Last night was the best job this coaching staff has done making adjustments at halftime in recent memory. Let's face it, at halftime this team was being outplayed. If it wasn't for the starks penalties we would have been tied or losing at the half.

But then halftime came and went.

After that it was a whole new team. Paulie G especially knocked it out of the park in getting Manziel contained. And how about Marvin winning challenges and staying aggressive on 4th downs? Kudos to this entire team from top to bottom last night.

With solid coaching like we saw last night coupled with the immense talent on this team, something special is brewing in the Queen city.

Great halftime adjustments.

Won a crucial challenge to start the second half.

Aggressive on fourth down.

Are the people who have been crying about these things in the past going to give credit when credit is due?

I was just over on reddit and there's a post from one of the camera guys about Burfict being a jerk, that he actually hurt the camera guy (by making his nose bloody and bc he hit his leg on a cart) when 55 tackled the camera.

If I can figure out how to post the link, I will. I do love #55 and I'm praying this is unintentional. I know last week the Bell injury was an accident and if anyone was at fault, it was Bell for planting his feet/hips like he did.

Kudos to the camera man though. He kept on filming and the camera sustained no damage!!

Hope this is just an accident. If not...Somebody (Whit?? Andy?? Geno??) needs to straighten his ass out...

reddit link

Dafuq outta here widdat.

Fellow Bengalists, it is time to put away childish notions. Sock away your "lucky jerseys." Dial down your anti-curse ritual(s). Mix it up a little: Skyline this week, Montgomery Inn leftovers the next.

It's okay.

Continuity. Consistency. Credibility. They're here. They're no fluke, no happy accident. This is our legacy, as a team built under Paul Brown and coached by a dyed-in-the-wool AFC Norseman. And you, you poor post-traumatic fans, have earned your bragging right.

So sack up. Any of you who knocked knees over TNF vs. Browneyes, check yourself. Get it together for the playoff stretch. We have a top seed to plant.

***

Now, because the thread goons will no doubt criticize my decision to start one, I submit this for consideration and discussion:

Adam Pacman Jones will be a Bengals Hall of Famer. He's 32. If he can put together two, three more productive years like these past three....

The man is a play-maker. He is someone coaches, players, and writers know by reputation. If I'm naming a list of the top ten or fifteen DBs I'd take from the all-time roster, Pacman is there. He's a Ronnie Lott type, an enforcer and an identity-maker. We shy away because of his volatile and highly publicized growing pains, but he is fo rillz. People talk about Revis with god-like reverence, but is his team 8-0? Does Revis thrill on Teams?

Get a ring, Men. Get a ring and watch Canton start to stripe up. Watch the Coach Lewis tree shade the Shield.

The media loves to tag a narrative to sports teams, the NFL experiences this more than most. I have heard so many reasons as to why this team is unbeaten, why Dalton is so improved. However I object with a lot of them. There is something they are all missing.

Sports media talk of Dalton's improved 'maturity'. While there may be some truth in that, I don't see it as the pivotal change. Dalton was drafted as a mature, pro-ready QB from the get go and proved it, getting this team to the playoffs as a rookie after a holdout.

The media too likes to talk of this teams health and depth. Undoubtedly this has been a factor this year. Having Eifert, Jones and Green fully healthy has been one of the main reasons Dalton is playing how he is and that this team is undefeated. Yet I still don't think it's the missing ingredient here. This team has had a number of talented teams with Palmer and Dalton under the helm and have failed to live up to potential.

The real difference here? The team is having fun. Last night against the Browns I noticed it more than ever. Dalton was smiling and laughing after completions. When Hue called a timeout in the first half to avoid a possible delay of game Dalton was relaxed, and playful with the coaches. Although they weren't too successful last night, Dalton is calling his own number on run plays, he wants to be a part of the fun. This is a team that is clearly enjoying its football and is playing with a level of calm and relaxation that I haven't seen personally from a Bengal side. As the wins continue this team is evidently enjoying its football more and taking itself less seriously. One of the features I have always thought defines Brady and the Patriots is the fact they are a band of brothers that love to be out on the field. I am increasingly getting the same vibe from this team.

You can look to stats, QBR, metrics, QB hurries and whatever else to try to unpick the success/failings of a team. But sometimes its far more simple than that, just look at their faces and body language.

Two things that stuck, out that I don't see listed here yet, was the horrible 'no call' on the pass interference on Marvin Jones in the end zone.

The other is something I don't think I've ever seen before, and that was when Dalton saw the middle open up and made that pump fake to freeze the linemen, and scooted through the middle for a first down!

Those are the kind of things he is doing this year that do not show up on the stat sheet!

Is when Johnny Manziel celebrated his touchdown throw by himself.

You can tell nobody in that locker room actually likes the kid. He throws a great touchdown pass, granted it was after a blatant hold that was not called, and none of his teammates walk over to congratulate or chest bump the guy.

What a loser haha.

34-15 Bengals

Who do you think makes the Pro-Bowl this year from the Bengals?

I say
Andy Dalton
Tyler Eifert
Carlos Dunlap
Geno Atkins
AJ Green

As for Marvin Jones, Giovanni Bernard and Mo Sanu,they will be alternates

Of course, none will go because...do I really have to say it?

WHO-DEY!!!

After tonight's 31-10 win over the Browns and continued dominance, there is no way another team isn't going to nab Hue this offseason. This guy has really dialed up some creative play calling and given the offense a very aggressive attitude that teams are going to be chomping at the bit to pick him up as HC this offseason.

So what does that mean? Let's hope this team gets it done this year and stays hungry to keep its eye on the prize!


....how awesome was that reverse play with Sanu running in for a TD tonight? Talk about countering the defenses over aggressive playing!