I understand Browns are giving their starters a week off to rest and also as important to avoid injuries.

Should we risk our core players playing Sunday to avoid a major injury that could impact the 2024 season?

I say hell yes, sit them, run vanilla offenses and defenses like a pre season game.

A win against a team not playing their starters gets a big time asterisk next to it, why risk it.

im pretty sure they want to avoid both a losing season and 0-6 in the division. what starters are left play them make them earn their pay.

At this point, draft position, to me, means more than final record.

(01-03-2024, 04:26 PM)Goalpost Wrote: At this point, draft position, to me, means more than final record.

But it likely doesn’t mean more to those are getting paid to play.

You have guys wanting to put good tape out there, coaches and players included.

ZT in his press conference reiterated (multiple times) that they are "playing to win the game".

They need to use this game as an evaluation tool for guys like Murphy, Charlie Jones, and Yoshi to see what they have in them. I really hope those guys get a ton of snaps. It'd be foolish not to do so.

(01-03-2024, 04:17 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I understand Browns are giving their starters a week off to rest and also as important to avoid injuries.

Should we risk our core players playing Sunday to avoid a major injury that could impact the 2024 season?

I say hell yes, sit them, run vanilla offenses and defenses like a pre season game.

A win against a team not playing their starters gets a big time asterisk next to it, why risk it.

The Browns are resting players because they are locked into the playoffs. The Bengals are out of the playoffs. Why would they rest players?  So they're refreshed to be able to sit and watch the playoffs?

And do you really want to lose to Jeff Driskell (!) and the Browns (!) in front of a home crowd, when the Browns are resting players? As it is, even with the Browns resting players, there is a chance the Bengals could lose. That would be a total embarrassment. Not to mention adding both a losing record and 0-6 in the division. Couldn't exact wear our Bengals' jerseys with pride if they end up being 0-6 in the division.

lol @, "an asterisk for a game like this."

A game where one team is out of the playoffs and the other doesn't care what happens?

'cause people will remember this game in 3 months, right? (unless it is literally the game of the year in terms of excitement).

(01-03-2024, 04:36 PM)Nepa Wrote: The Browns are resting players because they are locked into the playoffs. The Bengals are out of the playoffs. Why would they rest players?  So they're refreshed to be able to sit and watch the playoffs?

And do you really want to lose to Jeff Driskell (!) and the Browns (!) in front of a home crowd, when the Browns are resting players? As it is, even with the Browns resting players, there is a chance the Bengals could lose. That would be a total embarrassment. Not to mention adding both a losing record and 0-6 in the division. Couldn't exact wear our Bengals' jerseys with pride if they end up being 0-6 in the division.

Ssshhhhhiiiiidddddd....I was wearing Bengals gear in the 90s.

(01-03-2024, 04:39 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: lol @, "an asterisk for a game like this."

A game where one team is out of the playoffs and the other doesn't care what happens?

'cause people will remember this game in 3 months, right? (unless it is literally the game of the year in terms of excitement).

We'll remember it, and rehash it for years, if the Bengals lose to Jeff Driskel and end up 0-6 in our division. I imagine we'll be hearing it the entire offseason on this board. And have Browns fans laughing at Bengals fans for the foreseeable future.

If we were smart, we would.

Don't be like the Dolphins, who still had their starters in against Baltimore when they were down 30 points and Bradley Chubb, their leading pass rusher, tore his ACL on a meaningless play.

Play everyone

Least we can do is send everyone home 9-8 (which is insane seeing Burrow was hurt for 4 games then missed another 6.


In a better year we would’ve made playoffs at 9-8 it’s just unlucky the whole division was good this year.

(01-03-2024, 04:30 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: ZT in his press conference reiterated (multiple times) that they are "playing to win the game".

They need to use this game as an evaluation tool for guys like Murphy, Charlie Jones, and Yoshi to see what they have in them. I really hope those guys get a ton of snaps. It'd be foolish not to do so.

Only so much evaluation that can happen if they're playing against backups.

(01-03-2024, 04:40 PM)Wyche Wrote: Ssshhhhhiiiiidddddd....I was wearing Bengals gear in the 90s.

The Cleveland Browns backup defensive line is Alex Wright, Shelby Harris, Siaki Ika, and Ogbo Okoronkwo.

Are we sure the Bengals can beat the Browns depth? Revenge game for Jeff Driskel?!?!

(01-03-2024, 04:36 PM)Nepa Wrote: The Browns are resting players because they are locked into the playoffs. The Bengals are out of the playoffs. Why would they rest players?  So they're refreshed to be able to sit and watch the playoffs?

And do you really want to lose to Jeff Driskell (!) and the Browns (!) in front of a home crowd, when the Browns are resting players? As it is, even with the Browns resting players, there is a chance the Bengals could lose. That would be a total embarrassment. Not to mention adding both a losing record and 0-6 in the division. Couldn't exact wear our Bengals' jerseys with pride if they end up being 0-6 in the division.

(01-03-2024, 05:02 PM)Housh Wrote: Play everyone

Least we can do is send everyone home 9-8 (which is insane seeing Burrow was hurt for 4 games then missed another 6.


In a better year we would’ve made playoffs at 9-8 it’s just unlucky the whole division was good this year.

This could drop us 5-6 slots in the draft, every round. How in the world is this one beyond meaningless game more important than the team's roster the next FOUR YEARS?

I get the players and coaches want to win, but as a fan since the 70's; it is extremely shallow to me to lose out on better players in order to be happy that we have bragging rights over Jeff Driskell and the Browns 3rd stringers. Come Monday all any one will care about is free agency and the draft.

(01-03-2024, 05:14 PM)casear2727 Wrote: This could drop us 5-6 slots in the draft, every round.  How in the world is this one beyond meaningless game more important than the team's roster the next FOUR YEARS?

I get the players and coaches want to win, but as a fan since the 70's; it is extremely shallow to me to lose out on better players in order to be happy that we have bragging rights over Jeff Driskell and the Browns 3rd stringers.  Come Monday all any one will care about is free agency and the draft.

There are years the Bengals would have done better selecting later each round, because they sure messed up the picks they did have. 

We're not talking picks 1-5. We are talking in the teens, and 40's, and 70s. There is so many ways to go with these later picks. And look at this board around draft time. They are rooting for certain players as the draft pick becomes closer and closer, and then upset because they didn't select the ones they wanted. I suppose those prioritizing the draft will be complaining if the Bengals draft lower and they figure they lost out on some player they wanted and we'll hear endless complaints that they could have had this or that player. Yet, each draft posters end up complaining because the playera they really wanted were not selected. And sometimes the posters were right.

I mean the Bengals used a 6th pick on David Klinger and let Troy Vincent pass. They picked Akili Smith 3rd when they could have had Edgerin James or Champ Bailey had they been stuck with a later pick. They grabbed John Ross and let Mahomes pass. Bill Price, and so many OL picks, etc. etc. Picking a few slots earlier does not in any way meaning they are going to have greater success the next four years, unless we are talking the very top of the draft.

Fans prioritize the draft too much during the season. For goodness sakes, there were fans who starting rooting for losses, including to the Steelers (!), when there were still seven games left to go in the season and the Bengals still had a shot at the playoffs. And now they're rooting for the Bengals to lose to the Browns?  Really? Rooting for the Bengals to lose to the Steelers and the Browns in order to get a higher draft pick in the teens should be immediately disqualifying to get into this Board's Hall of Fame.

(01-03-2024, 05:33 PM)Nepa Wrote: We're not talking picks 1-5. We are talking in the teens

Not saying I am particularly advocating for it, but I think we could pick anywhere between 12 and 18. If we get the 12th overall pick, that might be within spitting distance of Brock Bowers. Or a top-3 OT rather than a top-5 OT.

(01-03-2024, 05:33 PM)Nepa Wrote: There are years the Bengals would have done better selecting later each round, because they sure messed up the picks they did have. 

We're not talking picks 1-5. We are talking in the teens, and 40's, and 70s. There is so many ways to go with these later picks. And look at this board around draft time. They are rooting for certain players as the draft pick becomes closer and closer, and then upset because they didn't select the ones they wanted. I suppose those prioritizing the draft will be complaining if the Bengals draft lower and they figure they lost out on some player they wanted and we'll hear endless complaints that they could have had this or that player. Yet, each draft posters end up complaining because the playera they really wanted were not selected. And sometimes the posters were right.

I mean the Bengals used a 6th pick on David Klinger and let Troy Vincent pass. They picked Akili Smith 3rd when they could have had Edgerin James or Champ Bailey had they been stuck with a later pick. They grabbed John Ross and let Mahomes pass. Bill Price, and so many OL picks, etc. etc. Picking a few slots earlier does not in any way meaning they are going to have greater success the next four years, unless we are talking the very top of the draft.

Fans prioritize the draft too much during the season. For goodness sakes, there were fans who starting rooting for losses, including to the Steelers (!), when there were still seven games left to go in the season and the Bengals still had a shot at the playoffs. And now they're rooting for the Bengals to lose to the Browns?  Really? Rooting for the Bengals to lose to the Steelers and the Browns in order to get a higher draft pick in the teens should be immediately disqualifying to get into this Board's Hall of Fame.

This argument couldnt be more baseless.  Outliers always occur but the facts are the facts - better players are drafted higher OVERALL.   Newton will be taken in the lower teens, what if he is the next Aaron Donald as some have suggested?   Im guessing you were ok with missing out on Ragnow, perennial ALL Pro, for Billy Price?

No one was rooting for losses after the Steelers but I immediately said it is ok if we take losses.  I wasnt blinded by amateur fanboy fluff.  I knew Browning wasnt taking us anywhere, I knew the defense sucked.  We had no future playoff hopes this season, but we did have the opportunity to have a banner draft.

How winning this last game is more important than the next 4 years makes zero sense to me, maybe Im stupid, but look at all the teams that won the last meaningless game recently.  Dolphins could have easily had Burrow...


Just because we are not great at drafting overall do not discount how much easier it is drafting higher.  It is simply common sense.  

As season ticket holder I dont care if we lose this week if I get a better team the next 4 years.

I wouldn't mind seeing Trey Hendrickson completely annihilate whichever practice squad OT the Browns start and take the sack crown...

(01-03-2024, 04:36 PM)Nepa Wrote: The Browns are resting players because they are locked into the playoffs. The Bengals are out of the playoffs. Why would they rest players?  So they're refreshed to be able to sit and watch the playoffs?

LOL