(09-05-2022, 05:18 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: I don't believe that's true with grown, professional athletes. The opposite is true though. If the org is/was like the Bengals of the '90s, guys gripe and complain and maybe don't give full effort, other than to avoid injury, but i don't believe they "play harder" because of amenities and practice facilities. 

I realize that things haven't been nearly as bad as the 90s, but I 100% think it's true because, yes, they're paid well, but how many businesses, even like restaurants, are more successful because of better environments where the employees work harder?

Again, I realize it's not the same, but, if a player has to take a bus to a facility and is just like "here we go again with loading all my gear onto this bus," as opposed to just showing up to practice, I think they definitely practice harder and their overall mentality is to play harder.

(09-05-2022, 05:18 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: I don't believe that's true with grown, professional athletes. The opposite is true though. If the org is/was like the Bengals of the '90s, guys gripe and complain and maybe don't give full effort, other than to avoid injury, but i don't believe they "play harder" because of amenities and practice facilities. 

It is hard for fans to understand that most of these players had other favorite teams before they were drafted/traded/signed by the Bengals.  They are professionals, and most devote 100% of their effort to helping their own team win, but very few of them reach the point where they are "Bengals for Life" and care as much about the teams as their own goals.

(09-05-2022, 05:26 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I realize that things haven't been nearly as bad as the 90s, but I 100% think it's true because, yes, they're paid well, but how many businesses, even like restaurants, are more successful because of better environments where the employees work harder?

Again, I realize it's not the same, but, if a player has to take a bus to a facility and is just like "here we go again with loading all my gear onto this bus," as opposed to just showing up to practice, I think they definitely practice harder and their overall mentality is to play harder.

I think it benefits that they give a maximum effort when they're happy. I just don't think they "try harder" because of it. 

You don't have to worry about their gear though. They have other people to load and unload that. All they have to do it get on and off the bus. 

(09-05-2022, 05:26 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I realize that things haven't been nearly as bad as the 90s, but I 100% think it's true because, yes, they're paid well, but how many businesses, even like restaurants, are more successful because of better environments where the employees work harder?

This is a legitimate point.  Look at how much huge corporations spend on amenities to make the work environment better.  Employees like to feel that they are appreciated.  And the theory is that that makes them work harder.

But then I ask how much dedication a player really has if he is not going to give maximum effort just because he can't have unlimited Gatorade to take home.  Gatorade costs about $3.00 per gallon in 20 oz bottles.  An NFL player could buy a full year's supply for one one-hundredth of a single pay check.

So I agree in theory that if the team treats the players well they will be more motivated to play better, but the question is how much and where do you draw the line.

(09-05-2022, 10:43 AM)KillerGoose Wrote: I think a lot of the media noise is entertainment for the fans. Unless a team is bad, I think these guys are full of confidence and believe they are going to be a Super Bowl team. I'm sure if you went and asked a player on the Giants if they were going to win the Super Bowl, you might get a "uhhhh.....I don't know about that" but everyone on the Cincinnati squad should be saying "yes, absolutely". 

I don't know if they will study their playbooks harder. You can't really do that, I guess. I have some old NFL playbooks and they are exactly what you think they are; pages with diagrams, callouts, formations, routes etc. Once you have it, you have it. Maybe these guys will be watching more tape but if it takes some media heads not believing in them for them to watch more tape, I don't know what to think of that. These guys have all of the incentive in the world to work as hard as they can to win a Super Bowl, everything from monetarily and legacy. 

I don't think there would be much of an improvement in confidence, to be honest. This team was just a play away from winning a Super Bowl and they got better. This team should have confidence through the absolute roof. 

Well said KillerGoose. We proven we can beat anybody and nearly won the entire thing with the youngest team to ever be in the SB.

Our confidence is higher than any team IMO. Mentally we need to stay humble and make sure we just execute, do your job should 
be the mentality. On Offense we need to block for Burrow and the RB's and on Defense we need to stop the run and get after the 
passer all the while tackling well. These guys all know what they are doing. Should be the best season by the Bengals ever honestly.

I could understand not picking us to get back to the SB if we had a huge turnover of losing coaches and players, but we didn't.

(09-05-2022, 05:41 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Should be the best season by the Bengals ever honestly.

I could understand not picking us to get back to the SB if we had a huge turnover of losing coaches and players, but we didn't.

I agree.

In fact, we actually improved our biggest area of weakness in the offensive line.

I think the Bills are the only thing standing between us and the Super Bowl and I think Josh Allen is the only thing standing in the way of Burrow and the MVP.

There's also the possibility that Brady could somehow have one last good season but I just don't see it happening.

Staying healthy is obviously also huge but I think every team on our schedule will have troubles keeping up with our offense.

(09-05-2022, 05:29 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: I think it benefits that they give a maximum effort when they're happy. I just don't think they "try harder" because of it. 

You don't have to worry about their gear though. They have other people to load and unload that. All they have to do it get on and off the bus. 

It's still a pain in the ass.

(09-05-2022, 06:05 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: It's still a pain in the ass.

Where do you sit on the bus? 



How hard is it to walk to a bus, ride for about 7 minutes, then get off the bus?

How is that any different than game day when they...walk out to the bus, ride for a few minutes in the bus, then get off the bus to go in the stadium?

(09-05-2022, 06:02 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I agree.

In fact, we actually improved our biggest area of weakness in the offensive line.

I think the Bills are the only thing standing between us and the Super Bowl and I think Josh Allen is the only thing standing in the way of Burrow and the MVP.

There's also the possibility that Brady could somehow have one last good season but I just don't see it happening.

Staying healthy is obviously also huge but I think every team on our schedule will have troubles keeping up with our offense.

The Bills and Josh Allen and the Chargers and Herbert honestly are the teams and player's in our way. We have beat the 
rest of the AFC including the Chiefs twice, the Titans as the #1 seed and the Raiders twice so not scared of them. I also 
don't see Brady carrying the Bucs to another SuperBowl but you never know about that guy lol

(09-05-2022, 03:31 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: No doubt winning in playoffs and making the Super Bowl should have increased that team chemistry but maintaining it at a high level is hard, the 89 Super Bowl team seemed to be the tightest group (defense/offense) that I can remember but they were not able to maintain it.  

Green/Dalton/Atkins era has a strong core and rarely lost games they were favored but never seemed to move up to the level we expected. 


This team especially with the structure of contracts over the next couple years makes it look like they can add more to that team chemistry and avoid though loses when they are favored over the next couple years

Green /Dalton/Marvin Lewis era had one recurring theme....shrink in the bright lights.   This 2020's version is just the opposite.   They seem to elevate their play when the lights are brightest.    

I turned in my season tickets the last year they rehired Marvin.   I like him and respect him as a person and as an administrator, as well as a talent evaluator.   But, good God, his game and clock mgmt drove me insane.  Winning just 2 games against your most hated rival on your own turf in 15 years would have had any other HC not under Mike Brown fired before he got to 10 years.    New Blood and new karma with these Bengals.    Our Conference is uber talented, but anything other than at least playing in the conference championship, should be considered  a failed season.  

(09-05-2022, 10:43 AM)KillerGoose Wrote: I think a lot of the media noise is entertainment for the fans. Unless a team is bad, I think these guys are full of confidence and believe they are going to be a Super Bowl team. I'm sure if you went and asked a player on the Giants if they were going to win the Super Bowl, you might get a "uhhhh.....I don't know about that" but everyone on the Cincinnati squad should be saying "yes, absolutely". 

I don't know if they will study their playbooks harder. You can't really do that, I guess. I have some old NFL playbooks and they are exactly what you think they are; pages with diagrams, callouts, formations, routes etc. Once you have it, you have it. Maybe these guys will be watching more tape but if it takes some media heads not believing in them for them to watch more tape, I don't know what to think of that. These guys have all of the incentive in the world to work as hard as they can to win a Super Bowl, everything from monetarily and legacy. 

I don't think there would be much of an improvement in confidence, to be honest. This team was just a play away from winning a Super Bowl and they got better. This team should have confidence through the absolute roof. 

Spot on KG

(09-05-2022, 06:21 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Where do you sit on the bus? 



How hard is it to walk to a bus, ride for about 7 minutes, then get off the bus?

How is that any different than game day when they...walk out to the bus, ride for a few minutes in the bus, then get off the bus to go in the stadium?

It's just an extra hassle that adds time and annoyance to a player's day.

It's different from an away game because those are something every team has to do and it's not every day in the winter. 

(09-05-2022, 06:23 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: The Bills and Josh Allen and the Chargers and Herbert honestly are the teams and player's in our way. We have beat the 
rest of the AFC including the Chiefs twice, the Titans as the #1 seed and the Raiders twice so not scared of them. I also 
don't see Brady carrying the Bucs to another SuperBowl but you never know about that guy lol

I don't think Brady can succeed behind the Bucs offensive line but, like you said, the dude's a freak and you never know lol

I think the Bills and Chargers have better defenses than ours but, assuming our line shows up, we should have an offense that is better than both of theirs, even if all the "experts" think otherwise because I just think Burrow has a bigger "it" factor than Herbert and Allen.

I think they could finish the regular season with better or similar records to ours but, when the biggest games are on the line, I take Burrow to deliver the knock out blow.

I also think neither of those two teams have anyone that can compare with Chase, and that's not even considering Higgins, Boyd, and Hurst. 

(09-05-2022, 11:55 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I don't think Brady can succeed behind the Bucs offensive line but, like you said, the dude's a freak and you never know lol

I think the Bills and Chargers have better defenses than ours but, assuming our line shows up, we should have an offense that is better than both of theirs, even if all the "experts" think otherwise because I just think Burrow has a bigger "it" factor than Herbert and Allen.

I think they could finish the regular season with better or similar records to ours but, when the biggest games are on the line, I take Burrow to deliver the knock out blow.

I also think neither of those two teams have anyone that can compare with Chase, and that's not even considering Higgins, Boyd, and Hurst. 

What is really neat about Joe Burrow is how he instills that confidence and killer instinct into the entire team when it is a 
big game. Even the Defense rises to the occasion even though it is on the other side of the ball. Rare QB, our Defense was
better than the Bills Defense in the Playoffs and I think Burrow is a factor in it even if it sounds absurd.

The Bills had the #1 D in the league last year and just got better with the addition of Vonn Miller and others. They looked 
terrible against the Chiefs though, couldn't stop them once in that game from what I remember and missed tons of tackles.

Our Defense on the other hand pretty much shut down Mahomes and that Offense twice in 2 second halves in huge games.

Still I think our Defense could improve big time and use the Postseason as a spring board into this season.

The Chargers added, Mack and another big name to their D but they still might not be as good as us either for all we know.

(09-05-2022, 05:28 PM)fredtoast Wrote: It is hard for fans to understand that most of these players had other favorite teams before they were drafted/traded/signed by the Bengals.  They are professionals, and most devote 100% of their effort to helping their own team win, but very few of them reach the point where they are "Bengals for Life" and care as much about the teams as their own goals.

Didn't Sanu get a Bengals tattoo and then leave 1st chance he got in free agency?

(09-06-2022, 02:20 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Didn't Sanu get a Bengals tattoo and then leave 1st chance he got in free agency?

Yeah, Bengal stripes on his arm, awesome tattoo. But hey, he got paid big time from the Falcons. Overpaid some might argue.

(09-06-2022, 02:56 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, Bengal stripes on his arm, awesome tattoo. But hey, he got paid big time from the Falcons. Overpaid some might argue.

How many times in sports do you see guys look good in 1 system, then leave and not look that good ever again.

(09-06-2022, 02:15 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: The Bills had the #1 D in the league last year and just got better with the addition of Vonn Miller and others. They looked 
terrible against the Chiefs though, couldn't stop them once in that game from what I remember and missed tons of tackles.

Our Defense on the other hand pretty much shut down Mahomes and that Offense twice in 2 second halves in huge games.

Bills played Chiefs twice.  Outscored them by 12 points (74-62). Lost playoff game in overtime.

Bengals played Chiefs twice.  Outscored them by 6 points (61-55).  Won playoff game in overtime.  Our defense blew 4th quarter leads in both games against the Chiefs and had to be saved by our offense.

(09-06-2022, 03:16 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: How many times in sports do you see guys look good in 1 system, then leave and not look that good ever again.

Sanu caught more passes for the Falcons in '17 (67 rec) and '18 (66 rec) than he ever did in any season with the Bengals.

(09-06-2022, 03:34 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Bills played Chiefs twice.  Outscored them by 12 points (74-62). Lost playoff game in overtime.

Bengals played Chiefs twice.  Outscored them by 6 points (61-55).  Won playoff game in overtime.  Our defense blew 4th quarter leads in both games against the Chiefs and had to be saved by our offense.

Why are you combining games? And the Chiefs scored 3 total points in the second half of each game vs the Bengals. Don't try to make it out like the Chiefs made some kinda big 4th quarter comeback.

(09-06-2022, 03:42 PM)Synric Wrote: Why are you combining games? 

Why did you talk about both Bengal/Chief games and completely ignore the 38-20 ass-kicking the Bills gave the Chiefs in the regular season?


Oh, wait.  Never mind.  I know exactly why.