(05-04-2021, 07:16 AM)Waite Hoyt Wrote: Can Bengals go 4-2 in AFC North?

Long gone are the days where the Bengals were contenders for the division title. Long gone are the days where the Bengals could sweep the division.

The Bengals will most likely come in last in the division just like every year since Taylor arrived.

 

The line in Vegas is 6 1/2 for the over on wins for the Bengals. I’m taking the over. If Burrow starts all 17 games I believe the over is a lock.

3-3 would be HUGE.... anything over that, would be icing on the cake. I predict 2-4.

(05-04-2021, 12:46 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Why did he have no shot at winning in years 1 and 2?

Well duh Wes, he didnt have his own players...i mean that's the obvious answer. 

Now if Taylor was an actual real good coach, Zac would've devised his offense to take advantage of the talent he had.  

Lou would've also used his personnel which were mostly suited to play man to man and play a scheme that utilized their strengths. 

Neither coach did that.  They wanted to run the schemes they wanted to run.  

(05-04-2021, 02:01 PM)Waite Hoyt Wrote: The line in Vegas is 6 1/2 for the over on wins for the Bengals. I’m taking the over. If Burrow starts all 17 games I believe the over is a lock.

There's a reason people dont win in Vegas very often it's because usually Vegas is pretty damn close to right. 

6-7 wins this season honestly sounds like the most realistic outlook. 

Now fans with orange and black glasses on can see 11-6 or 12-5 records, but I'll take the 6.5 Vegas is offering. 

(05-04-2021, 10:11 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: What???

Please tell me you meant the AFC East, and I disagree.  The Jets still suck and Miami has Tua (complete mystery that his team saw not be as effective as Fitzmagic).

The Pats will be competitive, and the Bills are still very rich in talent and have the rookie deal still in place for their QB, but the AFC North has four playoff caliber teams.  Yes, I am including the Bengals in that and folks will say that is a stretch, but I have faith.  

Yes I mean the AFC East my bad. The jets will finish bottom 10 but Saleh is a very good coach and he brought Lafeur with him. Tua will not be asked to do much, he is surrounded by talent,  and Flores will give him a great defense to work with. The Pats are gonna be a playoff team this year and so will the Bills. 

I hate to admit it but I was super high on the Steelerslers before the season began. Problem is Ben is not getting better and they lost core pieces on defense. I see them going around 9-8. We might have to agree to disagree but I am happy to say this is the third toughest division.

(05-04-2021, 10:28 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Yep, and how many years did Stephanski take to elevate the Browns?  If ZT and company throw up another clunker, I want them gone.  I don't see that happening, but that is where I stand.  This year, it is on the coaches.  

I agree that ZT and company need to show some really good results this year, if not I would love to see a defensive coach come here. However Stephanski had a completely different position than ZT and walked into a team that was loaded with talent and was a perfect fit for him. They simply added some talent on the OL and then he got to take advantage of the two-headed rushing monster and a system perfect for his QB's skill set. 

(05-04-2021, 02:18 PM)northernbengal Wrote: Yes I mean the AFC East my bad. The jets will finish bottom 10 but Saleh is a very good coach and he brought Lafeur with him. Tua will not be asked to do much, he is surrounded by talent,  and Flores will give him a great defense to work with. The Pats are gonna be a playoff team this year and so will the Bills. 

I hate to admit it but I was super high on the Steelerslers before the season began. Problem is Ben is not getting better and they lost core pieces on defense. I see them going around 9-8. We might have to agree to disagree but I am happy to say this is the third toughest division.

You still put the AFC East ahead of the AFC North?

The Jets are not as good as the Bengals.  Not close.
The Fins are not as good as the steelers.  Not close.
The Pats and Bills would likely trade paint with the Browns and Ratbirds.  

Top to bottom, the AFC North is at least the 2nd best division in football.  I think Seattle is on the decline and who knows what the QB situation will be in SF.  The Cardinals are a perennial .500 team and hardly scaring anyone.  I might even put the AFC North as #1.  

(05-04-2021, 02:09 PM)Wyche Wrote: 3-3 would be HUGE.... anything over that, would be icing on the cake. I predict 2-4.

Wyche, i agree i think 2-4 is the most realistic outlook for this season. 

If we have injuries to key areas then I can definitely see 1-5 as well. 

(05-04-2021, 11:49 AM)impactplaya Wrote: Very very tough  division with proven talent and
Proven coaching with the other 3 teams

The thing playing the North is that you have
To get a lead on the other North teams
As in a 2-TD lead.
Playing from behind is not what the Ravens
And Steelers are built to do on offense.

The Browns are the favorite as they should be
But is Cincy that far behind?
But it took a last second Mayfield pass to Peoples
Jones to beat the Bengals and the other matchup
Was decided by a TD.
And this was with a bad oline and rookie QB.

I see a 3-and 3 overall North record.
Pittsburgh is riding Bens dead arm.
The Ravens can be best if you can get a lead on them
And force Lamar to win with his arm
Cleveland is so balanced and their D is built
To rush the passer with 4.

If the Bengals can average 26 pts a game in this
Divison they can make noise

^THIS
You are right on. I know alot of people want to be a run first team, and I get it due to the weather but being able to be explosive and get out to leads early is what is gonna allow us to beat other teams in the North. The Browns and the Ravens desperately rely on the run game. The Raven's especially have a very poor passing game due to alot of factors. If you can get a lead on these teams they are in trouble. 

(05-04-2021, 02:09 PM)Wyche Wrote: 3-3 would be HUGE.... anything over that, would be icing on the cake. I predict 2-4.

I will be happily stunned if they go 3-3.

(05-04-2021, 02:27 PM)northernbengal Wrote: ^THIS
You are right on. I know alot of people want to be a run first team, and I get it due to the weather but being able to be explosive and get out to leads early is what is gonna allow us to beat other teams in the North. The Browns and the Ravens desperately rely on the run game. The Raven's especially have a very poor passing game due to alot of factors. If you can get a lead on these teams they are in trouble. 

no run game again this year and Burrow will be back in the hospital. 

The Cleveland front 4 against our o line is a scary thought for us.

Almost the same with Ravens and Steelers. 

(05-04-2021, 02:22 PM)northernbengal Wrote: I agree that ZT and company need to show some really good results this year, if not I would love to see a defensive coach come here. However Stephanski had a completely different position than ZT and walked into a team that was loaded with talent and was a perfect fit for him. They simply added some talent on the OL and then he got to take advantage of the two-headed rushing monster and a system perfect for his QB's skill set. 

No more excuses.  If they are below .500 (9 wins) I want new coaches.  

(05-04-2021, 02:24 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: You still put the AFC East ahead of the AFC North?

The Jets are not as good as the Bengals.  Not close.
The Fins are not as good as the steelers.  Not close.
The Pats and Bills would likely trade paint with the Browns and Ratbirds.  

Top to bottom, the AFC North is at least the 2nd best division in football.  I think Seattle is on the decline and who knows what the QB situation will be in SF.  The Cardinals are a perennial .500 team and hardly scaring anyone.  I might even put the AFC North as #1.  

I think the steelers really struggle and the dolphins look better. I like the Pats and the Bills as a duo over the Browns and Ratbirds. I think its close and can go either way. I cannot say you are necessarily wrong and we have a very competitive division.  

It is crazy however, to think we have a better division than the NFC West. Seattle is a playoff team, and are better than the Steelers. I am not sure what to think of the Cardinals and think they will be similar to us. SF finished bottom 12 despite being wrecked by injuries. They were able to get to a SB with Jimmy G, so they are a playoff lock if healthy. Finally, the Rams might be the best team in the league. They have the best defense and Stafford with McVay is gonna make some crazy things happen. Right now they are my Superbowl favorite. I think it will be them and the Colts.

The Steelers just lost a OL Villanueva to the Ravens. The also have a huge hole at CB where they lost the slot to us and a starting CB. I like our chances in both those games especially considering Ben is aging. If we can get both games against them and are 1 out of 4 against Browns and Ravens that puts us at 3-3. That said I think 2-4 is more like it. If we go 6-5 against rest of league we will be 8-9.

The schedule release will be interesting to see where the games fall.

If AFCN heavy first half, I can see a struggle to win many given the new players and Burrow coming off and working his way back from major injury.

Hard to see more than 2 wins. Feeling best about playing Steelers if you can believe that.

2 wins.

The Bengals will split with the Steelers and split with the Browns.

Swept by the Ravens.

(05-04-2021, 01:47 PM)jason Wrote: I think most organizations can a coach who averages 4 wins his first 3 seasons. I would've fired him after each of his first 2 seasons, but he's gotta get at least 8 this year for me to be ok with keeping him.

I agree. I wanted him gone after last season. I'm just saying if he can't get to a minimum of 6 wins this year, I just don't see how the Brown family can justify keeping him around.

(05-04-2021, 01:01 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: 2-4.

Split with Pitt. Winless vs Browns & Ravens.

6-11 overall.

Ooops, I meant sweep Pitt. Got caught up making it rhyme.

I think Cincinnati is in for a very, very rough season in the division. I think they’ll get swept by Baltimore, swept by Cleveland and maybe split with Pitt. So, 1-5, possibly 0-6. I have no faith in this coaching staff whatsoever.

Still looking forward to watching every game, though.