(04-13-2019, 11:36 PM)NKURyan Wrote: They whipped Cincinnati's ass... with Jeff Driskel at QB. Not sure that's anything for them to hang their hats on.

I think Cleveland is obviously set up well, I just need to see it first. They didn't beat anyone last year, they haven't posted a winning season in 12 years, and if having a young inexperienced HC is a negative for the Bengals it is for the Browns too. There's going to be a ton of pressure on the Browns this year... can they handle it? We shall see.

(04-13-2019, 11:36 PM)NKURyan Wrote: They whipped Cincinnati's ass... with Jeff Driskel at QB. Not sure that's anything for them to hang their hats on.

I think Cleveland is obviously set up well, I just need to see it first. They didn't beat anyone last year, they haven't posted a winning season in 12 years, and if having a young inexperienced HC is a negative for the Bengals it is for the Browns too. There's going to be a ton of pressure on the Browns this year... can they handle it? We shall see.

(04-13-2019, 11:50 PM)Nately120 Wrote: The Browns are an interesting case.  Sure, they've been bad for a long-ass time, but they fired their crappy, me-first coaches and they've done a lot to build through the draft AND they brought in some FA muscle to fill some gaps.  If they did these things and they still stink, you can't blame them for trying I guess.

I will say it's interesting how the people who aren't high on the Browns have just changed their tune from "They've got zero talent!" to "They've got too many big personalities" or something to that effect.  It just comes down to the conclusion that the Browns are going to fail, they're just going to fail in a different way this year.  And they beat us twice but it doesn't count.

Ida know.  Again, I'm not betting on the Browns, but in 2011 we beat one team with a winning record and it was apparently the start of a golden age of Bengals football.  The Browns beat one team with a winning record and we're waiting for them to go 3-13 again.  They're the Browns, they've earned the skepticism for sure.

(04-13-2019, 11:56 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: These are not your fathers Browns though. They have the QB and they have the GM.

Anyone that thinks this is the same old Factory of Sadness hasn’t been paying attention.

(04-14-2019, 12:03 AM)Nately120 Wrote: Geez, I just looked it up and in his two games against us Mayfield went 46 of 63 for 542 yards and had 7 TDs with 0 turnovers and an average rating of 132.9.  Hell, his year ending stats are better than Dalton in every season except 2015.  I know stats don't tell the whole story, but based on how sure we are he's going to head straight for the basement I expect him to have a lot crappier numbers than he does.

We're 2 games in the hole against him, so we need to get back to work...excuses be damned.


And yea, here come the "Nately thinks Mayfield is a HOF-er" comments.  Lay 'em on me.  The fact is, the Browns didn't start a late round QB, a has-been vet, or an insata-bust at QB and so far it looks like they could be better for it.  Imagine that.

(04-13-2019, 11:36 PM)NKURyan Wrote: They whipped Cincinnati's ass... with Jeff Driskel at QB. Not sure that's anything for them to hang their hats on.

I think Cleveland is obviously set up well, I just need to see it first. They didn't beat anyone last year, they haven't posted a winning season in 12 years, and if having a young inexperienced HC is a negative for the Bengals it is for the Browns too. There's going to be a ton of pressure on the Browns this year... can they handle it? We shall see.

(04-13-2019, 11:50 PM)Nately120 Wrote: The Browns are an interesting case.  Sure, they've been bad for a long-ass time, but they fired their crappy, me-first coaches and they've done a lot to build through the draft AND they brought in some FA muscle to fill some gaps.  If they did these things and they still stink, you can't blame them for trying I guess.

I will say it's interesting how the people who aren't high on the Browns have just changed their tune from "They've got zero talent!" to "They've got too many big personalities" or something to that effect.  It just comes down to the conclusion that the Browns are going to fail, they're just going to fail in a different way this year.  And they beat us twice but it doesn't count.

Ida know.  Again, I'm not betting on the Browns, but in 2011 we beat one team with a winning record and it was apparently the start of a golden age of Bengals football.  The Browns beat one team with a winning record and we're waiting for them to go 3-13 again.  They're the Browns, they've earned the skepticism for sure.

(04-14-2019, 10:02 AM)BengalsRocker Wrote: Perhaps they get over the hump like when Marvin took the helm.  Is it really that far fetched?

(04-14-2019, 01:17 PM)fredtoast Wrote: No.  Not "far fetched" at all, just not as much of a "sure thing" as some people believe.

They had the 30th ranked defense last year and they are replacing one of the best OGs in the league with a guy who has only played 15 NFL snaps in his career.

I was a big fan of Mayfield even before the draft.  He will be trouble.  But I think they still have a lot to prove as a team.

(04-14-2019, 12:03 AM)Nately120 Wrote: Geez, I just looked it up and in his two games against us Mayfield went 46 of 63 for 542 yards and had 7 TDs with 0 turnovers and an average rating of 132.9.  Hell, his year ending stats are better than Dalton in every season except 2015.  I know stats don't tell the whole story, but based on how sure we are he's going to head straight for the basement I expect him to have a lot crappier numbers than he does.

We're 2 games in the hole against him, so we need to get back to work...excuses be damned.


And yea, here come the "Nately thinks Mayfield is a HOF-er" comments.  Lay 'em on me.  The fact is, the Browns didn't start a late round QB, a has-been vet, or an insata-bust at QB and so far it looks like they could be better for it.  Imagine that.

(04-14-2019, 05:26 PM)Joelist Wrote: Yep, playing our defense twice (and last year our D was historically bad) and the Falcons likewise horrid defense REALLY padded Mayfield's stat line. Outside of these outings he was nothing special and he mostly played poor defenses. I don't know how he ends up but right now he is overhyped. Also they gave up Peppers and Zeitler and their 1 and 3 this year, so there is not a lot of help coming for their 30th ranked defense. 

Add in that Mayfield is a diva and OBJ a diva and a locker room cancer and their new coaches will have fun - it will show their mettle in keeping that locker room focused. 

(04-14-2019, 05:26 PM)Joelist Wrote: Yep, playing our defense twice (and last year our D was historically bad) and the Falcons likewise horrid defense REALLY padded Mayfield's stat line. Outside of these outings he was nothing special and he mostly played poor defenses. I don't know how he ends up but right now he is overhyped. Also they gave up Peppers and Zeitler and their 1 and 3 this year, so there is not a lot of help coming for their 30th ranked defense. 

Add in that Mayfield is a diva and OBJ a diva and a locker room cancer and their new coaches will have fun - it will show their mettle in keeping that locker room focused. 

(04-14-2019, 10:02 AM)BengalsRocker Wrote: Perhaps they get over the hump like when Marvin took the helm.  Is it really that far fetched?

(04-14-2019, 06:23 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I'm not sure pointing out that Mayfield ran up his stats against our defense really furthers the notion that the Bengals can compete in the AFC North, though.  Our excuse on offense was that AJ and Andy were injured and on defense...well...Austin wrecked everything, hopefully.


The point is, a rookie QB in our division curb-stomped our defense and the best thing we can do at the moment is just hope that both games were a complete aberration and he's not that good and we aren't that bad.  Could be...but at this point I'm going to see better than I hope.

The Browns were 1-31 before Mayfield got there and they aren't exactly the Patriots now, but they ain't 1-31 anymore.  And yeah, Mayfield and OJB and some other guys on that team are d-bag divas, but Pig Ben, Bell, and Antonio Brown are also d-bag divas and they managed to put that sort of thing aside long enough to beat us nearly every time we played them, so ehh...again, I'm not betting it all on the Browns but we are doing a lot of "hoping" when it comes to them falling back into 4th place.

(04-14-2019, 05:26 PM)Joelist Wrote: Yep, playing our defense twice (and last year our D was historically bad) and the Falcons likewise horrid defense REALLY padded Mayfield's stat line. Outside of these outings he was nothing special and he mostly played poor defenses. I don't know how he ends up but right now he is overhyped. Also they gave up Peppers and Zeitler and their 1 and 3 this year, so there is not a lot of help coming for their 30th ranked defense. 

Add in that Mayfield is a diva and OBJ a diva and a locker room cancer and their new coaches will have fun - it will show their mettle in keeping that locker room focused. 

(04-14-2019, 11:54 PM)t3r3e3 Wrote: The converse to this argument is that Dalton obviously benefited from playing terrible Browns teams for pretty much all of his career.

(04-14-2019, 10:10 PM)Joelist Wrote: Well, do you think our defense will again be historically bad? Too be honest there is no way to know as all the coaches are new. But at least the ones who put our players in wrong schemes for their abilities are gone. 

I think those who are going against the hype train are just stating that the Stains are not as good as you think, the Rats lost a lot, don't count the Stealers out and as for us right now we are a blank page - with all new coaching, schemes and everything there really is no way to forecast what will happen with us accurately. 

(04-13-2019, 06:04 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Exciting year?  You make it sound like we're going to have the division sewn up by week 6!  

The Steelers got rid of their high-talent divas so they'll be worse.  The Browns picked up some high-talent divas, so they'll be worse.  The Ravens won the division by default last year and got worse over the off-season.

AND the Bengals rookie HC has a hunger to win, but the Browns rookie HC will be overwhelmed because he's in over his head.  


Ok, that's hyperbole, but I will say your faith that the only good team in the division is the one that finished in last place is quite intriguing.  Hope springs eternal!