Watching the other teams peak in the postseason makes me ill when I think about it. One of my friends mentioned how he notices teams like Green Bay or Pittsburgh can basically play like stink during the regular season and barely win enough games to get into the playoffs -- and then raise their game when it actually counts. Mike McCarthy, Bill Belichick, and the awful Mike Tomlin get the best from their teams in the postseason -- and Cincinnati better figure out how to do this as well or this winless playoff streak will continue forever.

I think the first way to rectify this issue is to plan for a 19 game season from the get-go. The halfway mark is not between games 8 and 9, it's between games 9 and 11 depending on the existence of a bye week in the playoffs. Once the Bengals stop thinking of the postseason as an afterthought they'll do better.

Next, expand the playbook as the season progresses. I heard Cris Collinsworth last night giving the Steelers mad props for their new offensive line schemes they used against the Dolphins and the Chiefs which caught both defenses off guard. Cincinnati uses the same blocking schemes which predate the end of apartheid in South Africa, the first McDonald's in Beijing, Hurricane Andrew, the first World Trade Center Bombing, the Pentium microprocessor, and the release of Windows 3.1.

Finally, start hitting on defense. Make it clean, but instill a sense of fear.

I agree, not making the playoffs does stink. But, all of the one and done trips, with no marked improvements to take the next step forward, was getting just about as depressing. Perhaps if thousands of fans remitted their season ticket renewal form, with rather than a fat check, a simple note that read "Lol", perhaps something real would happen.

(01-16-2017, 10:49 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I agree, not making the playoffs does stink. But, all of the one and done trips, with no marked improvements to take the next step forward, was getting just about as depressing. Perhaps if thousands of fans remitted their season ticket renewal form, with rather than a fat check, a simple note that read "Lol", perhaps something real would happen.

If I had 1.625 billion dollars I would try!

(01-16-2017, 10:49 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I agree, not making the playoffs does stink.  But, all of the one and done trips, with no marked improvements to take the next step forward, was getting just about as depressing.  Perhaps if thousands of fans remitted their season ticket renewal form, with rather than a fat check, a simple note that read "Lol", perhaps something real would happen.

Honestly I'd rather be out of it with a few weeks left and be able to accept the end than have another pathetic one and done showing. Much less depressing and we get a good draft pick to look forward to

I actually think Marvin tried to change his game plan. I really do. He didn't kill the guys in training camp in an effort to not have them crawl to the end of the regular season like that was a finish line.

So what happened? Well, they looked overmatched physically early, and a lot of guys looked to be lacking in conditioning. Nugent missed a ton of kicks (lost three games by himself, his replacement ironically lost another), Ced O at RT was a disaster that went on far too long, and there were a lot of injuries, compiled with Burfict's suspension.

Add all that together and I am amazed they won 6 games.

I am not in the "blow it all up and start over" camp. I think with a few key pieces, a good draft, and a healthy season the Bengals will be contending a year from now. I just doubt that Marv will ever have the balls to stop playing so damn conservative, and that, IMHO, is the number one thing holding this team back.

From what I've seen, the playoff teams deserve to be there. They are playing well. The Bengals didn't.

This team was not ready for the playoffs.

Houston or the crippled Raiders could have probably beaten this team.

I've finally accepted the fact that we are never going to win anything as long as we have the theee stooges. Mike Clown, Giggles and Piano Man.

We will eventually win a playoff game. It's sheer probability at this point.

(01-16-2017, 10:45 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Watching the other teams peak in the postseason makes me ill when I think about it.  One of my friends mentioned how he notices teams like Green Bay or Pittsburgh can basically play like stink during the regular season and barely win enough games to get into the playoffs -- and then raise their game when it actually counts. Mike McCarthy, Bill Belichick, and the awful Mike Tomlin get the best from their teams in the postseason -- and Cincinnati better figure out how to do this as well or this winless playoff streak will continue forever.

I think the first way to rectify this issue is to plan for a 19 game season from the get-go.  The halfway mark is not between games 8 and 9, it's between games 9 and 11 depending on the existence of a bye week in the playoffs.  Once the Bengals stop thinking of the postseason as an afterthought they'll do better.

Next, expand the playbook as the season progresses.  I heard Cris Collinsworth last night giving the Steelers mad props for their new offensive line schemes they used against the Dolphins and the Chiefs which caught both defenses off guard.  Cincinnati uses the same blocking schemes which predate the end of apartheid in South Africa, the first McDonald's in Beijing, Hurricane Andrew, the first World Trade Center Bombing, the Pentium microprocessor, and the release of Windows 3.1.

Finally, start hitting on defense.  Make it clean, but instill a sense of fear.

We would have been out of it after the first weekend anyway.

(01-17-2017, 11:12 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: We will eventually win a playoff game. It's sheer probability at this point.

We really have been defying all laws of probability, haven't we?

(01-17-2017, 11:51 AM)McC Wrote: We really have been defying all laws of probability, haven't we?

I will take the high draft pick and an early season end as apposed to being verbally assaulted at the water cooler at work by steelers fans.Sometimes i wish my parents didnt teach me loyalty so i could just jump ship and cheer for a winner like most steelers fans.I would like to stop giving mikey a check for my seasons but then what would i do for entertainment in the fall? 

Unless this team had played in the second round of the playoffs (either due to winning their first playoff game or having a first-round bye), it doesn't stink. Honestly, I was tired of seeing the Bengals draft in the 21-25 range. I'm excited to (hopefully) see them get an elite talent in the first round.

(01-17-2017, 11:51 AM)McC Wrote: We really have been defying all laws of probability, haven't we?

We have. In a league built for parity we defy it.

Not winning a playoff game after making the playoffs for 5 years in a row...is just so insane.

(01-17-2017, 01:14 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: We have. In a league built for parity we defy it.

Not winning a playoff game after making the playoffs for 5 years in a row...is just so insane.

Some years the ball bounces our way, it's not like the Patriots (crushing wins in the regular season). The remaining teams in the playoffs pretty much have allstar QBs. I think wer'e just unlucky in the playoffs combined with we're not as good as we think.

We still play with the 1990s mindset of get ahead and sit on the ball. Jerome Bettis retired a long time ago.

Nah.. it just comes down to Bengals fans just don't collectively pray hard enough.. You gotta appear to be extremely constipated whilst doing so. 

(01-16-2017, 10:45 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Watching the other teams peak in the postseason makes me ill when I think about it.  One of my friends mentioned how he notices teams like Green Bay or Pittsburgh can basically play like stink during the regular season and barely win enough games to get into the playoffs -- and then raise their game when it actually counts. Mike McCarthy, Bill Belichick, and the awful Mike Tomlin get the best from their teams in the postseason -- and Cincinnati better figure out how to do this as well or this winless playoff streak will continue forever.

I think the first way to rectify this issue is to plan for a 19 game season from the get-go.  The halfway mark is not between games 8 and 9, it's between games 9 and 11 depending on the existence of a bye week in the playoffs.  Once the Bengals stop thinking of the postseason as an afterthought they'll do better.

Next, expand the playbook as the season progresses.  I heard Cris Collinsworth last night giving the Steelers mad props for their new offensive line schemes they used against the Dolphins and the Chiefs which caught both defenses off guard.  Cincinnati uses the same blocking schemes which predate the end of apartheid in South Africa, the first McDonald's in Beijing, Hurricane Andrew, the first World Trade Center Bombing, the Pentium microprocessor, and the release of Windows 3.1.

Finally, start hitting on defense.  Make it clean, but instill a sense of fear.

There has to be that want.

The problem with this team is our owner and coach don't want it enough and if filters down to the players.

The Ravens in the past were another team that wasn't that good in the regular season but once they got into the
Playoffs they were a different team. As much as i dislike the Ravens John Harbaugh is a good coach and would take
him anyday over Marvin Lewis.

Remember the Ravens/Niners Superbowl? The Niners were a better team going in by most folks.

The Ravens from the first ST's snap just wanted it more and ended up blowing the Niners out.

(01-16-2017, 11:18 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Honestly I'd rather be out of it with a few weeks left and be able to accept the end than have another pathetic one and done showing. Much less depressing and we get a good draft pick to look forward to

To what end is a "good draft pick" if they never get a PO win?

(01-21-2017, 04:57 PM)Derrick Wrote: To what end is a "good draft pick" if they never get a PO win?

Would they have a better shot at winning a playoff game next year by missing out this year like they did, getting a top 10 draft pick and a 3rd place schedule next year? Or by sneaking into the playoffs this year, losing in the first round again, getting a pick in the 21-24 range, and a 2nd place schedule next year?

Its like dating. In years past it was like dating a really cool/hot girl, thinking everything is going good, then out of nowhere, BAM, you get the John Deer text. This year it was like dating that girl that seems pretty cool, but something wasnt right whether it was a weird laugh or no sense of humor. At some point you know the end of the relationship will end and when it does it wont hurt as bad.