As a converted Browns fan, at the age of 15, after the Begals came to town in 1968, here's what I see for 2016:

1. Barring injuries, and despite the free agent losses, I think the Bengals still have the talent and experience to get to the Superbowl. Experience including the coaching staff which is the most experienced staff, in terms of years of coaching, that Lewis has ever had.

2. I think the new OC will keep the successful offensive scheme in place, and that, combined with Dalton's uncanny ability at pre-snap reads, I do not see an offensive decline.

3. I believe beating Pittsburgh will be critical in their chances for the division and a shot at a playoff bye, and I think the Bengals have proven to Pittsburgh that they are no longer intimidated by them. (Both Bengal SB appearances, they were 12-4 and the number 1 seed.)

4. Despite all of the above positives, I do believe the Bengals have 2 hurdles that they will not overcome and because of that, I believe they will end their playoff streak at 5 years in a row.

5. Despite them not being intimidated by Pittsburgh, I still think Pittsburgh will continue to own them. Pittsburgh knows they can no longer intimidate them, but they also know they can do the next best thing by pushing their buttons causing the Bengals to respond with ignorant costly penalties. The Steelers also know that the Rooney family has a leg up with the NFL, especially the commissioner.

6. Lastly, they continue to struggle big time in the big stage games. (Big stage meaning any and all games where they are the ONLY NFL game being played at that time, which includes Monday, Thursday, Sunday night games and all playoff games.) Until they can overcome that hump, they will continue to be, at best, one and done!

I have a feeling the Bengals are about to really take over the Bengals/Steelers rivalry and both teams are starting to
know it. We have the better Defense by leaps and bounds and our Offense can be just as good as theirs. It seems we
are right on the cusp and are you tellin me that if Andy Dalton is the QB against the Steelers in that playoff game we
still lose? I don't see it, we should of won that game with McCarron.

I think we win atleast one playoff game this year. Should of last year if not for a Hill fumble.

13-3 with one win in the Playoff's and a tough fight for the AFC Championship atleast to me. We will see, but with the
addition of Billings next to Geno, keeping our Secondary pretty much intact our Defense should be a nightmare for
Offenses and our LB core is muchly improved with Dansby and maybe even Vigil who might surprise.

On Offense i expect Zampese to let Dalton run the show and with how well he played last year and an improved OL
with the additions of Lafell, Boyd and Core to Green, Eifert and Gio could be great on this side of the ball as well.

(05-10-2016, 02:04 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I have a feeling the Bengals are about to really take over the Bengals/Steelers rivalry and both teams are starting to
know it. We have the better Defense by leaps and bounds and our Offense can be just as good as theirs. It seems we
are right on the cusp and are you tellin me that if Andy Dalton is the QB against the Steelers in that playoff game we
still lose? I don't see it, we should of won that game with McCarron.

I think we win atleast one playoff game this year. Should of last year if not for a Hill fumble.

13-3 with one win in the Playoff's and a tough fight for the AFC Championship atleast to me. We will see, but with the
addition of Billings next to Geno, keeping our Secondary pretty much intact our Defense should be a nightmare for
Offenses and our LB core is muchly improved with Dansby and maybe even Vigil who might surprise.

On Offense i expect Zampese to let Dalton run the show and with how well he played last year and an improved OL
with the additions of Lafell, Boyd and Core to Green, Eifert and Gio could be great on this side of the ball as well.

I will go a step further and say, if Dalton hadn't got hurt, they would have beaten, Denver earning a bye, and wouldn't have played Pittsburgh.

Amazes me how, even when things are clicking for the Bengals, some key freakish injury happens (2005 Palmer and last year Dalton)

I would love to be wrong and would like to see your prediction come true. I've been around since the beginning at Nipper and will always be waiting for the other shoe to drop until they prove that otherwise!

If Dalton isn't hurt, the Bengals don't play the wild card round.
If the Bengals don't play the wild card round, they host their first game.

(05-10-2016, 05:21 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: I will go a step further and say, if Dalton hadn't got hurt, they would have beaten, Denver earning a bye, and wouldn't have played Pittsburgh.

Amazes me how, even when things are clicking for the Bengals,  some key freakish injury happens (2005 Palmer and last year Dalton)

I would love to be wrong and would like to see your prediction come true. I've been around since the beginning at Nipper and will always be waiting for the other shoe to drop until they prove that otherwise!

I am with you there, but things have to change for the better some time.

I am thinking this year.

another year of winning football..

I have got my concerns, like the loss at safety I feel our safeties are the weak spot on defense now,and of course who's going to get injured,it's always somebody iimportant it seems that ruins our chances.plus I agree that the NFL sides with Pittsburgh,last year was pretty pathetic,and made me believe the NFL was like wwe,I predicted the Manning comeback and going to the Superbowl also.even in the Manning ccommercial seemed like a give away.epic comeback starts right now.but I do think the addition of dansby and William Jackson will be good enough to get us a playoff win.but only if we ain't plpaying the Steelers or Tom Brady.but that's all my positive thinking goes,I don't see us going all the way.because the NFL has a agenda on who they want in the afc championship and Superbowl.that's just how i think now.

Looking at the big press coverage of Marvins town hall meeting (pictures only of people in chairs which has to be exciting) we can't lose..
Did anyone attend and dontcha just love the coverage on bengals.com? I've never seen people sit in chairs looking more like they expect to have names drawn to be shipped off to Siberia than that wonderful cover spread.. I guess that's what you call a slow news day..

Yes same thing again this season. Why not? What have they changed that matters? Lewis can't coach in big games and Dalton can't play in big games. Winning season, win division, lose first round in playoffs, Lewis gets an extension. Rinse and repeat.

(05-10-2016, 07:31 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: Yes same thing again this season. Why not? What have they changed that matters? Lewis can't coach in big games and Dalton can't play in big games. Winning season, win division, lose first round in playoffs, Lewis gets an extension. Rinse and repeat.

Yep.  Like a wise man once said: I see better than I hear.  

(05-10-2016, 07:31 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: Yes same thing again this season. Why not? What have they changed that matters? Lewis can't coach in big games and Dalton can't play in big games. Winning season, win division, lose first round in playoffs, Lewis gets an extension. Rinse and repeat.

Sadly this is only an 11 year analysis blaming one coach and one QB.

These things go back to 1968. Many coaches and QBs have come and gone. The Bengals have NEVER won an away playoff game in their history. Losers for 47 years.

Wait you say, what about Gregg and Wyche, and Anderson and Esaison? Losers too. Couldn't win the last and biggest playoff game. Doesn't matter how many playoff games you win unless you win the last one. Ask Kim Kelley or Dan Marino, or better yet, Carson Palmer.

(05-10-2016, 07:31 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: Yes same thing again this season. Why not? What have they changed that matters? Lewis can't coach in big games and Dalton can't play in big games. Winning season, win division, lose first round in playoffs, Lewis gets an extension. Rinse and repeat.

(05-10-2016, 08:29 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Yep.  Like a wise man once said: I see better than I hear.  

(05-10-2016, 08:36 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: Sadly this is only an 11 year analysis blaming one coach and one QB.

These things go back to 1968. Many coaches and QBs have come and gone. The Bengals have NEVER won an away playoff game in their history. Losers for 47 years.

Wait you say, what about Gregg and Wyche, and Anderson and Esaison? Losers too. Couldn't win the last and biggest playoff game. Doesn't matter how many playoff games you win unless you win the last one. Ask Kim Kelley or Dan Marino, or better yet, Carson Palmer.

I have been around as a Bengals fan since 88'/89' so i know you guys have probably been around a lot longer than me.

I just cannot think this way and i like the way this team is chippin at the rock.

I know i never could bring you out of this negative state, the team and coaches have to. I don't have that much faith in Marv
with his track record but Geunther improved this Defense immensely last season and added a couple great pieces IMHO.

Adding Billings with the badassness of Atkins is big even if he is only a rookie. Dansby was a great pickup. Re-signing George
and Adam was huge. WJ3 has great upside and breaks up passes better than any CB in college in years, he's good.

With better Center play, Dalton improving along with our weapons shining this team will be tough to beat.

(05-10-2016, 08:48 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I have been around as a Bengals fan since 88'/89' so i know you guys have probably been around a lot longer than me.

I just cannot think this way and i like the way this team is chippin at the rock.

I know i never could bring you out of this negative state, the team and coaches have to. I don't have that much faith in Marv
with his track record but Geunther improved this Defense immensely last season and added a couple great pieces IMHO.

Adding Billings with the badassness of Atkins is big even if he is only a rookie. Dansby was a great pickup. Re-signing George
and Adam was huge. WJ3 has great upside and breaks up passes better than any CB in college in years, he's good.

With better Center play, Dalton improving along with our weapons shining this team will be tough to beat.

Nate,

Don't misunderstand. I believe this team has the best chance of any in the past.

I just get so sick of these kids who think the Bengal bad karma 'era' began with Marvin Lewis and Andy Dalton.

I just want them to know it's always been there.

I always say we are like Red Sox fans before 2004, hoping and rooting, but always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Look at what the Red Sox have done since 2004. Maybe 2016 will be our 2004!

Heck, they are predicting the Cubs to win the WS this year, maybe this will be the year the Cubs finally win a WS and the Bengals finally win a SB.

Lastly, after seeing the Broncos win the SB in February, I felt certain that if Dalton didn't get hurt, the Bengals would have won it last year.

I am as frustrated as the next guy. Watching a Denver team hoist the Lombardi that the Bengals took to OT, at their stadium, with a backup QB, made me want to vomit (although I do like Manning). The playoff game against pitt, the broken hand, etc. It was all vomit-inducing.

BUT, I will take it.....IF and only IF, the team has that much more resolve to finish the job. You are a product of your experiences and this team has the fuel of "it's us against the world", or more accurately, "it's us against the NFL". Despite the horrible scheduling, the horrible officiating, etc. I think this team is bound to rise up and overcome.

I always wanted more fire out of Dalton. I wanted a Boomer-type vocal leader, but now I realize that Dalton is exactly the cool, never flustered, type they need.

My firm belief is that once the Bengals win a first round playoff game and the 600lb gorilla is unloaded from their back, they will go all the way to the Super Bowl. Obviously health, home field, etc. would all be very important to accomplishing this goal, but I love the way the team is set up.

Everything happens for a reason and everything that happened last year will make this team stronger in the end.

(05-11-2016, 09:16 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I am as frustrated as the next guy.  Watching a Denver team hoist the Lombardi that the Bengals took to OT, at their stadium, with a backup QB, made me want to vomit (although I do like Manning).   The playoff game against pitt, the broken hand, etc.  It was all vomit-inducing.  

BUT, I will take it.....IF and only IF, the team has that much more resolve to finish the job.  You are a product of your experiences and this team has the fuel of "it's us against the world", or more accurately, "it's us against the NFL".  Despite the horrible scheduling, the horrible officiating, etc. I think this team is bound to rise up and overcome.  

I always wanted more fire out of Dalton.  I wanted a Boomer-type vocal leader, but now I realize that Dalton is exactly the cool, never flustered, type they need.  

My firm belief is that once the Bengals win a first round playoff game and the 600lb gorilla is unloaded from their back, they will go all the way to the Super Bowl.  Obviously health, home field, etc. would all be very important to accomplishing this goal, but I love the way the team is set up.  

Everything happens for a reason and everything that happened last year will make this team stronger in the end.

Well said SH!  I also believe WHEN (if) they win the playoff game, they will win the SB!

Dalton assessment is right on!  Poise is the key and they have proven that time and time again, especially against Pittsburgh.  They've shown Pitt they aren't intimidated anymore, BUT ... they need to keep their poise when Pittsburgh starts pushing their buttons with the intent to get them to throw a temper tantrum bringing out those game costly pentalties!

Lastly, just like real estate comes down to 'location, location, location' .... this teams success comes down to 'injuries, injuries, injuries'. Can Dalton, Burfict, Eifert, Green, Hill, Bernard, Geno, Dunlap, (all the KEY players) all play a whole season without any 'major' injuries beyond the normal game or two nagging injuries????

The media uses our playoff lack of success to push us backwards in rankings. If we are ranking both regular season and playoff outcomes, it is fair. But, if you just rank based on regular season record add in additions (FA and Draft) and losses (FA lost), it is very hard to say the 2016 team on paper is not as good or better than 2016 team. I like our team and feel we are playoff bound again and due for some playoff success.

(05-10-2016, 09:12 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: Nate,

Don't misunderstand. I believe this team has the best chance of any in the past.

I just get so sick of these kids who think the Bengal bad karma 'era' began with Marvin Lewis and Andy Dalton.

I just want them to know it's always been there.

I always say we are like Red Sox fans before 2004, hoping and rooting, but always waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Look at what the Red Sox have done since 2004. Maybe 2016 will be our 2004!

Heck, they are predicting the Cubs to win the WS this year, maybe this will be the year the Cubs finally win a WS and the Bengals finally win a SB.

Lastly, after seeing the Broncos win the SB in February, I felt certain that if Dalton didn't get hurt, the Bengals would have won it last year.

Yeah, imagine how it was for me at age 6 becoming a Bengal fan, us losing the SB and going through the 90's.

That was bad. Today we are right on the cusp of breaking through in my opinion. I know i say this every year it seems
but that Playoff game couldn't of been closer and we should of won it. This year hopefully we get in and demolish who
ever we play so it isn't so close.

I definately find it likely if our weaknesses improve. We have the players on the team to do so but i understand the
people that do not trust in Marv, cuz i don't either.

(05-11-2016, 09:16 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I am as frustrated as the next guy.  Watching a Denver team hoist the Lombardi that the Bengals took to OT, at their stadium, with a backup QB, made me want to vomit (although I do like Manning).   The playoff game against pitt, the broken hand, etc.  It was all vomit-inducing.  

BUT, I will take it.....IF and only IF, the team has that much more resolve to finish the job.  You are a product of your experiences and this team has the fuel of "it's us against the world", or more accurately, "it's us against the NFL".  Despite the horrible scheduling, the horrible officiating, etc. I think this team is bound to rise up and overcome.  

I always wanted more fire out of Dalton.  I wanted a Boomer-type vocal leader, but now I realize that Dalton is exactly the cool, never flustered, type they need.  

My firm belief is that once the Bengals win a first round playoff game and the 600lb gorilla is unloaded from their back, they will go all the way to the Super Bowl.  Obviously health, home field, etc. would all be very important to accomplishing this goal, but I love the way the team is set up.  

Everything happens for a reason and everything that happened last year will make this team stronger in the end.

Great post and reps SHracerX, great frickin' post.

(05-11-2016, 12:10 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, imagine how it was for me at age 6 becoming a Bengal fan, us losing the SB and going through the 90's.

That was bad. Today we are right on the cusp of breaking through in my opinion. I know i say this every year it seems
but that Playoff game couldn't of been closer and we should of won it. This year hopefully we get in and demolish who
ever we play so it isn't so close.

I definately find it likely if our weaknesses improve. We have the players on the team to do so but i understand the
people that do not trust in Marv, cuz i don't either.

I was 6 when they went to the SB the1st time.

I totally agree with you. I don't generally get caught up in all the angst about this team. I go into every year thinking they have a shot. I don't flip out when they get bounced in the 1st round. What's 1 extra win? Every team except the champions lose their last game.

I REALLY like their chances this year. I think they KNOW they can win in the playoffs. It doesn't matter what fans think. I think securing home field will be key & why can't they do it? As of now, Brady is out til week 5. Denver is rolling with Dirty Sanchez or some rookie at QB. KC? C'mon now. Is Miami really gonna rise up this year?

The Bengals' were a great team last year and they have added to that with guys who will contribute this year. They have a real shot.

I think the Dalton injury last year was just as cruel as the Carson Palmer injury.

Both of them really took an AFC Title away from the Bengals. I'm not as sure about the 2005 team, but there is no doubt in my mind that the Bengals would have been in the Super Bowl last year if Dalton doesn't go down.