I know there are some pretty big things at play right now, but for the half a quarter of football that was played, that stadium was absolutely LIVE.

The pregame light show and intros were unbelievable. It was LOUD as hell and the place was maybe more electric than I have ever seen it. It helps that the Bengals were absolutely ROLLING as well.

Like I said, bigger things at play here but I just wanted to give some props to all the people that put on last night.

Not to mention they came out dealing

That first drive and start of second drive were so sharp

It kind of surprised me when they won the toss and elected to receive instead of the usual defer. Coming out and scoring that first TD was huge. Buffalo could only answer with a Field Goal, and the Bengals were moving down the field again with Higgins wide open on that play. Hayden Hurst was playing like a man possessed and glad to be back out there. It was setting up to be such a good game.

(01-03-2023, 11:24 AM)Big_Ern Wrote: Not to mention they came out dealing

That first drive and start of second drive were so sharp

There is absolutely no way the Bengals were going to lose last night. Burrow could have really cemented himself into the MVP convo. That's another layer to this that just sucks so bad. 

(01-03-2023, 11:27 AM)Sled21 Wrote: It kind of surprised me when they won the toss and elected to receive instead of the usual defer. Coming out and scoring that first TD was huge. Buffalo could only answer with a Field Goal, and the Bengals were moving down the field again with Higgins wide open on that play. Hayden Hurst was playing like a man possessed and glad to be back out there. It was setting up to be such a good game.

I feel like they've been doing that since the early season woes. If I recall, they decided they wanted to start starting faster and get the opponents behind the 8 ball.

(01-03-2023, 11:27 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: There is absolutely no way the Bengals were going to lose last night. Burrow could have really cemented himself into the MVP convo. That's another layer to this that just sucks so bad. 

Completely agree. 

(01-03-2023, 11:29 AM)BigPapaKain Wrote: I feel like they've been doing that since the early season woes. If I recall, they decided they wanted to start starting faster and get the opponents behind the 8 ball.

This.

As to the OP, you could tell on TV the place was rocking. I also noticed a lot of fans kinda consoling Bills fans....and I saw them giving the Bills a standing ovation as they went to the locker room. 

(01-03-2023, 11:29 AM)BigPapaKain Wrote: I feel like they've been doing that since the early season woes. If I recall, they decided they wanted to start starting faster and get the opponents behind the 8 ball.

Yep. 

A little betting nugget - always bet on a Bengals player to score the first TD of the game. They are pretty much guaranteed to get the ball first. 

(01-03-2023, 11:31 AM)Wyche Wrote: This.

As to the OP, you could tell on TV the place was rocking. I also noticed a lot of fans kinda consoling Bills fans....and I saw them giving the Bills a standing ovation as they went to the locker room. 

Everyone that I ran into leaving the stadium and during the incident was first class. No issues at all. Bills fans were great too. Really cool thing we have going on between our two teams. 

The fans in the stands represented Cincinnati well before, during and especially after an incident that simply was gut wrenching.

I was so proud of the respect they showed and I loved seeing a guy holding up a man made sign:

Pray for #3 Hamlin.

Very classy Cincy fans.

I hope this young man fully recovers and can lead a normal life.

Prayers for him and his family.

(01-03-2023, 11:31 AM)Wyche Wrote: This.

As to the OP, you could tell on TV the place was rocking. I also noticed a lot of fans kinda consoling Bills fans....and I saw them giving the Bills a standing ovation as they went to the locker room. 

I said as much to my wife watching it on TV. Told her the last time I heard that place rocking that loud was after the INT in the playoffs last year.

(01-03-2023, 11:34 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Everyone that I ran into leaving the stadium and during the incident was first class. No issues at all. Bills fans were great too. Really cool thing we have going on between our two teams. 

This has been going on since Dalton to Boyd and the trading of players between the teams, and is even now cemented by the fact Burrow and Allen are buddies. 

(01-03-2023, 11:35 AM)BigPapaKain Wrote: I said as much to my wife watching it on TV. Told her the last time I heard that place rocking that loud was after the INT in the playoffs last year.

Absolutely. They were saying it may have been the biggest crowd in the stadium's history.... again. Last night's heartache notwithstanding, it's great to see so much excitement and energy from our fans and the team. We've got something special brewing going forward.

I definitely heard and felt the atmosphere through the TV. If our defense had forced a punt on their first drive, it may have hit record levels in there. Loved how prepared they showed up. Definitely don’t have to worry about this team laying an egg in prime time (as long as we aren’t playing Cleveland) like we used to.

It made for an incredibly stark contrast in emotions over about 10 seconds there where everyone was celebrating another great play to realizing something was terribly wrong. You could see the medical staff yelling for the ambulance almost as soon as they got to him.

(01-03-2023, 11:38 AM)Sled21 Wrote: This has been going on since Dalton to Boyd and the trading of players between the teams, and is even now cemented by the fact Burrow and Allen are buddies. 

Funny story - 

Was tailgating last night and a couple Bills fans came up to our group. They asked if they could pay $60 and jump off my truck bed onto my Bengals fold up table. I let them. I got a great video of it. 

(01-03-2023, 11:27 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: There is absolutely no way the Bengals were going to lose last night. Burrow could have really cemented himself into the MVP convo. That's another layer to this that just sucks so bad. 

I totally understand.  I'm fighting with myself because one side of me feels so incredibly disappointed.  The Bengals looked like world beaters, the Jungle was insane, the players were on fire and I believe set to make a big statement.  I have waited my entire adult life to see this and watching it with my 14 year old son made it so much more awesome.  It really sucks ass.

On the other side I think I shouldn't care about all that because of what happened to Hamlin.

The internal struggle is real.  Ugh.

(01-03-2023, 11:19 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I know there are some pretty big things at play right now, but for the half a quarter of football that was played, that stadium was absolutely LIVE.

The pregame light show and intros were unbelievable. It was LOUD as hell and the place was maybe more electric than I have ever seen it. It helps that the Bengals were absolutely ROLLING as well.

Like I said, bigger things at play here but I just wanted to give some props to all the people that put on last night.

I honestly think we were about to roll all over that team. Just felt it, the way we looked being aggresive in offense. Tee, Boyd, Hurst & Chase we’re lookin good. Just absolutely horrible what took place. Prayers are with the player and family.

(01-03-2023, 11:40 AM)Mickeypoo Wrote: I totally understand.  I'm fighting with myself because one side of me feels so incredibly disappointed.  The Bengals looked like world beaters, the Jungle was insane, the players were on fire and I believe set to make a big statement.  I have waited my entire adult life to see this and watching it with my 14 year old son made it so much more awesome.  It really sucks ass.

On the other side I think I shouldn't care about all that because of what happened to Hamlin.

The internal struggle is real.  Ugh.

Feel the exact same way. 

There will be plenty of more opportunities to "prove it", though. That's what I keep telling myself. These players aren't going anywhere. 

(01-03-2023, 11:41 AM)TKUHL Wrote: I honestly think we were about to roll all over that team. 

Agree.  Joe was 4/4 with a 158 qb rating when the game got stopped.  

(01-03-2023, 11:24 AM)Big_Ern Wrote: Not to mention they came out dealing

That first drive and start of second drive were so sharp

This. Bengals were on a mission. Just felt like no one was going to stop the Bengals last night even if I’m just basing that on a drive and a half.