(12-28-2023, 03:58 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: It might not be this bad, but a healthy Burrow only led us to a 7-5 record in the division the past 2 seasons. 7-4 if we consider him banged up for week 1 Steelers game last year (he was clearly off, like you've said). 

In those two years, the Ravens had pretty severe injury issues both times we met them the 2nd time round (the 525-yard game, I think guys from this forum were in the Ravens secondary! They were on 3rd string QB in Week 18 last season). We could've won those games in any case (beat them the next week in the playoffs after all), but I don't think we met the Ravens best on either occasion.   

I dunno man, I just think the way we are built is bad for how the AFCN plays. I think even if Burrow is healthy we'll on average get 3-4 division wins. Which granted would've been more than enough this year!

(12-28-2023, 04:09 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, 7-4 with a healthy Burrow is about right, week 1 against the stealers was maybe his worst game ever and I expect it was because of 
the appendectomy. True on the Ravens being decimated those times. I think if we gameplan better and go under Center more and execute 
we can win in our Division. Our Defense needs to improve at DT big time and with our pass rush besides Trey.

I don't think Logan and Pratt just forgot how to play football and I also don't think this Secondary will be bad forever with all this youth.

Even this year, we are still in it which is pretty crazy being 0-5 in the best Division in football. I like that Zac shown he can win without Joe.

If we can get into the Playoffs without Joe it would be a huge boost for our entire organization and fan base. Anything can happen once 
you get in and if you are playing your best ball at that time that is all you want.

(12-28-2023, 04:34 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: I have no doubt we can and will compete for the division moving forward, I'm just not sure it'll be because of divisional record. But I don't think that has to be a bad thing. The way AFCN teams play is pretty atypical of the rest of the league. I'd rather be able to compete with the rest of the league, than 'specialise' at beating the AFCN. But if we can't figure those teams out, then we'll probably not generally be in the #1 seed conversation as we'll drop too many games.

In any case, this season hasn't really changed my mind that the future of the franchise is generally bright.

(12-24-2023, 11:12 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: This season has absolutely sucked for so many reasons.

The Burrow calf injury. Sucking to start the year. Then Joe getting and healthy and the Bengals being good. Then Burrow getting injured and out for the year. Then sucking again. Then being good again with Browning. And then finally sucking again and riding the Jake Browning roller coaster a long the way.

Not to mention three of our best players getting severely injured a long the way.

I'm just tired. This has been an awful, awful season and I'm just ready for it to be over. I can't even say it's been fun.

This was supposed to be a Super Bowl year and it's been one of my least favorite seasons in recent memory.

I'm tired of being tormented. Just put me down.

(12-24-2023, 11:12 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: This season has absolutely sucked for so many reasons.

The Burrow calf injury. Sucking to start the year. Then Joe getting and healthy and the Bengals being good. Then Burrow getting injured and out for the year. Then sucking again. Then being good again with Browning. And then finally sucking again and riding the Jake Browning roller coaster a long the way.

Not to mention three of our best players getting severely injured a long the way.

I'm just tired. This has been an awful, awful season and I'm just ready for it to be over. I can't even say it's been fun.

This was supposed to be a Super Bowl year and it's been one of my least favorite seasons in recent memory.

I'm tired of being tormented. Just put me down.

(12-24-2023, 11:12 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: This season has absolutely sucked for so many reasons.

The Burrow calf injury. Sucking to start the year. Then Joe getting and healthy and the Bengals being good. Then Burrow getting injured and out for the year. Then sucking again. Then being good again with Browning. And then finally sucking again and riding the Jake Browning roller coaster a long the way.

Not to mention three of our best players getting severely injured a long the way.

I'm just tired. This has been an awful, awful season and I'm just ready for it to be over. I can't even say it's been fun.

This was supposed to be a Super Bowl year and it's been one of my least favorite seasons in recent memory.

I'm tired of being tormented. Just put me down.

(01-07-2024, 07:04 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Look on the bright side.
How my other 4th place teams finish with a winning record?
Next year we should easily finish with double digit wins, possibly even clinching HF advantage for the playoffs.

(01-07-2024, 08:30 PM)Mickeypoo Wrote: I am so tired of fighting in the AFCN.

(01-07-2024, 07:44 PM)Mickeypoo Wrote: That's not a bright side, lol.  That means our division is absolutely brutal and stacked and it sucks.  

Our 4th place division finish is BETTER than the 3rd and 4th place place teams in every division in the NFC.  Our record ties or is better than the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place teams in 3 of the 4 divisions in the NFC.  We would be tied for 2nd place in 3 of 4 divisions in the NFC.

We would be tied for 2nd in 2 of the 4 divisions in the AFC.  

We are hands down, no contest in the most difficult division in the entire NFL and it is just so tiring year after year.  No other division in the NFL is stacked like this.

Sorry.  I just need to rant a bit.  lol.  Season over.  Burrow injured.  No playoffs.  Stuck in the most brutal division in the nfl watching teams with 9-10 wins win their division while we are dead last with 9 wins.  1-5 in our division.  Tons of critical injuries.  4 years of Burrow not being able to make it through the offseason and into regular season for whatever reason.  Defense now apparently has reverted to complete suck.  Secondary burned twice for td bombs in just this one game.  Offense is stale and predictable.  Receivers can't get open.  Blah.  Maybe next season.  yay.  I just want to witness one SB victory in my lifetime.  I am really not sure it will happen.  We had our chance twice and completely blew it both times.

(01-07-2024, 09:31 PM)jj22 Wrote: The Steelers spent the season laughingly bad and just stumbling into wins let the media tell it. Rotting locker room, HC on the hot seat. Questions at starting QB,  firing coordinators…….

And that wasn’t the worst team in the division if you can believe that.

(01-07-2024, 08:54 PM)Destro Wrote: Wanna be the best? You got to beat the best....and second best....and third best.

(01-08-2024, 12:00 AM)Mickeypoo Wrote: I know.  I'm just venting and frustrated.  I thought seasons like this were behind us for a few years at least.  I am also concerned about Burrows injury, injury history and the Bengals ability to put together an o-line that can keep him from getting killed.  lol.

Was just a horribly disappointing and frustrating season for me.

(01-07-2024, 09:31 PM)jj22 Wrote: The Steelers spent the season laughingly bad and just stumbling into wins let the media tell it. Rotting locker room, HC on the hot seat. Questions at starting QB,  firing coordinators…….

And that wasn’t the worst team in the division if you can believe that.

(01-08-2024, 12:00 AM)Mickeypoo Wrote: I know.  I'm just venting and frustrated.  I thought seasons like this were behind us for a few years at least.  I am also concerned about Burrows injury, injury history and the Bengals ability to put together an o-line that can keep him from getting killed.  lol.

Was just a horribly disappointing and frustrating season for me.

(01-08-2024, 12:40 PM)R3stangs Wrote: This is one I still struggle to wrap my head around. They were horrible and still somehow won and were a better team. We can make all the Burrow excuses we want but they had a crap starting QB and then played with backups all season and still did better than we did. Same with the Browns QB situation.

We seem to play division teams scared every time. Its frustrating. 

1-5 in the division is just embarassing. Horrible defense, Horrible offensive line. Burrow injuries mounting. Hard to see much of a positive future right now. Back to the AFCN basement again, back to being the Bengals of old it seems. Hope I'm wrong.

(01-08-2024, 01:35 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I think the obvious constants with the AFCN teams comes down to 3 things:
The ability to run the ball.
The ability to stop the run.
Having multiple pass rushers.

Being good at these 3 things allows for low scoring games that can go either way and do not necessitate a QB winning games for the team.

(01-08-2024, 01:35 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I think the obvious constants with the AFCN teams comes down to 3 things:
The ability to run the ball.
The ability to stop the run.
Having multiple pass rushers.

Being good at these 3 things allows for low scoring games that can go either way and do not necessitate a QB winning games for the team.