(12-16-2023, 09:46 PM)Whacked Wrote: I’m worried about Dionte Johnson (beast), Pickens and Freiermuth bc TE’s usually shred us.

We are the better team though but need our D to show up big.

Wouldnt hurt for someone to slow Watt down too.

Not a good time to lose READER.... without the wall, we are vunerable.

I don’t like this matchup one BLEEPing bit. Why? Unless the offensive linemen play out of their minds Jake Browning will be running for his life. You know they want to hurt him. If Zac Taylor keeps his wits about him and runs the ball more — or at least calls some play action — then the Bengals have a puncher’s chance. The defense will have to play the run aggressively AND keep the yards after catch to an absolute minimum. Pittsburgh lives on chunk plays.

(12-18-2023, 11:29 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: I don’t like this matchup one BLEEPing bit.  Why?  Unless the offensive linemen play out of their minds Jake Browning will be running for his life.  You know they want to hurt him.  If Zac Taylor keeps his wits about him and runs the ball more — or at least calls some play action — then the Bengals have a puncher’s chance.  The defense will have to play the run aggressively AND keep the yards after catch to an absolute minimum.  Pittsburgh lives on chunk plays.

You make it sound like we are 0-13 or something and Pittsburgh is this juggernaut that is unstoppable.

(12-18-2023, 11:37 PM)sandwedge Wrote: You make it sound like we are 0-13 or something and Pittsburgh is this juggernaut that is unstoppable.

Far from it.

I believe the Bengals WILL win but it will be an extremely low scoring slugfest.

#Bengals star WR Ja'Marr Chase is likely to miss some time, sources said after the MRI on his separated shoulder today.

The expectation is that he is sidelined for this week’s game against the #Steelers, and it could extend beyond that, as well.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 19, 2023

(12-19-2023, 12:06 AM)pally Wrote:

#Bengals star WR Ja'Marr Chase is likely to miss some time, sources said after the MRI on his separated shoulder today.

The expectation is that he is sidelined for this week’s game against the #Steelers, and it could extend beyond that, as well.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 19, 2023

Arggg

Thx Pally

(12-19-2023, 12:06 AM)pally Wrote:

#Bengals star WR Ja'Marr Chase is likely to miss some time, sources said after the MRI on his separated shoulder today.

The expectation is that he is sidelined for this week’s game against the #Steelers, and it could extend beyond that, as well.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 19, 2023

Time for Yoshi to have his breakout game. He would have had it the first time they played as he repeatedly beat his defender like a rented mule but that was Browning's first outing where he had problems pulling the trigger. 

(12-18-2023, 07:33 AM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: I wonder why such a bad team is 7-7 and why a very mediocre Steelers franchise in recent years never fell into a losing season. I personally think they are favored by the league the owner is probably on the ins with the NFL. Favorable calls and dirty players that catch 0 outrage from fans unlike someone on the “crappy” bengals franchise would. It’s a farce and Tomlin has always been a mediocre coach that’s just as dirty as the rest of the franchise.

STOP IT. Your hate is showing.

The fact that the team is 7-7 with that roster means that Tomlin did a hell of a job. 

(12-19-2023, 03:38 AM)BengalYankee Wrote: STOP IT. Your hate is showing.

The fact that the team is 7-7 with that roster means that Tomlin did a hell of a job. 

31-13 Bengals

Ill add here that Rudolph the red nosed squeeler is 2-0 as a starter against us, albeit when we were really really bad in Zac's first two years here. Just another reason i get all sweaty and nervous about a game we should win.

IMHO - this game comes down to:

1. Minimizing Watt onslaught.
Yes - I know. Duh! He and Garrett are game wreckers. It’s crazy how disruptive they are.

2. Blanketing Freiermuth. We are awful in the middle and they are decent at using him.

3. Ditto Dionte Johnson. He is dangerous.

4. Somehow stop the run. Warren is also dangerous.
Yes - Duh again.

Stealer's Oline is not playing well this year. We should have a good ground game with Mixon and Brown
Fitzpatrick is out, Tee should have an easy day.
Their starting safety is suspended for the rest of the season.
Rudolph is not good. Hendrickson and Hubbard should be able to rattle him pretty easily.
Browning is on fire.
Bengals 31
Stealers 17

(12-19-2023, 09:18 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Stealer's Oline is not playing well this year. We should have a good ground game with Mixon and Brown
Fitzpatrick is out, Tee should have an easy day.
Their starting safety is suspended for the rest of the season.
Rudolph is not good. Hendrickson and Hubbard should be able to rattle him pretty easily.
Browning is on fire.
Bengals 31
Stealers 17

On paper - that all makes sense.

However, the football gods will not allow for that.

There is just something spooky and weird about that franchise and worse - how they play us.

It’s like one of those generational curses you read about or something. Lolol.

I can’t stand them and hope we pile on to their misery but we shall see.

(12-19-2023, 02:58 AM)Joelist Wrote: Time for Yoshi to have his breakout game. He would have had it the first time they played as he repeatedly beat his defender like a rented mule but that was Browning's first outing where he had problems pulling the trigger. 

He needs to be more consistent, remember Lapham mentioning routes have not been very crisp at times, which a has also lead to missed opportunities

(12-16-2023, 09:52 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Maybe? He's still a poor man's Andy Dalton, though. Only 13 TDs to 13 INTs in his career, in 446 attempts. In this era, that's a bottom tier QB.

Poor man's? More like homeless man's Andy Dalton, lol.

(12-19-2023, 05:01 AM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote:

Yes Doy, with that pathetic offensive roster, spew all the hate you want he has done a hell of a job.

(12-17-2023, 01:52 PM)Whacked Wrote: JFK and George - you all were right. I checked out Miami’s wins and they were all against weaker teams. Good call.

They still scare me a bit as they do have the ability to go nuts and light teams up.

I’m surprised they haven’t more.

Their QB and weapons > Houston and you saw how we did on that game - and with Burrow.

You're right to have a little pause playing them....but I would fear the run game most in facing them. 

(12-18-2023, 07:33 AM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: I wonder why such a bad team is 7-7 and why a very mediocre Steelers franchise in recent years never fell into a losing season. I personally think they are favored by the league the owner is probably on the ins with the NFL. Favorable calls and dirty players that catch 0 outrage from fans unlike someone on the “crappy” bengals franchise would. It’s a farce and Tomlin has always been a mediocre coach that’s just as dirty as the rest of the franchise.

There's no probably, the Rooneys were instrumental in getting ol Rog his job.

Eerie feeling that the Steelers locker room is "if we're not going to the playoffs, neither are they" mentality. Their defense has been weakened ever since the league laid down the hammer on cheap shots.

The Bengals culture has changed and a lot of these guys weren't here during the Steelers cheap shot years so their mind is clear of that.
Maybe the offense comes out as dawgs and the defense chooses violence. We should win this with the game in our control from the start.