We are now underdogs again, rejoice! All of the books listed on covers.com have us as a 1pt dog. I'm being a little facetious about it being good news, but I do think the team prefers to go in there with that chip on their shoulder.

https://www.covers.com/sport/football/nfl/odds

Mahomes doesn’t need to fake an injury to give bengals belief they can win on Sunday. I’d rather beat them with Mahomes under center and healthy anyway.

All this means is that a flood of bets came in on KC when they became home dogs.

It's going to be a close game. Bets will come in for both teams, but as good as KC is, I'm sure a lot of people took them as home underdogs.

(01-26-2023, 03:31 PM)Gdale_Bengal Wrote: Mahomes doesn’t need to fake an injury to give bengals belief they can win on Sunday. I’d rather beat them with Mahomes under center and healthy anyway.

Yep. Bengals don't need any added motivation to believe they can win or need this stuff to get fired up. Look, I understand the plight they have to beat a team 4x in multiple years let alone in a 13 month period but, imo, with pressure on both teams because of the reward, most of the pressure is on KC.

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-championship-sunday-2022-season

I view this the same as the team being on the road vs being at home. They're on a mission (from God) this year. They don't need to play on the road to take the next step, they don't need to be the dogs. They've got the chip firmly in place from the doubt they've received since the start of the season and the disrespect from the league over the past few weeks. I think they would have come out with the same fire this weekend if they were at home and favored by a large margin. They don't seem to be lacking in motivation at all at the moment.

It's funny because I remember (as do most of us) the teams of old that would come out flat in the big games. The primetime games, the playoffs. Always either wound too tightly and making mistakes or just need seeming to be up for the game. I haven't seen that in the games that count under Zac. I think we as fans are worried the old team will sneak back out and these guys need some extra boost of motivation, but I just don't think it's true. Doesn't mean they'll win this week - it's still a hell of a matchup - but I really don't think at this point they need motivation beyond what they've already got and their team-first and stick-it-to-the-league drive.

(01-26-2023, 03:29 PM)GAWhoDey Wrote: We are now underdogs again, rejoice! All of the books listed on covers.com have us as a 1pt dog.  I'm being a little facetious about it being good news, but I do think the team prefers to go in there with that chip on their shoulder.  

https://www.covers.com/sport/football/nfl/odds

It's all about where the money is going in Vegas.....little to nothing more.  And the players don't care one way or another.

I can almost guarantee you that injured or otherwise, the Bengals game plan for Mahomes will be the same.  

Keep him contained....make him beat you in the pocket.  Squeeze him if he holds it too long.

(01-26-2023, 03:51 PM)Stewy Wrote: It's all about where the money is going in Vegas.....little to nothing more.  And the players don't care one way or another.

I can almost guarantee you that injured or otherwise, the Bengals game plan for Mahomes will be the same.  

Keep him contained....make him beat you in the pocket.  Squeeze him if he holds it too long.

Yeah, I get how point spreads work. Big sharp money and the public were all over the Bengals after Mahomes' injury and our domination of the Bills, and now that Mahomes' injury at least appears to not be as serious as thought, a lot of money is coming in on the Chiefs.  

Like I said, it was a little tongue in cheek.  Mahomes will light us up if we take him lightly, but there's zero chance of that happening.  

Back to being disrespected. Time to fire up the rally!

Nick Wright (hate this guy) was just complaining about the Bengals being favored. First and foremost, I want to go back to the Super Bowl and win the damn thing, but if that results in Nick Wright curling up in the fetal position and crying, I won't complain.

(01-26-2023, 03:47 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I view this the same as the team being on the road vs being at home. They're on a mission (from God) this year. They don't need to play on the road to take the next step, they don't need to be the dogs. They've got the chip firmly in place from the doubt they've received since the start of the season and the disrespect from the league over the past few weeks. I think they would have come out with the same fire this weekend if they were at home and favored by a large margin. They don't seem to be lacking in motivation at all at the moment.

It's funny because I remember (as do most of us) the teams of old that would come out flat in the big games. The primetime games, the playoffs. Always either wound too tightly and making mistakes or just need seeming to be up for the game. I haven't seen that in the games that count under Zac. I think we as fans are worried the old team will sneak back out and these guys need some extra boost of motivation, but I just don't think it's true. Doesn't mean they'll win this week - it's still a hell of a matchup - but I really don't think at this point they need motivation beyond what they've already got and their team-first and stick-it-to-the-league drive.

(01-26-2023, 04:24 PM)pdub2005 Wrote: Nick Wright (hate this guy) was just complaining about the Bengals being favored. First and foremost, I want to go back to the Super Bowl and win the damn thing, but if that results in Nick Wright curling up in the fetal position and crying, I won't complain.

Nick Wright, Shannon Sharpe, Skip Bayless, Stephen A Smith, etc.

These dudes are all paid actors. Not sports analysts. The average sports fan in 2023 isn't very bright or looking for in depth analysis. They just want to argue or see people argue about LeBron every day. Or a dysfunctional team like the Cowboys or Knicks.

The formula for these shows is simple.

Step 1: See what LeBron ate for dinner and compare it to Michael Jordan in some way.
Step 2: Have Nick/Shannon/SAS take an extreme stance on the subject.
Step 3: Have the other analysts take the opposite stance or sit there and roll their eyes.

Rinse, repeat for as long as the ratings pour in.

We've had similar characters on our boards and they always get a ton of attention. People love drama more than real analysis.

(01-26-2023, 03:47 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I view this the same as the team being on the road vs being at home.  They're on a mission (from God) this year.  They don't need to play on the road to take the next step, they don't need to be the dogs.  They've got the chip firmly in place from the doubt they've received since the start of the season and the disrespect from the league over the past few weeks.  I think they would have come out with the same fire this weekend if they were at home and favored by a large margin.  They don't seem to be lacking in motivation at all at the moment.  

It's funny because I remember (as do most of us) the teams of old that would come out flat in the big games.  The primetime games, the playoffs.  Always either wound too tightly and making mistakes or just need seeming to be up for the game.  I haven't seen that in the games that count under Zac.  I think we as fans are worried the old team will sneak back out and these guys need some extra boost of motivation, but I just don't think it's true.  Doesn't mean they'll win this week - it's still a hell of a matchup - but I really don't think at this point they need motivation beyond what they've already got and their team-first and stick-it-to-the-league drive.

Yep 

(01-26-2023, 07:31 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Nick Wright, Shannon Sharpe, Skip Bayless, Stephen A Smith, etc.

These dudes are all paid actors. Not sports analysts. The average sports fan in 2023 isn't very bright or looking for in depth analysis. They just want to argue or see people argue about LeBron every day. Or a dysfunctional team like the Cowboys or Knicks.

The formula for these shows is simple.

Step 1: See what LeBron ate for dinner and compare it to Michael Jordan in some way.
Step 2: Have Nick/Shannon/SAS take an extreme stance on the subject.
Step 3: Have the other analysts take the opposite stance or sit there and roll their eyes.

Rinse, repeat for as long as the ratings pour in.

We've had similar characters on our boards and they always get a ton of attention. People love drama more than real analysis.

Yup, Shock Jocks

Favored or underdog. Home or away. It doesn't matter. Whoever is gonna win is gonna win.

It's good news. Away teams that are favored are three and eight in the championship games from what I recall. I don't really believe in numbers, not with number nine is your quarterback but I'm delighted that the Bengals are dogs again.

Bengals are used to being the underdogs anyway. Ultimately as a whole I think the fans and players don't really care. 

I don't think the public's perception of the Bengals will change much until we win a Superbowl.

(01-26-2023, 07:31 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Nick Wright, Shannon Sharpe, Skip Bayless, Stephen A Smith, etc.

These dudes are all paid actors. Not sports analysts. The average sports fan in 2023 isn't very bright or looking for in depth analysis. They just want to argue or see people argue about LeBron every day. Or a dysfunctional team like the Cowboys or Knicks.

The formula for these shows is simple.

Step 1: See what LeBron ate for dinner and compare it to Michael Jordan in some way.
Step 2: Have Nick/Shannon/SAS take an extreme stance on the subject.
Step 3: Have the other analysts take the opposite stance or sit there and roll their eyes.

Rinse, repeat for as long as the ratings pour in.

We've had similar characters on our boards and they always get a ton of attention. People love drama more than real analysis.

Thats well put. I can't watch more than a few minutes of any of the people in that list. Hot take artists are just the worst.

(01-26-2023, 08:21 PM)Interceptor Wrote: Favored or underdog. Home or away. It doesn't matter. Whoever is gonna win is gonna win.

Usually its the team with Shiesty...

They maybe favourites again but for a team who have been to the 5 last afc championship games 1.5 points is hardly a huge vote of confidence by the odds makers that they are super kind of super duper team.

Even if they knew Mahomes was 100% I doubt the spread would be more than 3.5 everyone knows the Bengals are dangerous and we appear to be their kryptonite.

Good money to be made this weekend of alternative spreads.