If the bengals make the playoffs without burrow, it means a few things.

1) Zac evolved as a play caller with a more balanced approach.
2) the team(coaches, players, etc) never gave up post burrow injury.
3) it should shut up the Zac Taylor haters. “Zac will be exposed without burrow”. Taylor isn’t perfect as a play caller, but he is a damn good head coach.

This sounds like a cop out, but I don’t feel comfortable with postseason talks until after the next two weeks. In addition to the bengals winning, many of the teams in the playoffs/hunt play one another… lots of shakeup coming. I’m in the school of thought that if they win their next two, they are more likely than not to control their own destiny… but it requires them finishing 2-1, and their loss must not be against Steelers or browns. If they go 2-1 and beat the chiefs, lose to aFCn rival… they can still get in more often than not, but it gets trickier. Essentially, colts, Steelers and browns are must wins due to them Being current AFC WC owners, and bengals can’t lose more than 1 to have more than a 15% chance of making playoffs.

(12-07-2023, 02:12 AM)puddycat Wrote: I will consider it a success if the Bengals finish the season with a balanced offensive attack and a good idea of what we have in young and second string players.  If we get to the playoffs and then throw the ball 40 times and completely abandon the running game, or our defense reverts into missed assignments, failing to account for opposing TEs, and hitting the QB out of bounds I'm not going to be happy.

This.  I consider it a success if Zac Taylor actually learns something from not having Joe Burrow and then adapts to that full time when JB is back next year.

If the Bengals come back from 5-6 to qualify for the playoffs, that means that they will have ruined at least one other team's hopes of making the playoffs, so yes a success.

(12-06-2023, 10:41 PM)Nepa Wrote: Absolutely a success to make the playoffs after 1 and 3, and 3 and 5, and 5 and 6 start to the season. And with the 2nd hardest schedule in the league upcoming at the time the Bengals were 5 and 6. 

It would be very impressive. And say a lot about the character of the team. It would be really easy to love a team that went out against the obstacles and brought success. Not exactly Mission Impossible odds, but this team was considered out of it right after Burrow went out. 

I personally would be extremely elated for the team to overcome such obstacles and make the playoffs. And I think they would win a lot of fans by the grit of this team and being truly underdogs.

Also, its's my belief that getting into the playoffs, even if not winning a playoff game, would be a great foundation for next year. The team, the fans -- would be tremendously inspired for next year, rather than the mentality of "we folded like a cheap suit when Burrow went out," and "we have no hope without him." Other teams have found success, even Super Bowls, when they lost star players, including star QBs.

I wasn't a NY Giants fan when they decided to go all out to beat the Patriots in a meaningless last game of the season. And they lost. But that propelled them to a Super Bowl and they won a lot of fans in the process of deciding not to just rest their players, but try to beat the unbeaten Patriots. And when they faced them in the Super Bowl, they did just that. I'm still inspired by the character of that team.  

And maybe with the Bengals success  of getting to the playoffs, the front office will go out and sign more free agents for positions the Bengals need, rather than say let's depend on the draft, when so many draft picks end up being disappointments.

But, it's still great odds against the Bengals. ESPN doesn't even list them among contenders for a playoff position. 

ESPN is a joke anyway.....jus sayin....


Otherwise, I agree 100%.

(12-07-2023, 01:56 AM)bfine32 Wrote: It depends:

If you don't like Zac then no

If you like the Bengals then yes

That's pretty much the nuts and bolts of it, whether people will admit that or not.

(12-07-2023, 10:12 AM)Daddy-O Wrote: This.  I consider it a success if Zac Taylor actually learns something from not having Joe Burrow and then adapts to that full time when JB is back next year.

That and hoping Joe is learning that the R in RPO means he can hand the ball off on those plays. Browning mixed them up beautifully. Burrow? Not so much.

In the last two years and for the duration of the Burrow era, I will consider anything less than a Super Bowl victory a failure.

Having said that, if they make the playoffs with the adversity factor this year has wrought, I would consider it to be a success.

If Browning can play like he did against the Jags we could win a playoff game.

Everyone pretty much said my thoughts so instead of repeating things, I'm just going to say, Yes, it would mean the season is a success.

(12-06-2023, 08:56 PM)Tomkat Wrote: Would you still consider this season a "success," based on Burrow's injury, etc?

Sure, would show this team has some great fight to them. Of course I would rather win a game, but thank God we already have
5 Playoff wins lately to make me feel much better. I would of never thought we would of made the Playoffs with Burrow hurt and 
Browning starting, but it is possible after Monday's game.

What is awesome is that was a Primetime game under the big lights. Browning shown the big games are not too big for him.

Browning and ZT have set the expectation that we keep winning, so I expect success now.  If we don't make the playoffs I'll be disappointed, because a number of teams with injured starting QBs are going to make it.  It's the year of the backup QB, so get it done, no excuses.  We make the playoffs now or the season is a failure and our not starting Browning at the beginning of the season is a strike against us. Browning seems good, so sitting on him to play a banged up Burrow looks bad.

And I like Burrow, but I'm up for Browning going all the way which is really going to crank up the narrative that we shouldn't have paid him, but that'll be a bridge to cross when we get there.

(12-07-2023, 03:51 PM)Nately120 Wrote: And I like Burrow, but I'm up for Browning going all the way which is really going to crank up the narrative that we shouldn't have paid him, but that'll be a bridge to cross when we get there.

That would be what they call 'a nice problem to have.'  What do we do about the backup QB that just won us a SB?  If only....

(12-07-2023, 04:40 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: That would be what they call 'a nice problem to have.'  What do we do about the backup QB that just won us a SB?  If only....

Nick Foles doesn’t have a job in the NFL. That said, someone would pay a premium for browning.

I'd say so. It certainly is impressive for any team to be down their QB1 for the majority of the year and still make the postseason. It also shows growth in the culture of the Bengals. I personally felt that the Bengals teams under Marvin had no chin dealing with adversity and let things snowball out of control. Getting to the postseason without Joe shows good resilience.

Would it be more beneficial to secure a high draft pick that is more likely to contribute right off the bat next year? Perhaps. But I'll never root for the Bengals to lose. And if it means getting to see another Bengals game during the season it's a win.

(12-07-2023, 10:12 AM)Daddy-O Wrote: This.  I consider it a success if Zac Taylor actually learns something from not having Joe Burrow and then adapts to that full time when JB is back next year.

Looking to be the reverse in that.

(12-07-2023, 10:11 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: If the bengals make the playoffs without burrow, it means a few things.

1) Zac evolved as a play caller with a more balanced approach.
2) the team(coaches, players, etc) never gave up post burrow injury.
3) it should shut up the Zac Taylor haters. “Zac will be exposed without burrow”.  Taylor isn’t perfect as a play caller,  but he is a damn good head coach.  

This sounds like a cop out, but I don’t feel comfortable with postseason talks until after the next two weeks.  In addition to the bengals winning, many of the teams in the playoffs/hunt play one another… lots of shakeup coming.  I’m in the school of thought that if they win their next two, they are more likely than not to control their own destiny… but it requires them finishing 2-1, and their loss must not be against Steelers or browns.  If they go 2-1 and beat the chiefs, lose to aFCn rival… they can still get in more often than not, but it gets trickier.  Essentially, colts, Steelers and browns are must wins due to them Being current AFC WC owners, and bengals can’t lose more than 1 to have more than a 15% chance of making playoffs.

I don't think Zac needs to evolve as a play caller using a more balanced offense, or "learn" anything. He has shown he can call brilliant games. I think it all comes down to the double edge sword of having an elite generational QB. When things are going great and the QB is lighting things up, that's great. But, when things aren't going so good, and the run game is not working, it is a natural thing to want to put the ball in your best players hands. That's Burrow and Chase. So, if anything, maybe he just needs to learn not to fall into that trap. 

(12-07-2023, 04:43 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: Nick Giles doesn’t have a job in the NFL.  That said, someone would pay a premium for browning.

Who's Nick Giles?   

(12-07-2023, 11:33 PM)Tomkat Wrote: Who's Nick Giles?   

Nick foles… autocorrect. Thank you for pointing that out.

Browning's gonna win us the super bowl, become a free agent and probably sign with pissburgh! 

(12-07-2023, 04:43 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: Nick Foles doesn’t have a job in the NFL.  That said, someone would pay a premium for browning.

Well is Browning under contract for next year, he plays well rest of year , need to keep with especially with Burrows injury and history