(01-10-2016, 10:16 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I'm sure most of what I'm about to say has already been said numerous times considering all the traffic on the boards, but I still need to vent, so here goes...

1. How do the Steelers get away with so much BS? The NFL should look into the incidents involving Munchak and Porter. Suspensions should be issued and some rules probably need to be implemented. There's no place for that in the NFL. Of course, it seems the NFL only  makes a move when there's intense media scrutiny. My guess is this gets swept under the rug. It shouldn't.

2. While I do think the Burfict hit on Brown crossed the line (kinda ticky-tack, but an illegal hit regardless), how the ____ was the hit on Bernard not illegal? Shazier nearly killed him. I was genuinely concerned for Gio as a person after that clearly illegal hit. Yet no penalty. Has the NFL released any statements on that hit?

3. I'm not going to roast Marv for this and I'm not one of those guys that questions every coaching decision. But considering Hill's past fumbling issues and the situation we were in, I think kneeling it to run out clock and kicking a FG to go up by 4 would've been a very smart coaching move. That said, a fumble - even for Hill - isn't exactly a probable outcome. So that's why I won't roast Marv for not kneeling.

4. 5 fumbles (WOW), 3 killer turnovers, 2 false starts from Whit, plus the meltdown by Tez and Pacman? I will roast Marv for that. Where's the discipline? Why do Marv's guys fall apart so much under pressure? Almost without fail?

5. On a positive note, despite the lack of discipline and turnovers, this is the first time that Marv's players have shown up for a playoff game. Some say the defense showed up in the Texans 2.0 game, but if you go back and watch the game or check the stats, the defense did not play up to their standards that day. In the previous 4 games, hardly any players showed up. Last night, so many guys made plays FINALLY. That's what made this the most heartbreaking Bengals game I've ever seen. Even more than 2005.

6. Andy Dalton has received probably 90% of the playoff blame over the last 4 years. Last night, McCarron joined Dalton and Palmer with a horrific playoff performance. 3 fumbles and a pick. 68.3 passer rating. The offense was AWOL for 3 quarters and was the primary reason we lost. I said a few years back that I don't think any QB can have success in the playoffs under Marvin Lewis. Last night just further confirms it for me. I still like Macaroni, I don't place the blame on him. I just don't think Marv puts QBs in a position to succeed.

7. The optimistic side of me wants to say that this game could've went either way, I liked the effort, and with Dalton we probably would've won. Maybe we can finally win one next year. The pessimistic side of me wonders how many more chances this group is going to get. What if we miss the playoffs entirely? If they make it back, they'll probably just find a new way to blow it.

This is one of those times where I really wish the boards were more united. I could really use some Bengals group therapy after this one. I really thought I was witnessing a Bengals playoff win for the first time in my 20+ years as a fan, yet here we are, facing the same questions as the previous 4 off-seasons. Frustrating isn't the word.

(01-11-2016, 09:59 AM)masonbengals fan Wrote: It was without a doubt the most heartbreaking loss for me ever as a fan. Nothing compares to it. To go from one emotional high to the lowest of the low feeling in a matter of minutes. Still feel like we got hosed, but Hill's fumble created that whole mess.


I'd like to take a moment & apologize for anything that I wrote on here directly after the game. My emotions like everybody's were high & I had had way too much to drink at that point. I didn't go back & read any of my post from after the game and don't want to relive it in any way. 

I'll be back in the stands when I can & rooting them on from home next year as usual though.
&
I still say
**** you Pittsburgh

(01-10-2016, 10:29 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I dont understand why Hill was getting the majority of the carries to begin with. Gio has been the better back all year.

(01-11-2016, 11:59 AM)McC Wrote: I do think that, sans the near decapitation, Gio would have been carrying the ball. 

I think I would have given the ball to Rex.  I am sick to death of The Fumbler.  He had a mostly lousy year, he has no composure, no maturity, is way too selfish.

And finally, how might things have been different if we could truly trust our kicker?

Quote:As Cincy fan, I don’t think there was any way Brown was faking it. Looks like he got hit on the button by Burfict’s shoulder and was genuinely out. That said, if Brown plays this week, then I think it raises some questions.

I wonder how people would view Burfict’s hit if Nance had called Burfict’s shoulder hit “unfortunate” and Shazier’s helmet to helmet hit “disgraceful”. A lot of this narrative that Burfict was “out of control” is directly from the broadcast crew. If you go back and watch the broadcast, Burfict spent a lot of time pleading to the refs early in the game because he was getting knocked around after the whistle and knew he couldn’t retaliate (see DeCastro blocking him 20 yards into end zone after the whistle).

After the Shazier hit – the sideline reporter literally says something to the effect of “Burfict is losing it”. We don’t see it, we just hear it. Yet, somehow, he is the one Bengal maintaining composure and making plays the next series. He sacks Ben on a perfectly legal play (which turns out to be game changer) – and Nance spends 15 minutes asking Mike Carey repeatedly whether there was anything illegal about the tackle (they’ve quickly moved on from the “unfortunate” Shazier hit). Burfict does nothing for the remainder of the game other than make legal plays (including an incredible diving interception that should have sealed the game). Then the personal foul at the end. That’s it. That’s the one play in this game that made him an “out of control” monster. I understand he has an earned history (just as Mike Mitchell and Joey Porter do)…. but this idea that he was a ticking time bomb all game is a fiction. He and Shazier were probably the two best players on the field for the most of the game.

(01-11-2016, 01:44 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I think this commenter is right (not on Brown's acting job, but everything else). The more time I've had to sit back and think about it, the more I realize that Burfict wasn't as "out of control" as the media painted him. Even his 1 dirty play wasn't really dirty. Meanwhile they brushed off Shazier's far more brutal hit on Gio, as well as the thuggish behavior of Steelers coaches, DeCastro targeting Burfict, etc.

(01-10-2016, 10:16 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I'm sure most of what I'm about to say has already been said numerous times considering all the traffic on the boards, but I still need to vent, so here goes...

3. I'm not going to roast Marv for this and I'm not one of those guys that questions every coaching decision. But considering Hill's past fumbling issues and the situation we were in, I think kneeling it to run out clock and kicking a FG to go up by 4 would've been a very smart coaching move. That said, a fumble - even for Hill - isn't exactly a probable outcome. So that's why I won't roast Marv for not kneeling.

4. 5 fumbles (WOW), 3 killer turnovers, 2 false starts from Whit, plus the meltdown by Tez and Pacman? I will roast Marv for that. Where's the discipline? Why do Marv's guys fall apart so much under pressure? Almost without fail?

 

This is one of those times where I really wish the boards were more united. I could really use some Bengals group therapy after this one. I really thought I was witnessing a Bengals playoff win for the first time in my 20+ years as a fan, yet here we are, facing the same questions as the previous 4 off-seasons. Frustrating isn't the word.

(01-11-2016, 01:44 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Saw a comment on PFT I thought I'd share. Of course, PFT is painting the Bengals in a bad light and saying nothing about the Steelers. They're going to post a story (really an opinion piece) on the Shazier hit soon. Of course I'm sure they'll come up with an angle that makes it not a dirty hirt.  


I think this commenter is right (not on Brown's acting job, but everything else). The more time I've had to sit back and think about it, the more I realize that Burfict wasn't as "out of control" as the media painted him. Even his 1 dirty play wasn't really dirty. Meanwhile they brushed off Shazier's far more brutal hit on Gio, as well as the thuggish behavior of Steelers coaches, DeCastro targeting Burfict, etc.

(01-11-2016, 11:59 AM)McC Wrote: I do think that, sans the near decapitation, Gio would have been carrying the ball. 

I think I would have given the ball to Rex.  I am sick to death of The Fumbler.  He had a mostly lousy year, he has no composure, no maturity, is way too selfish.

And finally, how might things have been different if we could truly trust our kicker?

(01-11-2016, 02:42 PM)Wyche Wrote: Fisher should have been in to lead block, and Burkhead given the ball.

(01-11-2016, 01:27 PM)BayouBengal Wrote: I agree with everything other than you saying AJM had a horrific performance. I get it, he sucked it up for three quarters but you can't pin the loss on him. I was literally getting ready to write an article about how it took two AJ's to overcome our playoff bug when all the BS went down.
He played poorly at first no doubt, but it was very heavy rain and that's not something you can anticipate and practice in. You can't say AJM and the offense was a main reason we lost though because he should have been the reason we won. He pulled it together at the end in what should have been the greatest playoff comeback of all time.

But the G*DD**M refs decided to call the game with that Jone's flag! Porter should have been flagged too offsetting the penalty. At least let the game end with a difficult field goal try.

Worst of all, they missed the call on Gio and then after reviewing the obvious illegal hit they gave the Stoolers the ball. Oh and no flags for them dancing like idiots while Gio is unconscious.
They let those F**king A**hats provoke the shit out of our team and then only called shit on us. They wanted to penalize us that's why Porter came on the field and received a game ball for it. Pacman was right worst f**king refs ever! So bias, so obvious and yet swept under the rug with help from the stupid announcers. Like the announcers have never heard of helmet to helmet before. Give me a break, the NFL must have wanted the bigger fan base to win and it seemed like everyone was on board to fix the game.

(01-11-2016, 02:39 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: I was close to 'out of control' listening to Nance's drivel all throughout the game. It actually surprised me tbh. I don't recall an announcing crew ganging up on one time like they did Saturday night.

I stand by the criticisms of players and coaching that I have written in the past 36 hours. The Bengals need to do some things differently, no doubt. Bottom line for me, at least for today, is not really caring what the league does in response. It won't be enough as we are out, and Pittsburgh plays next weekend. Officiating gets worse with each year, making harder to remain a pro football fan. Love me some Bengals, but not liking the NFL much these days. They seem to be the ones "out of control".

(01-11-2016, 02:44 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: Hill just can't fumble the ball in that situation.  Two hands and go down with contact.  Simple as that, you don't need to fight for the extra yards.

(01-11-2016, 03:12 PM)Wyche Wrote: That's true too.  However, we smashmouthed the Ravens with Fisher just one week ago.  No where to be found.  Three weeks or so prior to SD and the whole first half against them in the playoff game, BJGE smashmouthed them.....no where to be found in the second half.  

These players shouldn't be put in these situations to fail.  I realize what Hill needed to do, then again, the coaches gotta know his limitations in that scenario.