(12-28-2023, 03:58 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: It might not be this bad, but a healthy Burrow only led us to a 7-5 record in the division the past 2 seasons. 7-4 if we consider him banged up for week 1 Steelers game last year (he was clearly off, like you've said). 

In those two years, the Ravens had pretty severe injury issues both times we met them the 2nd time round (the 525-yard game, I think guys from this forum were in the Ravens secondary! They were on 3rd string QB in Week 18 last season). We could've won those games in any case (beat them the next week in the playoffs after all), but I don't think we met the Ravens best on either occasion.   

I dunno man, I just think the way we are built is bad for how the AFCN plays. I think even if Burrow is healthy we'll on average get 3-4 division wins. Which granted would've been more than enough this year!

Yeah, 7-4 with a healthy Burrow is about right, week 1 against the stealers was maybe his worst game ever and I expect it was because of 
the appendectomy. True on the Ravens being decimated those times. I think if we gameplan better and go under Center more and execute 
we can win in our Division. Our Defense needs to improve at DT big time and with our pass rush besides Trey.

I don't think Logan and Pratt just forgot how to play football and I also don't think this Secondary will be bad forever with all this youth.

Even this year, we are still in it which is pretty crazy being 0-5 in the best Division in football. I like that Zac shown he can win without Joe.

If we can get into the Playoffs without Joe it would be a huge boost for our entire organization and fan base. Anything can happen once 
you get in and if you are playing your best ball at that time that is all you want.

(12-28-2023, 04:09 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, 7-4 with a healthy Burrow is about right, week 1 against the stealers was maybe his worst game ever and I expect it was because of 
the appendectomy. True on the Ravens being decimated those times. I think if we gameplan better and go under Center more and execute 
we can win in our Division. Our Defense needs to improve at DT big time and with our pass rush besides Trey.

I don't think Logan and Pratt just forgot how to play football and I also don't think this Secondary will be bad forever with all this youth.

Even this year, we are still in it which is pretty crazy being 0-5 in the best Division in football. I like that Zac shown he can win without Joe.

If we can get into the Playoffs without Joe it would be a huge boost for our entire organization and fan base. Anything can happen once 
you get in and if you are playing your best ball at that time that is all you want.

I have no doubt we can and will compete for the division moving forward, I'm just not sure it'll be because of divisional record. But I don't think that has to be a bad thing. The way AFCN teams play is pretty atypical of the rest of the league. I'd rather be able to compete with the rest of the league, than 'specialise' at beating the AFCN. But if we can't figure those teams out, then we'll probably not generally be in the #1 seed conversation as we'll drop too many games.

In any case, this season hasn't really changed my mind that the future of the franchise is generally bright.

(12-28-2023, 04:34 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: I have no doubt we can and will compete for the division moving forward, I'm just not sure it'll be because of divisional record. But I don't think that has to be a bad thing. The way AFCN teams play is pretty atypical of the rest of the league. I'd rather be able to compete with the rest of the league, than 'specialise' at beating the AFCN. But if we can't figure those teams out, then we'll probably not generally be in the #1 seed conversation as we'll drop too many games.

In any case, this season hasn't really changed my mind that the future of the franchise is generally bright.

Well I questioned that Zac could win without Burrow before this season, so there is that. True about being able to compete with the rest of 
the league is definitely a thing, but it is both, have to also do more than just compete in our Division. We cannot look this bad in our Division
either. Especially on Defense. I think Lou and the coaches have a clear picture of what they need to improve once this season is over and we
will get it done. We need to improve the trenches specifically and everything else should fall into place.

The young Secondary should just get better with time.

(12-24-2023, 11:12 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: This season has absolutely sucked for so many reasons.

The Burrow calf injury. Sucking to start the year. Then Joe getting and healthy and the Bengals being good. Then Burrow getting injured and out for the year. Then sucking again. Then being good again with Browning. And then finally sucking again and riding the Jake Browning roller coaster a long the way.

Not to mention three of our best players getting severely injured a long the way.

I'm just tired. This has been an awful, awful season and I'm just ready for it to be over. I can't even say it's been fun.

This was supposed to be a Super Bowl year and it's been one of my least favorite seasons in recent memory.

I'm tired of being tormented. Just put me down.

I'm with you.  Not really any fun this season.  And now watching at least 5 teams I very much dislike getting into the playoffs.  3 of our division rivals getting in.  Just a really super sucky and unfun year of football.

I love Burrow, but i'll believe it when i see it as far as him making it through the offseason and into the regular season with no injuries/issues.  Then we refuse to play anyone in preseason and come out looking like dog crap while other teams are rolling.

Then the stat I just learned about with QB's/coaches and SB's in the first 5 years.  So unless we break an almost 60 year old streak we won't win a SB with Burrow/Taylor if we don't do it this next season.

Then our o-line.  Look how much pressure Clevelands backups were getting.  Joe going to get killed next year.

And our secondary.  And defense overall just sucks.

We had our chance.  Should have had 2 SB wins.  Our oline effed it up big time.

Like I have had to say for the last 35 years, maybe next year.  Effing eff.

(12-24-2023, 11:12 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: This season has absolutely sucked for so many reasons.

The Burrow calf injury. Sucking to start the year. Then Joe getting and healthy and the Bengals being good. Then Burrow getting injured and out for the year. Then sucking again. Then being good again with Browning. And then finally sucking again and riding the Jake Browning roller coaster a long the way.

Not to mention three of our best players getting severely injured a long the way.

I'm just tired. This has been an awful, awful season and I'm just ready for it to be over. I can't even say it's been fun.

This was supposed to be a Super Bowl year and it's been one of my least favorite seasons in recent memory.

I'm tired of being tormented. Just put me down.

Not only am I a lifelong Bengals fan, I am also a Red Sox fan, so I know about the pitfalls of rooting for a team that always comes up short, usually in gut wrenching fashion. Joe Burrow is going to lead our team to a Super Bowl championship, possibly next year, and I can't wait to feel the way I did on October 27, 2004. Who Dey!

(12-24-2023, 11:12 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: This season has absolutely sucked for so many reasons.

The Burrow calf injury. Sucking to start the year. Then Joe getting and healthy and the Bengals being good. Then Burrow getting injured and out for the year. Then sucking again. Then being good again with Browning. And then finally sucking again and riding the Jake Browning roller coaster a long the way.

Not to mention three of our best players getting severely injured a long the way.

I'm just tired. This has been an awful, awful season and I'm just ready for it to be over. I can't even say it's been fun.

This was supposed to be a Super Bowl year and it's been one of my least favorite seasons in recent memory.

I'm tired of being tormented. Just put me down.

Look on the bright side.
How my other 4th place teams finish with a winning record?
Next year we should easily finish with double digit wins, possibly even clinching HF advantage for the playoffs.

(01-07-2024, 07:04 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Look on the bright side.
How my other 4th place teams finish with a winning record?
Next year we should easily finish with double digit wins, possibly even clinching HF advantage for the playoffs.

That's not a bright side, lol.  That means our division is absolutely brutal and stacked and it sucks.  

Our 4th place division finish is BETTER than the 3rd and 4th place place teams in every division in the NFC.  Our record ties or is better than the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place teams in 3 of the 4 divisions in the NFC.  We would be tied for 2nd place in 3 of 4 divisions in the NFC.

We would be tied for 2nd in 2 of the 4 divisions in the AFC.  

We are hands down, no contest in the most difficult division in the entire NFL and it is just so tiring year after year.  No other division in the NFL is stacked like this.

Sorry.  I just need to rant a bit.  lol.  Season over.  Burrow injured.  No playoffs.  Stuck in the most brutal division in the nfl watching teams with 9-10 wins win their division while we are dead last with 9 wins.  1-5 in our division.  Tons of critical injuries.  4 years of Burrow not being able to make it through the offseason and into regular season for whatever reason.  Defense now apparently has reverted to complete suck.  Secondary burned twice for td bombs in just this one game.  Offense is stale and predictable.  Receivers can't get open.  Blah.  Maybe next season.  yay.  I just want to witness one SB victory in my lifetime.  I am really not sure it will happen.  We had our chance twice and completely blew it both times.

I will add this also.  There is only 1 division in the NFL with 3 double digit win teams and we were 1 win away from making it 4 double digit win teams in the same division.  The AFCN.  There are only 3 divisions in the NFL with 2 double digit win teams.  I am so tired of fighting in the AFCN.

(01-07-2024, 08:30 PM)Mickeypoo Wrote: I am so tired of fighting in the AFCN.

Wanna be the best? You got to beat the best....and second best....and third best.

(01-07-2024, 07:44 PM)Mickeypoo Wrote: That's not a bright side, lol.  That means our division is absolutely brutal and stacked and it sucks.  

Our 4th place division finish is BETTER than the 3rd and 4th place place teams in every division in the NFC.  Our record ties or is better than the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place teams in 3 of the 4 divisions in the NFC.  We would be tied for 2nd place in 3 of 4 divisions in the NFC.

We would be tied for 2nd in 2 of the 4 divisions in the AFC.  

We are hands down, no contest in the most difficult division in the entire NFL and it is just so tiring year after year.  No other division in the NFL is stacked like this.

Sorry.  I just need to rant a bit.  lol.  Season over.  Burrow injured.  No playoffs.  Stuck in the most brutal division in the nfl watching teams with 9-10 wins win their division while we are dead last with 9 wins.  1-5 in our division.  Tons of critical injuries.  4 years of Burrow not being able to make it through the offseason and into regular season for whatever reason.  Defense now apparently has reverted to complete suck.  Secondary burned twice for td bombs in just this one game.  Offense is stale and predictable.  Receivers can't get open.  Blah.  Maybe next season.  yay.  I just want to witness one SB victory in my lifetime.  I am really not sure it will happen.  We had our chance twice and completely blew it both times.

The Browns have not been good over past decade so not sure if I put AFC North better than some other divisions

The Steelers spent the season laughingly bad and just stumbling into wins let the media tell it. Rotting locker room, HC on the hot seat. Questions at starting QB, firing coordinators…….

And that wasn’t the worst team in the division if you can believe that.

(01-07-2024, 09:31 PM)jj22 Wrote: The Steelers spent the season laughingly bad and just stumbling into wins let the media tell it. Rotting locker room, HC on the hot seat. Questions at starting QB,  firing coordinators…….

And that wasn’t the worst team in the division if you can believe that.

Steelers knew how to win in their division. I believe they went 5-1, whereas the Bengals went 1-5.  

(01-07-2024, 08:54 PM)Destro Wrote: Wanna be the best? You got to beat the best....and second best....and third best.

I know.  I'm just venting and frustrated.  I thought seasons like this were behind us for a few years at least.  I am also concerned about Burrows injury, injury history and the Bengals ability to put together an o-line that can keep him from getting killed.  lol.

Was just a horribly disappointing and frustrating season for me.

(01-08-2024, 12:00 AM)Mickeypoo Wrote: I know.  I'm just venting and frustrated.  I thought seasons like this were behind us for a few years at least.  I am also concerned about Burrows injury, injury history and the Bengals ability to put together an o-line that can keep him from getting killed.  lol.

Was just a horribly disappointing and frustrating season for me.

It was for every fan, not just you, it started bad, then hope came alive then Burrow got hurt and Browning sparked us again then poof let down again.
We need a solid Trench draft, and seems to be a good year for what we need

Is this the thread where we say those things in our head we usually left unsaid and which we might regret later? Then...I feel like there is something about this team (or maybe this region?) that makes players mediocre. Forget the stats, early Dalton was the best and most dynamic Dalton for us. Burrow had something his Super Bowl year that he seems to have less and less of. I even think Jake Browning in his win streak was more dynamic than he was in these last three (yes including the wins). Maybe it is defenses adjusting. Maybe the QBs realize that if they hold the ball in the pocket all day they are going to get pummeled by the defense. I don't know what it is but sometimes there are moments when this team looks like it is good enough to win it all and that seems to be early in a QBs career.

Now forget I said all that because it probably isn't true and makes no sense. Vent over.

(01-07-2024, 09:31 PM)jj22 Wrote: The Steelers spent the season laughingly bad and just stumbling into wins let the media tell it. Rotting locker room, HC on the hot seat. Questions at starting QB,  firing coordinators…….

And that wasn’t the worst team in the division if you can believe that.

This is one I still struggle to wrap my head around. They were horrible and still somehow won and were a better team. We can make all the Burrow excuses we want but they had a crap starting QB and then played with backups all season and still did better than we did. Same with the Browns QB situation.

We seem to play division teams scared every time. Its frustrating. 

1-5 in the division is just embarassing. Horrible defense, Horrible offensive line. Burrow injuries mounting. Hard to see much of a positive future right now. Back to the AFCN basement again, back to being the Bengals of old it seems. Hope I'm wrong.

(01-08-2024, 12:00 AM)Mickeypoo Wrote: I know.  I'm just venting and frustrated.  I thought seasons like this were behind us for a few years at least.  I am also concerned about Burrows injury, injury history and the Bengals ability to put together an o-line that can keep him from getting killed.  lol.

Was just a horribly disappointing and frustrating season for me.

3 of the O'Lineman have super bowl rings! Its not a lack of talent, it is a lack of coaching!!!

(01-08-2024, 12:40 PM)R3stangs Wrote: This is one I still struggle to wrap my head around. They were horrible and still somehow won and were a better team. We can make all the Burrow excuses we want but they had a crap starting QB and then played with backups all season and still did better than we did. Same with the Browns QB situation.

We seem to play division teams scared every time. Its frustrating. 

1-5 in the division is just embarassing. Horrible defense, Horrible offensive line. Burrow injuries mounting. Hard to see much of a positive future right now. Back to the AFCN basement again, back to being the Bengals of old it seems. Hope I'm wrong.

I think the obvious constants with the AFCN teams comes down to 3 things:
The ability to run the ball.
The ability to stop the run.
Having multiple pass rushers.

Being good at these 3 things allows for low scoring games that can go either way and do not necessitate a QB winning games for the team.

(01-08-2024, 01:35 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I think the obvious constants with the AFCN teams comes down to 3 things:
The ability to run the ball.
The ability to stop the run.
Having multiple pass rushers.

Being good at these 3 things allows for low scoring games that can go either way and do not necessitate a QB winning games for the team.

Certainly key in AFCN. And three things wer're not good at.

(01-08-2024, 01:35 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I think the obvious constants with the AFCN teams comes down to 3 things:
The ability to run the ball.
The ability to stop the run.
Having multiple pass rushers.

Being good at these 3 things allows for low scoring games that can go either way and do not necessitate a QB winning games for the team.

Yep. Exactly the reasons we don't match up so well with the AFCN. I'd rather we can compete with everyone in the league, than build to beat this division, but it does necessitate getting into the dance first... which is more difficult when you're 1-5 in the division.