(09-10-2020, 07:23 PM)Earendil Wrote: He might be spent.  He's starting to look like a homeless hobo living under an overpass.

(09-10-2020, 07:11 PM)jason Wrote: Pittsburgh was 8-8 last year with garbage QB play, and injuries all over the offense. That defense is legit. I can see them going far in the playoffs if Ben isn't spent.

(09-10-2020, 07:11 PM)jason Wrote: Pittsburgh was 8-8 last year with garbage QB play, and injuries all over the offense. That defense is legit. I can see them going far in the playoffs if Ben isn't spent.

(09-10-2020, 03:27 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: As I've grown older, I've stopped listening to hot take artists like Cowherd. You have guys who provide fair and reasonable opinions, then you have guys that are the equivalent to tabloids of sports...like Cowherd. It's junk food for the brain.

He's not alone in doubting the Bengals after 4 straight losing seasons, but we are talking about the same Browns that went 6-10 last year, right? So saying the Bengals - after a huge offseason - are going to be "easy wins" for the Cleveland Browns is quite a stretch. But, consider the source.

(09-11-2020, 08:41 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Four of those wins were against the Bengals and Browns...Not so impressive now, eh?

(09-11-2020, 11:24 AM)jason Wrote: The good news for them is those 4 games are still on the schedule. Pretty sure the browns won the Miles Garrett game too.

(09-11-2020, 12:58 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: I am far from buying the hype about "all the weapons" on the Browns, but with a much improved coaching staff they should be better this year and the Bengals might be the most improved team top to bottom in the entire NFL.  

I just don't think the steelers go anywhere close to 4-0 (or 3-1) against Ohio in 2020.  That, and how many wins is Piggy good for when he doesn't have the likes of Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown?  

FWIW, here are the teams the steelers beat in 2019:

Cincinnati X2
Chargers
Dolphins
Colts (Hoyer-led)
Rams
Browns
Cardinals

Not exactly murderers row...

And in the last two games of the season, fighting for a playoff spot, they lost to the Jets and RGIII-led Ravens. 

(09-11-2020, 01:26 PM)jason Wrote: They won 4 times as many games as we did... With a second and third string quaterback. Maybe not murderer's row, but we lost to several of those teams. They demolished us on Monday night running the wildcat on us multiple times. How many years in counting is this that we've predicted their demise? We need to win Sunday before we're anything more than improved on paper.

(09-11-2020, 11:23 AM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: My feeling is if you want to bet Bengals futures bet before Sunday. After Sunday your odds will not be nearly as good as right now. The computer metrics have them as the 22nd best team right now. While Vegas and other sportsbooks have them as the 30th best team.

(09-11-2020, 01:34 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Four times?  Haha, yes, six more total wins.  And we played Ryan Finley for three games...I get being leery of promoting their demise, but I just don't see them as tough as many do coming off an 8 win season just because Piggy is coming back.  That team looked like they quit in the last two weeks of the season.  

Mincah Fitzpatrick was a great acquisition for them, and their defensive front seven is also very good.  However, I still see them as a 9 win team at the most.  

(09-10-2020, 07:11 PM)jason Wrote: Pittsburgh was 8-8 last year with garbage QB play, and injuries all over the offense. That defense is legit. I can see them going far in the playoffs if Ben isn't spent.

(09-11-2020, 01:42 PM)jason Wrote: It's not just Fat Ben though Connor missed time, they brought in Ebron, JuJu was ineffective with those scrubs under center.... If they won 8 with those guys, 11 isn't outta the question this year.... Again this is all on paper, but I'd say the only AFC teams that are definitively better than them are KC, Baltimore, and probably Buffalo... Houston looked awful last night. Who knows with NE? I might be selling the Colts short. Hopefully we're better.

(09-11-2020, 01:37 PM)fredtoast Wrote: How can you have "computer metrics" when there are no results to enter into the program?

What are those metrics based on?

(09-10-2020, 03:27 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: As I've grown older, I've stopped listening to hot take artists like Cowherd. You have guys who provide fair and reasonable opinions, then you have guys that are the equivalent to tabloids of sports...like Cowherd. It's junk food for the brain.

He's not alone in doubting the Bengals after 4 straight losing seasons, but we are talking about the same Browns that went 6-10 last year, right? So saying the Bengals - after a huge offseason - are going to be "easy wins" for the Cleveland Browns is quite a stretch. But, consider the source.

(09-10-2020, 02:56 PM)fredtoast Wrote: It is not just Cowherd this time.  I assume all the sportsbooks will pick the Browns to beat the Bengals.  Even a win over the Chargers won't make much difference.  they were just a 5 win team last year with Phillip Rivers.  We won't get any huge bump by beating them with Tyrod Taylor at QB.

(09-11-2020, 02:04 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Interesting way of looking at it....from the AFC standpoint.  I agree about Houston.  Indy is a true wildcard.  No idea what to think of them with Rivers.  I guess you could say the same about the Bengals, but if Burrow can be Burrow and have the Bengals in the hunt at the midseason mark, I think the defense will start to soar down the stretch and might even get a healthy Waynes back for the last quarter.  

If I had to pick a surprise team in the AFC that everyone seems to have thrown dirt on it would still be New England.  They have an outstanding defense and coach, and a good offensive line that could help Cam have a renaissance.  

A lot of people are thinking the Raiders will be good, but I was a little turned off by their draft.  We will see.  

It amazes me when I see talking heads (like Cowherd) going on about teams like the Cardinals and I am thinking:  "What position groups do they have that are better than the Bengals?".  Maybe there are some, but it sure hasn't shown when I have watched them.  We know that every year a team comes out of nowhere and makes a run.  I am hoping it is the Bengals, of course.  

(09-11-2020, 04:00 PM)jason Wrote: I'm assuming Cowherd thinks Kingsbury is the bomb. If AJ Green is AJ Green I'd say our receivers are a push... Same goes for RB position. I'm not sure about Arizona's O line.