For the first time in 18 years the Buffalo Bills made the Playoffs. They jumped over their Bar of success like a dog in a dog show. A tiny dog with his bar set on low pegs. Jumps over it and then struts towards his owner for a treat. Euphoria ensues in Buffalo. They did it. Fans celebrate, local & National Media erupts with Praise. All is well.

The Bar to jump over is a Peg higher for Bengals Owner Mike Brown and Marvin. Two more years for Marvin to make his jump. The bar is set at a Playoff win. It looks like a high jump to Bengal fans. To Mike & Marvin. Gets us all nervous looking at that big old bar gleaming in the sunlight which has stopped us every time Mike & Marvin have tried. Downright scary to think of trying again but they have to. Just sat in front of cameras again explaining how they are beginning to plan on making the 2018 Plan to do so.

Heck, we just saw the Titans jump it so why can't we.

This dog show style bar jumping exercise is our Super bowl in Cincinnati.

Truth is that in the Grand Scheme of the NFL it is really a rather "low Bar" of expectations. Higher than the Bills bar though and much higher than the "win a game" bar the Browns have set for themselves.

Given the talent level of the Bengals 2015 team (with a healthy Dalton) it isn't far fetched to think that Mike & Marvin have at least a chance of pulling it off in the next 2 years.

Doing so would put a spring in their steps just like that Dog show wiener dog had when he made it over his bar. Local media would erupt with praise and the National Media would exonerate Marvin as now being a Playoff game winning coach. Euphoria in Cincinnati.

The Bar is set. Our Super Bowl. A day at the office for the Steelers and Patriots but our Super Bowl.

Will be a lot of Strutting around top to bottom, throughout the entire Bengal Organization & Local Media if they do pull it off.

Tails will wag and treats will be given.

Two more years to try before Contract renegotiations start up again.

Choose the Odds they pull it off in the Poll.  A Playoff game win. Gauge Board faith in the Organization over the next 2 years.

(01-10-2018, 02:29 PM)depthchart Wrote: For the first time in 18 years the Buffalo Bills made the Playoffs. They jumped over their Bar of success like a dog in a dog show. A tiny dog with his bar set on low pegs. Jumps over it and then struts towards his owner for a treat. Euphoria ensues in Buffalo. They did it. Fans celebrate, local & National Media erupts with Praise. All is well.

The Bar to jump over is a Peg higher for Bengals Owner Mike Brown and Marvin. Two more years for Marvin to make his jump. The bar is set at a Playoff win. It looks like a high jump to Bengal fans. To Mike & Marvin. Gets us all nervous looking at that big old bar gleaming in the sunlight which has stopped us every time Mike & Marvin have tried. Downright scary to think of trying again but they have to. Just sat in front of cameras again explaining how they are beginning to plan on making the 2018 Plan to do so.

Heck, we just saw the Titans jump it so why can't we.

This dog show style bar jumping exercise is our Super bowl in Cincinnati.

Truth is that in the Grand Scheme of the NFL it is really a rather "low Bar" of expectations. Higher than the Bills bar though and much higher than the "win a game" bar the Browns have set for themselves.

Given the talent level of the Bengals 2015 team (with a healthy Dalton) it isn't far fetched to think that Mike & Marvin have at least a chance of pulling it off in the next 2 years.

Doing so would put a spring in their steps just like that Dog show wiener dog had when he made it over his bar. Local media would erupt with praise and the National Media would exonerate Marvin as now being a Playoff game winning coach. Euphoria in Cincinnati.

The Bar is set. Our Super Bowl. A day at the office for the Steelers and Patriots but our Super Bowl.

Will be a lot of Strutting around top to bottom, throughout the entire Bengal Organization & Local Media if they do pull it off.

Tails will wag and treats will be given.

Two more years to try before Contract renegotiations start up again.

Choose the Odds they pull it off in the Poll.  A Playoff game win. Gauge Board faith in the Organization over the next 2 years.

Since FA and the draft haven't happened yet, I'm not confident in even 50/50. Depending on how those go, I might be at or above 50/50.

I'll say this, if they do win a playoff game, Marvin's job is more secure than Fort Knox.

(01-10-2018, 02:37 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Since FA and the draft haven't happened yet, I'm not confident in even 50/50. Depending on how those go, I might be at or above 50/50.

We would be factoring in how confident we are with them turning over a new leaf in Free Agency as they imply they will do. Do we buy what they are saying in recent Press Conferences etc.

Who says or bar is just winning a playoff game?

I think every player, coach, and fan wants more than that.

(01-10-2018, 02:38 PM)GreenDragon Wrote: I'll say this, if they do win a playoff game, Marvin's job is more secure than Fort Knox.

Mike Brown would even spring for some Ticker Tape in his Budget as long as it was used & on sale.

Local Media, Radio and Sports Writers would be on Cloud 9 also with a New Slant on things to talk about.

Mike & Marvin exonerated.

(01-10-2018, 02:42 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Who says or bar is just winning a playoff game?

I think every player, coach, and fan wants more than that.

I agree that all of the above want more than that.

Each team, however, has it's Narrative. Bills making Playoffs, Cleveland winning a game and for us the Playoff win narrative.

Narratives are part Media driven but also rooted in a reality.

That reality has to be changed or recreated with a Win that destroys that narrative.

As of now, our Super Bowl in a way.

(01-10-2018, 02:44 PM)depthchart Wrote: Mike Brown would even spring for some Ticker Tape in his Budget as long as it was used & on sale.

Local Media, Radio and Sports Writers would be on Cloud 9 also with a New Slant on things to talk about.

Mike & Marvin exonerated.

You are talking about two different things.

Mike and Marvin would be exonerated regarding everyone who said that they would never win a playoff game, but that is not the same as "setting the bar for success".  Every fan I know wants more than just a playoff win, and I guarantee every coach and player is shooting for more also.

Also EVERY fan of every team in the league celebrates when they win a playoff game.  I have seen it with my own eyes.  So what is so bad about being happy over a playoff victory?

After 15 years, they better win a real Super Bowl.  I'll put it at the low end of spectrum of the 1-25% chance.

(01-10-2018, 02:42 PM)depthchart Wrote: We would be factoring in how confident we are with them turning over a new leaf in Free Agency as they imply they will do. Do we buy what they are saying in recent Press Conferences etc.

That's why I voted 25-49% for now.

(01-10-2018, 02:49 PM)fredtoast Wrote: You are talking about two different things.

Mike and Marvin would be exonerated regarding everyone who said that they would never win a playoff game, but that is not the same as "setting the bar for success".  Every fan I know wants more than just a playoff win, and I guarantee every coach and player is shooting for more also.

Also EVERY fan of every team in the league celebrates when they win a playoff game.  I have seen it with my own eyes.  So what is so bad about being happy over a playoff victory?

This thread is about the "winning a Playoff game" narrative.

Doing so would be classified as a "success" by anyone that is aware of the narrative.

Would be great to celebrate. The monkey off their backs.

Immediately after that Playoff win the "bar" would get moved up a peg as we await the next game.

Hopefully gets reset all the way up to a Super Bowl win that same year.

Every organization has Super Bowl talk and the Super Bowl goal, however, fans know where their narrative really stands & they have to Prove that they can break through those ceilings before their words really matter.

Two more years to try and the 2015 team gives me some hope that they can break through some ceilings.

(01-10-2018, 02:29 PM)depthchart Wrote: For the first time in 18 years the Buffalo Bills made the Playoffs. They jumped over their Bar of success like a dog in a dog show. A tiny dog with his bar set on low pegs. Jumps over it and then struts towards his owner for a treat. Euphoria ensues in Buffalo. They did it. Fans celebrate, local & National Media erupts with Praise. All is well.

The Bar to jump over is a Peg higher for Bengals Owner Mike Brown and Marvin. Two more years for Marvin to make his jump. The bar is set at a Playoff win. It looks like a high jump to Bengal fans. To Mike & Marvin. Gets us all nervous looking at that big old bar gleaming in the sunlight which has stopped us every time Mike & Marvin have tried. Downright scary to think of trying again but they have to. Just sat in front of cameras again explaining how they are beginning to plan on making the 2018 Plan to do so.

Heck, we just saw the Titans jump it so why can't we.

This dog show style bar jumping exercise is our Super bowl in Cincinnati.

Truth is that in the Grand Scheme of the NFL it is really a rather "low Bar" of expectations. Higher than the Bills bar though and much higher than the "win a game" bar the Browns have set for themselves.

Given the talent level of the Bengals 2015 team (with a healthy Dalton) it isn't far fetched to think that Mike & Marvin have at least a chance of pulling it off in the next 2 years.

Doing so would put a spring in their steps just like that Dog show wiener dog had when he made it over his bar. Local media would erupt with praise and the National Media would exonerate Marvin as now being a Playoff game winning coach. Euphoria in Cincinnati.

The Bar is set. Our Super Bowl. A day at the office for the Steelers and Patriots but our Super Bowl.

Will be a lot of Strutting around top to bottom, throughout the entire Bengal Organization & Local Media if they do pull it off.

Tails will wag and treats will be given.

Two more years to try before Contract renegotiations start up again.

Choose the Odds they pull it off in the Poll.  A Playoff game win. Gauge Board faith in the Organization over the next 2 years.

To me, you have to set your bar higher than win just one playoff game.  This might have something to do with all the losing.  You have to go in thinking winning this game is just the first step, as opposed to holy shit, we have to win this one playoff game. 

A first round playoff game is not the mountain.  It's just the first hill on the way up the mountain.

I’ll say 50/50 that they even make the playoffs in the next two years. 1-25% that they win a game (on the low end of that)

(01-10-2018, 02:42 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Who says or bar is just winning a playoff game?

I think every player, coach, and fan wants more than that.

Unfortunately the owner has shown zero care for that.  He's happy to have it happen I guess, but not all that concerned.  

Had to go with 0. We've had much better teams in the past than what we have now. However, the same then which remains now is M&M. So, not going to happen.

(01-10-2018, 03:09 PM)McC Wrote: To me, you have to set your bar higher than win just one playoff game.  This might have something to do with all the losing.  You have to go in thinking winning this game is just the first step, as opposed to holy shit, we have to win this one playoff game. 

A first round playoff game is not the mountain.  It's just the first hill on the way up the mountain.

I agree with all of that. Players, Coaches and teams will have the higher goals.

This is more about Local Fan perception of what a successful season would be and how it would help Mike & Marvin to jump that bar.


* If the Patriots win one Playoff game this year and then lose - Patriot fans will be pissed.

* If the Bengals had won 1 Playoff game this year and then lost - Bengal fans would be much happier than the Patriot fans above.


Similarly;

* If Bill Belichick talks about winning a Super Bowl in 2018 - people listen

* If Marvin talks about winning a Super Bowl in 2018 - he is taken less seriously than Bill above.

They're a decently talented team.

If they can fix the line, they could get back to the playoffs pretty easily in my opinion.

Once they're there, it's a tossup on whether or not they win a game. They've had terrible luck/game plan/matchups in Lewis' time here, and if that continues, they probably won't win one.

I voted 1-25%.  Burn me once, shame on you.  Burn me 7 times, shame on me...

I truly don't know how anyone could answer this question at a level higher than 1 to 25% and that is optimistic.

I think someone pointed out that in 50 years the Bengals have won a playoff game in only 3 of 50 - and all three years when Paul Brown was alive.

What is Marv's record in big time games over the last 15 years?

What are the odds we lose two games to the Steelers next year is a better question. I would say at least 75% or higher.

Not one single thing has changed with the Bengals so far.  We have seen this show over and over and over.

(01-11-2018, 11:42 AM)bengals67 Wrote: I truly don't know how anyone could answer this question at a level higher than 1 to 25% and that is optimistic.


I think someone pointed out that in 50 years the Bengals have won a playoff game in only 3 of 50 - and all three years when Paul Brown was alive.

What is Marv's record in big time games over the last 15 years?

What are the odds we lose two games to the Steelers next year is a better question. I would say at least 75% or higher.

Not one single thing has changed with the Bengals so far.  We have seen this show over and over and over.

1 to 25% has nearly half of the Votes so far.   (12 of 25 votes for 48%)

Fans perceiving that there is at least "somewhat of a chance" is a Public Relations success for the Bengals.

Press Conferences about each new Assistant and quotes from Marvin & others about how they will tweak Free Agency etc get written up by Local Sports media writers and Radio/TV personalities discuss them. Fans slowly accept these so called changes as being a turning over of a new leaf.

Then comes Free Agency itself (which may or may not be much better than prior years). Even if Free Agency is not tweaked in a positive way as suggested by Marvin, the Bengals can still count on the Draft raising Fan interest and confidence in having at least a chance of winning.

All of this helps keep the Business side of things profitable because enough fans will buy back in to the concept of maybe winning.

Another reload for another try.

Being in a position to "almost" win a few of those past Playoff games actually serves as a feather in the Bengal Organization's cap by giving fans a sense of Hope that Mike & Marvin were razor close to winning a Playoff game a couple of times. Especially had Palmer/Dalton been healthy in 2005/2015. The two Peaks (so far) of Mike & Marvin's tenure together. The highest level so far of their football Aptitude.

Just enough positives to make fans think that they could actually pull it off. Win a Playoff game.