(11-29-2017, 07:26 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I don't believe in any way the NFL is fixed.

I do fully believe and guarantee there's bias and it carries over to the Ref's and affects calls in game.

Do you think Wade Boggs, Kirby Puckett, Pete Rose, and Tony Gwynn had the same strike zone as Rookie A, Rookie B, Bench player C and so on ?

The Steelers win, they're supposed to win, they're winning this year. The Bengals lose, they're supposed to lose, they're losing this year.

The winners get the benefit of the doubt, we don't.

Yeah when you've only won 5 playoff games in 49 years...you're not exactly the most well managed team to start with.

(11-29-2017, 10:18 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yeah when you've only won 5 playoff games in 49 years...you're not exactly the most well managed team to start with.

Yup,

Mike Brown's way would probably be successful if this were still 1970 ? Modern free agency NFL and MB's way don't mix well. Astonishing thing is he can't/won't admit it !

its also the Bengals fault when we re sign Bodine this off-season.. the worst starter in the nfl..

(11-29-2017, 04:58 PM)PhilHos Wrote: While I won't argue that the refs sure do seem biased in Pitts favor, I don't agree the NFL is fixed. There's just too many people involved in order for games to have pre-determined outcomes.

Not really Phil.  I don't think the players or coaches are involved whatsoever.  But if you think about it, referees could stall drives or keep drives alive with nothing more than holding calls.

The consensus is, that, technically, there is holding, of some sort, on just about every play.  It's already been admitted that certain teams, get preferential treatment.  I truly believe that there is a level of NFL shenanigans going on with the referees.  No proof other than examples I've seen in the last 6 or 8 years.

As much as I want to believe the NFL is rigged, I don't. Reasons why it's possible and reasons why not...

Reasons WHY:

1. We all know Burfict is treated poorly and has a 'dead or alive' reward attached to his name. The suspensions wouldn't be as brutal if he were a Steeler. Those are comparable proven facts to past and present Steeler players.
2. Some games honestly feel like the refs are trying to change the momentum of our game, not always against the Steelers though. We've had plenty of games where we came out firing and came up short due to ticky-tacky calls.
3. 2015 Playoff game. We all know multiple reasons here as to why we believe that game was complete BS. Especially at the end. Joey Porter being on the field and Steeers should've been flagged making the Adam Jones penalty plus their (hypothetical) penalty offset. Didn't Mike Munchack get fined for pulling R. Nelsons dreads after the play and Porter got fined as well but I think that fine was even waived? Weren't both waived?
4. I'm sure I'm missing some.

Reasons why NOT:
1. Mike Brown has shown that he could give lesser of one s**t about this team winning games. Why is Marvin still here? Please don't make me type a whole list of Marvins stats as our HC, there are plenty of current threads on it.
2. We haven't won a playoff game in a VERY long time with so many chances against a handful of teams over the last 12 years alone. The NFL isn't specifically out to doom Bengals land for the rest of our days.
3. We keep mediocre players as starters and keep promising rookies on the bench. Stupid. Goes back to Marvin Lewis via Mike Brown.
4. We are statistically bad as a team. Terrible. How tf are we 5-6???
5. Let Mike Zimmer walk. Good job Mikey Boy. Good f***ing job. Probably didn't even consider replacing Marv for him once. What a joke.
6. Constant re-signing of Marvin Lewis. Mike is a "Just good enough to sell tix" kind of guy. He settles.
7. Players don't want to be here. We've been socially humiliated by our own past and present players, players have demanded trades and called out coaching/management. The same coaching/management that's hasn't changed since 2003 (Marv).
8. We suck in prime time. We just do. Marv can't get this team hyped for games like this.
9. We have knucklehead players. Again reverts back to Marv via Mike. I love Burfict to death, but he needs a coach that isn't a p***y and will hold him accountable. Jones should have been cut a while ago for his off the field bs.
10. If it weren't for the Browns we would be the ultimate joke of the NFL. Thanks Browns.
11. There is more proof that this team statistically sucks due to management/coaching than there is proof that the NFL is rigged. I don't fully buy into that.

(11-29-2017, 05:09 PM)StoneTheCrow Wrote: I thought this for a while but the evidence is right in front of our faces. One organization prioritizes winning Super Bowls and views anything else as failure and the other rarely even acknowledges there is such a game as the super bowl.

They get some calls for sure but they would be the piss out of Marv and Mike’s Bengals even without those calls.

Antonio Brown pushes off more than Michael Irvin but he’s INCREDIBLE at it. So sneaky.

The best corners do the same thing. I see this a lot of the time, especially with penalties being called. They try to do a magic trick, quick movement of the arm. Something as simple as just having their arm one way, it's enough to tell where the route will break off. One of my favorite moves is what Sherman/Revis use, it's being called more...but they'll let the receiver go, and dictate the route based on where the jersey tugs. Usually they're quick enough to keep up with them, and the 'tug' isn't noticeable. 


Found a clip of it, actually. Took me a minute to do it. 1:56, you can see it.








Antonio Brown does similar stuff. AJ does as well. I just think Brown has a better route tree than AJ (Seriously, the Steelers are super creative on how they get him the ball) and Brown is incredible in space (and finding space).

(11-29-2017, 04:41 PM)bengalsturntup5532 Wrote: I know I'll get hate for this ,so bring all the hate and insults that I'm a dumb ass like always ,I'll choose not to even respond. But every time I watch a Steelers game or the Bengals play the Steelers I'm reminded that the NFL is fixed ,I don't really see them as a good team. I see them as the NFL darlings that get wins by the league and cheating . It's kind of making me want to quit watching football .

Here's an example, when Vontaze Burfict got suspended over something very petty for 4 games we knew it was Bs ,but the fans move on and forget over time. But Vontaze Burfict got a flag for the same type of hit vs cleveland,and they said no discipline for Vontaze Burfict. Ok NFL so right there you are saying his suspension was unnecessary . So the NFL took Vontaze away for 4 games just so their baby Steelers got a advantage .

Watching the green bay game vs the Steelers I seen green bay was in the lead and keeping with them,but I thought I might as well quit watching because I know the refs will help them win it. Sure enough I hear that the refs helped them at the end with a bunch of crazy stuff.

Looking at the Steelers which I think they will win the Superbowl over Carson Wentz or maybe Drew Brees. But I think Goodell and the NFL want their babies to win one before big Ben retires and the team implodes.  They are also dysfunctional team that we'd be getting hammered for and made fun of. Martavis Bryant is unhappy there and mad he's not #2. You got Bell who probably will be wanting traded over his contract. Big Ben who I think is on the down side and declining. A offensive line which they do have a mean streak and has 3 udfas ,and are allowed holding all game with sometimes not one flag. Haden is about done,but goes to the Steelers and suddenly he's a lock down corner again. They do have a couple good linebackers . I just still do not see a top team. Oh and you have Eli Rodgers , and Bryant who are good for drops. Mike Mitchell the head hunter who's allowed to do so. Artie burnt toast burns. Antonio push off brown,I don't see how a guy his size and drafted so low can be in talks for #1 receiver in football ,unless he plays for the Steelers . Watch and see ,patriots won it last year,so it's the other kids turn,the Steelers. We might still win this one though,because of Steeler injuries and plot. But they would not allow the Bengals to win in the playoffs vs the steelers or pats ,and I bet the game will still be close ,we might win Monday night but I'm expecting bogus stuff to happen with the refs.

It absolutely is, and the great thing for the NFL is that they don't have to rig anything this week.  The season won't be impacted at all if the Bengals win so there is no need for biased officiating.  I think they might even call it fair because they wan't the Pats to have home field throughout.  

I actually think the NFL keeps feeding the Pats because it is THE major team on the upper easy coast where there is NO college powerhouses.  Think about it.  They all suck ass in college football.  So, they need to get the viewership, dollars, etc from that entire market for the Pros.  


Where are there power college football teams?  Ohio.  California.  Florida.  Texas.  South Carolina.  Alabama.  How have the pro teams from those areas fared over the past 20 years, where the dollars really got escalated?  Not very well.  They sure own the college game, though. 

(11-29-2017, 04:58 PM)PhilHos Wrote: While I won't argue that the refs sure do seem biased in Pitts favor, I don't agree the NFL is fixed. There's just too many people involved in order for games to have pre-determined outcomes.

It is impossible to fix a game.  It is very easy to influence the outcome with biased officiating.  It doesn't even have to be flags thrown, but flags not thrown.  Not ruling an Uzomah TD a TD and letting replay overturn it if it wasn't.  Same game, ruling Boyd was NOT down, instead of the other way around and letting replay not be able to overturn it because an official was in the way of the camera angle.

The money exchanging hands over these games is astronomical.  Where there is a  lot of money, there is a lot of greed.  

Look up sometime how the NFL is actually labeled an "entertainment industry" and not competitions.  Very interesting stuff.  

(11-29-2017, 10:18 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yeah when you've only won 5 playoff games in 49 years...you're not exactly the most well managed team to start with.

This despite the NFL changing a MF rule the night before a playoff game to counter a scheme the Bengals created that was working!  Pretty impressive, actually. 

Yes, I totally agree with the OP of this post that the NFL is fixed and that the Steelers are one of its "darlings."

For me the final straw was last years' choreographed Super Bowl.

What would prove it wrong or at least limited to some extent is if the Bengals were allowed to beat the Steelers Monday night. We'll have to wait and see!

(11-30-2017, 07:46 AM)Takedown Wrote: Reasons why NOT:
1. Mike Brown hasn't shown that he could give lesser of one s**t about this team winning games. Why is Marvin still here? Please don't make me type a whole list of Marvins stats as our HC, there are plenty of current threads on it.
2. We haven't won a playoff game in a VERY long time with so many chances against a handful of teams over the last 12 years alone. The NFL isn't specifically out to doom Bengals land for the rest of our days.
3. We keep mediocre players as starters and keep promising rookies on the bench. Stupid. Goes back to Marvin Lewis via Mike Brown.
4. We are statistically bad as a team. Terrible. How tf are we 5-6???
5. Let Mike Zimmer walk. Good job Mikey Boy. Good f***ing job. Probably didn't even consider replacing Marv for him once. What a joke.
6. Constant re-signing of Marvin Lewis. Mike is a "Just good enough to sell tix" kind of guy. He settles.
7. Players don't want to be here. We've been socially humiliated by our own past and present players, players have demanded trades and called out coaching/management. The same coaching/management that's hasn't changed since 2003 (Marv).
8. We suck in prime time. We just do. Marv can't get this team hyped for games like this.
9. We have knucklehead players. Again reverts back to Marv via Mike. I love Burfict to death, but he needs a coach that isn't a p***y and will hold him accountable. Jones should have been cut a while ago for his off the field bs.
10. If it weren't for the Browns we would be the ultimate joke of the NFL. Thanks Browns.
11. There is more proof that this team statistically sucks due to management/coaching than there is proof that the NFL is rigged. I don't fully buy into that.

Mike Brown's stupidity keeps the Bengals right where the NFL wants them, so your point here is kind of moot.  As I mentioned above, referees can stall drives and/or keep drives alive with holding calls or non-calls like they did in the Bengals/Steelers game last year.

(11-30-2017, 10:47 AM)bengalguy71 Wrote: Mike Brown's stupidity keeps the Bengals right where the NFL wants them, so your point here is kind of moot.  As I mentioned above, referees can stall drives and/or keep drives alive with holding calls or non-calls like they did in the Bengals/Steelers game last year.

While I agree with Mike Brown being stupid, I don't think its "Where the NFL wants them".

Refs can call/not call whatever and it can change the outcome of the game yes. You can't say all games that we lose are controlled by the outcome of the refs officiating. We suck. Marvin sucks and Mike doesn't care. If we had an owner who cared about his team as much as Kraft or J. Jones did their teams, then maybe we wouldn't let officials and the NFL bully us around.

One game of the year against the Steelers shouldn't be an excuse to 50 years of failure.

(11-29-2017, 08:01 PM)bengalsturntup5532 Wrote: Well I agree with you there,people won't believe me but I actually see us as the better roster then the steelers..actually I think if you just switch team rosters,big Ben and them would lose here and get screwed , Dalton and green in black and gold get the calls.

If we switched rosters and coaches oh yeah, our team is better in my opinion as well. Our O-line is worse but if we
were allowed to hold and played aggressive like the Steelers team is allowed to we are the more talented team.

Bell would not have the holes here in Cincy, AB would not be able to push off like he does in Pitt, the Pig would be
knocked out of the game, their Defense would not get away with the dirty hits aka Mike Mitchell and Shazier head
hunting expedition and would be suspended etc.

Imagine Burfict in Pitt. Would be the greatest LB of all time man. Good old fashioned football fellas.

(11-29-2017, 10:45 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote: its also the Bengals fault when we re sign Bodine this off-season..  the worst starter in the nfl..

(11-30-2017, 02:12 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: If we switched rosters and coaches oh yeah, our team is better in my opinion as well. Our O-line is worse but if we
were allowed to hold and played aggressive like the Steelers team is allowed to we are the more talented team.

Bell would not have the holes here in Cincy, AB would not be able to push off like he does in Pitt, the Pig would be
knocked out of the game, their Defense would not get away with the dirty hits aka Mike Mitchell and Shazier head
hunting expedition and would be suspended etc.

Imagine Burfict in Pitt. Would be the greatest LB of all time man. Good old fashioned football fellas.

Which is organizational culture. They believe they will win and make it so.

People think we made dramatic changes to run the ball against the Browns because they have a generally good defense. I'd argue that we succeeded because we had confidence and blocked harder. Having confidence against an 0-10 thing is one thing. Having it against an 8-2 team is another.

(11-30-2017, 11:08 AM)Takedown Wrote: While I agree with Mike Brown being stupid, I don't think its "Where the NFL wants them".

Refs can call/not call whatever and it can change the outcome of the game yes. You can't say all games that we lose are controlled by the outcome of the refs officiating. We suck. Marvin sucks and Mike doesn't care. If we had an owner who cared about his team as much as Kraft or J. Jones did their teams, then maybe we wouldn't let officials and the NFL bully us around.

One game of the year against the Steelers shouldn't be an excuse to 50 years of failure.

Still missed the point, it's not a game against the Steelers that's an excuse.  It's just a little help for the NFL darlings BY the NFL at the time.

Mike Brown is the only one responsible and accountable for the last 26 years because he is the ONLY one who has control of every staff member beneath him.

Paul Brown's reign was not failure with 2 SB appearances.  I truly believe if MB had the same personality and football mind his dad had, this team would be close to the Broncos journey.  Losing the first 2 SBs then getting a few rings down the road.

Look at the Bills, many say they are failures because they lost 4 SBs, but many forget that they went to 4 SBs in a row!  That feat will probably NEVER happen again!!

So refs can and do control the momentum of games, can take away or reward TDs on a whim, blatantly disregard obvious fouls or conjure up new ones out of thin air, eject players for big fouls or do the exact opposite and ignore fouls that even non-fans can see and allow them to continue as if nothing happened and yet it's not fixed..
Wow! You really have to have expert mental gymnastics skills or just be plain stupid to conclude it's not fixed.. Take your pick.    

(11-29-2017, 10:14 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Have you ever been to a game in person? The action is so quick that it's hard to tell what happened. At home, fans get the benefit of replays over and over...from different angles...in slow motion.

Which is why watching the game on TV is far better than watching the game at the stadium (unless you are pretty close up).
And don't give me the "atmosphere" crap because the atmosphere at PBS is not good at all. The best part of going to a game IMO is the tailgating before the game, which isn't the stadium atmosphere itself.

Back to league and player hanky panky and why i don't necessarily believe half of the injury stories..From Brian Tuohy's TheFixisIn.. The league is most definitely fixed, but believe whatever you want. 

Quote:Then there's the saga of former Packers TE Martellus Bennett who signed with the team this past off-season after winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots last year. Bennett supposedly told the team after last week's game that he needed season-ending shoulder surgery which would've kept him under contract for the Packers into next season. The Packers didn't want his over-priced salary on their balance sheet, so the team cut Bennett, claiming he failed to disclose the prior injury when he initially signed with the team. Bennett, now free from the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers, immediately signed back on with the Patriots, and suited up and played in Sunday night's victory over the Broncos. So much for that much-needed season-ending surgery, huh? It just goes to show how much of a business the NFL is, and how petty players (and teams) can be. 


"Rodgers is out? I need surgery."

"You're injured? You're cut."

"Hello, New England? Is Tom Brady still there? He is? Good. Tell him I'm available. No, I'm not hurt. I'm good to play."

"Welcome back, Martellus."

Who else is lying about an injury? Who else was cut for the wrong reasons? Who else got screwed? I can tell you the answer to that last question. It's the fans.

I think the refs In the NFL are just that terrible. They are extremely inconsistent and they change the rulebook all the time. It is literally every game there are all kinds on headscratching calls/No calls.. I can't honestly think of another sport this happens in. Maybe it's just football in general idk.