I know the players and, most likely, the coaches don't look ahead past their current opponent, but here is what the next four weeks look like:

Jacoby Brissett (Browns)
PJ Walker (Or Baker Mayfield? Carolina)
BYE
Kenny PICKitt (steelers)
Ryan Tannehill (Titans)

Honestly, if the Bengals can play mistake-free ball on the offensive side (no strip sack fumbles or INTs), the defense should be able to keep the Browns under 20 and the Bengals win a close game. After that happens, I can honestly see them believing in themselves enough after the MNF win to beat the next three teams and be 8-3. I think Chase is (most recently) rumored to be back for the steeler game.

Even if you don't have him, or Reader, until after the Titans game, you have a team that won 4 straight without arguably their best players on offense and defense. Get them back for the stretch run that starts with a home game against KC. That would be incredibly exciting.

Sometimes championship teams become championship teams because they had to overcome some major adversity and they came out better and stronger on the other side. Maybe this "test" will show they have really good depth that we didn't really know about at the DT position (Tufele) as well as multiple ways of beating you on offense.

Here is the remainder of the schedule after the home KC game:

Cleveland
@ Tampa Bay
@ New England
Buffalo
Baltimore

Win this Monday Night and I would imagine they would be favored in all of these games except Buffalo.

I don’t know why but I feel like our season will be largely based on Monday’s outcome.

-Division game
-Ability (and need) to win w/o Chase.
-JB proving he is elite w/o Chase
-Winning a must-win in hostile territory on dreaded Prime time National TV
-Proving we are the class of the AFCN by beating a division rival who is 2-4
-Getting this Stains monkey off our back
-Remaining step for step w the Rat Turds record-wise (who already have the tie-breaker over us)
-Showing the world we are still in the conversation w the Bills and Chiefs.

Sure, we could lose to the Stains, win out and end up in the SB….but a loss here given all of the above is highly unlikely.

The NFL is at times, equally about emotion, morale and momentum and winning against adversity.

This game is huge for these reasons IMO.

I agree

We really need a sweep of these next four games, have to win three. We just can't dig any deeper of a hole with that home stretch. Brady will probably figure out his troubles by when we play em. You can't face "the hoodie" and take it lightly no matter who is QB?

The last game of the season could be for all the prizes?

Go 0-3 in the division, hope for a WC birth

If they beat the Browns without Chase believe it will give the confidence to catapult them thru the next few and all will be well.

They've got to dig down deep and find a way to beat the Browns.

Carolina was set to win and be the first place team in the NFC South because of tiebreakers, so the Bengals would be playing a first place team. But the WR who caught the tying TD with 12 seconds left then committed a celebration penalty (!), forcing a 47-yard extra point try, which was missed. So tied game and overtime.

Then the Carolina kicker, Pineiro, misses a chip-shot 33-yarder for the win and first place. Kind of hoping Carolina loses, so they don't have the extra motivation of being in first place. D'Onta Foreman, BTW, has 117 yards on the ground.

Shoot, even at Tennessee we may see Malik Willis. He's got the Titans winning today, granted it is against the Texans, but who knows what their QB situation will look like in a month

This Buffalo team is scary good.

(10-30-2022, 10:47 PM)Nepa Wrote: This Buffalo team is scary good.

Bengals are too if they can get healthy

(10-29-2022, 06:08 PM)Go Cards Wrote: If they beat the Browns without Chase believe it will give the confidence to catapult them thru the next few and all will be well.

They've got to dig down deep and find a way to beat the Browns.

   

A win here could be looked back on as a turning point in the season. When we really started hitting our stride.

(10-30-2022, 10:47 PM)Nepa Wrote: This Buffalo team is scary good.

That's because they finally got the deep ball game going with Diggs. The eagles are undefeated because they are playing like the patriots of the superbowl dynasty, short passes thrown to everyone and with a solid line to open lanes for the RB too. Add to that a good Defense and good play calling that gives you an undefeated dominance.

(10-31-2022, 09:24 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: A win here could be looked back on as a turning point in the season. When we really started hitting our stride.

It would also be a huge confindence boost if they could win big without Chase.  I hope Joe spreads it all around.  Looking for Hurst to have a big game as I think Tee and Boyd will be doubled.  Ditto the RBs out of the backfield.  

(10-29-2022, 09:57 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I know the players and, most likely, the coaches don't look ahead past their current opponent, but here is what the next four weeks look like:

Jacoby Brissett (Browns)
PJ Walker (Or Baker Mayfield? Carolina)
BYE
Kenny PICKitt (steelers)
Ryan Tannehill (Titans)

Honestly, if the Bengals can play mistake-free ball on the offensive side (no strip sack fumbles or INTs), the defense should be able to keep the Browns under 20 and the Bengals win a close game.  After that happens, I can honestly see them believing in themselves enough after the MNF win to beat the next three teams and be 8-3.  I think Chase is (most recently) rumored to be back for the steeler game.

Even if you don't have him, or Reader, until after the Titans game, you have a team that won 4 straight without arguably their best players on offense and defense.  Get them back for the stretch run that starts with a home game against KC.  That would be incredibly exciting.

Sometimes championship teams become championship teams because they had to overcome some major adversity and they came out better and stronger on the other side.  Maybe this "test" will show they have really good depth that we didn't really know about at the DT position (Tufele) as well as multiple ways of beating you on offense.  

Here is the remainder of the schedule after the home KC game:

Cleveland
@ Tampa Bay
@ New England
Buffalo
Baltimore

Win this Monday Night and I would imagine they would be favored in all of these games except Buffalo.

Great post and thread overall SHRacer. Completely agree, if we can win the turnover battle, these next 4 games are all
very winnable games. Burrow knows the Browns, steelers and Titans and he has revenge on his mind in our Division 
especially against the Browns who he has never beat, insanely enough.

When Burrow plays a team twice in the same season, he seems to torch them the 2nd time around. Our Defense is playing
as good as anybody and the best in the NFL in the 2nd half. I like our chances against anybody even the Bills if we get DJ,
Ja'Marr and Logan back by then. Heard we might have Logan back tonight.

(10-31-2022, 03:44 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Great post and thread overall SHRacer. Completely agree, if we can win the turnover battle, these next 4 games are all
very winnable games. Burrow knows the Browns, steelers and Titans and he has revenge on his mind in our Division 
especially against the Browns who he has never beat, insanely enough.

When Burrow plays a team twice in the same season, he seems to torch them the 2nd time around. Our Defense is playing
as good as anybody and the best in the NFL in the 2nd half. I like our chances against anybody even the Bills if we get DJ,
Ja'Marr and Logan back by then. Heard we might have Logan back tonight.

This is true, but I feel like this will be a bit of a Week 1 feel because it will be his first action without Ja'Marr.  The defense, and like you said, winning the turnover battle will determine this game.  I'm really optimistic that since they had all week to prepare that Joe will keep rolling because he wants to beat the Browns so badly and because he won't be locked in on a single target.  

I also hope Boyd, Higgins, Hurst, Mixon, and maybe even Evans really step up.  

Should be a fun one!

(10-31-2022, 05:48 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: This is true, but I feel like this will be a bit of a Week 1 feel because it will be his first action without Ja'Marr.  The defense, and like you said, winning the turnover battle will determine this game.  I'm really optimistic that since they had all week to prepare that Joe will keep rolling because he wants to beat the Browns so badly and because he won't be locked in on a single target.  

I also hope Boyd, Higgins, Hurst, Mixon, and maybe even Evans really step up.  

Should be a fun one!

Expecting a fun night no matter what. I think we win at the very least with Joe wanting the beat the Browns so badly as you
say. Not many teams can say Joe Burrow hasn't beat them yet. The Browns are one and in the Division. Need that growth into
elite tonight to come into fruition for Joe Burrow even if I think he already is. He needs to earn this level up, it is time.