(10-22-2021, 04:33 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: He was completely out matched last year.

I truly believe we now have the talent to match up with Baltimore. This game, for me, is all about the coaching. It is currently the one advantage that I think the Ravens have (until proven otherwise Sunday).

This is the biggest game of ZT's career. He can win A LOT of people over if he wins this game. He is he X factor.

Let's see how far you've come.

(10-23-2021, 10:04 AM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: I agree. Good coaching makes it easier on the players. He’s done a good job against the Steelers the past couple games (granted they aren’t as talented). But he’s been getting destroyed by the Ravens—outcoached and outplayed. I agree that we have had a less talented team, and that we pretty much closed the gap in talent. This game essentially comes down to coaching. Burrow can only do so much himself.

I think this game is extremely important to our team, and that we’ve been preparing for it for quite some time. Win and we’ll make the playoffs at the end of the year. The Browns are getting banged up, but will still be a tough out—Ravens as well. I’ll go out on a limb and predict a win. But I could see us coming up short and getting outcoached. Hope to see the coaches and Burrow grab a game ball.

(10-23-2021, 10:24 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: As much as I would love to see the Bengals upset the Ravens in Baltimore I don’t see it happening.

Believe me, I want to be wrong!

Greg Roman and Don Martindale might be the best offensive and defensive coordinator combination in the entire league.  Their game plans on either side of the ball are always solid while Cincinnati has one good coordinator, one nonexistent coordinator, and a head coach who calls a string of random disconnected plays from Madden.  

Two thirds of the Bengals’ coaching staff isn’t up to this game against the Ravens.  Beating up on hapless 0-6 Detroit was nice to watch but beating Baltimore, especially this year, takes an entirely different level of play and several leaps forward in coaching.  My prognostications say Lou Anarumo limits the Ravens somewhat but stopping every big play will prove impossible.

So, as the OP wrote, it’s up to the Bengals’ offense.  With all the offensive weaponry Zac Taylor has at his disposal the Bengals should be scoring at least 35 points per game.  The offensive roster is impressive on paper; not so much on the field.

(10-22-2021, 11:16 PM)bfine32 Wrote: The dude starts his post with "I respect your opinion" and this is your rebuttal? 

Apparently you have 0 respect for his..

(10-23-2021, 11:03 AM)bfine32 Wrote: The Ravens needed a BS call and the world's longest FG ever to beat those hapless Lions

(10-23-2021, 10:34 AM)Destro Wrote: Bengals could lose 54-3 and Taylor isn't going anywhere. Trust me, I'm an elite member of the fire Zac Taylor club, and if the Bengals beat the Ravens into a bloody mess, I'll still be in the fire Zac Taylor side. Doesn't change his boss is not going to fire him.

(10-23-2021, 12:22 PM)motoarch Wrote: Correct.

He argued you can't have subjective opinions to support you stance then gave objective opinions of his own to support his stance.

So just saying I respect your opinion doesn't actually mean you do.

(10-23-2021, 10:34 AM)Destro Wrote:  if the Bengals beat the Ravens into a bloody mess, I'll still be in the fire Zac Taylor side. 

(10-23-2021, 01:41 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Sure as heck does...It's in the Geneva Convention..look it up

(10-23-2021, 10:34 AM)Destro Wrote: Bengals could lose 54-3 and Taylor isn't going anywhere. Trust me, I'm an elite member of the fire Zac Taylor club, and if the Bengals beat the Ravens into a bloody mess, I'll still be in the fire Zac Taylor side. Doesn't change his boss is not going to fire him.

(10-23-2021, 11:03 AM)bfine32 Wrote: The Ravens needed a BS call and the world's longest FG ever to beat those hapless Lions

(10-23-2021, 12:29 PM)CorpusChristiBengal Wrote: I don't think this is true. In the offseason beat reporters I trust were saying that it was likely he was gone if the Bengals had a slow start and that the personnel that replaced his guys were part of his tighter leash. 

(10-23-2021, 02:12 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Why?

(10-23-2021, 12:28 PM)Crow-Magnon Wrote: That may be true, but they sit at 5-1 atop the AFCN. They had 15 players on IR after the Raiders loss. 15. Including every starting RB, Pro Bowler Stanley at LT, as well as L.J. Fort, Derek Wolfe and Marcus Peters. Most teams would have been written off at that point and likely would be 2-4 vs 5-1. That’s good coaching.

Do the Ravens have the edge here as far as coaching is concerned? I’d say that’s a firm yes. Is it going to guarantee a victory tomorrow? Absolutely not. If predicting wins was that easy, we’d either all be millionaires or Vegas would be a ghost town. There are too many variables that come into play when two good teams play. Injuries, fluke turnovers, you name it.

But if it’s a straightforward game with nothing crazy happening, I think the Ravens coaching can make the difference tomorrow. That, as well as playing at home, and having #9 available for a clutch winning FG.

If the Ravens lose, they’ll be tied with Cincinnati (with Bengals up with the head-to-head tiebreaker). If they win, they’ll have a two-game lead in the division. Not bad considering that I thought the season was toast before it started. But win or lose, the Bengals have shown they have a good team so far in 2021. The Browns were the darling pick before the first kickoff. They’ve had some serious injuries as well. But I think they finish no better than third in the AFCN.

(10-23-2021, 12:53 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Ravens dominated Chargers last week. They made Herbert and their offense look like. college players.

Yes, it is a tall task to keep this game competitive. A good Chargers team was beat early and often..