(02-01-2022, 11:38 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I've seen a lot of SB ads that don't even show the Bengals. Just a Rams player. I think the media in general hates that we made it. Too small market.

Mike Greenberg was roasting the Chiefs for letting "the Cincinnati Bengals" (with tone) come back on them.

Rich Eisen said "we're opening the show with the Bengals for the first time ever". Went on to say they never talk Bengals "and why would we?". Made it sound like the Bengals have always been a bottom 3 franchise...despite 8 playoff appearances and 5 division titles since 2005.

We haven't been a SB contender since the 80s. I get that. But is this how the Falcons were treated a few years ago? The Bucs in 2002? The Chiefs went 20ish years without a playoff win before Andy Reid.

We've been better than quite a few teams...and several recent SB teams were terrible prior to suddenly not being terrible. Yet I don't remember this much focus on the negative with any of those teams.

It's gotta be a market/ratings thing.

(01-31-2022, 04:48 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: I understand the need to sensationalize things.  I do.  That need may have gotten Schefter in trouble regarding Brady.  But I really feel Cowherd cannot accept the success of Bengals franchise.  

He is not alone.  The NFL and fans around the world are in shock right now.  Seriously.  There is a lot of freaked out people in the AFCN right now, and AFC is fked with Burrow, Mahomes, and Allen.  Even Rodgers may want to avoid the AFC now.  

Not only have the Bengals changed the narrative of the NFL, but they have changed the paradigm of building a contender in the NFL. They have created a blueprint on how to go from NFL worse to Best in two years.  It is not about throwing money at players and talent.  It is about attracting and drafting the "right" talent for you team.  It is about getting the "right" QB for you team. 

(02-01-2022, 11:46 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Rams might be a big market team but let’s be real here - barely anyone gives a shit about that team out there. The NFCCG was more like a home game for the 9ers, and Whit’s wife literally got into an online spat trying to convince people in LA not to sell their tickets.

(02-01-2022, 11:04 PM)edindetroit Wrote: Patrick Mahomes’ ‘greedy’ play completely turned AFC Championship game

“I was supposed to throw the ball away,” Mahomes said. “I got a little greedy there and tried to give it to Tyreek and get a touchdown, they had two people out there. In the long run of things, it looks bad, but if we had another chance, I’d go for another play again.”

https://nypost.com/2022/01/31/patrick-mahomes-greedy-play-turned-afc-championship-game/amp/

(02-01-2022, 11:57 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I hear ya, but they're going to get more love than the Bengals because...LA. Even if their fans are indifferent, the media is more willing to sell them than a team from Ohio that has no national following or rich history.

I used to say the media hating the Bengals would only stop if we forced it to, with a SB run. Well...here we are. Nothing is changing. If Burrow and this awesome cast of characters on this team can't make sports media play nice, nothing will.

(02-01-2022, 11:59 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: It's easy to look back and say it was greedy.  There's plenty of analysis to back that up, too.  I don't disagree.  But seeing how the Chiefs usually come out of those situations, it's just their DNA.  And if they'd scored, the narrative would be how they shouldn't have settled and going for it was them putting the nails in the coffin.  Hindsight is 20/20 and all that, but it's also a little hard to fault them for doing what they do well.  

(02-02-2022, 01:33 PM)edindetroit Wrote: Well Mahomes himself said he was greedy. 

(02-01-2022, 11:47 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Well said.

We did a very short rebuild. Got our staff and QB. Gutted the roster of aging players on big contracts. Drafted to fit a system and then splurged in free agency.

The most impressive thing to me is this defense that adapts to the opponent, and this idea of playing vanilla in the first half, seeing what will succeed, then making big adjustments at half.

I've never seen a team like this one.

(01-31-2022, 09:48 AM)GridironMonarch Wrote: Hello, all!

I didn't want to necessarily tack on another post-game thread -- but I didn't see this particular subject out there. Forgive me if I missed it.

Basically, I just wondered if anyone else has noticed that some outlets are leaning towards a more "if Mahomes had done this or that" narrative, in lieu of "the Bengals were great" kind of assessment. I know Monday morning quarterbacking is pretty much par for the course, but you don't usually hear this about the "usual suspect" so-to-speak "better" franchises. They usually just tout the winning team's success and not the losing team's shortfalls, as if, if not exclusively for those shortfalls, the roles would be reversed. Know what I mean?  

Is it just me...?  

(02-02-2022, 03:48 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: I think Lou is probably the best Defensive coach in terms of adaptive scheme I have seen.  There was a time that Marvin Lewis would get out coached after half in most games.  Lou and Taylor like to watch and play entire half then say: "Ok, we have a plan, lets go."  

(02-02-2022, 12:03 AM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I think the media will always give the most love to the big teams.  Play to the big audience, get the bigger chances.  Hell, NFLN is right there by the stadium.  The big cities in general get more press, whether it's sports or the rest of life.  Media is driven by the same engine everything else is - money.  Play to your audience and the money trail.  Cincy has the feel good story going for them, but they haven't driven the interest just yet to be a consistent name.  Neither had KC until a few years ago.  They can have their turn, but it's not going to be an overnight hit.