(08-05-2015, 09:17 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: In theory, on paper, personnel wise, etc. - we have a decent shot

But, Marvin Lewis has shown zero ability in crunch time across 12 seasons, different OC's, DC's, QB's, defense's, etc. Different situations, venues, home, away, and nearly the exact same result every time. Can't win the big one !

I can't imagine the odds in Vegas are very good. They have to show me on the field it's different before I'd bet very much.

(08-05-2015, 08:48 PM)EatonFan Wrote: If you're the bookie, what odds do you place? Is there a wager we could place on the message board to see who is closest at the end of season? Thoughts?

(08-06-2015, 10:27 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: If the Bengals stay healthy, and they can win their division (ensuring a home playoff game) then I would say their chances are as good as any other team in the AFC.

Even though they always seem to "find a way", the AFC East might win the "Most Improved" trophy (even though they will barely be better than the horrid AFC South) and the Pats might actually have to work to win some of their division games.  They also might be without Brady for a while, but I doubt it really ends up at four games.  They lost Revis and Browner in their secondary, and a key cog of their offense in Ridley.  

The Colts have made significant moves to add weapons to Luck's arsenal, and their division is laughable, but I still like the Bengals chances here if the team stays healthy.  

I just don't see Denver or San Diego as a threat at all.  

My guess is that putzburg will get the wildcard and the Bengals might have to play them at home....for the AFC Championship.  Wow.  How much fun would that be?

(08-06-2015, 10:27 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: If the Bengals stay healthy, and they can win their division (ensuring a home playoff game) then I would say their chances are as good as any other team in the AFC.

Even though they always seem to "find a way", the AFC East might win the "Most Improved" trophy (even though they will barely be better than the horrid AFC South) and the Pats might actually have to work to win some of their division games.  They also might be without Brady for a while, but I doubt it really ends up at four games.  They lost Revis and Browner in their secondary, and a key cog of their offense in Ridley.  

The Colts have made significant moves to add weapons to Luck's arsenal, and their division is laughable, but I still like the Bengals chances here if the team stays healthy.  

I just don't see Denver or San Diego as a threat at all.  

My guess is that putzburg will get the wildcard and the Bengals might have to play them at home....for the AFC Championship.  Wow.  How much fun would that be?

(08-06-2015, 01:52 PM)xavierdude Wrote: funny..even when this team is healthy they cant advance in the playoffs..short memory

and yes.. Baltimore and Pittsburgh have done nothing to improve themselvesLOL

(08-06-2015, 02:25 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: When were they healthy in the playoffs? 

(08-06-2015, 02:32 PM)djs7685 Wrote: Every team deals with injuries.

We can't be that pitiful fanbase that thinks we always have a great team but we're just so darn unlucky.

I believe 2014 is the only year to really pull the injury card, and even at that, the defense shit the bed just as much (if not more) than the hobbled offense and where were the injuries on that side of the ball?

This team has been straight up outplayed in the postseason every year.

(08-06-2015, 02:42 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Perhaps, and I don't consider it pitiful to state that the best player on the defensive line (Geno) was on IR, which not only wore down the remaining DTs, but took our best player off the field.  How would have Detroit fared without Suh?  Yes, he's that important.  

The Bengals also lost BOTH starting CBs by the time the playoffs rolled around (Hall and Newman).  Lamur was lost early in the year.  Taylor Mays was lost later in the season.   That is five starters not playing a down in the playoff game. 

The offense generated 100 more yards than the Chargers, but turnovers were the biggest factor in the loss. 

I'm not saying that other teams don't have injuries, but if that is the healthiest the Bengals have been in the playoffs for the Dalton Era, I don't think it is unreasonable to believe that if they stay healthy this season they could win the division, nor do I believe this makes our fanbase "pitiful". 

(08-06-2015, 02:59 PM)djs7685 Wrote: What makes our fanbase look pitiful is when we see people constantly claiming our teams have been great, but we just got unlucky all these years. Every fanbase has it's morons, and we're no exception. There are people out there that think we're the most unlucky team in the world, and that this quarter of a century playoff win drought isn't due to much that's lacking in ownership, coaching, or talent on the field. I guess I shouldn't say it makes the entire fanbase pitiful, just that section of it.

The offense generated 100 more yards than the Chargers because we kept giving them short fields and the defense actually played well during that game. The offense was the culprit of that loss. I don't care if our offense had a billion yards, they couldn't find the end zone and they kept giving the ball away. Gio and Andy share a large percentage of that L. Also, Lamur is awful and I don't believe Mays was a starter.

Our defense was thoroughly embarrassed in 2011 and 2014, and the offense played like absolute shit in 2012 and 2013. Injuries or not, this team didn't play at a high level in ANY of the recent playoff games. That comes down to coaching and execution, neither have been satisfactory over the past 4 seasons and we weren't just an injury or two away from going on a playoff run. This team hasn't been ready to legitimately contend (2013 definitely proved that), but I will say that on paper, the 2015 squad looks very good.

(08-05-2015, 09:17 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: 25 to 1.  Call me a cockeyed optimist.

(08-05-2015, 09:36 PM)Blake2Pickens Wrote: It's 25 to 35 to 1.

Various books have various ofds, but they are all in that range.

So, the Bengals have between a 3 and 4 % chance of winning the SB