The NFL has their preferred narratives and while games might not be outright rigged, if you don't think they at least try to influence games then you're naive. Remember, the year Jerome Bettis announced his retirement, the Steelers won the SB as the 6 seed.

The Bengals have suddenly become the "bad guys" again for no reason, after last season's "Cinderella Story."
and this year the "feel good narrative" will be a SB win for Buffalo for Hamlin.

Mark it down.

As I've said, this BS is going to help the Bengals because we are going to beat them and win the SB and since we handled all this so well people aren't going to hate us for spoiling their dream narrative.

The NFL is accidentally putting the Bengals in the only situation where they can crush Buffalos hopes and not coming off looking like total d-bags.

(01-11-2023, 10:52 AM)Tomkat Wrote: The NFL has their preferred narratives and while games might not be outright rigged, if you don't think they at least try to influence games then you're naive.  Remember, the year Jerome Bettis announced his retirement, the Steelers won the SB as the 6 seed.

The Bengals have suddenly become the "bad guys" again for no reason, after last season's "Cinderella Story."
and this year the "feel good narrative" will be a SB win for Buffalo for Hamlin.

Mark it down.

Would you have been shocked if Buffalo won the superbowl prior to the Monday night game? 

Bengals aren't the bad guys.

A good portion of the media acknowledges they got screwed, no one hates them outside the people/teams that already did.

If/when they go to buffalo I'm beating the NFL will play up the love these franchises share and the bills fans give them a standing O when they take the field.

After that it's game fin on and the best team that day will win.

(01-11-2023, 11:05 AM)motoarch Wrote: Bengals aren't the bad guys.

A good portion of the media acknowledges they got screwed, no one hates them outside the people/teams that already did.

If/when they go to buffalo I'm beating the NFL will play up the love these franchises share and the bills fans give them a standing O when they take the field.

After that it's game fin on and the best team that day will win.

I hope you're right.  I just have this sinking feeling that one or two egregiously bad calls are going to go against the Bengals... whatever it takes to keep them from winning.

(01-11-2023, 11:06 AM)Tomkat Wrote: I hope you're right.  I just have this sinking feeling that one or two egregiously bad calls are going to go against the Bengals... whatever it takes to keep them from winning.

Let's find some middle ground between our points of view and agree that it's rigged against the Bengals but they're still going to win.  Deal?

**** dat...

(01-11-2023, 11:13 AM)Nately120 Wrote: Let's find some middle ground between our points of view and agree that it's rigged against the Bengals but they're still going to win.  Deal?

If you could find a way to get rid of the "sinking feeling" I have, that would be great!

(01-11-2023, 11:19 AM)Tomkat Wrote: If you could find a way to get rid of the "sinking feeling" I have, that would be great!

(01-11-2023, 11:19 AM)Tomkat Wrote: If you could find a way to get rid of the "sinking feeling" I have, that would be great!

The "sinking feeling" you have is your decades-long Bengals Fans PTSD kicking in.  It's not indicative of some nefarious NFL plot against the Bengals that you sensed, just a deep-seated fear that any moment the 'old Bengals' will appear to dash your hopes and kill your dreams.  They are persistent buggers: witness the 2011-2015 playoff years.  

The only known cure is playoff wins, and lots of 'em 

(01-11-2023, 11:05 AM)motoarch Wrote: Bengals aren't the bad guys.

A good portion of the media acknowledges they got screwed, no one hates them outside the people/teams that already did.

If/when they go to buffalo I'm beating the NFL will play up the love these franchises share and the bills fans give them a standing O when they take the field.

After that it's game fin on and the best team that day will win.

I have seen some talking heads on ESPN and FS1 had no issue with the coin flip and were whining about Mixon's coin flip TD celebration.

(01-11-2023, 11:37 AM)BengalYankee Wrote: I have seen some talking heads on ESPN and FS1 had no issue with the coin flip and were whining about Mixon's coin flip TD celebration.

I think the coin flip would have sucked, but I'd have been better with it if it continued onto the Buffalo game scenario.

Seems to me that the NE Patriots made it to the Super Bowl despite Brady being suspended 4 games that season by the commissioner. I'm sure that was very awkward for the commissioner. Bengals can overcome everything thrown in their way as well.

(01-11-2023, 11:31 AM)Awful Llama Wrote: The "sinking feeling" you have is your decades-long Bengals Fans PTSD kicking in.  It's not indicative of some nefarious NFL plot against the Bengals that you sensed, just a deep-seated fear that any moment the 'old Bengals' will appear to dash your hopes and kill your dreams.  They are persistent buggers: witness the 2011-2015 playoff years.  

The only known cure is playoff wins, and lots of 'em 

I mean I agree on the PTSD, and my daughter called me on my negativity during the game - but the Bengals this year have given both reason's for the sinking feeling and reason to believe they are going to pull it all out every time.

Most interesting team ever.   Never seen a Bengals team that did enough to lose but still pulled out the win.

I love this team!

(01-11-2023, 11:54 AM)3wt Wrote: I mean I agree on the PTSD, and my daughter called me on my negativity during the game - but the Bengals this year have given both reason's for the sinking feeling and reason to believe they are going to pull it all out every time.

Most interesting team ever.   Never seen a Bengals team that did enough to lose but still pulled out the win.

I love this team!

I will say that even when we are up by 2 touchdowns, I can't relax during the game. 

(01-11-2023, 11:31 AM)Awful Llama Wrote: The "sinking feeling" you have is your decades-long Bengals Fans PTSD kicking in.  It's not indicative of some nefarious NFL plot against the Bengals that you sensed, just a deep-seated fear that any moment the 'old Bengals' will appear to dash your hopes and kill your dreams.  They are persistent buggers: witness the 2011-2015 playoff years.  

The only known cure is playoff wins, and lots of 'em 

I for sure still have some serious PTSD from that Steelers game!  

(01-11-2023, 11:04 AM)TheFan Wrote: Would you have been shocked if Buffalo won the superbowl prior to the Monday night game? 

Buffalo winning the SB would not be a shock. The Bengals getting screwed in the playoffs would also not be a shock.

If both were to happen, it doesn't mean this forms some narrative of a vendetta the NFL has against the Bengals however. 

(01-11-2023, 10:52 AM)Tomkat Wrote: The NFL has their preferred narratives and while games might not be outright rigged, if you don't think they at least try to influence games then you're naive.  Remember, the year Jerome Bettis announced his retirement, the Steelers won the SB as the 6 seed.

The Bengals have suddenly become the "bad guys" again for no reason, after last season's "Cinderella Story."
and this year the "feel good narrative" will be a SB win for Buffalo for Hamlin.

Mark it down.

No, see, this is what's going to happen: There's going to be a major controversial call against us WHEN we play the Bills. However, the BILLS aren't going to stand for it and will stage a protest and cause all kinds of problems for the league because they have our backs for having their backs with the Hamlin situation. 

Tua's not ready to go so the Bills will be advancing to the divisional round at the very least.

If you put yourself in a situation to be screwed by a call, you haven't done enough to win the game.