your frustration over the Ravens lack of success bleed over to branding the whole team. BEat them twice this year and you'll probably feel different.

Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis couldn't care less how many arrests a football player has on their record. If he can play, he'll make their team. I hope we destroy them this year.

**Rygar64** · 07-24-2017, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by rhapsody

PacMan is a year older and Cincy's other Corners are competent to good. They also have good Safeties. They will have a good pass rush. I'm glad to see PacMan is out, but if you would guarantee me Yanda being at 100% for this game in exchange for letting PacMan play, I would take it.

How do we know? Attributing positive takes to an opposing team is just as tricky as assuming negative things about your home team. It'll be early in the season, their team will need time to gel just like ours. I for one am hoping that the Ravens front seven will be improved enough to actually put Dalton on the ground, but if he does his little scramble and throw it up for AJ, Weddle and Jefferson and an early-season-healthy Jimmy will be back there, so maybe someone will finally pick that pass or knock the snot out of AJ.

**Goode05** · 07-24-2017, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Rygar64

How do we know? Attributing positive takes to an opposing team is just as tricky as assuming negative things about your home team. It'll be early in the season, their team will need time to gel just like ours. I for one am hoping that the Ravens front seven will be improved enough to actually put Dalton on the ground, but if he does his little scramble and throw it up for AJ, Weddle and Jefferson and an early-season-healthy Jimmy will be back there, so maybe someone will finally pick that pass or knock the snot out of AJ.

I'm not holding my breath that the team can slow AJ down they haven't done it since he's come into the league

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**JoeCool5** · 07-24-2017, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by Goode05

I'm not holding my breath that the team can slow AJ down they haven't done it since he's come into the league

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That dude is on another level.

**rhapsody** · 07-24-2017, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Rygar64

How do we know? Attributing positive takes to an opposing team is just as tricky as assuming negative things about your home team. It'll be early in the season, their team will need time to gel just like ours. I for one am hoping that the Ravens front seven will be improved enough to actually put Dalton on the ground, but if he does his little scramble and throw it up for AJ, Weddle and Jefferson and an early-season-healthy Jimmy will be back there, so maybe someone will finally pick that pass or knock the snot out of AJ.

How do we know? Cincy's D is loaded, maybe the best in the league. Under the radar because, like us, they are a small market. Their secondary is young, has experience and has played well. They are getting Jackson, a functional rookie, 1st rounder, very fast. Billings is extremely strong at DT, also a functional rookie. Rookie Carl Lawson is already looking like a fierce pass rusher. Add Dunlap, Atkins, Burfict. The latter two intimidate us on a regular basis. Dunlap will eat up Hurst. Each new year is different. But this D is pretty much a known quantity which has gotten stronger. So, yeah, I "attribute positive takes" to it.

We have a fighting chance with Maclin and Mangold, a healthy Yanda and our own D, which may swamp Andy.

**JimZipCode** · 07-24-2017, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by rhapsody

How do we know? Cincy's D is loaded, maybe the best in the league. Under the radar because, like us, they are a small market. Their secondary is young, has experience and has played well. They are getting Jackson, a functional rookie, 1st rounder, very fast. Billings is extremely strong at DT, also a functional rookie. Rookie Carl Lawson is already looking like a fierce pass rusher. Add Dunlap, Atkins, Burfict. The latter two intimidate us on a regular basis. Dunlap will eat up Hurst. Each new year is different. But this D is pretty much a known quantity which has gotten stronger. So, yeah, I "attribute positive takes" to it.

Football Outsiders has Cincy's D at 18th last season: 15th against the pass and 20th against the run.
Better in 2015, 10th overall (10th and 8th).

**Rygar64** · 07-24-2017, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by rhapsody

How do we know? Cincy's D is loaded, maybe the best in the league. Under the radar because, like us, they are a small market. Their secondary is young, has experience and has played well. They are getting Jackson, a functional rookie, 1st rounder, very fast. Billings is extremely strong at DT, also a functional rookie. Rookie Carl Lawson is already looking like a fierce pass rusher. Add Dunlap, Atkins, Burfict. The latter two intimidate us on a regular basis. Dunlap will eat up Hurst. Each new year is different. But this D is pretty much a known quantity which has gotten stronger. So, yeah, I "attribute positive takes" to it.

We have a fighting chance with Maclin and Mangold, a healthy Yanda and our own D, which may swamp Andy.

I get where you are coming from, but last season, that D looked a bit down and not able to hold leads. Also, for all the hand wringing it has caused us fans, the team does not get dominated by the Bengals. Even with their "loaded" D, the ravens can score points on them and have kept the games close. In my eyes, the games usually come down to AJ Green being AJ Green(find me the team that can control that guy) and the Ravens D making boneheaded plays against either their 2nd RB or their 3rd WR. Hopefully with the overall depth of the secondary improving, we won't be watching our 6th corner or 4th safety trying to cover those guys on a flukey ass option play by Dalton. The rookies you named may in fact turn out to not only be good, but also contribute this year. I'm not saying I have a negative view of them, I'm saying that until camp and preseason are through, I have NO VIEW of any of them. I was really looking forward to Tavon Young taking the next step this year....was also worried that Cincy would continue having one of the best OLines in football...a lot has already changed.

**rhapsody** · 07-25-2017, 03:26 AM

Cincy was wrecked by injury in 2016. It is misleading to look at their stats and rankings from that year. They probably have the best influx of young talent in the league. A big 2017 draft and two big picks from 2016. One of the main reasons we are here is to speculate about what will happen, how good or bad someone, some unit, some team is going to be. It's part of the fun. I don't get much out of the hundredth poster who says, "we really have holes at Center and Right Tackle". "Cincy was bad last year, so we don't have a view of them this year."

I left out Jordan Willis, who as a rookie will be a clear upgrade over Michael Johnson. Weak links like Peko and Maualuga are gone. Their front five of Dunlap-Billings-Burfict-Atkins-Willis may be the best in the league.

Do we have a chance - of course. Their weak link is a bad Oline. Our front seven may/should swamp them. If our offense can score 20 points, I will feel very good about our chances this year.