You know that team that has hosted four AFC Championship games in a row? The same one our Bengals beat twice last season? Let's take a look at how their 2021 season started:

Beat Cleveland by 4 (1-0)
Lost to Baltimore by 1 (1-1)
Lost to LAC by 6 (1-2)
Beat Philadelphia by 12 (2-2)
Lost to Buffalo by 18 (2-3)
Beat Washington by 18 (3-3)
Lost to Tennessee by 24 (3-4)

They opened 2-3, and two of those losses were very close.

How about all-world quarterback Patrick Mahomes in those first five games? He threw six interceptions. The Chiefs very publicly struggled through the first half of 2021 as defenses played with two safeties deep to force Mahomes to be patient and sustain long, methodical drives. It led to him making mistakes at an inordinate rate, and they were very slow to get out of that funk, even with Hall of Fame offensive mastermind head coach Andy Reid in command. Eventually they did (they won every other game not listed above apart from their two games against the Bengals). Hell, even as the Chiefs started winning, Mahomes himself was still struggling throughout the middle portion of the season against cover two. He finished with seven overall games under 7 yards per pass attempt.

There are clearly parallels here. How about another one?

~ They opened 2021 with three new starters on the offensive line (Thuney, Humphrey, and Brown) after their previous unit got pushed around in the Super Bowl.

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This isn't all to say that the 2022 Bengals are the 2021 Chiefs. But they sure as hell can be. These Bengals are also much better on defense than those Chiefs were. My point is that the struggles the Bengals have had so far this year should look familiar, because a team with a very similar build to ours (excellent quarterback with a million weapons, an offensive head coach, a defense with questionable pass rush but strong fundamentals, etc) just went through a lot of the same problems and still found themselves.

Indeed, I think the Bengals problems on offense are symptomatic of larger trends league-wide: scoring is down in general. Defense has been ahead of offense across the NFL for the first five weeks. There are exceptions here and there, but this is the trend. It's very easy to look at our arsenal of offensive talent and scream WTF, but it seems to me that the Bengals are not alone in this struggle (and neither is Zac Taylor). Their chances this season will likely depend on their ability to break free from the malaise faster than most other teams manage, and their willingness to follow the blueprint laid before them by the Chiefs.

only difference is KC won games. Bengals are losing with last second field goals

(10-10-2022, 03:35 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: only difference is KC won games. Bengals are losing with last second field goals

Did you not read the post. They had the exact same record we do at this point in time last year. 2 wins, 3 losses.

(10-10-2022, 03:35 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: only difference is KC won games. Bengals are losing with last second field goals

They won no more than these Bengals through Week 5.

(10-10-2022, 03:35 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: only difference is KC won games. Bengals are losing with last second field goals

It's the exact same record through five games though.... that's what the OP is alluding to. Can the Bengals replicate that run? We'll soon see.

(10-10-2022, 03:37 PM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: Did you not read the post. They had the exact same record we do at this point in time last year. 2 wins, 3 losses.

I admit I didnt read the post



I want to say that gives me hope, but I really dont know. I know the chiefs had a better line last season

(10-10-2022, 03:35 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: only difference is KC won games. Bengals are losing with last second field goals

LOL. You are the gift that keeps on giving. Did you even read what he said? They were 3-4 after 7 games McFly.

(10-10-2022, 03:38 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: I admit I didnt read the post



I want to say that gives me hope, but I really dont know. I know the chiefs had a better line last season

Yes, but in another part of that post, he pointed to 3 new olinemen to start the year for KC. 

(10-10-2022, 03:33 PM)JaggedJimmyJay Wrote: You know that team that has hosted four AFC Championship games in a row? The same one our Bengals beat twice last season? Let's take a look at how their 2021 season started:

Beat Cleveland by 4 (1-0)
Lost to Baltimore by 1 (1-1)
Lost to LAC by 6 (1-2)
Beat Philadelphia by 12 (2-2)
Lost to Buffalo by 18 (2-3)
Beat Washington by 18 (3-3)
Lost to Tennessee by 24 (3-4)

They opened 2-3, and two of those losses were very close.

There are clearly parallels here. How about another one?

~ They opened 2021 with three new starters on the offensive line (Thuney, Humphrey, and Brown) after their previous unit got pushed around in the Super Bowl.

You forgot they actually had a 4th new OL - Trey Smith.
And yes, it took them a while to get going.
And they did make the playoffs and got to the AFCCG.

So they are just like Cincy in the number of new OL.

The Bengals can get back to the playoffs, and they can win in the playoffs. They have an "easy" part of the schedule coming up in the next 4 games. If they can win at least 3, it puts them in a good spot going into the bye week, and hopefully the OL is fully gelled at that point.

If they can also figure out how to deal with Cover 2, that will also help a ton.

(10-10-2022, 03:41 PM)Wyche Wrote: Yes, but in another part of that post, he pointed to 3 new olinemen to start the year for KC. 

Exactly and for those that don't want to take the time to read the OP's excellent post, there are lots of similarities between the Chiefs then and 2022 Bengals.

(10-10-2022, 03:38 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: I admit I didnt read the post



I want to say that gives me hope, but I really dont know. I know the chiefs had a better line last season

It gives me hope. This next stretch of games will tell us a lot about this team. 5/6 games where they likely will be favored, and should win, but all games that if we don’t show up for, we will lose. Chiefs went on an amazing run after going 3-4, and we need something similar to get into December with real aspirations.

I hope where not the 2021 chiefs. We kicked their ass twice.

(10-10-2022, 03:42 PM)higgy100 Wrote: Exactly and for those that don't want to take the time to read the OP's excellent post, there are lots of similarities between the Chiefs then and 2022 Bengals.

Eerily similar. I knew KC struggled out of the gate last year, but I didn't remember it took them getting to 3-4 before they turned it around.

It is a good post, and should show people that all is not lost. Just gotta get it together and soon.

(10-10-2022, 03:40 PM)higgy100 Wrote: LOL. You are the gift that keeps on giving. Did you even read what he said? They were 3-4 after 7 games McFly.

calm down, Francis. I admitted I was wrong

tell you what though, Collins doesnt look good at all

(10-10-2022, 03:43 PM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: It gives me hope. This next stretch of games will tell us a lot about this team. 5/6 games where they likely will be favored, and should win, but all games that if we don’t show up for, we will lose. Chiefs went on an amazing run after going 3-4, and we need something similar to get into December with real aspirations.

I believe they were on a 8 game winning streak when we played them.

The Bengals will probably have to go 8-4 the rest of the way to realistically have a shot at the playoffs. I doubt 9-8 would get them in.

The Chiefs have Andy Reid.

Other than record the biggest similarity is the adjustment of defenses to KC's offensive strengths. Teams were still dumb enough to single Chase even late last year. No more of that.

Loaded teams still struggle and lose, and young ones still have growing pains. The current situation is frustrating, but it's an opportunity for this group and quarterback to mature and grow. Teams playing cover 2 could be just the thing they need to reach their full potential.

(10-10-2022, 03:58 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: The Chiefs have Andy Reid.

Right. And he couldn't get it turned around until they'd already dug a 3-4 hole, and the offensive struggles the Chiefs faced against cover two lasted even longer than that.

This isn't to dump on Andy Reid. He's great. If the Bengals and Zac Taylor want to be great, then that's the standard. The Chiefs turned it around. So do the same.

(10-10-2022, 03:58 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: The Chiefs have Andy Reid.

....and Lou outwitted him and Mahommes last year. Twice. I'm not saying this team can or is going on a similar run this year, but it's still possible.

OP: They have a totally different coach though.

*Edit - someone beat me to it lol