Biggest Improvement Next Year

by WOOD98 on Jan 28, 2012 2:17 AM EST

We have been spending countless threads and posts debating the draft and free agency. Putting forth our thoughts on who the Bengals need to target to be better next year. To take that next step and win some playoff games. As I read all these different posts and started looking at the Bengals roster I don't think one player or a group of players is going to account for the Bengals biggest improvement next year.

The Bengals went 9-7 and made the playoffs with a rookie QB, a rookie WR, a rookie OC, no Shipley, a new MLB, a new starting CB and 2 new starting outside LBs. All of these new pieces coupled with no off season or training camp and the Bengals made the playoffs. The biggest improvement next year won't be the addition of a player, it will be the addition of training camp and off season programs/workouts. Gruden can put in his entire playbook. Andy can work on his timing with AJ, Gresham and the other WRs. Rey can get healthy and more comfortable in Zimmer's system as the MLB.

The Bengals are young and will grown as a unit this off season just as we saw them grow during the season. This team will be better to start the season simply by spending the year together. Adding players through the draft and FA will be nice but the biggest impact for the coming season will be their time together.

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 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Agree 100 percent

I think we were too quick to discount Rey. He can be a great linebacker, he just needed an offseason. Plus I can’t wait to see Dalton hit our receivers in stride for touchdowns! Literally peeing in my pants, waiting for next season

A.J. Green is Optimus Prime. Sit down Calvin Johnson, the good guys always win...

by AZBengal18 on Jan 28, 2012 11:12 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Literally? :-P

by Luke on Jan 30, 2012 10:28 AM EST up reply actions

Literally everyday?

See a doctor.

It must be inordinately taxing to be such a boob. ~ The Brain

by jim0ijk on Jan 30, 2012 1:06 PM EST up reply actions

Plus I think a normal offseason and camp will reall help develop.......

guys that we’ll be looking to get some productivity out of compared to last year (Boling, Moch, Sands, and Mays).

"The next person you see that throws something, point em out! You don’t live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!"
- Sam Wyche

by The Van Buren Boys on Jan 28, 2012 2:42 PM EST reply actions

Very true!!

by Coldmutha on Jan 29, 2012 4:02 PM EST up reply actions

Every other team will have that same advantage though, so it really depends on how much raw potential in a lot of these guys that the coaches can tap into. In many ways no training camp could have had a benefit for some teams, for example every win this season was against a average to bad team, so in that regards the basic skill level and amount of coaching received was average, where as against good teams we did not play so well. It should be interesting to see how things go next season. Hopefully the Bengals have a good off-season.

by Carlw2006 on Jan 28, 2012 9:02 PM EST reply actions

a fact that most people overlook

while what they did this season was amazing, it was an even playing field for everyone with the lockout. other teams had the advantage of not having a new OC and qb with no off season but overall everyone got the same practice time.

by 70sav on Jan 30, 2012 1:01 AM EST up reply actions

The advantage this year went to teams with established QB's/coaches, etc.....

Packers, Steelers, Ravens for example. I agree it was technically a “level playing field” since everyone had the same rules to follow, but we had a rookie at QB, WR#1 and OC. That to me, didn’t put us on a level playing field and we still went 9-7. That is the main reason for my optimisn I guess.

"The next person you see that throws something, point em out! You don’t live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!"
- Sam Wyche

by The Van Buren Boys on Jan 30, 2012 8:55 AM EST up reply actions

Tougher schedule though...

9-7 next year would be compared to winning 11 games this year just based on level of competition.

by WhoDey14 on Jan 29, 2012 3:03 AM EST reply actions

Is next year's schedule tougher?

Once you subtratct the repeat teams from this year (Baltimore, Pitt, Cleveland, Denver, Jacksonville) Our opponents this year finished 57-72, while our opponents next year finished 59-70, only a 2 game swing. Additionally, while our opponents next year had a slightly higher winning percentage, we face fewer winning teams next year, as only one of our new opponents had a winning record, while 3 teams with winning records fall off next year.

It must be inordinately taxing to be such a boob. ~ The Brain

by jim0ijk on Jan 30, 2012 1:19 PM EST up reply actions

much better quarterbacks in 2012

and If you look at next year’s schedule a lot of those teams are more deadly than their 2011 record suggests (8-8 Philly, 9-7 NYG, 8-8 Cowboys, 8-8 Chargers).

we played a million backup quarterbacks this year, makes me think our defense is worse than it’s top ten ranking

Cincy Jungle Contributor

by Brennen Warner on Jan 31, 2012 4:18 PM EST up reply actions

I'm not saying the draft isn't important

but the lack of off season and training camp is much more a detriment to young teams and especially young teams breaking in a new QB, a new WR and a new OC. Look at the Bengals losses. Outside of Denver they were losses to veteran teams that didn’t need the off season to be in sync with each other. That is truly what makes the Bengals 9-7 season remarkable. Its also what makes next year seem so bright.

by WOOD98 on Jan 29, 2012 6:59 AM EST reply actions