While I’ll admit, I was still skeptical after last week, but after last night Isn’t there just a different feel surrounding this team? They looked dominant in prime time for goodness sakes!

First of all, easily the biggest concern coming into the season was the Oline. Well, they looked great last night against a very good pass rushing Baltimore team.

Coordinator and position coaching changes look to be having a tremendous effect. I know we all wanted Marvin gone, but this team WANTS to win for Marvin, plain and simple. There is something to be said for that.

But most of all I think the “here we go again” and “woe is me” attitudes that have seemingly surrounded this franchise for years could very well be gone. The infusion of youth is giving this team a different feel. It seems they are ready to flip the script. There is a long way to go, but to this point, the season is coming up roses.

The players' demeanor was what caught my eye. Guys were all fired up in the first two quarters. First time in a long time, they looked like they were having fun.

I agree that this team feels "different."
When people on here were typing "ballgame" when the Ravens closed to within 5, I didn't feel that way, at all.
This season has the feel of 2015 (before Andy got hurt) They can be scary good, IF they stay healthy.

We shall see. 2 scary wins thus far reminds me more of 2009 so far.

(09-14-2018, 09:58 AM)Nately120 Wrote: We shall see.  2 scary wins thus far reminds me more of 2009 so far.

Ditto - going full blown Missouri - show me for 16 weeks.

(09-14-2018, 09:58 AM)Nately120 Wrote: We shall see. 2 scary wins thus far reminds me more of 2009 so far.

Scary? Nah. Nervous moments? Sure. But what nfl game doesn’t have those? If not for a ticky tac PI call that put the ball on the 1 and a 3rd down prayer pass down the middle that Bates more often than not will either knock down or pick, the game isn’t even that close. Not to mention the amazing John Brown TD with Dre blanketing him. Nine times out of ten coverage like those two plays nets an incompletion. Granted, you can’t take those away but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that all those plays, while very nice plays, were borderline fluke. For all intents and purposes, this was a dominating performance by the bengals.

Enjoy it!

(09-14-2018, 09:58 AM)Nately120 Wrote: We shall see.  2 scary wins thus far reminds me more of 2009 so far.

10-6 with a home wild-card game vs Jets? Wow, that is a pretty good comparison 

(09-14-2018, 09:58 AM)Nately120 Wrote: We shall see. 2 scary wins thus far reminds me more of 2009 so far.

They beat a healthy Andrew luck on the road, and beat a ravens team that was the most impressive in the NFL in week 1.

Not many wins in the NFL come easy. And to expect a team that finished 7-9 last year to handidly beat opponents might not be realistic.

The fact they have overcome a suspension to their best LB, an injury early to their second best LB for two games. Then a early injury to their center last night against a team that got 6 sacks last week, and they gave up zero last night.

Honestly, this team, albeit early in the season... is impressing me.

The panthers OL is banged up, Olsen is out. 10 days rest. It won’t be an easy game, but I’ll take another scary win all day. They just need the rest after last night and to prepare for cam newton. That DL is going to have to hit him hard, but not too hard to get a flag.... but hard enough to take him down... and he is as big as our DE. (That is a sarcastic comment towards the “weight on a QB” for those that can’t tell)

(09-14-2018, 10:15 AM)The Real Deal Wrote: Scary? Nah. Nervous moments? Sure. But what nfl game doesn’t have those? If not for a ticky tac PI call that put the ball on the 1 and a 3rd down prayer pass down the middle that Bates more often than not will either knock down or pick, the game isn’t even that close. Not to mention the amazing John Brown TD with Dre blanketing him. Nine times out of ten coverage like those two plays nets an incompletion. Granted, you can’t take those away but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that all those plays, while very nice plays, were borderline fluke. For all intents and purposes, this was a dominating performance by the bengals.

Enjoy it!

Totally agree!  

On a side note, the hate on Dre in the game day was just stupid.  Dre is a great player with tons of heart!    

(09-14-2018, 10:28 AM)Mickeypoo Wrote: Totally agree!  

On a side note, the hate on Dre in the game day was just stupid.  Dre is a great player with tons of heart!    

He played one heck of a game last night. Hoping the injury isn’t too bad.

I am still skeptical. They have looked pretty good but they have also looked to me like a team that could lose a first round playoff game at home. I don’t think either of the teams they have played will make the playoffs and they have a couple of really tough games coming next.
I do like a lot of these young players and Andy is playing great. Also Dunlap, AJ and Mixon have been excellent. I don’t hear Jackson’s name much and I think that’s because he’s so good in coverage they don’t throw at him.

However I still do not have any faith in the head coach.

(09-14-2018, 08:37 AM)The Real Deal Wrote: While I’ll admit, I was still skeptical after last week, but after last night Isn’t there just a different feel surrounding this team? They looked dominant in prime time for goodness sakes!  

First of all, easily the biggest concern coming into the season was  the Oline. Well, they looked great last night against a very good pass rushing Baltimore team.

Coordinator and position coaching changes look to be having a tremendous effect. I know we all wanted Marvin gone, but this team WANTS  to win for Marvin, plain and simple. There is something to be said for that.

But most of all I think the “here we go again” and “woe is me” attitudes that have seemingly surrounded this franchise for years could very well be gone. The infusion of youth is giving this team a different feel. It seems they are ready to flip the script. There is a long way to go, but to this point, the season is coming up roses.

No doubt, i am as positive as anyone around here but i thought we would lose this one so early in the season with
all the new young players and new coaches still trying to gel. But damn they are coming around a lot quicker than i
thought they would which is just awesome to see. Lazor, Pollack, Austin and a shout out to Van Pelt who looks to
have really helped out Dalton who had in my opinion his greatest Primetime game.

If we can win against a tough opponent like this in Primetime, we can win a Playoff game this year.

There i said it. 12-4 and our first Playoff win in like 30 years barring injuries knock on wood.

We should only get better from here on out too, who knows how many games we win this year. Team is good.

They can be a lot better. Last night should have been a run away win and a real statement game but it wasn't. Dropped INTs, missed open field tackles, dropped passes, and poor time management. I see a team that knows it's capable of doing big things but they need to do little things as well if there going to be successful.

(09-14-2018, 01:11 PM)Jakeypoo Wrote: They can be a lot better. Last night should have been a run away win and a real statement game but it wasn't. Dropped INTs, missed open field tackles, dropped passes, and poor time management. I see a team that knows it's capable of doing big things but they need to do little things as well if there going to be successful.

TBF, they lost/don't have many of their key players. All things considered (being early in the season, a young team, etc), they played quite well. Biggest point of optimism is the line not being total shit. That's a massive, massive glass of kool-aid I am willing to start drinking from until proven other-wise. 

Didn't you guys beat us in 2009 in week 2 or 3? I remember getting ripped up by the Bengals in Cincy.

(09-14-2018, 09:58 AM)Nately120 Wrote: We shall see.  2 scary wins thus far reminds me more of 2009 so far.

(09-14-2018, 10:15 AM)The Real Deal Wrote: Scary? Nah. Nervous moments? Sure. But what nfl game doesn’t have those? If not for a ticky tac PI call that put the ball on the 1 and a 3rd down prayer pass down the middle that Bates more often than not will either knock down or pick, the game isn’t even that close. Not to mention the amazing John Brown TD with Dre blanketing him. Nine times out of ten coverage like those two plays nets an incompletion. Granted, you can’t take those away but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that all those plays, while very nice plays, were borderline fluke. For all intents and purposes, this was a dominating performance by the bengals.

Enjoy it!

I see both sides. Yeah it was a dominant performance...in the first half. They didn't manage to bury the Ravens though, and closing out teams after getting a big lead has always been an issue for Marvin Lewis teams. To the OP, I was thinking about the "different feeling" last night. It's funny how fans can all get that feeling at the same time. That said, we've felt that way before. 

Namely...

2005 with Palmer/Chad/Housh
2006 when we started 3-0 (beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh) and had national media singing our praises prior to a beat down vs Patriots
2009 with the cardiac cats and sweeping the Steelers (only time in 16 years under Marv)
2013 when we went 8-0 at home
2014 when we started 3-0 and had the national media singing our praises prior to a beat down @ Patriots
2015 when we started 8-0
2016 when we were a trendy SB pick prior to the season.

Not going to lie, I'm enjoying where we're at. Just have to wonder if it will ever lead to success in the biggest games of all.

The first half was about damn near perfect game sparing the last minute and a half. As noted it looks like they were just having fun and playing free which is what you want to see.

Even with all the mistakes at the end of the second-quarter and in the second half we were still the better team and was able to get a W. I can only imagine how the games will go if we can play that way in all 4 quarters.

(09-14-2018, 01:44 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I see both sides. Yeah it was a dominant performance...in the first half. They didn't manage to bury the Ravens though, and closing out teams after getting a big lead has always been an issue for Marvin Lewis teams. To the OP, I was thinking about the "different feeling" last night. It's funny how fans can all get that feeling at the same time. That said, we've felt that way before. 

Namely...

2005 with Palmer/Chad/Housh
2006 when we started 3-0 (beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh) and had national media singing our praises prior to a beat down vs Patriots
2009 with the cardiac cats and sweeping the Steelers (only time in 16 years under Marv)
2013 when we went 8-0 at home
2014 when we started 3-0 and had the national media singing our praises prior to a beat down @ Patriots
2015 when we started 8-0
2016 when we were a trendy SB pick prior to the season.

Not going to lie, I'm enjoying where we're at. Just have to wonder if it will ever lead to success in the biggest games of all.

Shake how ya been! Hope your well. 

The improvements to the o-line are already paying dividends. if it was the same line as last year at this point, probably be 0-2, that's how bad that line was between coaching and talent level.

(09-14-2018, 01:47 PM)packerbacker Wrote: Shake how ya been! Hope your well. 

Hanging in there. I have an unhealthy obsession with the Bengals, so when they win, it automatically lifts my mood. 

How's Rodgers? Heard he got dinged up. Always gotta worry with that guy. He's injury prone and your team is toast without him.