Think back to the discussion when the Bengals were 0-2 and 2-3 and 4-4. It was the Bengals can't figure out the Cover-2 defense and the offensive line is no better than last year. The Bengals figure out the 2nd half of seasons the way they make half-time adjustments.

(12-19-2022, 12:36 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: The Bengals completed another come from behind (that's what she said) victory against the desperate Buccaneers yesterday.  That makes them 10-2 since the 0-2 start of the season.  

The next three games:

Sat 12/24 @ NE

Mon 1/2 vs. Bills @ HOME

Sun 1/8 vs. Ratbirds @ HOME

You all probably know where I stand (win out, and win Super Bowl, based on the poop bag toss and Mom's help) but I am wondering where everyone thinks they will end up.  For comparison, here is the rest of the schedule for the Rats, Chiefs, and Bills:

Ratbirds:

Sat 12/24 vs. Atlanta @ HOME

Sun 1/1 vs. pissburgh @ HOME

Sun 1/8 @ Cincinnati

Chiefs:   If this were college, they wouldn't get in based on a pathetic strength of schedule

Sat 12/24 vs. Seattle @ HOME

Sun 1/1 vs. Denver @ HOME

Sun 1/8 @ Las Vegas Raiders

Buffalo:

Sat 12/24 @ Chicago

Mon 1/2 @ Cincinnati

Sun 1/8 vs. NE Patriots @ HOME

I could actually see Buffalo losing on the road to Chicago.  They are getting really good play from Fields, although their defense is suspect.  It is REALLY hard to imagine the Chefs (that was on purpose) losing to anyone except MAYBE the Raiders, who have to travel to pissburgh and play SF at home before the final week and are likely to be eliminated.  Which sucks, because the folks battling injuries will likely just shut it down for the season.  

Even if Cincy wins out, there is a really good chance that KC gets the one seed.  Their schedule is just such a joke.  Even if the Bengals win out, assuming the Chefs do as well, they will still have to play in Round 1, most likely against the Miami Dolphins (just took their schedule and gave them a win final week against the Jets).  Miami will be a tough out.  There is also a chance if the Rats keep falling that they could be the seven seed and come to Cincinnati, which I would like much more than Miami.

Here is the NFL Playoff machine, if you care to plug in different scenarios.  It is pretty fun.  

http://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs/machine

Nice thread bro. Sure love the fight in our team, expecting us to win out. I don't know about the Chiefs, they almost lost to the 
Texans yesterday, they could easily lose one of those games. Teams like to play spoiler, we just saw the Raiders help us out in 
beating the Patriots.

(12-19-2022, 05:51 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Nice thread bro. Sure love the fight in our team, expecting us to win out. I don't know about the Chiefs, they almost lost to the 
Texans yesterday, they could easily lose one of those games. Teams like to play spoiler, we just saw the Raiders help us out in 
beating the Patriots.

They also almost lost to the Broncos, but the point is they will probably learn to stop letting teams hang around.  The Broncos game and the Texans game came SO CLOSE to being losses.  I just wonder if Seattle has it in them....I am sure hoping they do.  

(12-19-2022, 12:48 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: If the Seahawks pull out a win against KC and the Bengals win out, the one seed is theirs and I would be doing backflips.

Not only do they get the bye, but they also get the lowest seed from round 1, which would likely be the Rats, Fins, Chargers, or Titans.  So then the Bills and KC would play each other.  Bengals win that week and host the winner of Buffalo vs. KC.  That would be HUGE.  SO, in other words, GO SEAHAWKS!!!

We need that "seahawkscheat" guy to come in and refute your last remark, but it looks like he hasn't logged in for a couple of years.

After the 0-2 start 8-9 was stating to look like a big ask, but here we are with an outside chance to get the number one seed.  Signs and wonders, indeed.

I don't like Saturday's game.  Call it Bill Belichick Derangement Syndrome if you like, but that game worries me more than Buffalo or the Ratbirds.  Maybe it's me reaching for the security blanket of homefield advantage.  Regardless, if we get past Boogeyman Bill I believe we will win out and claim the number two seed, and that aint too shabby. 

(12-19-2022, 01:22 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Still hoping for a Brandon Allen game in week 17 :)

I'm hoping for a "Brandon Allen is released" article.

(12-19-2022, 07:59 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: We need that "seahawkscheat" guy to come in and refute your last remark, but it looks like he hasn't logged in for a couple of years.

After the 0-2 start 8-9 was stating to look like a big ask, but here we are with an outside chance to get the number one seed.  Signs and wonders, indeed.

I don't like Saturday's game.  Call it Bill Belichick Derangement Syndrome if you like, but that game worries me more than Buffalo or the Ratbirds.  Maybe it's me reaching for the security blanket of homefield advantage.  Regardless, if we get past Boogeyman Bill I believe we will win out and claim the number two seed, and that aint too shabby. 

I sure don't like the injuries piling up, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but I think a lot of our nerves on games like this is just the PTSD from the teams of Bengals past.  I'm not going to get in to a Marv/Zac debate, but this team just seems different and I think the graphic shown during the game said something to the effect of "Joe Burrow is 9-1 in the last two Dec/Jan time periods".  The only loss being the Super Bowl.  Heck, he might have been 10-0 since the Super Bowl might have been in Feb? 

Regardless, this is his time of the year, and he has the best line he has had in front of him as a pro.  I have full faith that he and the team will keep the run alive.  That #1 seed will likely need some help, but wow...that would be HUGE.  

(12-19-2022, 07:59 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: We need that "seahawkscheat" guy to come in and refute your last remark, but it looks like he hasn't logged in for a couple of years.

After the 0-2 start 8-9 was stating to look like a big ask, but here we are with an outside chance to get the number one seed.  Signs and wonders, indeed.

I don't like Saturday's game.  Call it Bill Belichick Derangement Syndrome if you like, but that game worries me more than Buffalo or the Ratbirds.  Maybe it's me reaching for the security blanket of homefield advantage.  Regardless, if we get past Boogeyman Bill I believe we will win out and claim the number two seed, and that aint too shabby. 

Speaking of cheating, did anyone hear the radio broadcast from Paul Allen during the Vikings game? They played the clip on Sirius while I was driving back from Richmond, Va yesterday and I about wrecked the car I was laughing so hard.  Evidently at the end of the game after Jefferson made a catch, a Colts player was laying on him and wouldn't let him up (I believe a flag was thrown for it) This guy is going off in the booth on the radio yelling "He won't let Jefferson up......keep cheating you bunch of cheaters!!!" I mean, tell us how you really feel.....

(12-19-2022, 04:59 PM)Nepa Wrote: Think back to the discussion when the Bengals were 0-2 and 2-3 and 4-4.  It was the Bengals can't figure out the Cover-2 defense and the offensive line is no better than last year. The Bengals figure out the 2nd half of seasons the way they make half-time adjustments.

You mean back when the season was over and this was a 6 win max team?

(12-19-2022, 08:09 PM)M.W. Wrote: I'm hoping for a "Brandon Allen is released" article.

Never.

I don't know why everyone hates on the guy so much: he isn't the best backup in the league by a longshot, but he's far from the worst either. He's middle of the pack, knows the offense intrinsically and athletically, can do everything Burrow does.

He just doesn't have the brain that Burrow does, which is his detriment... but it's not enough of a detriment to hurt the team.

And I fully acknowledge it was one game, but I don't see any backup in the league putting up these numbers in a game, especially with Drew Sample as your TE1:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202012270htx.htm

If he does get released, I wouldn't lose sleep at all, but to act like he's this black hole surrounding the team is, of course, hyperbolic.

(12-19-2022, 01:22 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Still hoping for a Brandon Allen game in week 17 :)

Yep

There's 3 games left in the season which doesn't seem like a lot but there's so much that can happen in those games. Hell the Lions and Jags might make playoffs. The Chiefs could lose two. The Ravens have been playing bad, bad, bad even with LJ. 

It would be great and it's not that big a stretch for that game to be meaningless. 

(12-19-2022, 02:53 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Texans took the Chiefs to overtime so nothing is off the table.

And we needed a 2nd half of 4 turnovers to beat a bad TB team, but in the end your record speaks for each team, KC Bill's and Bengals have found a way to win games and separate them from rest of AFC. I feel we end up 2-1 in last 3, KC goes 3-0 and Bill's go 2-1 so we stay 3 seed and host Chargers or Miami.

All I want is for the Bengals to win their last game of the season!

#1 seed.
You want to rest the starters? Wildcard weekend will get you that as the #1 seed.
You want more home games? #1 seed will get you that.

(12-19-2022, 07:28 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: They also almost lost to the Broncos, but the point is they will probably learn to stop letting teams hang around.  The Broncos game and the Texans game came SO CLOSE to being losses.  I just wonder if Seattle has it in them....I am sure hoping they do.  

The Squawks can run it all over teams at times, seems like the exact way to beat Mahomes and the Chiefs as their Defense isn't
great at stopping the run and it keeps Mahomes off the field and shortens the game. Geno Smith is also playing well, I could see
them going into KC and snagging a win, won't be easy but it is possible with the way the Chiefs are letting bad teams hang around.

The Squawks aren't a bad team unlike the Broncos and Texans who are 2 of the worst in the league.

While I still have hopes of this team making it back to the Super Bowl, I think people need to temper their expectations or else there are going to be major meltdowns. Remember, we are now going into games with Eli Apple as the #1 corner, two rookies and a practice squad guy making up the others. While CTB has the most experience next to Apple, he is now hurt as well, and while he, Hill and George are talented defenders, they are going to be facing some of the best QB's in the league, all without the pass rush of Hendrickson and Hubbard. While we can all hope for the best, the reality is we are very short on defenders and Lou can only gameplan so much.

I know I've been skeptical of this team, especially leading up to the Titans game, but they have really shown improvement over the course of the season.
The OL specifically needs called out for how much they've started gelling.

(12-20-2022, 02:30 PM)Sled21 Wrote: While I still have hopes of this team making it back to the Super Bowl, I think people need to temper their expectations or else there are going to be major meltdowns. Remember, we are now going into games with Eli Apple as the #1 corner, two rookies and a practice squad guy making up the others. While CTB has the most experience next to Apple, he is now hurt as well, and while he, Hill and George are talented defenders, they are going to be facing some of the best QB's in the league, all without the pass rush of Hendrickson and Hubbard. While we can all hope for the best, the reality is we are very short on defenders and Lou can only gameplan so much.

Need the backups to play well no question for us to win against the likes of Josh Allen and Lamar. Losing Sam hurts big time and like 
you said CTB is banged up now who was playing really well. I do like Sample, Gunter and Allen George but it might be unrealistic to 
think they can fill the shoes of these guys. 

Will need the Offense to score a lot of points to beat the Bills and the Ravens. I think we can beat the Patriots this Saturday though 
with what we got. We will see, but yes we need to temper our expectations a bit. We could lose with these player's hurt, we are 
getting really thin at End and Corner.

(12-20-2022, 02:31 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I know I've been skeptical of this team, especially leading up to the Titans game, but they have really shown improvement over the course of the season.
The OL specifically needs called out for how much they've started gelling.

Yes sir, you have been down on Volson specifically Ocho, but he is only a rookie and is playing very well considering.

(12-20-2022, 02:57 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Need the backups to play well no question for us to win against the likes of Josh Allen and Lamar. Losing Sam hurts big time and like 
you said CTB is banged up now who was playing really well. I do like Sample, Gunter and Allen George but it might be unrealistic to 
think they can fill the shoes of these guys. 

Will need the Offense to score a lot of points to beat the Bills and the Ravens. I think we can beat the Patriots this Saturday though 
with what we got. We will see, but yes we need to temper our expectations a bit. We could lose with these player's hurt, we are 
getting really thin at End and Corner.


Yes sir, you have been down on Volson specifically Ocho, but he is only a rookie and is playing very well considering.

Yes. I have been tough on Volson and was worried about him struggling early in the season because the 2nd half of the season was going to be (much) harder.
I thought we needed someone who could hit the ground running at LG rather than give someone time to develop and grow directly as the starter when we're in the contender window.
Volson showed early on that he struggled at times, but luckily the Bengals only lost maybe 1-2 games in the first half of the season that I felt they should have won, and they've done really well this second half to compensate for those early-season losses. I honestly thought they'd have had two losses out of the last six games.

(12-19-2022, 12:51 PM)Science Friction Wrote: I think most posters on the board will agree with me that the Ravens aren't coming into Ciincinnati in Week 18  and with the division still in play and coming out with a win or tie. It just ain't happening. And that's PROBABLY what they would have to do in order to take the division from us. So, I suspect we  will be, at worst, a 3 seed. If we win next week at NE, I think we win out and finish 13-4, with probably the #2 seed, unless the Raiders help us out in Week 18 to give us home field throughout.

Don't count out the Raider, historically they've given the Chiefs fits.

(12-20-2022, 09:47 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Speaking of cheating, did anyone hear the radio broadcast from Paul Allen during the Vikings game? They played the clip on Sirius while I was driving back from Richmond, Va yesterday and I about wrecked the car I was laughing so hard.  Evidently at the end of the game after Jefferson made a catch, a Colts player was laying on him and wouldn't let him up (I believe a flag was thrown for it) This guy is going off in the booth on the radio yelling "He won't let Jefferson up......keep cheating you bunch of cheaters!!!" I mean, tell us how you really feel.....

Paul Allen is a hoot. You should youtube him sometime if you want some pure entertainment.