Offensive line

by JCompton41 on May 10, 2011 12:56 PM EDT

From bengals.com about offensive line questions.

OL: Besides the obvious, which young guard is going to emerge?

The mystery of Big Foot continues. The Bengals won't be able to get a foothold on right tackle Andre Smith's second straight offseason surgery until the lockout ends and, as head coach Marvin Lewis has said, they need better play at that position. The other mystery is Anthony Collins unable to get into the lineup with Smith shelved. In the nine games Collins has started the past two years, the Bengals have rushed for an average of 110 yards and are 7-2.

Until Smith's foot gets figured out, the big question is how hard do 2010 fifth-rounder Otis Hudson and 2011 fourth-rounder Clint Boling push incumbent left guard Nate Livings? Or does Livings get more consistent in his play? The Bengals are going to want to work on Boling's technique, but they like his brains and versatility. Still, the last rookie lineman to start Opening Day for the Bengals was second-rounder Eric Steinbach at left guard in 2003.

Now the thing that gets me is the fact that when Collins is starting, the Bengals are 7-2 and average 110 yards rushing. I really wish it would show the stats when Roland was in, but im guessing its a lot worse. I would also put Reggie Stephens into the starting mix at either center or even gaurd. Livings cant start, Boling or Hudson have to be better than him, they atleast cant be worse. Stephans looked great at center when he played, and the I think Cooks way to overated, so I would like to give him a fair shot at center. If the Bengals start Collins, or Smith is in shape and good, and any of the 3 young guys can be a good starter, the line has a chance. That all being said, we are probably looking at a Whit, LIvings, Cook, Bobbie, Roland starting oline, because for some reason thats what Marvin likes.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors.

Tweet Comment 29 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Ideally

I’d like to see:

LT Whit
LG Andre
C Cook
RG Williams
RT Collins

But I work in online advertising and am not a football coach.

by Cedric Benson Boat Party on May 10, 2011 1:01 PM EDT reply actions

i like it!

LT A Whit
LG E Mathis / C Boling
C K Cook or R Stephens
RG Moobs (A Smith)
RT Collins

i’d make minor modifications to create my favorite.

by ephram on May 10, 2011 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I would like smith at gaurd too

but I cant see it ever happening when he makes LT money.

by JCompton41 on May 10, 2011 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Oakland did it with Robert Gallery and he's turned out to be a pretty good OG.

but it remains to be seen if the Bengals will put their BEST players on the field.

If sitting Dunlap for 1/2 a season is any indication….then probably not.

by ephram on May 10, 2011 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Unless they’ve learned from their mistake.

Oh wait… this is Mikey we’re talking about here. Never mind.

by FriarBob on May 10, 2011 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions

It's Marvin who would learn the lesson...

Mikey was actually hoping to see guys like Dunlap and Simpson earlier.

Home of the original Kitten Mittens.

by Pardon_My_French on May 10, 2011 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions

and now Marvie has more control

Seems like it’s time to watch the best players sit even more….

by ephram on May 10, 2011 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Doubt it.

I think he actually did learn his lesson. I think Mike gave him more control on the basis that Marvin actually use the investments Mike makes in the team. Pretty obvious compromise for Marv, who clearly made mistakes. He gets more say in the draft, but now he has to go ahead and play those guys.

Home of the original Kitten Mittens.

by Pardon_My_French on May 10, 2011 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

LT – Whit
LG – Boling
C – Cook
RG – Andre
RT – Collins

CincyJungle.com Contributor for the NFL Draft
Follow me on Twitter for Bengals & NFL Draft talk
"Sometimes you just have to pick Tomlinson over Justin Smith." - ???

by Joe Goodberry on May 10, 2011 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions

if Boling and Andre both pan out

that could be a great line.

by JCompton41 on May 10, 2011 10:14 PM EDT up reply actions

YES

This is my wish list for the Bengals O-Line. I’m not sure why Anthony Collins is in Marvin’s doghouse. It seems he and the team play very well when he’s in, whether it’s at LT or RT.

by Anthony Cosenza on May 17, 2011 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Mathis and Collins should have started every game the last two seasons.

While working Andre Smith in. How our talent is evaluated on the line is mind boggling to me.

by JamesShively on May 10, 2011 4:52 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

Agreed

I don’t understand why Mathis sat all of last season and we started Livings in his place. Mathis seemed to be constantly and consistently rated above Livings – I saw one article that even placed Mathis in the top five guards in ‘09. Yet last year, we let him ride the bench. From what he’s been saying on Twitter, it doesn’t sound like there is ANY chance he’ll be back next year, which is a shame, and a loss for our line.
Collins has been pretty solid, too. If we’re talking about stats in starts, though, Collins is 7-2 with 110 yards/game average. Mathis? 6-1 with 136 yards/game average.

by Aether on May 10, 2011 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly. No way we should be driving Mathis out.

WTF? It’s not a mystery… Mathis and Collins are better than Smith and Livings at this moment. Just put them in the starting lineup and BAM! you’re a great coach, you just upgraded the line. Congrats.

by Boomer Lion on May 10, 2011 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he has an attitude problem

Or at least the coaches don’t like his attitude

by Throw the ball on May 12, 2011 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

You mean the attitude problem of wanting to start when he's better?

I’d have an attitude problem as well if I had to sit behind someone who wasn’t as good as me at that spot.

The attitude problem is with the staff that won’t put the best players on the field.

by Boomer Lion on May 13, 2011 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Why would Mathis be back?

when hes clearly better than Livings and hes on the bench? I wouldnt stay either if I was him.

by JCompton41 on May 10, 2011 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions

he's a free agent

and indications are that they don’t want him back…. which is why they tended to start Livings over him.

by ephram on May 11, 2011 7:09 AM EDT up reply actions

I've wondered that too..

Is it Anderson? Marvin? Mikey?

Give pizza chants.

by 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME on May 10, 2011 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Are you asserting that the line talent is, in fact, evaluated?

by Boomer Lion on May 10, 2011 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs

that's a rec for you good sir

Fight Bengals Fatalism!

by Paul Cannon on May 11, 2011 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm happy with just about any combinations that get Collins ample playting time.

He was great last year. At the moment he’s light years ahead of Lard Tits and he should be at RT. Andre can figure out how to be an NFL player at OG. No matter how much he’s being paid, he’s not ready to be an OT so he shouldn’t be played there.

"I bet that sex Bengals fan is really pissed now." -DT3428

by sexsalad on May 10, 2011 7:45 PM EDT reply actions