(04-18-2019, 12:19 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: That’s because Malik Jefferson was a middle rd project who couldn’t even get on the field for a team that was trotting out guys like Hardy Nickerson.

Zeitler’s replacement was taken with the 1st pick of round 2, and the Browns are obviously very high on him.

But whoever plays LB for us this year will not be replacing one of the very best players in the league at that position.

(04-18-2019, 01:05 PM)NKURyan Wrote: The Bengals won 8 games in a season where Dave friggin' Shula coached 7 games. So what? "Having a pulse" is not the same as "being a winner".

In all fairness, having a pulse might just be enough to win this division. 

(04-18-2019, 01:36 PM)Nately120 Wrote: In all fairness, having a pulse might just be enough to win this division. 

For sure! But if the division winner is only going to have 8 or 9 wins (which I think is possible) I'm not looking at any divisional games as being surefire guaranteed losses, either.

(04-18-2019, 01:39 PM)NKURyan Wrote: For sure! But if the division winner is only going to have 8 or 9 wins (which I think is possible) I'm not looking at any divisional games as being surefire guaranteed losses, either.

It comes down to the notion that the division winner last year looks pretty depleted and figured out.  I still see Steelers at 1 and the rest fighting for a WC or something. 

(04-17-2019, 09:29 PM)George Cantstandya Wrote: My very early predictions:

week 1 @Seattle - L
week 2 San Francisco - W
week 3 @Buffalo - W
week 4 @ Pitt MNF - L
week 5 Arizona - W
week 6 @Balt - L
week 7 Jacksonville - W
week 8 @Rams- London - L
week 9 bye
week 10 Ravens - W
week 11 @Oakland - W
week 12 Pitt - W
week 13 @NYJ -W
week 14 Browns - L
week 15 Patriots -L
week 16 @Miami -W
week 17 @Browns -L

9-7

I think it is very possible.. (with a better defense, lol)

I believe that we can sweep Baltimore. I think the sophomore season for Jackson is going to crush them this year. 

I am also curious about Pittsburgh with all their drama this offseason. I think a lot of JuJu's success was that AB was on the field as well, without AB they might not be able to move the ball at will. And our offense won't have much on tape for that MNF game against them.

(04-18-2019, 02:07 PM)Nately120 Wrote: It comes down to the notion that the division winner last year looks pretty depleted and figured out.  I still see Steelers at 1 and the rest fighting for a WC or something. 

I think people are overvaluing the Browns and undervaluing the Steelers and Ravens. Hold a gun to my head and force me to choose who wins the division and I'd still lean toward Baltimore or Pittsburgh.

That said, the fact that Baltimore (KC and Houston) and Pittsburgh (SD and Indy) have two games against playoff teams that Cleveland and us don't have to worry about can definitely help us gain some ground. In a division that 9 wins might put you in first place, maybe that makes the difference.

(04-18-2019, 03:00 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Lol what? I know sarcasm can be hard to detect on the internet, but I can’t imagine anyone would believe this...

Nicomo, hiring coaches with the following years' opponents in mind is not uncommon. Obviously, quality of the coach is important. If you can accoplish both, that's the sweet spot.

So, no. I was not being sarcastic.

With this schedule, I see the Bengals as very strong contenders for the first draft pick in 2020.

3 to 4 wins at most.

1-5 in division - if we are lucky

None of this will be the "fault" of the new staff.

The overall talent on this team is not good with best players past their peak.

O line and linebackers will be the downfall.

I hate ESPN but they are smart to take the under.

(04-18-2019, 04:09 PM)bengals67 Wrote: With this schedule, I see the Bengals as very strong contenders for the first draft pick in 2020.

3 to 4 wins at most.

1-5 in division - if we are lucky

None of this will be the "fault" of the new staff.

The overall talent on this team is not good with best players past their peak.

O line and linebackers will be the downfall.

I hate ESPN but they are smart to take the under.

Cardinals, 49ers, Jets, Raiders, Bills, Dolphins.  That's six wins right there.  No worse than a split with the Ratbirds and Stains, now you're up to 8.  Marvin and his Steeler fear is gone, so who knows what happens there.

Three or four?  You're out of your God dang mind.

(04-18-2019, 04:34 PM)McC Wrote: Cardinals, 49ers, Jets, Raiders, Bills, Dolphins.  That's six wins right there.  No worse than a split with the Ratbirds and Stains, now you're up to 8.  Marvin and his Steeler fear is gone, so who knows what happens there.

Three or four?  You're out of your God dang mind.

I guess people think Garapalo is just going to come right back and start lighting it up for the 49ers, but in week 2? I'll take our chances.

I think the Jets might be better but I feel good about that one as well. Adam Gase is a pretty bad coach IMO.

NFL is doing some weird shit with the schedule. Raiders and Bucs each go 49 days between home games and the Ravens alternate home and road games the entire year.

(04-18-2019, 04:09 PM)bengals67 Wrote: With this schedule, I see the Bengals as very strong contenders for the first draft pick in 2020.

3 to 4 wins at most.

1-5 in division - if we are lucky

None of this will be the "fault" of the new staff.

The overall talent on this team is not good with best players past their peak.

O line and linebackers will be the downfall.

I hate ESPN but they are smart to take the under.

This males no sense at all.  We won 6 games last year with a lot of our stars on the IR.

How can we win half as many games with the same players and it not be the coaches fault?

(04-18-2019, 04:34 PM)McC Wrote: Cardinals, 49ers, Jets, Raiders, Bills, Dolphins.  That's six wins right there.  No worse than a split with the Ratbirds and Stains, now you're up to 8. Marvin and his Steeler fear is gone, so who knows what happens there.

Three or four?  You're out of your God dang mind.

That's the one thing I'm praying changes. Sick to death of being owned by the Squeelers !

(04-17-2019, 11:38 PM)George Cantstandya Wrote: I don't think Burfict will be a deference maker against Oakland.  Honestly he should probably have retired to save his health after all the concussions he has had.  He may not even be playing by week 11.  There was a reason the Bengals, a team in need of good LBs, let him walk and it wasn't because he was so great last year.  Even when apparently healthy he was a shell of his old self.  

Side note:  He has not played in 16 games since 2013.  Since then 5, 10, 11, 10 and 7.

You may be right but I still can see him making a comeback under Guenther.

(04-18-2019, 03:52 PM)XsandOs Wrote: Nicomo, hiring coaches with the following years' opponents in mind is not uncommon. Obviously, quality of the coach is important. If you can accoplish both, that's the sweet spot.

So, no. I was not being sarcastic.

Sure worked out well bringing in Hue last year!

(04-18-2019, 10:46 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Sure worked out well bringing in Hue last year!

I still like Hue.

It worked out for Titans with Vrabel and Colts with Reich.

Bengals and Broncos hope the same with Fangio and Taylor.

Lets see if Taylor has CI on NFC West that could help us.

This year, perhaps more than any time in recent memory, our division is extremely difficult to read.

Bengals: New Head Coach

Browns: Stacked roster and new head coach...but they are the Browns

Ravens: First full year for their new QB

Steelers: Lost key players at skill positions and Ben R is another year older...but they still have other talent and it is the Steelers who are always dangerous unfortunately

I've heard people say "Anyone can win the division except the Bengals". Fine. Maybe on paper we deserve that. We'll know for real once the year is under way. What I do know is we are traveling more than 20 other NFL teams this year (20k miles in the air) and that doesn't bode well. The AFC East always plays us tough and I don't just mean the Patriots.

I could say something like "If we're healthy and win all the games we're supposed to win, we could be 10-6 team and make the playoffs" but the truth is all I know is it will be somewhere between 1-15 and 14-2.

(04-18-2019, 11:33 PM)BoomerFan Wrote: This year, perhaps more than any time in recent memory, our division is extremely difficult to read.

Bengals: New Head Coach

Browns: Stacked roster and new head coach...but they are the Browns

Ravens: First full year for their new QB

Steelers: Lost key players at skill positions and Ben R is another year older...but they still have other talent and it is the Steelers who are always dangerous unfortunately

I've heard people say "Anyone can win the division except the Bengals". Fine. Maybe on paper we deserve that. We'll know for real once the year is under way. What I do know is we are traveling more than 20 other NFL teams this year (20k miles in the air) and that doesn't bode well. The AFC East always plays us tough and I don't just mean the Patriots.

I could say something like "If we're healthy and win all the games we're supposed to win, we could be 10-6 team and make the playoffs" but the truth is all I know is it will be somewhere between 1-15 and 14-2.

I'm also predicting somewhere between 1-15 and 14-2. Somewhere between first and last in the division.

The schedule offers quite a few possible opportunities for very exciting contests. I'm extremely eager to get the season underway, as I feel Coach Taylor is going to give us a reason for renewed optimism and invigoration.

(04-18-2019, 12:14 PM)impactplaya Wrote: the Browns should be better.but lets not annoint them
North champs right now.
I like their aggressiveness.
Dorsey is in a win now mode while Mayfield has a affordable contract.
but its easy to forget the Bengals were a coaching breakdown away from 5 and 1 in 2018.
the Browns arent this juggernaunt and the Bengals arent the old Browns.
no team is immune from injuries or imploding

Agree with this 100%

I think we will get some pieces in the draft and that this teams fate in 2019 will be solely on the coaches.   This team still has plenty of talent and playmakers.  I cannot really make a guess until I see some games to see the staff in action.  If they create schemes to maximize our players talents I think we will be a lot better than people think.  As long as we stay healthy I still believe the last 3 years had more to do with injuries and stale coaching philosophies than team talent.   With the injuries and porous D last year the Browns only won 1 more game than us last year.  I have to see them crack 8-8 before I start hyping them.