Before I make a prediction, who's referee crew did we draw, because old Jerome did us no favors in New York.

I predict a shootout. Bengals 35 Dolphins 31

I am crazy excited to watch this game with the new uniforms and the ROH additions. Should be a great night.

The matchup is intriguing: The Fins have talent at WR and RB, but not a great offensive line. We saw against Buffalo how tough the sledding was against a good defense. Buffalo was beat up, but the Bengals are likely without Reader. I imagine the Fins will try to exploit this and pound the ball early. They will try to force our safeties up and then get advantages against the secondary. I think the pure energy of the night will have the defense geared up and Miami gets the no-fun assignment of traveling on the short week.

Miami's defense is for real. They have gotten better each week, despite playing tougher opponents.

I don't see this being a high-flying, high-scoring battle. I see a slug fest and Burrow will be the last one standing.

Bengals 20
Miami 17

Bengals win 31-24

Maybe the offense gets going big time. MAYBE Eli stonewalls Hill again except this time on the opposite one yardline.. Maybe not..

I hate short weeks. Won’t get any work done on Thursday.

Dolphins 24-20. Dolphins flying high winning a game they really should have lost. I think the Bengals will miss Reader more than we expect. Plus, every time I pick against the Bengals, they win.

The Dolphins held a lot back for the Bills on offense and defense. That was their circled game to get their season jump started. They are going to test our secondary. We need interceptions to win this game. We also need to get some of our own big plays to match their receivers. I’m predicting Bengals 27-24

Bengals - 31
Dolphins - 17

Bengals offense plays well and defense gives up a lot of yards but creates 2 crucial turn overs.

Bengals 24
Dolphins 21

(09-27-2022, 06:01 PM)BengalFanInNJ Wrote: I hate short weeks. Won’t get any work done on Thursday.

Dolphins 24-20. Dolphins flying high winning a game they really should have lost. I think the Bengals will miss Reader more than we expect. Plus, every time I pick against the Bengals, they win.

I don't mind the short week, it brings the football faster.  But the loooooong wait until the next game is never ending, it seems.  We won't have another game until October 9th.  

The Bengals also win when I pick against them so let's get the double juju working!

Mammals disguised as fish - 27
Usually orange but now albino cats - 20 

(09-27-2022, 08:06 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: I don't mind the short week, it brings the football faster.  But the loooooong wait until the next game is never ending, it seems.  We won't have another game until October 9th.  

The Bengals also win when I pick against them so let's get the double juju working!

Mammals disguised as fish - 27
Usually orange but now albino cats - 20 

A win on Thursday makes football so relaxing on Sunday.

A subplot is the Apple vs. Hill feud:

" Bengals cornerback Eli Apple might not be talking about his ongoing feud with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, but that hasn't stopped some of Apple's teammates ahead of the teams' meeting at Cincinnati's Paycor Stadium on Thursday night.

After the Dolphins' victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Hill told reporters he owes Apple after their meetings last season when he was with the Kansas City Chiefs."

"'I can't wait to go against Eli Apple. I owe you, boy. I owe you. I'm here. The Cheetah is here. That's it,' Hill said."

But Bates had a zinger response:

"'I don't know if Eli got him tickets to the Super Bowl last year or not,' Bates said. 'I think that's probably why he's a little upset.'"

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34679064/cincinnati-bengals-dbs-say-eli-apple-back-matchup-tyreek-hill-miami-dolphins

Bengals win by one or more scores. Chase gets back on track.

(09-27-2022, 08:34 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I am crazy excited to watch this game with the new uniforms and the ROH additions.  Should be a great night.

The matchup is intriguing:  The Fins have talent at WR and RB, but not a great offensive line.  We saw against Buffalo how tough the sledding was against a good defense.  Buffalo was beat up, but the Bengals are likely without Reader.  I imagine the Fins will try to exploit this and pound the ball early.  They will try to force our safeties up and then get advantages against the secondary.  I think the pure energy of the night will have the defense geared up and Miami gets the no-fun assignment of traveling on the short week.

Miami's defense is for real.  They have gotten better each week, despite playing tougher opponents.

I don't see this being a high-flying, high-scoring battle.  I see a slug fest and Burrow will be the last one standing.  

Bengals 20
Miami 17

Miami can't run the ball for shit and their passing defense is 31st... 

Bengals 26-20

(09-27-2022, 10:31 PM)Tony Wrote: Miami can't run the ball for shit and their passing defense is 31st... 

No DJ Reader unfortunately to completely shut down all traces of a run game

It will be fun to see how the white uniforms look on game day. Two years in a row the Bengals lucked out by getting their Thursday game early. It has to be more difficult later in the year when every team is banged up to some degree or other. The Dolphins and the Bengals usually play sometimes weird but always entertaining games, and for once this year it will be on my TV with good sound since I have Prime.

(09-27-2022, 10:31 PM)Tony Wrote: Miami can't run the ball for shit and their passing defense is 31st... 

They have one of the best CBs in the league and Buffalo scored 19 points including 2 from the forever classic butt punt. 

If you go by stats after the first three weeks of a season, you would think Cincinnati has a weak offense.  Is that true?  

(09-28-2022, 09:28 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: They have one of the best CBs in the league and Buffalo scored 19 points including 2 from the forever classic butt punt. 

If you go by stats after the first three weeks of a season, you would think Cincinnati has a weak offense.  Is that true?  

Byron Jones isn't even playing and they are giving up over 300 yards a game. Lamar and Allen literally destroyed them..

(09-28-2022, 09:28 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: They have one of the best CBs in the league and Buffalo scored 19 points including 2 from the forever classic butt punt. 

If you go by stats after the first three weeks of a season, you would think Cincinnati has a weak offense.  Is that true?  

Not true they got it together both 2nd halves of first 2 games and dominated the 3rd..