Meh. I bet they didn’t pick them last year either.

(09-05-2022, 05:01 PM)fredtoast Wrote: 1.  Surprised that not a single analyst chose the Bengals.  If for no other reason than there is usually one who picks a long shot just to be different from everyone else.

2.  Surprised that the Broncos did not get more love.  I don't think they are going to the Super Bowl but I think a lot of people are overlooking a team with the league's #3 defense adding a Hall-of-Fame QB still in his prime.

3.  Last year the Bengals had the #7 offense and the #17 defense.  They only won 10 games despite playing the easiest schedule in the entire league.  Their final 4 victories were all decided on the last play of the game.  It is not an anti-Bengal bias. If any other long-time losing team had a season like that it would take more consistent winning over a longer period before they were considered a legitimate Super Bowl team.  How many of you picked the '11 Patriots to repeat as Super Bowl Champions in '12?

4.  Good thing is that preseason opinions don't mean shit.  Where did these "experts" pick us to finish last year?

Regarding your 3rd point, weren't we like 7-2 against playoff teams last year (Packers and Rams). Pretty safe to say our team just played to our competition resulting in losses that weren't expected otherwise our D rankings would be better no?

(09-05-2022, 07:52 PM)WVUHomer Wrote: Regarding your 3rd point, weren't we like 7-2 against playoff teams last year (Packers and Rams). Pretty safe to say our team just played to our competition resulting in losses that weren't expected otherwise our D rankings would be better no?

Cincinnati was 7-3 against playoff teams overall. I forgot the Steelers made the playoffs and I really don’t want to count them…but they have to count. The loss you’re not remembering is the 49ers.

I’m just annoyed at how much they love to suck off the Chargers and Herbert when they have accomplished absolutely nothing in post season success so far. There were plenty that predicted Herbert to also win MVP. I know the team is good, but damn can they just make the playoffs one time.

(09-05-2022, 05:36 PM)wanga Wrote: No surprise at all. No one here picked them to make it this time last season. Historically it’s not the Bengals ‘thing’, people will need to convinced otherwise.
We’ve got a talented roster so there are good times ahead but back to back SB’s are difficult.

but it is not the "Chargers" thing either and 5 picked the to win it all.... I do think the top three right now in the the league if they stay healthy is

Bills clear favorite to me (especially looking at schedule), Bengals and Chargers ... i think the Chargers though have the toughest division by far in AFC though.. I could see 3 teams out of AFC West making it to playoffs...

I don't know where or why this Charger Bengal thing came about. You cannot mention Burrow without Charger fans lurking, stalking, exclaiming that Herbert passes for more yards. Bengals fans do the same when Herbert is in the light. It is something.

I don't think the Chargers are winning their division. Also, I think Bills may be underwhelming this year compared to expectations.

I think a team will come out of nowhere like the Bengals did last year. Maybe the Colts. But the AFC goes through the Nati, there is no dispute there.

(09-05-2022, 08:01 PM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: I’m just annoyed at how much they love to suck off the Chargers and Herbert when they have accomplished absolutely nothing in post season success so far. There were plenty that predicted Herbert to also win MVP. I know the team is good, but damn can they just make the playoffs one time.

Yeah. Sir Justin can do no wrong and he's the next big thing...that's done absolutely nothing in 2 years. 

Burrow didn't have to play in the last game, last year, and Herbert had the must-win @LV, so here are their stats through 16 games started.

Herbert: 409  608   67.2%  4631  7.6   35 14   99.5
Burrow:  366  520  70.4%  4611  8.9   34 14  108.3

(09-05-2022, 08:01 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: Cincinnati was 7-3 against playoff teams overall. I forgot the Steelers made the playoffs and I really don’t want to count them…but they have to count. The loss you’re not remembering is the 49ers.

Thanks KG as I was trying to forget that memory as I was there for that game...

(09-05-2022, 08:01 PM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: I’m just annoyed at how much they love to suck off the Chargers and Herbert when they have accomplished absolutely nothing in post season success so far. There were plenty that predicted Herbert to also win MVP. I know the team is good, but damn can they just make the playoffs one time.

I was asking myself, what is so special about the Chargers? Herbert is pretty good and they have talent, but I dont see them in the SB.

(09-05-2022, 08:24 PM)WVUHomer Wrote: Thanks KG as I was trying to forget that memory as I was there for that game...

Can’t blame you, it was a tough loss. Better than me, though. I made my first ever trip up to Cincinnati last year….FOR THE WEEK NINE BROWNS GAME. My wife and I left in the 3rd quarter.

(09-05-2022, 08:33 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: Can’t blame you, it was a tough loss. Better than me, though. I made my first ever trip up to Cincinnati last year….FOR THE WEEK NINE BROWNS GAME. My wife and I left in the 3rd quarter.

Thats rough. I went to 3 home games. All 3 were losses (Pack, 9ers, Chargers). I might just have to stay home all year.

I've heard numerous times that the Bengals have a #1 schedule this year and last year they had a #4 schedule. I created a document so I could see the real differences between the teams in our division. Here's what I found out, there are only three games that we play different opponents than every other team in our division. You can judge for yourself if you'd rather get the Chiefs at home or go to the Broncos or go to the Colts or play the Chargers. Honestly, I'd much rather play the Titans than the Colts this year. Bottom line, the Bengals get an extra home game this year and so do the Browns. I can't see much of a difference between opponents. What am I missing?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19wDyozYvvJVnhcOXZWXze6H0y39rHgPQXm9c0VDf2yk/edit?usp=sharing

The Bengals play:
1. At Cowboys
2. At Titans
3. vs Chiefs

The Ravens Play:
1. At Giants
2. At Jags
3. vs Broncos

The Steelers Play:
1. At Eagles
2. At Colts
3. vs Raiders

The Browns Play:
1. vs Chargers
2. at Texans
3. at Commanders

(09-05-2022, 04:11 PM)bwh Wrote: I may be mistaken, but in the Super Bowl era, only a couple of teams have lost a Super Bowl and then went to the next Super Bowl and won it. There are only a handful of teams that lost a Super Bowl and got back to it the following year let alone won it. There is a lot of history of the team that loses the Super Bowl having a letdown the following season. I certainly hope the Bengals can make it back and win it. But that history may be the biggest reason why the Bengals are not being picked by many to return to the Super Bowl.

Yes this. A lot of talking heads know nothing more than us well informed fans. They are rolling with what history tells them. I really can’t blame them I suppose. However I argue when people say the Bengals were kind of a fluke last season. Granted they were lucky to remain mostly healthy last season, I say the fact the Bengals made it to the Super Bowl with such underwhelming Oline plays actually says a lot about this team. They broke the mold on that one and I see no reason they can’t go against the trend again this season. With that being said for them to pick against the Bengals returning to the Super Bowl is simply them playing the odds. It’s hard for teams to get back there. Hell it’s hard to just get there once so they aren’t really going out on a limb. They could predict every team to not make the super bowl and they would be right on 93% of the teams.

(09-05-2022, 08:46 PM)Cincybearcatfan Wrote: I've heard numerous times that the Bengals have a #1 schedule this year and last year they had a #4 schedule. I created a document so I could see the real differences between the teams in our division. Here's what I found out, there are only three games that we play different opponents than every other team in our division. You can judge for yourself if you'd rather get the Chiefs at home or go to the Broncos or go to the Colts or play the Chargers. Honestly, I'd much rather play the Titans than the Colts this year. Bottom line, the Bengals get an extra home game this year and so do the Browns. I can't see much of a difference between opponents. What am I missing?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19wDyozYvvJVnhcOXZWXze6H0y39rHgPQXm9c0VDf2yk/edit?usp=sharing

The Bengals play:
1. At Cowboys
2. At Titans
3. vs Chiefs

The Ravens Play:
1. At Giants
2. At Jags
3. vs Broncos

The Steelers Play:
1. At Eagles
2. At Colts
3. vs Raiders

The Browns Play:
1. vs Chargers
2. at Texans
3. at Commanders

Thanks for that research Cincybearcatfan. The Ravens sure got it easy, same with the Browns if these teams we play are 
anything like last year. Still, teams are completely different every season and strength of schedule means nothing most of
the time cause of this. For the first time I think the steelers got the worst of it which is great.

I think we can take care of our matchup against those guys we know we can beat and the Cowboys. Might lose to them 
on the road though, thankfully they are in the NFC. I could see us losing to them simply cause of the Cowboys being at 
home and our new O-line still trying to gel.

(09-05-2022, 09:26 PM)hoosierbengal Wrote: Yes this. A lot of talking heads know nothing more than us well informed fans. They are rolling with what history tells them. I really can’t blame them I suppose. However I argue when people say the Bengals were kind of a fluke last season. Granted they were lucky to remain mostly healthy last season, I say the fact the Bengals made it to the Super Bowl with such underwhelming Oline plays actually says a lot about this team. They broke the mold on that one and I see no reason they can’t go against the trend again this season. With that being said for them to pick against the Bengals returning to the Super Bowl is simply them playing the odds. It’s hard for teams to get back there. Hell it’s hard to just get there once so they aren’t really going out on a limb. They could predict every team to not make the super bowl and they would be right on 93% of the teams.

Still, that is completely forgetting about the fact our entire coaching staff and players are pretty much all returning and we
were the youngest team to ever be in the SuperBowl. I find this to be ridiculously ignored even by our own fans, let alone 
the talking heads.

(09-05-2022, 10:11 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Still, that is completely forgetting about the fact our entire coaching staff and players are pretty much all returning and we
were the youngest team to ever be in the SuperBowl. I find this to be ridiculously ignored even by our own fans, let alone 
the talking heads.

Those are good points as well. Doesn’t really matter what people say anyway. What will happen will happen. That stuff never bothers me. Just looking forward to week 1!!

They’re basing a large portion of their decisions on statistics.When teams of the past have gone to SB and lost,then they fall apart the following year.Plus,the Bengals had a record of 10-7 going into the postseason,which isn’t all that impressive.Had Burrow been 100% going into the season last year,and not rehabbing a knee,then I think the win column would have been higher.

I believe this team is underrated.They,especially the defense,really came on the last half of the season.If they pick up where they left off,and this OL is above average,like we think it should be,then this team I believe will be in the SB again in 2023.

Indy and Ravens aren’t going. No idea why people think the Ravens are much more than maybe a little above average. Doubt the Chargers are either. The Bengals are better this year at least on paper. We will see.

(09-05-2022, 10:38 PM)ezekiel23 Wrote: They’re basing a large portion of their decisions on statistics.When teams of the past have gone to SB and lost,then they fall apart the following year.Plus,the Bengals had a record of 10-7 going into the postseason,which isn’t all that impressive.Had Burrow been 100% going into the season last year,and not rehabbing a knee,then I think the win column would have been higher.

I believe this team is underrated.They,especially the defense,really came on the last half of the season.If they pick up where they left off,and this OL is above average,like we think it should be,then this team I believe will be in the SB again in 2023.

The AFC is tougher and certainly health counts. But Paul Dehner touched on it. The Bengals have unbelievable continuity. They have their head coach and coordinators back for the fourth consecutive year. They have all 11 starters back on defense that played in the playoffs. In all 18-22 starters back and 3 appreciably better. None of the challengers have anywhere close to this continuity and cohesion. But the playoffs will be full of several good teams and therefore it will be who shows up that day.

After last year, I've realized the silliness of all the "experts" picks, especially my own. Even after week 9, when the Bengals sat 5-4, I thought the proverbial "playoffs? I just Hope we can win a game!"

It would be great to return home in mid-November to the Bengals firmly in first place. These NFL picks should all have the "for entertainment only" label attached.