Before you guys and gals torch me.

If the Ravens beat Miami, Cleveland has nothing to play for week 18 and will rest their starters like we did against them two years ago.

Of course first things first, we need to beat the Chiefs Sunday.

(12-29-2023, 03:15 PM)BengalYankee Wrote: Before you guys and gals torch me.

If the Ravens beat Miami, Cleveland has nothing to play for week 18 and will rest their starters like we did against them two years ago.

Of course first things first, we need to beat the Chiefs Sunday.  

Do we really want to get into the playoffs? 

Great story and all, but do we really want to win if we won't go anywhere beyond the Wild Card Round?

I'm never rooting for us to lose, but would it kill our draft position?

I guess there's no one that we'd miss out on that could necessarily change our franchise, and it would be a hell of a story, so go Ravens!

Murder those Phins like Ray Lewis murdered those two dudes!

(12-29-2023, 03:34 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Do we really want to get into the playoffs? 

Great story and all, but do we really want to win if we won't go anywhere beyond the Wild Card Round?

I'm never rooting for us to lose, but would it kill our draft position?

I guess there's no one that we'd miss out on that could necessarily change our franchise, and it would be a hell of a story, so go Ravens!

Murder those Phins like Ray Lewis murdered those two dudes!

Winning beats losing.  Of course I'd like to see the Bengals kick the crap out of KC on national TV.  That would ease the pain of this dreadful season.  

(12-29-2023, 03:34 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Do we really want to get into the playoffs? 

Great story and all, but do we really want to win if we won't go anywhere beyond the Wild Card Round?

I'm never rooting for us to lose, but would it kill our draft position?

I guess there's no one that we'd miss out on that could necessarily change our franchise, and it would be a hell of a story, so go Ravens!

Murder those Phins like Ray Lewis murdered those two dudes!

I'd rather we get in than don't. And I also think if we get in, we'll have a shot at winning in the wildcard round. It'd likely be the Chiefs or Dolphins we'd play. If we get in, we'll have already very recently beat the Chiefs. The Dolphins I think are not as good as their record (lot of bad teams they've beaten up on really).

A playoff win with the way our season has been would be an incredible achievement. I'm not saying it's likely, but it's certainly not a no-chancer. 

(12-29-2023, 03:34 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Do we really want to get into the playoffs? 

Yes, the Bengals have already won enough games that they aren't picking at the top of the draft. Let's get the winning record,, make the post season, and hope for a playoff win streak.

(12-29-2023, 03:34 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Do we really want to get into the playoffs? 

Absolutely, what a boost to the morale of all the players who have been working their asses off all season long.

(12-29-2023, 03:34 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Do we really want to get into the playoffs? 

Yes. If you can make it, make it.

It's only once it's clearly not going to happen that I might start thinking about how a 5th overall pick is better than a 12th overall pick (but even then F the Steelers, beat 'em)... but yeah, if you have an actual real chance at making it, try to make it.

(12-29-2023, 03:15 PM)BengalYankee Wrote: Before you guys and gals torch me.

If the Ravens beat Miami, Cleveland has nothing to play for week 18 and will rest their starters like we did against them two years ago.

Of course first things first, we need to beat the Chiefs Sunday.  

I just made this point in another thread.  If Miami beats Baltimore, Cleveland has a shot at the #1 seed in the AFC when they play us.  The only way Cleveland rests their starters is if Baltimore beats Miami

(12-29-2023, 03:34 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Do we really want to get into the playoffs? 

Great story and all, but do we really want to win if we won't go anywhere beyond the Wild Card Round?

I'm never rooting for us to lose, but would it kill our draft position?

I guess there's no one that we'd miss out on that could necessarily change our franchise, and it would be a hell of a story, so go Ravens!

Murder those Phins like Ray Lewis murdered those two dudes!

I have rooted for the Bengals as long as I can remember.  I have seen enough losing over those years that I never want to see them lose.   I understand why you want a better draft position, but we have had the #1 pick a few times and that didn't work out well either.  I'll take a win over draft any day.  

(12-29-2023, 03:43 PM)bengals1969 Wrote: Winning beats losing.  Of course I'd like to see the Bengals kick the crap out of KC on national TV.  That would ease the pain of this dreadful season.  

(12-29-2023, 03:45 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: I'd rather we get in than don't. And I also think if we get in, we'll have a shot at winning in the wildcard round. It'd likely be the Chiefs or Dolphins we'd play. If we get in, we'll have already very recently beat the Chiefs. The Dolphins I think are not as good as their record (lot of bad teams they've beaten up on really).

A playoff win with the way our season has been would be an incredible achievement. I'm not saying it's likely, but it's certainly not a no-chancer. 

(12-29-2023, 03:51 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Yes, the Bengals have already won enough games that they aren't picking at the top of the draft. Let's get the winning record,, make the post season, and hope for a playoff win streak.

(12-29-2023, 03:58 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Absolutely, what a boost to the morale of all the players who have been working their asses off all season long.

(12-29-2023, 04:07 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Yes. If you can make it, make it.

It's only once it's clearly not going to happen that I might start thinking about how a 5th overall pick is better than a 12th overall pick (but even then F the Steelers, beat 'em)... but yeah, if you have an actual real chance at making it, try to make it.

(12-29-2023, 04:08 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: I just made this point in another thread.  If Miami beats Baltimore, Cleveland has a shot at the #1 seed in the AFC when they play us.  The only way Cleveland rests their starters is if Baltimore beats Miami

(12-29-2023, 04:24 PM)No-huddle Joe Wrote: I have rooted for the Bengals as long as I can remember.  I have seen enough losing over those years that I never want to see them lose.   I understand why you want a better draft position, but we have had the #1 pick a few times and that didn't work out well either.  I'll take a win over draft any day.  

To all of you:

I get it and I could never root against us. Even in the past, when things like this have come up (what was that year with Ellis and Dorsey where we could have had one of them if we lost a game or two more?), I've never been able to root against us.

I'm always going to cheer for us to win, even though it would be a bummer with (likely) no home playoff games.

(12-29-2023, 05:17 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I get it and I could never root against us. Even in the past, when things like this have come up (what was that year with Ellis and Dorsey where we could have had one of them if we lost a game or two more?), I've never been able to root against us.

2019 Dolphins game. Bengals were 1-14 coming into the game, long since eliminated from playoff contention, and in line to get the 1st overall pick. 

I did not want them to win.

(12-29-2023, 05:43 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 2019 Dolphins game. Bengals were 1-14 coming into the game, long since eliminated from playoff contention, and in line to get the 1st overall pick. 

I did not want them to win.

That's an apple to this orange discussion.  The Bengals are going to be middling in the draft spot no matter what they do.  I'd agree with tanking a final game if it guaranteed the 1st overall pick.  Heck the players that played during the tanking won't be with the team next training camp, this team, most of the starters will return so definitely play to win.

(12-29-2023, 05:43 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 2019 Dolphins game. Bengals were 1-14 coming into the game, long since eliminated from playoff contention, and in line to get the 1st overall pick. 

I did not want them to win.

Yeah, that was a weird day for many of us.  And when they had that miraculous run at game's end, damn, it was hard not to be pulling for them because they were fighting with every ounce of their being.   

But that was then and this is now, and this year, I'll take as many weeks of bonus football as they can provide.  

(12-29-2023, 03:15 PM)BengalYankee Wrote: Before you guys and gals torch me.

If the Ravens beat Miami, Cleveland has nothing to play for week 18 and will rest their starters like we did against them two years ago.

Of course first things first, we need to beat the Chiefs Sunday.  

We will know by game time if Ravens won or lost. Yes, either way losing to Chiefs ends our 2 year playoff run.

(12-29-2023, 03:34 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Do we really want to get into the playoffs? 

Great story and all, but do we really want to win if we won't go anywhere beyond the Wild Card Round?

I'm never rooting for us to lose, but would it kill our draft position?

I guess there's no one that we'd miss out on that could necessarily change our franchise, and it would be a hell of a story, so go Ravens!

Murder those Phins like Ray Lewis murdered

At this point it doesn't matter if we win the last two or not for draft position. We won't even move up or down very far no matter if we make it or not, so might as well just hope that we can pull something crazy off and win in the playoffs or even the SB. 

(12-29-2023, 05:43 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 2019 Dolphins game. Bengals were 1-14 coming into the game, long since eliminated from playoff contention, and in line to get the 1st overall pick. 

I did not want them to win.

You and every Bengal fan and player except Andy Dalton. 

(12-29-2023, 04:08 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: I just made this point in another thread.  If Miami beats Baltimore, Cleveland has a shot at the #1 seed in the AFC when they play us.  The only way Cleveland rests their starters is if Baltimore beats Miami

If Miami loses to Baltimore and the Bills defeat NE this week, then Miami vs Buff is for the AFCE division.

This also means that wildcard seeding will still be at stake for Cleveland the last week.  Cleveland my not be able to afford a loss if Miami is a wildcard.

Cleveland having to travel to Buff or KC for a playoff game could be very different than having to travel to the wretched AFCS division winner's place. 

Cleveland may still have something important to play for week 18. 

That said, one can only hope. Go Ravens and Pats this weekend. 

(12-29-2023, 04:08 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: I just made this point in another thread.  If Miami beats Baltimore, Cleveland has a shot at the #1 seed in the AFC when they play us.  The only way Cleveland rests their starters is if Baltimore beats Miami

It depends on game times since they are tbd right now,, if Balt is early game and wins ,  and we are late game  browns have little to play for .

Its pretty sad that we have to root for a scenario that involves the browns resting starters just to make it easier on us. If we cant beat the browns at full strength, then it doesnt really matter much come playoff time(in the off chance they make it)

Besides, we know how this team plays against scrubs. This team has all kinds of trouble with backup QBs for whatever reason so I dont see a few starters resting being much of an advantage with this lousy D

(12-30-2023, 10:54 AM)Browns Town Bengal Wrote: Its pretty sad that we have to root for a scenario that involves the browns resting starters just to make it easier on us.  If we cant beat the browns at full strength, then it doesnt really matter much come playoff time(in the off chance they make it)

Besides, we know how this team plays against scrubs.  This team has all kinds of trouble with backup QBs for whatever reason so I dont see a few starters resting being much of an advantage with this lousy D

The 2021 Bengals rested their starters in the final week of the season en route to the Super Bowl.

If we make it to the playoffs this year, we might not have to face the full strength Browns in the playoffs, so beat them now and go 1-5 in the division.