What if we go 0-3?

[HarleyDog]

What does that do to you? What does that do to the team? Do we say "seasons over?"  Does that leave a salty taste in the city? Does it leave a salty taste in the coaching staff and the FO against Chase's hold-in, or Tee's weakness, or our weak WR depth, or our weak RB squad, or our new OC? Does it put pressure on Zac or Lou?

Any given Sunday. What do you say?

[QueenCity]

0-3 smells like making a run late in the season but it's too late... and like the Reds ownership they will say we were close and run it back.

Realistically it should mean a coaching change and no one should be safe.

[jj22]

0-3 when we already had to come out of the month of September (and have failed) with a winning record after playing this "weak" schedule would be..... well.... challenging for posters around here to spin.


But folks I'm sure will. 

[*Awful Llama*]

[HarleyDog]

(Yesterday, 06:15 PM)QueenCity Wrote: 0-3 smells like making a run late in the season but it's too late... and like the Reds ownership they will say we were close and run it back.

Realistically it should mean a coaching change and no one should be safe.

You're right. I think if we go 0-3, the organization has to take a serious look. Zac has done great things here. And this is not a post against him, but the slow starts and lack of depth. Has he had long enough to creat that depth? I think so. Does he have as big of a say-so as we think he does?

These poor fans have dealt with one of the worst playoff droughts, then we go to the SB, then we go to the AFC Championship. Why arent we playing lights out? Is it because we don't pay players what they deserve? I get the salary cap has a lot to do with everything. But let's seriously ask ourselves if it's possible to go back to where we were, where Katie, acts like the father, and is all about personal gain, while running a football team who's just "good enough" to keep the fans coming?

[NUGDUKWE]

Being 0-3 really doesn't mean we are done this team has ripped off long win stretches. To me it might be panic mode and time to very proactive for the future. We are on the cusp of a maybe not a complete rebuild but potentially losing a lot of players that have meant alot to this current era. We need to take steps if it's a lost season to build for the future. But that would be me panicking.

[Millhouse]

Since 1979, only 6 teams have made the playoffs after starting 0-3, and none of those teams won a Super Bowl.

Bengals would be the 7th, and then the 1st.

[The Gooney Rule]

If we stumble this season, whether going 0-3 or not, but ultimately fall flat and miss the playoffs, I think the Hobspin in-house narrative will focus on a "decimated defensive line" as a baked-in excuse, and highlight free agency signings that "just didn't work out" from a player perspective while ignoring front office failings.

They'll probably try to shove blame on Trent Brown not providing a stop-gap answer at RT and Geno Stone not delivering his Raven results from last year. They'll probably not admit that Moss was a pedestrian replacement for Mixon. They'll likely ignore that previously capable and reasonably beloved veterans like Hubbard, Hilton, Bell and Cappa are visually slower and demonstrably less impactful than in our recent playoff runs. They'll let Tee's Bengal's career fade into the shadows of wherever the hamstring treatment room is, and he'll receive a lot of fanfare from the talking heads when he signs with someone else. They'll ultimately sign Chase to something that seems like pretty much what is being offered/asked for now, but they'll take pride in doing it on their terms and timeline, while the residual animosity from Chase's camp will likely linger for the remainder of his time on the team, and the derived scepticism from players and agents outside the organization will likely grow in regards to wondering if this is the kind of franchise they'd want to commit to long-term.

Doubtful you'll hear too much about a head coaching change, but I could see Lou and the team mutually parting ways perhaps, while Pollack could possibly get the sack. Simmons could retire. (I say this without knowing any of the coaches' contract situations off the top of my head.)

All in all, my preconceived bias might be showing through here, as this season has always felt like at best an '06 or '07 Palmer campaign where we messed about an narrowly miss the playoffs after believing we were on to something in previous years, or the '10 debacle where we had all this unwarranted hype about our resurgence, talent and acquisitions but ultimately fell hard.

I sure hope I'm 100% wrong on it and we go on a raging tear to break into the playoffs again and do some damage, but I don't think it's a stretch to say that as of right now, something just seems odd and off with the way this team's overall physical and mental prowess presents on the field, and I'm just not convinced the chemistry can be balanced to make it right unfortunately.

[HarleyDog]

(Yesterday, 07:29 PM)The Gooney Rule Wrote: If we stumble this season, whether going 0-3 or not, but ultimately fall flat and miss the playoffs, I think the Hobspin in-house narrative will focus on a "decimated defensive line" as a baked-in excuse, and highlight free agency signings that "just didn't work out" from a player perspective while ignoring front office failings.

They'll probably try to shove blame on Trent Brown not providing a stop-gap answer at RT and Geno Stone not delivering his Raven results from last year. They'll probably not admit that Moss was a pedestrian replacement for Mixon. They'll likely ignore that previously capable and reasonably beloved veterans like Hubbard, Hilton, Bell and Cappa are visually slower and demonstrably less impactful than in our recent playoff runs. They'll let Tee's Bengal's career fade into the shadows of wherever the hamstring treatment room is, and he'll receive a lot of fanfare from the talking heads when he signs with someone else. They'll ultimately sign Chase to something that seems like pretty much what is being offered/asked for now, but they'll take pride in doing it on their terms and timeline, while the residual animosity from Chase's camp will likely linger for the remainder of his time on the team, and the derived scepticism from players and agents outside the organization will likely grow in regards to wondering if this is the kind of franchise they'd want to commit to long-term.

Doubtful you'll hear too much about a head coaching change, but I could see Lou and the team mutually parting ways perhaps, while Pollack could possibly get the sack. Simmons could retire. (I say this without knowing any of the coaches' contract situations off the top of my head.)

All in all, my preconceived bias might be showing through here, as this season has always felt like at best an '06 or '07 Palmer campaign where we messed about an narrowly miss the playoffs after believing we were on to something in previous years, or the '10 debacle where we had all this unwarranted hype about our resurgence, talent and acquisitions but ultimately fell hard.

Quote:I sure hope I'm 100% wrong on it and we go on a raging tear to break into the playoffs again and do some damage, but I don't think it's a stretch to say that as of right now, something just seems odd and off with the way this team's overall physical and mental prowess presents on the field, and I'm just not convinced the chemistry can be balanced to make it right unfortunately.

So how much of this is due to the Chase or Tee drama? Seeing shit like this is like a young girl scorned and runs to FB to post horrible things about her friend. Similar to the fact that you're looking for public support from people who only hear one side. While many on here tried to play the Hold-in as a positive thing, IMO, It's a childish gesture that disrupts the team.

[Housh]

We lose to WAS and I’m packing the season up and suggesting we tank for Travis Hunter

[Bengalfan4life27c]

I expect to beat Washington it wont end our season if we don't we lose the following week to Andy Dalton and the Panthers. "All hands abandon ship "

[Bengalfan4life27c]

(Yesterday, 07:06 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Since 1979, only 6 teams have made the playoffs after starting 0-3, and none of those teams won a Super Bowl.

Bengals would be the 7th, and then the 1st.

With 7 teams now making playoffs in each conference stat is kind of irrelevant. Just like the 0-2 stat when less teams made playoffs of course it was more significant

[*psychdoctor*]

(Yesterday, 06:25 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: You're right. I think if we go 0-3, the organization has to take a serious look. Zac has done great things here. And this is not a post against him, but the slow starts and lack of depth. Has he had long enough to creat that depth? I think so. Does he have as big of a say-so as we think he does?

These poor fans have dealt with one of the worst playoff droughts, then we go to the SB, then we go to the AFC Championship. Why arent we playing lights out? Is it because we don't pay players what they deserve? I get the salary cap has a lot to do with everything. But let's seriously ask ourselves if it's possible to go back to where we were, where Katie, acts like the father, and is all about personal gain, while running a football team who's just "good enough" to keep the fans coming?

Obviously ZT is responsible in some way.  But even if the team goes 0-3, it would not surprise me they make a 10-0 run.   This team is an enigma.  

[J24]

We started 1-3 last season and ended up 9-8! That is also including a season ending injury to Burrow! Going 0-3 would not be ideal but it is overcomablle.

The bigger question isn't are we 0-3 but are we a good enough football team to overcome being 0 and 3? Which I don't think that we are ; in particularly I think our interior defensive line is a disaster and will ultimately lead to our demise.

[*bfine32*]

If we go 0-3..give me a username and I'll tell you who they blame.

[Destro]

I will be exercising my right to remain silent, as anything I say can and will be used against me in a court of law.

[RegularGuy22]

Every week any team with the Bengals is a 50-50 shot. 0-3 is of course a possibility. For whatever reason the Bengals just don't have that killer mode where they have a team on the ropes and score the knockout drive or stop. More often than not if they win it goes down to the last 30 seconds. I said yesterday any team on their schedule is gonna be tough and they have no "easy" games in sight. Why do they play well against good teams (KC) but look like the practice squad against weaker teams? Is it not in the weekly prep?

[Whacked]

I think we “can” turn the season around with a couple of confidence-boosters strung together.

0-3? Mehhh. Not good. Especially when that means this came by way of losing to the Pats and Washington!

Meanwhile, the Stoolers will probably be 3-0 after this week.

Pisses me off.

[Brownshoe]

(Yesterday, 05:43 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: What does that do to you? What does that do to the team? Do we say "seasons over?"  Does that leave a salty taste in the city? Does it leave a salty taste in the coaching staff and the FO against Chase's hold-in, or Tee's weakness, or our weak WR depth, or our weak RB squad, or our new OC? Does it put pressure on Zac or Lou?

Any given Sunday. What do you say?

What it would do to me is make me sad
What does that do to the team. Probably make them feel like they're in must win games every week and feel a lot of pressure (which some of our best players thrive on pressure)
I wouldn't say "seasons over", but it would look really bleak. If you look at Burrows' stats then you can obviously tell that he plays better as the season goes on. We'll still have a good chance at making the playoffs, especially now that 7 teams from each conference gets in.
Yeah it would leave a salty taste. You could have a salt mine in Cincinnati it would be so salty here.
Personally, I'm already not a big Zac guy. I thought he was a below average coach last year.
I don't think it puts much pressure on Zac honestly. It might put a little pressure on him, but we had Marvin Lewis stay our HC after much worse.
100% any given Sunday. Just look at week 1 lol

[Sled21]

(Yesterday, 05:43 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: What does that do to you? What does that do to the team? Do we say "seasons over?"  Does that leave a salty taste in the city? Does it leave a salty taste in the coaching staff and the FO against Chase's hold-in, or Tee's weakness, or our weak WR depth, or our weak RB squad, or our new OC? Does it put pressure on Zac or Lou?

Any given Sunday. What do you say?

It doesn't do anything to me. While I'll be pissed for a little bit, I don't let sports, especially pro sports, dictate my happiness. The season would NOT be over, as this team has shown it can go on a 10 or 11 game win streak, and face it, the North and the Wildcard are still in play with the Ravens at 0-2 and Miami not having a QB anymore. And I don't think it puts any pressure on the coaches, what they've accomplished here in 5 years is unbeaten.