Bengals offense has more weapons but still chasing 2015 unit

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as the overachiever who continues to play above-average football and Green as the superstar who makes up for Dalton’s deficiencies.,Since the Cincinnati Bengals drafted A.J. Green in Round 1 and Andy Dalton in Round 2 of the 2011 NFL Draft,Authentic Curtis Samuel Jersey, of course, the team’s passing offense has more or less been defined by their connection. Dalton

They peaked in Year 5,Authentic Daeshon Hall Jersey, and the running backs. A late-season injury robbed them at their best chance of a Super Bowl run in this era of Bengals football, 2015, with a career year from Dalton and continued dominance from Green, Tyler Eifert, Mohamed Sanu, but also got major contributions from Marvin Jones, but the team had high hopes of repeating that performance in 2016. They came up far short of those expectations, but clearly that was an issue of contention in the main office as they made a concerted effort to improve at the skill positions in the draft.

who has a unique blend of size and speed that just never came together in college. While Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard were less effective at running back in 2016,For Cincinnati fans, returning a receiving group that highlighted Brandon LaFell and Tyler Boyd would be less than inspiring. Still, there is no guarantee that the additions at that position will make a huge difference. John Ross broke the NFL combine record with his 4.22 40-yard dash, but as a rookie he isn’t a sure thing and neither is raw Josh Malone, Authentic Lorenzo Alexander Jersey, Joe Mixon is still considered a high-risk prospect because of his indiscretion off the field.

when the top five subbed in LaFell and Boyd for Jones and Sanu,Part of what made 2015 so special was how clear everyone’s role in the offense was. Green ate up the bulk of the targets (132),Authentic Taylor Moton Jersey, with Jones (103) and Eifert (74) behind him as high-volume options. After that there was Bernard (66) in his role out of the backfield and Sanu (49) taking most of the rest, with the scraps left for everyone else. Those five players accounted for nearly 84 percent of the team’s targets that season; no other player registered more than 19. Compare that to 2016, but accounted for less than 60 percent of the targets. Five other players had at least 19 passes thrown their way.

Having options isn’t a bad thing, the team had at least three or four impact players on the field at a time. In 11 personnel (1RB, but the 2015 Bengals were especially successful and efficient at getting the ball to their best playmakers. Green, Jones, almost a full yard higher than it was the following year. Typically, and Andy Dalton averaged an astronomical 8.4 yards per attempt because of the efficiency of that offense,womens Dion Dawkins Jersey, and Eifert caught 27 of the 31 passing touchdowns,1TE, 3WR formations) all five could line up as potential threats.

Another important thing to note about that 2015 season is that while Green deservedly received the lion’s share of the targets,Authentic Christian McCaffrey Jersey,' averaged more yards per catch and hauled in more of his targets. In 2016 Green was on pace for 176 targets through nine games (he played 10 games, his 132 targets was a significant decrease from his previous two 16-game seasons. In 2012 and 2013 — the other seasons where he posted 70-plus catches,200-plus yards and double-digit touchdowns — he received 164 and 178 targets respectively. In 2015 he came in about a dozen catches fewer, 1, but still gained about the same amount of yards and touchdowns,Authentic Harrison Butker Jersey, but left one early with an injury after only a single target).

Being stronger with players two through five in the pecking order helped keep less talented players off the field in critical situations but also eased the pressure Green has been burdened with since being drafted. LaFell and rookie Boyd didn’t do much to alleviate pressure in either direction. womens Harrison Butker JerseyThough LaFell put up a good statistical season, much of it was by necessity and he doesn’t represent a high-upside player for this offense. Boyd still could, though he has some limitations athletically.

but the combination could serve a similar purpose.,womens Christian McCaffrey Jersey,'The speed Ross brings will be enough to force defenses to offer help over the top on his side, but the threat of the quick score should do more for the offense than Boyd could. It won’t be a facsimile for Jones, something almost every team is already committing to Green. Putting those two across from each other in the formation should really test defensive decision makers and could make things easy for Dalton and the rest of the offense. Ross is a rookie and could strugglewomens Taylor Moton Jersey,

but if Ross sticks outside the ability to win in the middle of the field could make the difference. Of course Eifert’s health and consistency will need to return to 2015 levels,womens Lorenzo Alexander Jersey,Assuming Malone is still far away from being ready, that would leave Boyd and LaFell in competition for the spot in the pecking order reserved for Sanu, who spent last season with the Atlanta Falcons. Neither player is accustomed to being successful out of the slot, which is somewhat harder to predict.

Bernard’s efficiency as a receiver is nullified when he is not a threat out of the backfield (he averaged a full yard more per carry in 2015 on 60-plus more carries). womens Daeshon Hall Jersey,'' Mixon could take over as a lead runner early in his career,Mixon could be the biggest difference-maker, because Hill and Bernard were so ineffective running the ball in 2016. Both players averaged under 3.9 yards per carry, and while Hill offers very little in the passing game, womens Nathan Peterman Jersey,and his ability to be a dominant receiver from the position should either bring out the best in Bernard or make him unnecessary. In either scenario the offense should improve accordingly.

and Jones still sometimes wavers between big-play guy and a reliable possession receiver. It makes sense why the Bengals were so enticed to pair Ross with Green,It does feel like the additions, though young, should bring back some of the more dynamic and explosive elements of the offense. Health will be a major part of it, but there is some hope for increased consistency as well.Authentic Dion Dawkins Jersey,' Sanu wasn’t always dynamic but he was reliable, and perhaps the other pieces can fall into place.

without making major moves to replace them,Authentic Nathan Peterman Jersey,If the weapons are somewhere between 2015 and 2016 levels, then the Bengals could be expected to continue to struggle because of the decimation of the offensive line. Green is an otherworldly talent, womens Curtis Samuel Jersey,',but Dalton has played his whole career behind Andrew Whitworth and a solid supporting cast. Losing Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler in the offseason, could be the difference between taking advantage of the new weapons and toiling in mediocrity for a second consecutive season.