(10-30-2024, 02:30 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: Ok ignore the ravens and browns facts as well. Nothing is gonna get you to stop hating zac. Harbaugh went 2-3 with Huntley

And if Cleveland wouldn’t have rested their starters Zac would have been 3-4 with Browning. So what? The point is your season is not automatically over when your QB goes down 10 games into the season.

Also, I don’t hate Zac. Like I said, I just think we could possibly upgrade. You didn’t answer my question to bfine in the post you quoted; you wouldn’t be interested in Vrabel? Ben Johnson? The former in particular could probably do very well in this division.

(10-30-2024, 02:40 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: And if Cleveland wouldn’t have rested their starters Zac would have been 3-4 with Browning. So what? The point is your season is not automatically over when your QB goes down 10 games into the season.

Also, I don’t hate Zac. Like I said, I just think we could possibly upgrade. You didn’t answer my question to bfine in the post you quoted; you wouldn’t be interested in Vrabel? Ben Johnson? The former in particular could probably do very well in this division.

I’m not blaming any coach who misses the playoffs if their elite qb misses half the season. Sorry

(10-30-2024, 02:43 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: I’m not blaming any coach who misses the playoffs if their elite qb misses half the season. Sorry

It was a simple question.

(10-30-2024, 01:27 PM)WychesWarrior Wrote: Edit: also, I don't understand how you can't look at QB1's opening week(s) stats and say he doesn't share some of the blame for slow starts. What *are* we doing here?

Didn’t you always blame Marvin for not having the players ready for playoffs and primetime? How’s it any different? And it’s hardly just Burrow. The entire team looks like shit every year to start the season. They literally refused to tackle against the Patriots.

(10-30-2024, 02:52 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Didn’t you always blame Marvin for not having the players ready for playoffs and primetime? How’s it any different? And it’s hardly just Burrow. The entire team looks like shit every year to start the season. They literally refused to tackle against the Patriots. That team still hasn’t won another game.

The pats just beat the jets

Holy moly you are on fire

(10-30-2024, 02:53 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: The pats just beat the jets

Holy moly you are on fire

You got me, Frank. I find it hard to pay attention to other games when the Bengals get embarrassed. Missed that one.

(10-30-2024, 01:58 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: they also started slow in 22 and 21

They started 3-1 in 2021.

(10-30-2024, 03:23 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: They started 3-1 in 2021.

correct. what was their record before the bye week? seeing how they finished the season, I'd say 5-4 for a team that made the super bowl was pretty slow. But maybe only the first 6 games are considered "starts to the season"

(10-30-2024, 02:40 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: And if Cleveland wouldn’t have rested their starters Zac would have been 3-4 with Browning. So what? The point is your season is not automatically over when your QB goes down 10 games into the season.

Also, I don’t hate Zac. Like I said, I just think we could possibly upgrade. You didn’t answer my question to bfine in the post you quoted; you wouldn’t be interested in Vrabel? Ben Johnson? The former in particular could probably do very well in this division.

I think Zac may be ok as a HC. I think Zac is a bad HC for allowing Zac to still call plays.

He just doesn't consistently have it as a play caller. And...he isn't improving.

I do think at some point that Zac will lose the team if they don't start winning more.

(10-30-2024, 03:35 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: correct. what was their record before the bye week? seeing how they finished the season, I'd say 5-4 for a team that made the super bowl was pretty slow. But maybe only the first 6 games are considered "starts to the season"

9 games in is the start of the season?

I’d say typically the first month or so is the “start” of a season. But even if you expand it out another few weeks:

W 1-0
L 1-1
W 2-1
W 3-1
L 3-2
W 4-2
W 5-2

Sure, slow start.

(10-30-2024, 03:50 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: 9 games in is the start of the season?

I’d say typically the first month or so is the “start” of a season. But even if you expand it out another few weeks:

W 1-0
L 1-1
W 2-1
W 3-1
L 3-2
W 4-2
W 5-2

Sure, slow start.

woah you got me. Even though I admitted that maybe it's only the first 6 games that count as the start. Maybe you didnt read that. Damn you got me good

(10-30-2024, 03:45 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I think Zac may be ok as a HC. I think Zac is a bad HC for allowing Zac to still call plays.

He just doesn't consistently have it as a play caller. And...he isn't improving.

I do think at some point that Zac will lose the team if they don't start winning more.

It’s so hard to judge other than what we see (play calling, in game decisions, who plays and how much, etc), he’s probably a perfectly fine HC in most aspects. But if a 2x coach of the year can give up play calling why can’t Zac? How long will he stay loyal to Lou? Why does he not focus on improving the running game? I think there’s a lot to like about him, but also plenty to criticize. And at the end of the day I just don’t want years of Burrow’s prime wasted.

(10-30-2024, 01:58 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: I dont like how you just throw 2023 in there as some indictment against Zac. That season was OVER as soon as Burrow hurt is wrist. Going 9-8, with the bad defense, and how "bad" Taylor is was a pleasant surprise

all rational minds will throw 2023 out the window. Your team isnt making the playoffs when your top5 starting qb gets hurt midway through the season

"but they started slow, and thats on zac"

they also started slow in 22 and 21

The only part of 2023 you're allowed to throw out is that he had a winning record with Jake as the starter. 

(10-30-2024, 04:06 PM)bfine32 Wrote: The only part of 2023 you're allowed to throw out is that he had a winning record with Jake as the starter. 

The 3 wins against Indy, Jax, and MIN were actually pretty impressive. The one against Cleveland’s backups doesn’t do much for me.

I don’t necessarily want Zac gone.

I want Pollack gone.
I want Zac to stop calling plays. If that requires hiring an experienced, top shelf Coordinator, so be it. In fact, this is badly needed.
If Zac is unwilling to do this, ownership should DEMAND IT!
Where’s the urgency? Are we skiing again?!?!!

I want a proper scouting staff. There’s NO EXCUSE for a staff of just six!!!

But it’s a family business, we don’t have the resources.

BULLSHIT! Has the family been making investments to free themselves of relying solely on the club for income? If not, WHY NOT!!

Maybe the team is owned by mediocrity…

(10-30-2024, 02:52 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Didn’t you always blame Marvin for not having the players ready for playoffs and primetime? How’s it any different? And it’s hardly just Burrow. The entire team looks like shit every year to start the season. They literally refused to tackle against the Patriots.

Yes.....and if you'll read my response to Frank earlier, I've started having doubts about that reasoning after watching Whitworth's interview. I'm starting to believe that most problems are at least 80% front office not doing their job to support coaches/players. Plus, one of the beat writers said that Marvin's teams were just too tight leading up to big games, whereas this group is loose and having fun. Maybe there was too much pressure from above when Marvin was here. Either way, they weren't properly supported. 
I can change my mind and handle being wrong when presented with new information/evidence. 

You're not getting my point about all of this.... you're looking to blame one person, I'm spreading it around. The defense didn't play all that badly when Burrow was awful against Pitt. In fact, it was just him and the back up long snapper that struggled if I remember right. Same goes for the shit game against Chicago where he threw three picks and kept putting the defense in terrible situations.....but he came alive in the second half and lo and behold they almost won. Dude has had problems getting started every year....and I plainly said some of it "for good reason". As in no training camp for numerous health problems. This entire team is made to run through Joe, and it stands to reason if he struggles, the offense will, which puts pressure on the other two units. Ironically, when he hits that 3-4 game window every year and starts playing lights out (game 2 this season), the offense starts clicking and they start winning. It's not that hard to see in my eyes. This year, he had a training camp. He came out of the gate cold because he didn't get to finish last season. By week 2, the gremlins were gone, and what happened? He and the offense played well enough to win in KC, but the defense is dreadful. The offense really has all year, with the exception of Cleveland. Without the turnovers against Philly, that's a closer game too.

(10-30-2024, 02:40 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: And if Cleveland wouldn’t have rested their starters Zac would have been 3-4 with Browning. So what? The point is your season is not automatically over when your QB goes down 10 games into the season.

Also, I don’t hate Zac. Like I said, I just think we could possibly upgrade. You didn’t answer my question to bfine in the post you quoted; you wouldn’t be interested in Vrabel? Ben Johnson? The former in particular could probably do very well in this division.

Vrabel would definitely do better in this division....but what about post season? I'm not sure. I think the AFC North needs to move into 21st century football myself. Until last year, the Bengals were the only team out of the division to make much noise in the postseason for the last ten or so years. Pitt has been 3/7, Baltimore 3/9, Cleveland 1/2, and Cincinnati 5/4. Zac, of course, is 5/2 over that stretch. 

If we go by postseason, he's the best coach in the division, lmao. Truth is, Cincinnati is ahead of the curve for the first time since Sam Wyche in its division. The rest wanna play smash mouth and beat the shit out of each other during the season. They show up to the playoffs wounded, and even when healthy, can't keep pace with high powered offenses. Except for Cincy .....

(10-30-2024, 04:09 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: The 3 wins against Indy, Jax, and MIN were actually pretty impressive. The one against Cleveland’s backups doesn’t do much for me.

Should "do more" for you than losing to them. 

(10-30-2024, 03:59 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: It’s so hard to judge other than what we see (play calling, in game decisions, who plays and how much, etc), he’s probably a perfectly fine HC in most aspects. But if a 2x coach of the year can give up play calling why can’t Zac? How long will he stay loyal to Lou? Why does he not focus on improving the running game? I think there’s a lot to like about him, but also plenty to criticize. And at the end of the day I just don’t want years of Burrow’s prime wasted.

Those would be my biggest gripes. As to Lou.....he just needs to change his approach because the front office has dropped the ball in replacing his talent that left. He's got talent, but it's not the same style of player in some instances. I think he needs to blitz more to generate pressure. The DEs do suck though, aside from Trey. His DTs are not terrible, but they're not the anchor Reader was, and there's not an Ogunjobi coming in. So change things up to compensate. I wouldn't mind him giving up play calling either.....and streamline that process.

(10-30-2024, 02:14 PM)Wyche Wrote: I hear you, and I agree. However, if you actually get there, you never know what can happen. I sure never thought the 10-6 NYG would defeat an undefeated NE team .... but it happened....and the 9-7 squad beat the 13-3 Patriots. 

Of course.


For those that want to tune in every week with the hope that they'll make it, that's their choice.
Others may have already checked out and may decide not to tune in unless/until the team makes the playoffs, which is also ok. That's their choice.

Right now, the Bengals are 9th in seeding, 1.5 games behind the Chargers for 7th.
The Chargers game in a couple weeks will be hugely important on tiebreakers.
Broncos will be another big game for tiebreakers.
Losing 2 of the next 3 will pretty much seal it.