I know we have seen lots of indicators that the National Media and Vegas (the sportsbooks, not the team) seem to think last year's season was a bit of an aberration (well, at least not Rich Eisen). They have the Bengals behind the Browns AND Ravens on the favorites to win the AFC North.

Unless an assassination attempt is planned on Burrow, it all just makes me laugh.

But then, I read this....I read that one publication had the Jags as the #32 ranked Free Agency period in the entire NFL. That's right, dead last.

Darius Williams
Christian Kirk
Zay Jones
Evan Engram
Brandon Scherff

All these additions, and they are ranked #32?

But then I saw this addition, and I blew my top. How could this addition not put the Jags at the absolute forefront of power rankings, not just in the AFC, but the entire NFL.

I picture Lou Anarumo curled up in the fetal position sucking his thumb knowing he may have to face these guys in the AFC Playoffs.

The Jags have signed....automatically making them the favorite in the AFC South (screw you Titans)

The Jags have signed....in what is sure to be the single greatest one-man power shift in NFL history

The Jags have signed.....

....

....

....

CEDRIC OGBUEHI!

Have grown accustom to the disrespect by talking heads and just let it roll off my back anymore.

Yet did think the Bengals were given more respect last season than I can recall.

Should have known that would be short lived though.

They certainly have made improvements from last year through FA. Unless they took contracts into consideration I don’t know how they are 32. They did overpay for Christian Kirk, is Zay Jones good? They also payed a lot for an often injured Scherff, but so did Miami with Armstead.

Better than last year just with shit canning Meyer, but IDK how much better they are with tge FA additions.

I just saw a stat…since 2016 the Jags have spent more than any other team in free agency and have had the worst record over that period.

Brad Hopkins and Bill Lekus listed the Top 7 in the AFC this AM. I was pleasantly surprised to see Lekus had us at 2 (behind Buffalo) and Hopkins had us 3rd (behind Buff and KC). I can see Buffalo as they had the biggest FA signing in Vonn Miller, but KC has done nothing but lose players.

I will say I feel the team that will challenge Cincy for #1 in the AFC this year is Indy.

(03-27-2022, 01:45 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Brad Hopkins and Bill Lekus listed the Top 7 in the AFC this AM. I was pleasantly surprised to see Lekus had us at 2 (behind Buffalo) and Hopkins had us 3rd (behind Buff and KC). I can see Buffalo as they had the biggest FA signing in Vonn Miller, but KC has done nothing but lose players.

I will say I feel the team that will challenge Cincy for #1 in the AFC this year is Indy.

Indy needs more WR's than just Pittman Jr and they need to fix the OL.  They lost Fisher and Glowinski both starters. They lost depth at WR in Pascal and they lost arguably thier best TE to retirement (Doyle) and they have yet to bring back TY Hilton. They definitely got some work to do before being considered the best team in the AFC.

(03-27-2022, 01:45 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Brad Hopkins and Bill Lekus listed the Top 7 in the AFC this AM. I was pleasantly surprised to see Lekus had us at 2 (behind Buffalo) and Hopkins had us 3rd (behind Buff and KC). I can see Buffalo as they had the biggest FA signing in Vonn Miller, but KC has done nothing but lose players.

I will say I feel the team that will challenge Cincy for #1 in the AFC this year is Indy.

 Buffalo will be the biggest threat to the Bengals.. Indy doesn't worry me at all...

(03-27-2022, 12:05 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: ***

But then, I read this....I read that one publication had the Jags as the #32 ranked Free Agency period in the entire NFL.  That's right, dead last.  

***

A lot of analysts were apoplectic over the Jags signing Christian Kirk for up to 84 million (37 million guaranteed) for 4 years, figuring he did not deserve such a lucrative contract. He's never been a number 1 receiver and never had high numbers, missed a lot of time for injury in three of his four seasons, and is 42nd of 55 qualified receivers in yards after catch.
The jags are getting judged on that contract, not on the basis of the players acquired in free agency.

(03-27-2022, 01:45 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Brad Hopkins and Bill Lekus listed the Top 7 in the AFC this AM. I was pleasantly surprised to see Lekus had us at 2 (behind Buffalo) and Hopkins had us 3rd (behind Buff and KC). I can see Buffalo as they had the biggest FA signing in Vonn Miller, but KC has done nothing but lose players.

I will say I feel the team that will challenge Cincy for #1 in the AFC this year is Indy.

KC will always remain a top AFC team because of Mahomes. Even if he has an awful team around him they will always consider them too fog.

But this year whoever comes out of the west might not have there starting QB

(03-27-2022, 01:45 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Brad Hopkins and Bill Lekus listed the Top 7 in the AFC this AM. I was pleasantly surprised to see Lekus had us at 2 (behind Buffalo) and Hopkins had us 3rd (behind Buff and KC). I can see Buffalo as they had the biggest FA signing in Vonn Miller, but KC has done nothing but lose players.

I will say I feel the team that will challenge Cincy for #1 in the AFC this year is Indy.

I'm not sure about Indy, I think they've made the same mistake as the Titans. I think Matt Ryan is still better than people think, but they have no receivers! Pittman is a fine WR2, but who else is there? Doyle also retired so they're hurting at TE.  The Colts are doing the same thing their division counterpart is...have a good run game and defense and try to play early 2000's football.  It just doesn't work in 2022. It may get you to the playoffs since someone from the division has to make it, but I don't think anyone in the AFC South is a true Super Bowl contender.

Indy currently has the 2nd most cap space in the NFL, their defense is absolutely stacked, and they play 4 games against the Jags and Texans. They have the 26th strength of schedule (we have the 3rd). I could easily see them the #1 seed in the AFC

(03-27-2022, 03:53 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Indy currently has the 2nd most cap space in the NFL, their defense is absolutely stacked, and they play 4 games against the Jags and Texans. They have the 26th strength of schedule (we have the 3rd). I could easily see them the #1 seed in the AFC

Colts always lose to the jags so that means nothing

Jags are going to be a much tougher out this year, too. They won’t have a clown at HC anymore, and unless Sunshine is a total bust - he’ll likely be much better in his 2nd season.

Jags spend stupidly... doubt any of those players make a winning impact.

(03-27-2022, 12:05 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: I know we have seen lots of indicators that the National Media and Vegas (the sportsbooks, not the team) seem to think last year's season was a bit of an aberration (well, at least not Rich Eisen).  They have the Bengals behind the Browns AND Ravens on the favorites to win the AFC North.

Unless an assassination attempt is planned on Burrow, it all just makes me laugh.

But then, I read this....I read that one publication had the Jags as the #32 ranked Free Agency period in the entire NFL.  That's right, dead last.  

Darius Williams
Christian Kirk
Zay Jones
Evan Engram
Brandon Scherff

All these additions, and they are ranked #32?

But then I saw this addition, and I blew my top.  How could this addition not put the Jags at the absolute forefront of power rankings, not just in the AFC, but the entire NFL.

I picture Lou Anarumo curled up in the fetal position sucking his thumb knowing he may have to face these guys in the AFC Playoffs.

The Jags have signed....automatically making them the favorite in the AFC South (screw you Titans)

The Jags have signed....in what is sure to be the single greatest one-man power shift in NFL history

The Jags have signed.....

....

....

....

CEDRIC OGBUEHI!      

They overpaid Kirk but those other signing are pretty great. Scherff if he stays healthy is an excellent addition to that squad.

Zay Jones is a good WR. Wanted Evan Engram but I think we got the better TE in Hayden Hurst.

I mean, I would of been somewhat happy if we did what the Jags did, but we did do much better in filling our needs IMO.

Cappa, Karras, Collins, Hurst and bringing back our own with BJ Hill and company was as good as I could of hoped for.

Might even add a CB or a WR before the Draft too, who knows? The La'el Collins contract was such a good deal we still have 
some dough. Would be nice to add one more player before the Draft, maybe a WR as this Draft is really deep at Corner.

(03-27-2022, 04:19 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Jags are going to be a much tougher out this year, too. They won’t have a clown at HC anymore, and unless Sunshine is a total bust - he’ll likely be much better in his 2nd season.

Yeah, coaching has been their problem. They have good players and added a lot more. The Jags will be tougher this season.

Let them keep disrespecting us, it's all good.

I've been dreaming of this moment for decades...the time where we are one of the best teams in the NFL and yet we still get to sit around and talk about how no one believes in us. I had to listen to Steeler and Patriots fans blather on about this nonsense for years, and now I get to be the d-bag who acts like a martyr while counting wins.

SCORE!

(03-27-2022, 06:59 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I've been dreaming of this moment for decades...the time where we are one of the best teams in the NFL and yet we still get to sit around and talk about how no one believes in us.  I had to listen to Steeler and Patriots fans blather on about this nonsense for years, and now I get to be the d-bag who acts like a martyr while counting wins.

SCORE!

I don't know what show it was but I was listening to sports on XM and this guy tried to say that the Steelers were always an NFL disrespected underdog team.

The other two guys on the show laughed him out until he stopped talking.

You could argue the last years of Ben and upcoming season with Trubisky...  but them always being an NFL underdog team?

Straight up ridiculous!

(03-27-2022, 07:06 PM)BengalsRocker Wrote: I don't know what show it was but I was listening to sports on XM and this guy tried to say that the Steelers were always an NFL disrespected underdog team.

The other two guys on the show laughed him out until he stopped talking.

You could argue the last years of Ben and upcoming season with Trubisky...  but them always being an NFL underdog team?

Straight up ridiculous!

The most self-assured and satisfied (if insane) mindset a fan can have is:

1. our team is the best and wins the most
2. no one believes in us, even though all we do is win
3. our team has the greatest and most dedicated fans, even though all we do is win and that should technically make being a fan of the team easy

We are finally looking like a fanbase that can join in on that insanity.