(12-05-2023, 09:20 AM)The Real Marty Wrote:

(12-05-2023, 09:09 AM)Caldrac Wrote: Campbell and Hamilton had no business being out there last night. They were liabilities more than anything. Whether this team gets lucky or not. I really question whether or not Baalke should be back in this building next year, at least without another layer of reporting and decision making that can keep him in check or veto him. 

The lack of interior play for the past two years and overall quality of players on the trenches is coming back to bite this team severely in the [BLEEP] and it's shown up time and time again. It's only going to get worse as well. These next two games are GUT CHECKS for this franchise and coaching staff. 

You're talking about two of the very best overall defenses in the NFL, back-to-back. Short week to prepare without Lawrence, maybe no Kirk, maybe no Little. Then, you have to come back home for another primetime game on Sunday night to play another AFC team that's pushing heavily for the one seed. 

So, fun times ahead I guess.

Hamilton did not look good at all.  On the Bengals' first TD, they ran right at him and the offensive line easily pushed him out of the way.  It's a mystery what has happened to him.  He signed a big contract, and then he has this mysterious injury, and we're getting nothing for that investment.

Yeah. It happens. This front office really hedged it's bets on Allen playing big in a contract year, which he has, they were hoping Walker would take a giant leap forward to compliment him, which, he's improved, but, not seeing that massive leap out of him yet. 

They then resigned Smoot, knowing he was coming back from injury. They knew Fatukasi had a hard time staying healthy. They resigned RHH who hasn't really given you what he gave you last year on defense. 

Other than that? That leaves Chaisson, who, in fairness, he's been giving you his best year so far. Never lived up to the first round hype but there's some signs of life out of him every four weeks. They drafted Lacy and Abdullah who have done zero, zilch, nadda as rookies.

They failed in securing Hunter, they failed in trading for any viable pass rusher on the edge or within the interior. They put too much stock in "what could be" instead of "what it actually is". This team wasn't going to make a serious, deep push in the post season to begin with based on their line issues, but, man, somebody has to answer for that when this season is over.

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