(09-14-2015, 02:33 PM)djs7685 Wrote: We're 11-13 in the division so far in the Andy years. I wouldn't go as far as a sweep, but this team looks like it can do much better than it has been.

Call me easy to please, but I'll be happy with 4-2 or better.

We have to turn the corner of late against Pittsburgh and finally sweep Cleveland.. and continue to own Baltimore like we have the past few years.. so im thinking 5-1

(09-14-2015, 07:19 PM)Anderson HOF Wrote: We have to turn the corner of late against Pittsburgh and finally sweep Cleveland.. and continue to own Baltimore like we have the past few years.. so im thinking 5-1

We have already swept Cleveland with Dalton.

They have to sweep Cleveland and at least split with Pittsburgh and Baltimore each.

3-3 isn't going to cut it this year.

(09-14-2015, 07:21 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: We have already swept Cleveland with Dalton.

Dalton's last 4 games vs Cleveland:

50/126 (39.7%), 3 TDs, 7 INTs, 502 YDs, 3.9 Y/A, 36.5 RAT

Yes, there is context here, one was simply not good, one was fluky with defense and special teams, one was absolutely terrible everywhere and we dominated one game with Hill.

He still has to play better versus them, has to. It's the one team you can't feel good about him against. Hopefully with a fully implemented Eifert things change for good, we'll have to see.

I never understand the media's tying the team's lackluster post-season performances to their ability to win the division. They've done it before, so they have no aversion to doing it. Playoff games, yeah, you got us. But with a 4-2 division record and 10 wins, yeah, we can win this division.

(09-14-2015, 02:20 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote:
The Bengals looked fantastic at Oakland on Sunday, but a) they were playing the Raiders and b) we know the Andy Dalton-Marvin Lewis duo's reputation in a big spot.

They do have two valid points though.

I won't trust Dalton and Marvin in the big games until I see it for myself in the post season. It's not that I'm pessimistic or anything. It's just that I've heard it all before, many times, only to find nothing has really changed when it counts the most.

I will say, that this appears to be the best team the Bengals have had in 25 years. The defense is playing with fire, the offense can run and throw and catch with the best of them. But it's been one game and a lot goes on during a season.

(09-14-2015, 02:37 PM)RiverRat13 Wrote: An easy way to look silly is to make conclusions based on Week 1.

Or, to ignore week 1 entirely. 

Look, they went on the road to an NFL stadium and put a 33 burger on them before the Raiders seemingly even crossed midfield. 

The bottom line:  The Bengals are healthy, and the Bengals are very, very good.

(09-14-2015, 09:30 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: The bottom line:  The Bengals are healthy, and the Bengals are very, very good.

(09-14-2015, 02:33 PM)djs7685 Wrote: We're 11-13 in the division so far in the Andy years. I wouldn't go as far as a sweep, but this team looks like it can do much better than it has been.

Call me easy to please, but I'll be happy with 4-2 or better.

This. 4-2 would be progress and I'm always happy to see progress. 6-0 just doesn't seem likely though.

(09-14-2015, 07:58 PM)Stormborn Wrote: Dalton's last 4 games vs Cleveland:

50/126 (39.7%), 3 TDs, 7 INTs, 502 YDs, 3.9 Y/A, 36.5 RAT

Yes, there is context here, one was simply not good, one was fluky with defense and special teams, one was absolutely terrible everywhere and we dominated one game with Hill.

He still has to play better versus them, has to. It's the one team you can't feel good about him against. Hopefully with a fully implemented Eifert things change for good, we'll have to see.

Dalton has been Akili Smith-bad against the Browns lately. If he could even post average numbers against those guys, his overall season numbers would be in the top 10.

Actually NFL Network did cover the game nicely. Complimented Eifert, Andy, Geno et al. The only fault they found was they felt we let off the pressure late which allowed the two late Raider scores - they wanted us to utterly crush the Raiders.

(09-14-2015, 11:13 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: This. 4-2 would be progress and I'm always happy to see progress. 6-0 just doesn't seem likely though.

Dalton has been Akili Smith-bad against the Browns lately. If he could even post average numbers against those guys, his overall season numbers would be in the top 10.

Think we found the formula last year in the 2nd game, Jets used it this week.

Make them prove they can stop the run. Ivory had so many yards after contact, their run defense doesn't look improved.

With the way our Oline hit the 2nd level Sunday, should be able to replicate it.

(09-15-2015, 01:19 AM)Stormborn Wrote: Think we found the formula last year in the 2nd game, Jets used it this week.

Make them prove they can stop the run. Ivory had so many yards after contact, their run defense doesn't look improved.

With the way our Oline hit the 2nd level Sunday, should be able to replicate it.

Shelton looked GASSED by halftime 

(09-14-2015, 09:30 PM)SHRacerX Wrote:  The Bengals are healthy, and the Bengals are very, very good.

Yup.

(09-15-2015, 01:19 AM)Stormborn Wrote: Think we found the formula last year in the 2nd game, Jets used it this week.

Make them prove they can stop the run. Ivory had so many yards after contact, their run defense doesn't look improved.

With the way our Oline hit the 2nd level Sunday, should be able to replicate it.

Honestly, I think losing Phil Taylor had a big impact on their ability to stop the run. 

2014 (Phil Taylor missed all but 3-4 games): 32nd in rush yards allowed, 28th in yards per rush
2013 (Phil Taylor played the whole season): 18th in rush yards allowed, 8th in yards per rush

Obviously with Taylor out of the picture now, I'd keep giving them a heavy dose of Hill and Gio in both games.

(09-15-2015, 01:43 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Honestly, I think losing Phil Taylor had a big impact on their ability to stop the run. 

2014 (Phil Taylor missed all but 3-4 games): 32nd in rush yards allowed, 28th in yards per rush
2013 (Phil Taylor played the whole season): 18th in rush yards allowed, 8th in yards per rush

Obviously with Taylor out of the picture now, I'd keep giving them a heavy dose of Hill and Gio in both games.

Don't forget that in 2013 they also had T.J. Ward at SS and replaced him with Whitner for 2014. Not taking away from the ability of Donte Whitner, but Ward had an excellent year against the run in 2013.

That was also the time period that they replaced Jackson with Dansby, but I'm assuming Taylor and Ward had a bigger impact on the run game than that swap would have. I see no reason we shouldn't be able to maul through their defense if the Jets and Ivory could.

(09-14-2015, 03:25 PM)Nately120 Wrote: True, but the last time the Ravens lost Suggs they won the Super Bowl.  I'm not saying losing Suggs makes them better, but they've shown before that they can overcome...then again they looked pretty awful in week 1.

But they had Ray Lewis then.  It was his last year.  

(09-15-2015, 01:20 AM)RoyleRedlegs Wrote: Shelton looked GASSED by halftime 

Welcome to the league, where you won't be able to go 3 downs and have to play against Nick Nangold out of the gate. It ain't UW.

(09-15-2015, 08:52 AM)BonnieBengal Wrote: But they had Ray Lewis then.  It was his last year.  

Ray Lewis is one of the GOATs, but come on, his last year or two they'd give him a tackle on the stat sheet for being within 10 yards of a play being made.

The dude was clearly past his expiration date for that run. I'm obviously exaggerating above, but saying "but they had Ray Lewis" would have meant a lot more if the season was anywhere between 3 and 15 years prior to when it actually happened.

(09-15-2015, 01:43 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Honestly, I think losing Phil Taylor had a big impact on their ability to stop the run. 

2014 (Phil Taylor missed all but 3-4 games): 32nd in rush yards allowed, 28th in yards per rush
2013 (Phil Taylor played the whole season): 18th in rush yards allowed, 8th in yards per rush

Obviously with Taylor out of the picture now, I'd keep giving them a heavy dose of Hill and Gio in both games.

Taylor had a decent year that year, it's possible that was he case.

When Hue game plans for the Thursday night, unless Haden and Gipson are out, I'd assume he'll have the same mindset.

(09-14-2015, 07:43 PM)Big Boss Wrote: They have to sweep Cleveland and at least split with Pittsburgh and Baltimore each.

3-3 isn't going to cut it this year.

This....

I don't believe they will go 6-0 but would love to be proved wrong.