Play Second String On Sunday Versus Browns

[guyofthetiger]

My friend and I were discussing the game this weekend. He is a Browns fan and I am a Bengals fan. We both agreed the teams should play second string just like you would on preseason games to avoid injury for a nothing matters game. The Bengals have more to gain as their season will continue in the playoffs. Zak should call a conservative game with the notion to keep the team healthy even if we lose. I would rest the receivers and linemen in preparation for the playoffs as well. Besides, they can reward those players who stuck out the season with some playing time to show their stuff.

[kevin]

(01-06-2022, 04:47 AM)guyofthetiger Wrote: My friend and I were discussing the game this weekend. He is a Browns fan and I am a Bengals fan. We both agreed the teams should play second string just like you would on preseason games to avoid injury for a nothing matters game. The Bengals have more to gain as their season will continue in the playoffs. Zak should call a conservative game with the notion to keep the team healthy even if we lose. I would rest the receivers and linemen in preparation for the playoffs as well. Besides, they can reward those players who stuck out the season with some playing time to show their stuff.

Go to Bengals,com.....Yes, Coach Taylor is keeping injured Burrow out of this one.  Saving him for Play-Offs.   Coach Taylor however says he intends to Win this game against Browns.  Coach Taylor has great faith in his back-up Quarterback.  Taylor added this QB early on and Taylor has had him on the team a few years now.  Coach Taylor thinks a lot of the quarterback he is using against Browns, and he intends to beat The Browns. 

[Bilbo Saggins]

Would you rather play NE or the Colts/Chargers/Raiders in the WC round? If they lose to the Browns, they're more likely to play the Pats. 

I'd think that the most favorable outcomes would be to play the Colts or Raiders. 

Colts: You'd have a great DT room + Hubbard vs. Their running attack. Doesn't seem like a bad matchup.

Raiders: Would you rather try to win a playoff game against BB or the Raiders' interim HC? How about playing Carr vs. Herbert?

[Rubekahn29]

Gotta find a balance between resting key players who have been nicked while also trying to win. If you rest every starter, you’re almost guaranteeing a loss. I’d be surprised if our trio of WRs don’t play. They’ve stayed healthy for most of the year and if you sit them all, you’re trotting out Michael Thomas, Trent Taylor and maybe Trenton Irwin? There isn’t anyone else. Can’t just roll over.

[Rubekahn29]

(01-06-2022, 11:37 PM)Bilbo Saggins Wrote: Would you rather play NE or the Colts/Chargers/Raiders in the WC round? If they lose to the Browns, they're more likely to play the Pats. 

I'd think that the most favorable outcomes would be to play the Colts or Raiders. 

Colts: You'd have a great DT room + Hubbard vs. Their running attack. Doesn't seem like a bad matchup.

Raiders: Would you rather try to win a playoff game against BB or the Raiders' interim HC? How about playing Carr vs. Herbert?

This is interesting. I think 4 seed may give us the best chance to get to AFC Championship, but 3rd seed gives us the better shot to win the first playoff game. If we did get 4th and higher seeds all won, then we would go to TN in divisional. I like that better than KC. However at this point anyone is going to be a tough out.

[*bfine32*]

(01-06-2022, 11:43 PM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: This is interesting. I think 4 seed may give us the best chance to get to AFC Championship, but 3rd seed gives us the better shot to win the first playoff game. If we did get 4th and higher seeds all won, then we would go to TN in divisional. I like that better than KC. However at this point anyone is going to be a tough out.

4 seed doesn't ensure we play 1 seed in next round. If 2 or 3 seed lose TN will play lowest seed. If KC loses Saturday, we can get 2 seed. Hope for the highest seed we can get. 

[QueenCity]

I would like a discussion on why we are scared to play the Patriots? Offensively they shouldn't be able to keep up... if you think their defense will shut us down well theres that but doubt it

[Murdock2420]

I think you rest Burrow and anyone that is injured, but outside of that, you send out the 1st team guys.

[Murdock2420]

(01-07-2022, 12:41 AM)QueenCity Wrote: I would like a discussion on why we are scared to play the Patriots?  Offensively they shouldn't be able to keep up... if you think their defense will shut us down well theres that but doubt it

The hoodie... that is all.

The hoodie game planning against Taylor should be enough to make anyone uncomfortable. Guy is next level at taking away what you want to do and forcing you to do something else. 

[QueenCity]

(01-07-2022, 12:43 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: The hoodie... that is all.

The hoodie game planning against Taylor should be enough to make anyone uncomfortable. Guy is next level at taking away what you want to do and forcing you to do something else. 

I understand that... but the hoodie can't take away all of our weapons.  Dare I remind you all we beat Tom Brady at Home (weather conditions be damned)

[Au165]

(01-07-2022, 12:41 AM)QueenCity Wrote: I would like a discussion on why we are scared to play the Patriots? Offensively they shouldn't be able to keep up... if you think their defense will shut us down well theres that but doubt it

They are actually the team you want to play right now. Mac Jones is hitting a bit of a wall and their secondary is starting to get exposed a bit with only two starting caliber corners. I actually think that match up would be one of the best for us in the WC round.

[Murdock2420]

(01-07-2022, 12:45 AM)QueenCity Wrote: I understand that... but the hoodie can't take away all of our weapons.  Dare I remind you all we beat Tom Brady at Home (weather conditions be damned)

That rain was the MVP that day!

I agree he can't take away all of them, but he'd take away the deep routes and leave the Bengals with the underneath stuff only. Allowing for longer drives with more passes and increasing the odds of an INT, INC or sack. Remove the big play, frustrate chase, and lean on his own running game. That would most likely be his move, and if any coach can scheme a way to do it, it would be Darth Hoodie. I'd much rather seem the team face the Colts or Raiders and get the ghosts and demons of playoff games past out of the way.

[Bilbo Saggins]

I don't know if "scared" is the right word to use for potentially facing the Pats.  I think that it's wise to have a healthy respect for what BB has done.  They had what, one single down year before snapping back?  They look like a top team with a rookie QB.  They're a team who always seems to play razor sharp in the playoffs.  He was the Peyton Manning killer for a long time.

Based on hunch/instinct, I'd think that this year's Bengals team matches up pretty well against teams like the Colts and Titans.  Teams like the Bills and Chiefs would probably not matchup as well against those two teams and may rather face the Bengals.  I'd think that the Bills and Chiefs stand a decent shot at knocking the Pats out.  

Some fun observations:
-This week's Colts vs. Jaguars game is a linchpin game for several teams.  If the Colts lose, the winner of Ravens vs. Steelers would squeak in(I'm not sure how to feel about that - yeah they were both blown out but inter-divisional games can be weird).
-IF the Bengals do want to avoid the Pats in the first round, AND the Dolphins manage to win at home, it could be advantageous for the Bengals to lose to the Browns.
-Both the Pats and the Bengals could potentially still win the 1 seed(the odds of the stars aligning for the Bengals are so improbable it doesn't even seem worth it to think about).
-If matchups are a consideration here, the teams that play 1PM games are kind of screwed.  Of course BB will get a peak at the results prior to the Miami game.  The Pats could opt to rest starters if they want to lose for what they perceive to be a more favorable matchup.

[tms]

I'm just pulling to move up this weekend. Don't really care who we land in the first round. Gotta beat em all anyway. But even so, I'm not worried about the Pats. Belichick's a beast, but Mac is too green and would get run out of the building by Burrow. I think the Raiders would be a walk in the park, especially if we're playing at home. The Colts... they'd be a tougher matchup. Wentz has been here before and Taylor's awesome. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

[Rubekahn29]

(01-07-2022, 12:27 AM)bfine32 Wrote: 4 seed doesn't ensure we play 1 seed in next round. If 2 or 3 seed lose TN will play lowest seed. If KC loses Saturday, we can get 2 seed. Hope for the highest seed we can get. 

Yeah, I know that, but our best chance at playing TN is 4 over 3. It’s all relative at this point. We want to get to the super bowl we gotta beat the best.

[WiregrassBenGal]

The Titans lost to Pittsburgh recently. For me, the road to the Super Bowl still goes through KC, and Bengal victories over Las Vegas, Indy, NE, and Buffalo would set up an epic rematch for the AFC championship. The NFL probably wants to see that, too (nudge nudge wink wink).

[Frank Booth]

(01-07-2022, 09:21 AM)WiregrassBenGal Wrote: The Titans lost to Pittsburgh recently. For me, the road to the Super Bowl still goes through KC, and Bengal victories over Las Vegas, Indy, NE, and Buffalo would set up an epic rematch for the AFC championship. The NFL probably wants to see that, too (nudge nudge wink wink).

Tennessee also beat the Rams without Derrick Henry

[*jason*]

(01-07-2022, 12:49 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: That rain was the MVP that day!

I agree he can't take away all of them, but he'd take away the deep routes and leave the Bengals with the underneath stuff only. Allowing for longer drives with more passes and increasing the odds of an INT, INC or sack. Remove the big play, frustrate chase, and lean on his own running game. That would most likely be his move, and if any coach can scheme a way to do it, it would be Darth Hoodie. I'd much rather seem the team face the Colts or Raiders and get the ghosts and demons of playoff games past out of the way.

Well that was over 8 years ago too... When half out team was in highschool.

[BengalYankee]

(01-07-2022, 12:41 AM)QueenCity Wrote: I would like a discussion on why we are scared to play the Patriots?  Offensively they shouldn't be able to keep up... if you think their defense will shut us down well theres that but doubt it

Pats 50
Jags 10

Pats 54
Jets 13

Pats 45
Cleve 7

Pats 36
Tenn 13

[Sled21]

(01-06-2022, 04:47 AM)guyofthetiger Wrote: My friend and I were discussing the game this weekend. He is a Browns fan and I am a Bengals fan. We both agreed the teams should play second string just like you would on preseason games to avoid injury for a nothing matters game. The Bengals have more to gain as their season will continue in the playoffs. Zak should call a conservative game with the notion to keep the team healthy even if we lose. I would rest the receivers and linemen in preparation for the playoffs as well. Besides, they can reward those players who stuck out the season with some playing time to show their stuff.

This simply can not be done. Pre season rosters start at 100 players and whittle down as the pre season goes along. We now have to play with a gameday roster, and there are not enough players to be able to rest all the starters. You can rest your most important guys, but many of the starters, especially linemen, have to play. It's a numbers deal.