(06-07-2022, 11:56 AM)Housh Wrote: I’m not gonna lie, i knew the 2015 were fake contenders. I hate to continuously shit on Andy Dalton because he gave us fun memories but every single year he was our QB after about his 3rd year in the league i believed we were gonna lose.

I actually picked us that year McCarron played against Pitt not because i was one of those ppl on that bandwagon saying AJ mcCarron should start, but because I KNEW we were the better team and i believed 100% that Dalton would choke in that environment. To Andy’s credit if we won i would’ve predicted it would’ve calmed him down enough to beat whoever we played next

I'm gonna get real Twilight Zone here. If Dalton doesn't get hurt, we're not even in that game because we beat Denver on the road to secure the number 1 seed. Mccarron sucked that game away in the second half because apparently he'd never seen a zone defense.

(06-07-2022, 02:20 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Yep

We saw it time and again during the ML era.

That breakdown was the single most embarrassing thing Iv ever seen happen to a football team that was self inflicted. The butt fumble by Mark Sanchez was embarrassing but falls under the category of freak accidents that could happen to anyone.

That BS that Pac-Man and Burfict did would’ve only happened to a team with Pac-Man and Burfict on it. It was indicative of my issue with Marvin and with the franchise as a whole before Zac. There was NO personal accountability. It shouldn’t have taken the league suspending Burfict 67 times before he blackballed himself from the league. Marvin should’ve cut him. We were literally the only team left that would’ve put up with Pac-Man and he should’ve been cut the off-season prior. He was not so unbelievably great at corner that it warranted keeping him. He may have been that good at returning but still.

(06-07-2022, 12:53 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: kind of did. Somebody posted pictured of Burrow getting sacked I believe in the titans game, and Spain responded with "Dont look at me"

I looked and can't find anything like that.

Do you have a link?

it be easier to list the things that are the Same...

The Punter and Long Snapper.

And Coach Darrin Simmons

6 years duh...

(06-07-2022, 02:51 PM)jason Wrote: I'm gonna get real Twilight Zone here. If Dalton doesn't get hurt, we're not even in that game because we beat Denver on the road to secure the number 1 seed. Mccarron sucked that game away in the second half because apparently he'd never seen a zone defense.

You've got a point.....

(06-07-2022, 08:05 PM)WychesWarrior Wrote: You've got a point.....

I feel like most colleges play man or cover 2 so i believe this.

(06-07-2022, 09:33 AM)Wyche Wrote: Yep, and a young HC and some young assistants mixed with some veterans on the staff. I feel like we have a good mix there right now as well.

Really like the OL assistants we brought in and Betcher on Defense with the Linebackers.

I think if Lou gets a HC job Betcher could be our next DC without much fall off.

I mean, what we did in the Postseason was awesome but I think we are much better all around after what we did in the Offseason.

The coaches and players we added are all high quality.

(06-07-2022, 11:56 AM)Housh Wrote: I’m not gonna lie, i knew the 2015 were fake contenders. I hate to continuously shit on Andy Dalton because he gave us fun memories but every single year he was our QB after about his 3rd year in the league i believed we were gonna lose.

I actually picked us that year McCarron played against Pitt not because i was one of those ppl on that bandwagon saying AJ mcCarron should start, but because I KNEW we were the better team and i believed 100% that Dalton would choke in that environment. To Andy’s credit if we won i would’ve predicted it would’ve calmed him down enough to beat whoever we played next

Yeah, Dalton and all of us with Marv as HC just never gained that confidence that we could beat anybody in big games.

(06-07-2022, 12:53 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: kind of did. Somebody posted pictured of Burrow getting sacked I believe in the titans game, and Spain responded with "Dont look at me"

and he didnt mean it in a "dont look at me Im hideous" way

For sure with Spain, that is calling out your own teammates, not cool. 

That is different than Eli Apple talking shit to other players on other teams.

Biggest difference between the 2015
And 2021 teams?
Guys rising to the occasion in the playoffs in 2021
More mature leaders

(06-05-2022, 02:12 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I have never seen anyone "go out of their way" to defend parting ways with Whit and/or Z. I have seen folks try to explain the logic behind in the moves when folks go "out of their way" to complain about it. 

The logic was sound, the results sucked..it happens. 

We all wish Whit and Z would have stayed, but last year would have been the only year it really might have mattered

I've also always stood by that decision. Whit was what...35 years old at the time? The odds were that he would steeply decline soon thereafter. He just so happened to wind up becoming the oldest starting Tackle in NFL history.

What are the odds of that happening? Slim to nada. People wanted to keep him out of sentimentality, not sound logic. This is just a fluke case where the safe bet backfired.

(06-08-2022, 06:31 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I've also always stood by that decision. Whit was what...35 years old at the time? The odds were that he would steeply decline soon thereafter. He just so happened to wind up becoming the oldest starting Tackle in NFL history.

What are the odds of that happening? Slim to nada. People wanted to keep him out of sentimentality, not sound logic. This is just a fluke case where the safe bet backfired.

I agree mostly, but I wanted to keep him because I'd seen just how bad Ogbuehi was. Nothing sentimental about it, although he was a favorite of mine. They made the correct moves getting his replacements and thinking to move on, they just got incorrect replacements. 

Maturity, teamwork, and no longer players getting into trouble off the field.

(06-08-2022, 05:54 PM)impactplaya Wrote: Biggest difference between the 2015
And 2021 teams?
Guys rising to the occasion in the playoffs in 2021
More mature leaders

Maturity and discipline is the definite difference


Teams take on the persona of their coach and Iv seen this too many times in too many sports to not believe it. Ty Lue coaches the 2016 Cavs and he is a tough as nails, calm, technician. That team NEVER GAVE UP.

Zac is a calm, professional who believes there is a way to prepare to play and play football and if you do things right Monday through Saturday you will have a chance against anyone on Sunday. That swag bled to the team.

Marvin’s teams was like that guy on Xbox that starts complaining when you get down 15 points on 2k. He jumps on the mic, starts getting emotional, starts getting mad at every missed shot, begs for the ball and you end up having to mute your TV so you don’t have to hear his b**** a** mouth.

(06-08-2022, 10:35 PM)Wyche Wrote: I agree mostly, but I wanted to keep him because I'd seen just how bad Ogbuehi was. Nothing sentimental about it, although he was a favorite of mine. They made the correct moves getting his replacements and thinking to move on, they just got incorrect replacements. 

Same way I felt, thought Whit would fall off but should of brought him back cause even if he fell off he would be better than 
what we were seeing from Ogbuehi who was just bad. At least we would of put off the Draft a year or two and FA until we 
could find a proper replacement.

Oh well, things worked out for the best in the long run. Mysterious ways lol

(06-08-2022, 05:54 PM)impactplaya Wrote: Biggest difference between the 2015
And 2021 teams?
Guys rising to the occasion in the playoffs in 2021
More mature leaders

Yep.

(06-08-2022, 11:56 PM)JPPT1974 Wrote: Maturity, teamwork, and no longer players getting into trouble off the field.

You know it. Zac has been drafting Captains and stand up dudes who can play.

Not gambling on talented troubled dudes.

(06-09-2022, 08:29 AM)Housh Wrote: Maturity and discipline is the definite difference


Teams take on the persona of their coach and Iv seen this too many times in too many sports to not believe it. Ty Lue coaches the 2016 Cavs and he is a tough as nails, calm, technician. That team NEVER GAVE UP.

Zac is a calm, professional who believes there is a way to prepare to play and play football and if you do things right Monday through Saturday you will have a chance against anyone on Sunday. That swag bled to the team.

Marvin’s teams was like that guy on Xbox that starts complaining when you get down 15 points on 2k. He jumps on the mic, starts getting emotional, starts getting mad at every missed shot, begs for the ball and you end up having to mute your TV so you don’t have to hear his b**** a** mouth.

Lol at the Xbox guy...

All true, Zac has finally got this team where he wanted it where the trenches are tough. Now we can truly see how good of a 
HC he is. Same with Lou on Defense, Pollack with the OL, Hobby with the DL, Betcher with the LB's, the Secondary coaches etc.

This team has mad heart and that won't go away after just losing a SuperBowl. Just lit a fire in the team's belly is all...