With Dalton most likely going to not play in the wildcard round I don't think this team will be able to win a playoff game this year. Dalton has been too big of a factor in the offense this year. This offense looks horrible without Dalton. I know McCarron is a backup but this offense should look much better if it was as loaded as people act like it is. Well I guess we can always say our real team chant "There's always next year"

I love my Bengals don't get me wrong but I am tired of the same crap year in and year out. We beat up on bad teams and can never beat the good teams...We lose to the Cardinals by 3 and now we lose to the Broncos by 3 it's the same thing every season. We look promising and then something happens near the end of the year where one of our core players get hurt...(Palmer, Geno, Green, Jones, Dalton, etc...) Granted yes we are 11-4 but enough is enough I am tired of seeing us choke in the big games and I am tired of Marvin "doofus" it's just gotten old and I am tired of the 1 and done's in the playoffs...Without Dalton we wil be 1 and done yet again and there will be excuses for Lewis yet again....Again I love my Bengals but I am tired of the same bullcrap by Marvin Lewis and his sorry excuse for a coaching staff...

But this is a lost season...

Today proved that we are not capable of winning in the bright lights (again) and that we are the same old Bungles. We had a chance to get a bye and get Andy back in divisional round. But we bungled and lost the game and now are looking at a wildcard.

Defense played absolutely terrible and offense just couldn't get anything done in the second half. It's like we gave up. I don't think I've ever been so pissed at the Bengals for effing it up.

I don't see us beating the Jets or Steelers ... I guess we shall wait till next season (again).

QB Andy Dalton
WR Mario Alford
S George Iloka
OT Eric Winston
TE Tyler Eifert
DT Marcus Hardison
DE Will Clarke

Not trying to be negative since I think we will even win tonight, but even if we lose I think we have a solid shot at getting that bye. There is a solid chance Denver could lose next week to the Chargers with the whole "last game ever" thing going on.

I know Balt just beat Pitt (woohoo!), but I think we take care of them fairly easily as well. We would end up 12-4 with Denver going 11-5. This game would lock it up, but it wouldn't completely ruin all chance of us getting the bye.

Okay, since AJ McCarron became our starting QB, I've been skeptical about how far he can or can't take us come playoff time. And to be honest, I still am. But in reviewing the AFC teams that are currently in the playoffs if the season ended today, even I have become a little more optimistic. Why? Look no further than the starting QB list for said teams:

New England - Tom Brady
Cincinnati - AJ McCarron
Denver - Brock Osweiller
Houston-Brandon Weeden
Kansas City-Alex Smith
New York - Ryan Fitzpatrick

Now while the verdict is definitely still out on what we have in AJ McCarron, I think one can rightly say that he has the ability to play at or above the level of at least 3, maybe even 4 of those quarterbacks. Other than Brady the rest are just kinda ho-hum. I know there are flashes here and there from some of the others on that list, but Brady is the only one that truly strikes fear in a team.

Looking at what this bengals team has to offer as a whole and seeing the qb's that are on the AFC contenders has me thinking more positively today. It's still a long shot in my mind, but I do believe it can be done.

Hopefully after tonight this positive thinking will have grown even more.

On the national stage, with bigtime playoff implications, with Jon Gruden ranting endlessly about every little thing McCarron does, the worst nightmare of Andy Dalton fanboys becomes a reality.

McCarron will lead the Bengals to a win, Gruden will be overflowing with praise, and whether AJ has a tremendous game or not, Gruden's hype will lead to a lot more people in the country believing that McCarron is the right QB for the job the rest of the season.

He has been waiting years for this moment. He will carp the diem.

I'll be back to eat humble pie after the game if I'm wrong.

Tonight is, to me, the biggest game in recent memory, which includes the playoffs, because, not only are we going into a one of the toughest stadiums to win in in the NFL, it's also in PrimeTime and gets us a first round bye, which is the same as advancing in the playoffs and possibly gets us the #1 seed.

This also would all be without our franchise quarterback.

We need to go in, handle our business, and prove that we belong with the big dogs.

This is big........... no,

Well all three coaches are going to the post season this year. Which one gets the win first?

Monday Night, the Bengals to go into Denver and drop 40 on them and only give up 10 in garbage time.

Next week, the Bengals to come home and drop 50 on the Ravens.
Next week, the Browns drop 35 on the Steelers, lol.
Next week, the Patriots to lose to Miami.
Next week, the Jets win in Buffalo.

I know, if the Jets win they are in the playoffs but f the Broncos lose this week and next week, the Steelers get their Wildcard spot.

Oh, who cares about everyone else?!

Beat the Broncos and the Ravens and lets cheer on Miami to beat the Patriots!

WHO-DEY!!!