05-14-2022, 01:48 PM
(05-14-2022, 12:31 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I saw a comment about how last year the Bengals played the most games in the league against teams with losing records (10). The argument was that they made the playoffs because of their soft schedule.
I looked it up and it is correct that the Bengals and the Packers played 10 of their 17 games against losing teams and that was the highest in the league. But right behind them was the Rams at 9. But here is an even bigger detail that was not mentioned. The Bengals actually played like crap against weak teams. They were only 6-4. The only 3 teams in the league that lost more than 4 games to losing teams were the 3 worst teams in the league (Lions, Jags, and Giants). I realize one of our losses was the "exhibition game" against the Browns in week 18, but we also had to come from behind in the 4th quarter to win on a last second FG against the Jags. Meanwhile the Rams were 9-0 against losing teams.
So, on one hand I was glad to be able to show that the Bengals did not "luck into" the playoffs because of a weak schedule. But on the other hand this opened my eyes to an issue we need to address. If we are going to move from "good" to "great" we have to stop coming out flat against inferior teams. Instead of just making the playoffs we need to be thinking "home field advantage". We can't take any games off just because we think we are the better team.
To start the season, the Bengals had the 5th toughest schedule and were the 5th youngest team on paper. In a league where there are only tiny differences (if any) between the worst teams and the best teams - along with major injuries being significant influencers of weekly results - strength of schedule is meaningless, IMO. This isn't the NCAA where teams get to select a bunch of really weak out of conference opponents that have no business being on the field or court with them.
Any given Sunday isn't just a crappy movie.... It's a real thing due to the razor thin margins of difference between teams in the NFL. It's a unique league schedule wise because of it.
WHEN you play a team matters more than who the team actually is in the NFL. Injuries, bye week, travel schedule, etc. all matter greatly.
