Big Ben just had surgery. Patriots will beat them. That means Steelers and Ravens will have at least 3 losses and Bengals will have 4 losses after beating Browns. Browns have worst defense in AFC and both offenses struggling but I look for Hill more healthy and Dalton who is playing good to put up points in this one. May be a good week for Fantasy Teams with Bengal players.....So before we all start talking the draft a half a year away, maybe we should just look at this weekend....The AFC North tightens up after Patriots beat Steelers with injured Big Ben. Bengals just one game out with 9 games to play very much in this thing.

At Heinz, isn't it? I wouldn't rule the Steelers out at home. They do better than most when they have to use a backup.

And the problem with the Pats isn't their outstanding defense. Hell, even we scored on them. It's their offense. If the Steelers can get to Brady and keep it within a score, it's a winnable game for them.

The question is how long will Roethlisburger be out. He misses this week, then they have their bye. He would have three full weeks to recover before they play the Ravens on November 6. One thing we all know is that Ben has a history of healing quickly.

(10-18-2016, 11:14 AM)Benton Wrote: At Heinz, isn't it? I wouldn't rule the Steelers out at home. They do better than most when they have to use a backup.

And the problem with the Pats isn't their outstanding defense. Hell, even we scored on them. It's their offense. If the Steelers can get to Brady and keep it within a score, it's a winnable game for them.

Except Big Ben injured and we just saw what Patriots look like with Brady and Gronk back.  No team has ran the ball on Patriots all year.  I don't care where they play this one, Patriots win. ....What bails out Bengals is at mid season all the AFC North teams will have lousy records.....There will be no AFC North teams going 8-0 or 7-1 or even 6-2 this year.  The best a team might go is 5-3 but Bengals can be right there at 4-4.....The AFC North teams struggling has us very much in this thing. ......The Patriots look like a Super Bowl team as do Dallas. We might have just played the 2 Super Bowl teams back to back games, with upcoming games a little easier than that. 

(10-18-2016, 11:14 AM)Benton Wrote: At Heinz, isn't it? I wouldn't rule the Steelers out at home. They do better than most when they have to use a backup.

And the problem with the Pats isn't their outstanding defense. Hell, even we scored on them. It's their offense. If the Steelers can get to Brady and keep it within a score, it's a winnable game for them.

Brady will score on the Steelers.  Question is can Landry Jones score enough against the Patriots to keep up?  Anything's possible but highly unlikely I would think.

(10-18-2016, 11:28 AM)Daddy-O Wrote: Brady will score on the Steelers.  Question is can Landry Jones score enough against the Patriots to keep up?  Anything's possible but highly unlikely I would think.

Steelers won't be able to run the ball to help him out, or an injured Big Ben.  Teams haven't ran the ball on Patriots all season.  With their RBs shut down and Big Ben injured, they can't keep up with Brady and Gronk. ....IF Ravens beat Jets, Steelers and Ravens will both have 3 losses...Jets could beat Ravens though.....I think we take care of business in THE JUNGLE against the Browns.  Browns play teams close but they give up a lot of points and can't score. All those top pick QBs each year and none working out for them has killed the Browns.  The Browns changing owners, GMs, head coaches and QBs like a revolving door may excite the fans but it keeps a team in last place.  Browns still hurting from that Johnny Football pick and all the top pick QBs such as Weeden and other no name top pick QBs. They just took another top pick QB last draft. You just can't draft QB every year and expect to win......So Bengals will be right back in this thing after this weekend.

(10-18-2016, 11:39 AM)kevin Wrote: Steelers won't be able to run the ball to help him out, or an injured Big Ben.  Teams haven't ran the ball on Patriots all season.  With their RBs shut down and Big Ben injured, they can't keep up with Brady and Gronk. ....IF Ravens beat Jets, Steelers and Ravens will both have 3 losses...Jets could beat Ravens though.....I think we take care of business in THE JUNGLE against the Browns.  Browns play teams close but they give up a lot of points and can't score. All those top pick QBs each year and none working out for them has killed the Browns.  The Browns changing owners, GMs, head coaches and QBs like a revolving door may excite the fans but it keeps a team in last place.  Browns still hurting from that Johnny Football pick and all the top pick QBs such as Weeden and other no name top pick QBs.  They just took another top pick QB last draft.  You just can't draft QB every year and expect to win......So Bengals will be right back in this thing after this weekend.

I have lived and mostly died with the Bengals since 1967. I have brainwashed my three sons all of whom live in NC to be loyal Bengal fans.

It was awful last year when we blew the playoff game. I really still cannot understand why Marvin was retained after that disgraceful implosion including not coaching up Hill to keep two hands on the ball- not to mention the rest of the crap we did to shoot ourselves in the head.

My problem with this year- they have a small chance of winning the division if they basically win all the rest of their division games or at least 4.

They have no chance of advancing in playoffs or winning a game absent massive improvement in their o and D lines.

This team with current coaching staff has hit a brick wall. We really need new ideas and more creative thinking out of a new coaching staff.

I have a hard time having any optimism or reason for hope with the current situation. We are not going to be competitive with the top teams this year. What is the point ?

It is a real shame that we did not hire Zimmer. Could be the Bill Walsh story all over again.

(10-18-2016, 11:23 AM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: The question is how long will Roethlisburger be out.  He misses this week, then they have their bye.  He would have three full weeks to recover before they play the Ravens on November 6.  One thing we all know is that Ben has a history of healing quickly.

They still haven't given the nod to Landry. I don't see him playing this week, but some are saying it's possible.

(10-18-2016, 11:25 AM)kevin Wrote: Except Big Ben injured and we just saw what Patriots look like with Brady and Gronk back.  No team has ran the ball on Patriots all year.  I don't care where they play this one, Patriots win. ....What bails out Bengals is at mid season all the AFC North teams will have lousy records.....There will be no AFC North teams going 8-0 or 7-1 or even 6-2 this year.  The best a team might go is 5-3 but Bengals can be right there at 4-4.....The AFC North teams struggling has us very much in this thing. ......The Patriots look like a Super Bowl team as do Dallas. We might have just played the 2 Super Bowl teams back to back games, with upcoming games a little easier than that. 

The only hope for the Bengals is the Steelers are one of the worst ranked pass defenses this year. How that translates into actual play, I'm not sure as I haven't watched many of their games. They fall towards the bottom on yards, but they're middle of the pack on getting scored on through the air.

On the other hand, the Pats were supposed to have a bad pass defense and we proved that one wrong.

(10-18-2016, 12:01 PM)bengals67 Wrote: I have lived and mostly died with the Bengals since 1967. I have brainwashed my three sons all of whom live in NC to be loyal Bengal fans.

It was awful last year when we blew the playoff game. I really still cannot understand why Marvin was retained after that disgraceful implosion including not coaching up Hill to keep two hands on the ball- not to mention the rest of the crap we did to shoot ourselves in the head.

My problem with this year- they have a small chance of winning the division if they basically win all the rest of their division games or at least 4.

They have no chance of advancing in playoffs or winning a game absent massive improvement in their o and D lines.

This team with current coaching staff has hit a brick wall. We really need new ideas and more creative thinking out of a new coaching staff.

I have a hard time having any optimism or reason for hope with the current situation. We are not going to be competitive with the top teams this year. What is the point ?

It is a real shame that we did not hire Zimmer. Could be the Bill Walsh story all over again.

EXCEPT....Hill is gong to get healthy and Eifert is coming back in a big way as Gronk did last Sunday.....We need Hill on the ground and Eifert in the air....Plus LaFell is HOT now....Dalton starting to get the timing down with him...and more and more the timing with Boyd......We do have a good defense to get us there....The kicking game is there.....The O Line, well, it can get there. The O Line coach has shoved a boot up their rear ends and got it in gear during other seasons, such as 2012. .......Plus Bengals had a murderers row of Super Bowl type teams in 4 of the first 6 games. .....THERE ARE REASONS TO THINK THEY BOUNCE BACK....We could use some games IN THE JUNGLE for a change after 4 out of 6 on the road. .....I think only being one game out with 9 to play would be huge.  That means Steelers and Ravens not playing that hot either and the AFC North is still wide open for Bengals.....Only one game out is in the house, no matter how you look at it. 

With the one of the NFL's darlings on the bench (Pen) that only leaves one darling (TB) to get coddled with officiating.

Hill getting healthy would help....We need him getting 100 yards a game. The Bengals have a great winning record when a RB has a 100 yard game. Gio can't do it, but Hill can. ....Look at Dallas now with Elliott. The run game opens up the passing game....Hill getting 100 yards helps Dalton, Green, LaFell, Boyd, Eifert, the O line and the Defense....yes, a good ground game helps our defense, it eats clock. A couple touchdowns and Hill will be up there in the league in rushing TDs in spite of his injury.

(10-18-2016, 12:42 PM)kevin Wrote: Hill getting healthy would help....We need him getting 100 yards a game. The Bengals have a great winning record when a RB has a 100 yard game.  Gio can't do it, but Hill can. ....Look at Dallas now with Elliott. The run game opens up the passing game....Hill getting 100 yards helps Dalton, Green, LaFell, Boyd, Eifert, the O line and the Defense....yes, a good ground game helps our defense, it eats clock.  A couple touchdowns and Hill will be up there in the league in rushing TDs in spite of his injury.

First off, you are comparing our offensive line to Dallas.  Second, Elliott looks like the second coming of Eric Dickerson.  Third, Hill has not hit 100 yards in a game since 2014.  Is it possible?  Yes, but I would not put my hope in that happening very often.

(10-18-2016, 11:14 AM)Benton Wrote: At Heinz, isn't it? I wouldn't rule the Steelers out at home. They do better than most when they have to use a backup.

And the problem with the Pats isn't their outstanding defense. Hell, even we scored on them. It's their offense. If the Steelers can get to Brady and keep it within a score, it's a winnable game for them.

C'mon Benton, the Steelers are 2-6 against the Patriots when Big Ben plays. 1-3 at home. Brady vs Landry Jones? It's the lock of the week. I'd pencil it in as an L even with Ben playing. But Landry Jones? Against the genius? 

(10-18-2016, 12:12 PM)Benton Wrote: They still haven't given the nod to Landry. I don't see him playing this week, but some are saying it's possible.


The only hope for the Bengals is the Steelers are one of the worst ranked pass defenses this year. How that translates into actual play, I'm not sure as I haven't watched many of their games. They fall towards the bottom on yards, but they're middle of the pack on getting scored on through the air.

On the other hand, the Pats were supposed to have a bad pass defense and we proved that one wrong.

They have no incentive to say Ben is out, but it'd be foolish to believe he'd play the week of a knee surgery. I'd bet he'll miss 2 games plus the bye. And not to keep disagreeing with ya, but I thought we did fine against the Pats through the air. 254 yards, 103 rating. 

So when referees officiate a game between the Steelers and the Patriots, who gets the favorable calls?

(10-18-2016, 01:53 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: So when referees officiate a game between the Steelers and the Patriots, who gets the favorable calls?

The Pats, because one (Pen) of the two (Pen and TB) media darlings is out!

The OP is correct in that the Bengals should be back to 0.500 in two weeks. Cleveland is freakin' terrible and the only way Cincinnati loses this week is by playing down to the competition. As for the game in London against the Redskins, the Bengals are the better team on paper and as long as Mike Brown didn't charter the cheapest red eye flight across the pond the night before the game, Cincinnati should win that one too. The AJ Green vs. Josh Norman battle should be epic though.

(10-18-2016, 12:12 PM)Benton Wrote: They still haven't given the nod to Landry. I don't see him playing this week, but some are saying it's possible.


The only hope for the Bengals is the Steelers are one of the worst ranked pass defenses this year. How that translates into actual play, I'm not sure as I haven't watched many of their games. They fall towards the bottom on yards, but they're middle of the pack on getting scored on through the air.

On the other hand, the Pats were supposed to have a bad pass defense and we proved that one wrong.

They have ruled him out and Tomlin said he doesn't know when he'll be back

(10-18-2016, 01:37 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: They have no incentive to say Ben is out, but it'd be foolish to believe he'd play the week of a knee surgery. I'd bet he'll miss 2 games plus the bye. And not to keep disagreeing with ya, but I thought we did fine against the Pats through the air. 254 yards, 103 rating. 

I don't think Ben plays next week, just noting they haven't ruled him out. There's no reason to this early. But I do think he's back in time for the Ravens, using the upcoming week and the bye to get healthy.

And the yardage was ok. Andy's performance was as good as I would ask for. But if our running game is going to be this bad (I think 24th overall and 26th in avg per carry), then we're going to have to do better than 'ok.' We're going to have to follow through. We can't be 6th overall in passing yards and 29th in passing scoring and expect that to translate into wins.

(10-18-2016, 01:53 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: So when referees officiate a game between the Steelers and the Patriots, who gets the favorable calls?

Both teams. Expect to see some new penalty called against Burfict.