(06-23-2022, 10:02 AM)Cuzz from England Wrote: I've just looked at the odds for us to win the big prize next year and over here we're 24/1 behind 10 other teams. Now can someone on here convince me not to have a bet ??  We were 1 play away last season, we have strongly improved on our weakness area and our draft players look ready to go. Best qb - check, best offense check, best kicker check. It might well not work out but holy hell I hope it does. At those odds could you really resist a bit of a punt. The bookies are usually right but are these odds too good to resist ????

If I had the dough to lose I would bet on us no doubt about it Cuzz.

I may have to make the trip to Indiana and throw $50 down that's still a nice chunk of change and not too risky.

I predict Bengals - Bucs Super Bowl.

The torch gets passed from Tom to Joe.

(06-23-2022, 10:02 AM)Cuzz from England Wrote: I've just looked at the odds for us to win the big prize next year and over here we're 24/1 behind 10 other teams. Now can someone on here convince me not to have a bet ??  We were 1 play away last season, we have strongly improved on our weakness area and our draft players look ready to go. Best qb - check, best offense check, best kicker check. It might well not work out but holy hell I hope it does. At those odds could you really resist a bit of a punt. The bookies are usually right but are these odds too good to resist ????

Throw a couple of bucks on them to win it all. I think I'll join you.

(06-23-2022, 02:31 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: The Cincinnati Bengals came out of nowhere last year.  They were hot at the right time.  

The players on defense created timely plays. I understand why the pundits and other fans think the Cincinnati Bengals were lucky.

Statistically the defense wasn't really eye catching, but as a unit they were scrappy and dependable.  Sweet Lou and the defense held Mahomes to 3 points in the second half in each of the two games.  Buffalo bills couldn't stop mahomes for 13 seconds.

I don't think Joe Burrow looked great in the playoffs, likely due to his dislocated finger and lingering knee strain. Meaning I don't think Burrow was at his best last year and they still almost won the super bowl which was played on LA Rams home field.

Sometimes metrics do not match the soul of a team or the team chemistry. The Cincinnati Bengals are such a team which is why people underestimate their potential.  Let them. To the op: If you have $100 to burn, go ahead. If you're really a believer, put a thousand down now.

Great post Psych. Also have to add we were the youngest team to ever reach the SuperBowl and we might be even younger 
this season with our FA and Draft. Burrow being healthy is huge, the ACL injury clearly slowed him down and it was in his head
early in the season. By around the Raiders first game is when he started to look himself and then the dislocated finger happened
against the Chargers and we still ended up going to the SuperBowl.

The Offense WILL be better with a revamped OL and the young players having another year in the system.

The Defense WILL be better if they build off what they did in the AFC Championship and the SuperBowl against 2 top Offenses.

Also, its 24-1 to WIN the Super Bowl not MAKE the Super Bowl. Those are two completely different things.

(06-23-2022, 10:02 AM)Cuzz from England Wrote: I've just looked at the odds for us to win the big prize next year and over here we're 24/1 behind 10 other teams. Now can someone on here convince me not to have a bet ??  We were 1 play away last season, we have strongly improved on our weakness area and our draft players look ready to go. Best qb - check, best offense check, best kicker check. It might well not work out but holy hell I hope it does. At those odds could you really resist a bit of a punt. The bookies are usually right but are these odds too good to resist ????

I mean there is always a chance but not many teams make it to superbowl back to back years.  Lots has to go right to get there

We have a lot of talent. In the AFC, so do the Ravens, Chiefs, Chargers, and several other teams. It's really tough to go on a SB run. You need health and some luck.

Could we make it back? Absolutely. But, it's not a sure thing by any stretch.

(06-23-2022, 05:49 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Great post Psych. Also have to add we were the youngest team to ever reach the SuperBowl and we might be even younger 
this season with our FA and Draft. Burrow being healthy is huge, the ACL injury clearly slowed him down and it was in his head
early in the season. By around the Raiders first game is when he started to look himself and then the dislocated finger happened
against the Chargers and we still ended up going to the SuperBowl.

The Offense WILL be better with a revamped OL and the young players having another year in the system.

The Defense WILL be better if they build off what they did in the AFC Championship and the SuperBowl against 2 top Offenses.

And that's the crazy thing about sports. We could improve a roster that made it to the SB and lose in the 1st Round of the playoffs if we get a bad matchup or the wrong guy gets injured.

Or we could win the SB.

(06-24-2022, 02:04 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: And that's the crazy thing about sports. We could improve a roster that made it to the SB and lose in the 1st Round of the playoffs if we get a bad matchup or the wrong guy gets injured.

Or we could win the SB.

All true. We will need things to go our way time after time to make it back.

But having a much better OL should make it easier and hopefully keep games from being so close cause we should get big leads.

Injuries happen, it is how you adjust. Next man up is a thing. As is coaching the next man up.

(06-24-2022, 02:10 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: All true. We will need things to go our way time after time to make it back.

But having a much better OL should make it easier and hopefully keep games from being so close cause we should get big leads.

Injuries happen, it is how you adjust. Next man up is a thing. As is coaching the next man up.

Teams play you harder too when you have success. We were largely a joke going into last year...until we weren't. 

(06-24-2022, 07:39 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Teams play you harder too when you have success. We were largely a joke going into last year...until we weren't. 

Truth and we needed to get way better this Offseason too. We kind of blew up the AFC after that postseason run. The rest of 
the AFC knew they had to have a great Offseason to keep up and most all the teams had a great FA and Draft. The great thing
for us is the FO knew this and brought in Cappa, Karras and La'el frickin' Collins to protect the next great QB and open up holes
in the running game. These guys also are relatively young and in their prime.

We stay healthy and we will be tough sumbitches for anybody. Even with a target on our back.

(06-24-2022, 07:50 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Truth and we needed to get way better this Offseason too. We kind of blew up the AFC after that postseason run. The rest of 
the AFC knew they had to have a great Offseason to keep up and most all the teams had a great FA and Draft. The great thing
for us is the FO knew this and brought in Cappa, Karras and La'el frickin' Collins to protect the next great QB and open up holes
in the running game. These guys also are relatively young and in their prime.

We stay healthy and we will be tough sumbitches for anybody. Even with a target on our back.

I’m obviously a newbie Bengal fan. I’ve not gone through what the rest of you have nor bring the baggage. I don’t think the regular Bengal fan realizes the talent that’s materialized. Oh we know about Burrow,Mixon,Chase,and Higgins. But this roster is close to anybody. The depth probably not. Nobody’s invincible. The Bills got annihilated by the Colts and beat by the Steelers and Jags.

But we need to go to the next level. Joe needs to get more seasoned. He needs to take less sacks that are on him. We need to beat teams w/o last minute field goals. We need play like we did more often like blowing out teams like we did the Ravens and Steelers. But I think the offense with the improved OL and the continuity is like a guy in his new Ferrari exiting onto the highway that’s practically empty and an open road. The defense looks to be one of the most versatile in the NFL causing OC’s all kinds of problems.

(06-24-2022, 10:36 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: I’m obviously a newbie Bengal fan. I’ve not gone through what the rest of you have nor bring the baggage. I don’t think the regular Bengal fan realizes the talent that’s materialized. Oh we know about Burrow,Mixon,Chase,and Higgins. But this roster is close to anybody. The depth probably not. Nobody’s invincible. The Bills got annihilated by the Colts and beat by the Steelers and Jags.

But we need to go to the next level. Joe needs to get more seasoned. He needs to take less sacks that are on him. We need to beat teams w/o last minute field goals. We need play like we did more often like blowing out teams like we did the Ravens and Steelers. But I think the offense with the improved OL and the continuity is like a guy in his new Ferrari exiting onto the highway that’s practically empty and an open road. The defense looks to be one of the most versatile in the NFL causing OC’s all kinds of problems.

You are very blessed to become a Bengal fan when you have. Most all of us older fans like me (been a fan since 89') are pretty 
jaded and cautious to get our hopes up. What you say here is spot on though and we should be extremely excited and hopeful
for once. This isn't the 90's Bengals or even the Marv Bengals. This team is for real.

(06-24-2022, 10:36 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: But I think the offense with the improved OL and the continuity is like a guy in his new Ferrari exiting onto the highway that’s practically empty and an open road. 

Agree 100%.  The problem Burrow had with picks last year was an anomaly.  I'll bet we won't be seeing that again.  Joe had a ridiculous 1.2% interception percentage his rookie year which was 2nd best in the league.  He does not have a problem reading defenses or getting tricked by coverages.  He was just forcing more passes than he should have been early in the season.  Our offense should easily be top 5 and possibly #1 in the leagu.

(06-24-2022, 10:36 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: The defense looks to be one of the most versatile in the NFL causing OC’s all kinds of problems.

The defense was slightly below average last year and lost on of the better DTs in the league in Ogunjobi.  But I think they underachieved with the talent they had.  If Lou can get his shit together so that they play an entire game instead of just one half we could have a top 10 unit.

A top 10 defense with a top 5 defense is plenty good enough to win a championship.

It looks like Buffalo this time

(06-25-2022, 03:57 PM)fredtoast Wrote: The defense was slightly below average last year and lost on of the better DTs in the league in Ogunjobi.  But I think they underachieved with the talent they had.  If Lou can get his shit together so that they play an entire game instead of just one half we could have a top 10 unit.

A top 10 defense with a top 5 defense is plenty good enough to win a championship.

LMAO in parentheses our first then second game vs KC. Buffalo #1 in total yards per game defense and yards per play. Too funny Freddie
KC Vs Buffalo 552 yds ( 375,414) YPP 7.6 (5.6, 7.1) First Downs 30 (24,23) 3rd Down Eff 8-13 (6-12, 6-11)

(06-25-2022, 02:21 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: You are very blessed to become a Bengal fan when you have. Most all of us older fans like me (been a fan since 89') are pretty 
jaded and cautious to get our hopes up. What you say here is spot on though and we should be extremely excited and hopeful
for once. This isn't the 90's Bengals or even the Marv Bengals. This team is for real.

Last season was a beautiful thing to watch play out.

(06-25-2022, 08:42 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: LMAO in parentheses our first then second game vs KC. Buffalo #1 in total yards per game defense and yards per play. Too funny Freddie  
KC Vs Buffalo 552 yds ( 375,414) YPP 7.6 (5.6, 7.1) First Downs 30 (24,23) 3rd Down Eff 8-13 (6-12, 6-11)

Yeah, our D kicked the Bills ass when it mattered against Mahomes and the Chiefs.

(06-25-2022, 11:06 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, our D kicked the Bills ass when it mattered against Mahomes and the Chiefs.

What the Bengals defense did to Mahomes in the second half was unreal.