Bengals Win Out + Broncos & Colts go 2-3, Dolphins go 3-2 & WE'RE IN!!!

[*ochocincos*]

Surprisingly, the Broncos are not the last WC team currently.
The Chargers are now last in the WC, sitting at 8-6.
They have the tiebreaker over the Bengals, but they could also lose out with the Bengals winning out.
Broncos and Chargers play each other this coming week, so one of them is guaranteed a win though and will get in over the Bengals.

[Nepa]

(12-16-2024, 10:32 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Surprisingly, the Broncos are not the last WC team currently.
The Chargers are now last in the WC, sitting at 8-6.
They have the tiebreaker over the Bengals, but they could also lose out with the Bengals winning out.
Broncos and Chargers play each other this coming week, so one of them is guaranteed a win though and will get in over the Bengals.

So, the logical play (based on the Bengals winning out) seems to be to have the Chargers beat the Broncos. Then the Bengals beat the Broncos. Then it would come down to KC beating the Broncos. Of course, that would mean the Chiefs need to have something to play for, and so we have to hope they get one more loss. If they sit at 2 losses and the Bills at 3 losses, then the Chiefs will be going all out to win over the Broncos (since the Bills have the head-to-head tiebreaker). Someone said they wouldn't want to help the Bengals get into the playoffs -- but I think they fear the Bills more than the Bengals.

Seems it may be a pipe dream, but it is realistic to see the Chargers beating the Broncos, the Bengals beating the Broncos, and a motivated Chiefs beating the Broncos. And it is possible the Steelers would be resting their players for the last game against the Bengals. 

[*ochocincos*]

(12-16-2024, 10:48 AM)Nepa Wrote: So, the logical play (based on the Bengals winning out) seems to be to have the Chargers beat the Broncos. Then the Bengals beat the Broncos. Then it would come down to KC beating the Broncos. Of course, that would mean the Chiefs need to have something to play for, and so we have to hope they get one more loss. If they sit at 2 losses and the Bills at 3 losses, then the Chiefs will be going all out to win over the Broncos (since the Bills have the head-to-head tiebreaker). Someone said they wouldn't want to help the Bengals get into the playoffs -- but I think they fear the Bills more than the Bengals.

Seems it may be a pipe dream, but it is realistic to see the Chargers beating the Broncos, the Bengals beating the Broncos, and a motivated Chiefs beating the Broncos. And it is possible the Steelers would be resting their players for the last game against the Bengals. 

All of it is possible, but the bolded is probably the one to look out for.
Steelers will be doing everything they can to prevent Bengals from making playoffs, especially if they have to still play for division lead vs WC.
Right now, they are 1 game ahead of BAL and a win this weekend will give them a 2-game lead and the tiebreaker, solidifying their division win.
Steelers have Chiefs and then Bengals after Ravens.

If we're wanting the best way to go undefeated, we need to...I hate to say it...root for the Steelers to beat the Ravens this weekend 

[Frank Booth]

still only able to beat awful teams, I see. Let the titans have their best offensive game of the season, I see

[Bengalbug]

(12-16-2024, 01:00 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: still only able to beat awful teams, I see. Let the titans have their best offensive game of the season, I see

This was not the best game the titans have had on offense Frank, no matter how you look at it.

Then, once you take context into it and talk about garbage time yards/TDs, it’s even further from the truth.

But sure, proceed with your hot takes.

[Bengalbug]

(12-16-2024, 12:59 PM)ochocincos Wrote: All of it is possible, but the bolded is probably the one to look out for.
Steelers will be doing everything they can to prevent Bengals from making playoffs, especially if they have to still play for division lead vs WC.
Right now, they are 1 game ahead of BAL and a win this weekend will give them a 2-game lead and the tiebreaker, solidifying their division win.
Steelers have Chiefs and then Bengals after Ravens.

If we're wanting the best way to go undefeated, we need to...I hate to say it...root for the Steelers to beat the Ravens this weekend 

I for one hope week 18 matters to the Steelers. If you can’t beat a motivated Steelers team in the regular season, you sure won’t beat anyone (bills, chiefs, ravens, Steelers, Texans) in the playoffs.

[WeezyBengal]

(12-16-2024, 01:40 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: This was not the best game the titans have had on offense Frank, no matter how you look at it.

Then, once you take context into it and talk about garbage time yards/TDs, it’s even further from the truth.

But sure, proceed with your hot takes.

And its not like the offense did them a ton of favors with short field and turnovers. 

[Bengalbug]

(12-16-2024, 01:41 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: And its not like the offense did them a ton of favors with short field and turnovers. 

Yup. It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance by the defense, and offense for that matter.

[*Awful Llama*]

(12-16-2024, 10:07 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Even one extra win against the lowly Pats could have altered how the Bengals season is playing out.

Yeah, we'd be 7-7, ahead of Miami and Indy, and just one game behind the Denver and the Chargers.  Being 3-11 would probably be easier to face than 6-8, because at least it would have been over for some time now.  This way sometimes feels like death by a thousand cuts.

[Frank Booth]

(12-16-2024, 01:40 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: This was not the best game the titans have had on offense Frank, no matter how you look at it.

Then, once you take context into it and talk about garbage time yards/TDs, it’s even further from the truth.

But sure, proceed with your hot takes.

my hot take is that the bengals are garbage 

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(12-16-2024, 01:55 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Yeah, we'd be 7-7, ahead of Miami and Indy, and just one game behind the Denver and the Chargers.  Being 3-11 would probably be easier to face than 6-8, because at least it would have been over for some time now.  This way sometimes feels like death by a thousand cuts.

The games that stick in my craw are the Pats, Chiefs, Chargers, and both Ravens games. All easily winnable. Stone drops a pick in the endzone and Hudson fumbles at the goal line vs NE. Anthony's penalty on 4th & 16, Chase's stupid penalty that killed a possible icing TD drive, and Burrow fumble returned for TD vs Chief's. The botched snap and late Burrow pick in Balt1. The two missed FGs by McPherson and Hilton's missed chance at a pick vs the Chargers. The stupid 2PT decision and FG/4th choices vs Baltimore in Ravens2. 

Having said that, I don't think we are one game away when all is said and done. We'll lose to Denver and Pittsburgh, if not Cleveland as well. 

And even if we do sneak in, missing L. Wilson, Dax Hill, Turner, and now probably Hunter, our already weak D is taking us nowhere. 

[*ochocincos*]

(12-16-2024, 01:00 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: still only able to beat awful teams, I see. Let the titans have their best offensive game of the season, I see

There's a reason my prediction a few weeks ago was 7-10.

They haven't beaten a team with a winning record all year.

Makes sense why they'll be hovering around middle of the pack.

[Bengalstripes9]

A broncos loss would have certain helped.

Now I guess you root for the broncos to lose out and the chiefs to lose a couple games leading into the last week so they are playing for the top seed last game of the season.

Otherwise chargers losing out would be next likely but they play the patriots and raiders last two games.

Bengals didn’t play well enough to make it in this year.
I don’t think they are good enough to win it all either.
It’s hard to envision the playoffs without the bengals offense in it but it is what it is.

I expect the broncos to win against the chargers and the chargers to win their last two games.

The week one loss to the pats and the chargers loss basically decided the season. You could also point to the ravens losses.

The bengals need a good defensive player with their top pick this year to rush the passer or a lockdown corner.

I like the bills and eagles in the Super Bowl.
I think Josh Allen gets it done this year.
Bills defense has been good—as well as their running game.
But the eagles are good too.

[Bengalbug]

(12-16-2024, 04:21 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: A broncos loss would have certain helped.

Now I guess you root for the broncos to lose out and the chiefs to lose a couple games leading into the last week so they are playing for the top seed last game of the season.

Otherwise chargers losing out would be next likely but they play the patriots and raiders last two games.

Bengals didn’t play well enough to make it in this year.
I don’t think they are good enough to win it all either.
It’s hard to envision the playoffs without the bengals offense in it but it is what it is.

I expect the broncos to win against the chargers and the chargers to win their last two games.

The week one loss to the pats and the chargers loss basically decided the season. You could also point to the ravens losses.

The bengals need a good defensive player with their top pick this year to rush the passer or a lockdown corner.

I like the bills and eagles in the Super Bowl.
I think Josh Allen gets it done this year.
Bills defense has been good—as well as their running game.
But the eagles are good too.

A broncos loss would mean colts have to lose 2/3. Go look at their schedule, extremely unlikely. The broncos winning was actually a part of this puzzle.

[Ell Prez]

This weekend is big. We obviously need to win out, that’s a given. But we need chargers to win. And we need Miami to lose to SF this Sunday. We just need one more MIA loss. I think this weekend is the most likely loss for them. They play the browns and at Jets which could be a loss. Oh and we also need colts to lose one more to: titans, giants, jags. I don’t really see a L there, but upsets do happen.

Doesn’t matter what chargers or Texans do.

[Timanky12]

(12-16-2024, 02:09 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: my hot take is that the bengals are garbage 

I prefer dumpster fire

[Timanky12]

(12-16-2024, 04:24 PM)Ell Prez Wrote: This weekend is big. We obviously need to win out, that’s a given. But we need chargers to win. And we need Miami to lose to SF this Sunday. We just need one more MIA loss. I think this weekend is the most likely loss for them. They play the browns and at Jets which could be a loss. Oh and we also need colts to lose one more to: titans, giants, jags. I don’t really see a L there, but upsets do happen.

Doesn’t matter what chargers or Texans do.

Other than that, which you mention, is there anything else? Sun doesn’t rise, Xmas never comes, etc.

We have better luck playing roulette and placing all our money on one number, then all those scenarios panning out. 

[Timanky12]

(12-16-2024, 04:24 PM)Ell Prez Wrote: This weekend is big. We obviously need to win out, that’s a given. But we need chargers to win. And we need Miami to lose to SF this Sunday. We just need one more MIA loss. I think this weekend is the most likely loss for them. They play the browns and at Jets which could be a loss. Oh and we also need colts to lose one more to: titans, giants, jags. I don’t really see a L there, but upsets do happen.

Doesn’t matter what chargers or Texans do.

Other than that, which you mention, is there anything else? Sun doesn’t rise, Xmas never comes, etc.

We have better luck playing roulette and placing all our money on one number, then all those scenarios panning out. 

[Ell Prez]

(12-16-2024, 04:41 PM)Timanky12 Wrote: Other than that, which you mention, is there anything else? Sun doesn’t rise, Xmas never comes, etc.

We have better luck playing roulette and placing all our money on one number, then all those scenarios panning out. 

Yeah I’m not holding my breath. I gave up on season (emotionally, I still watched) after the loss to New England.

[*ochocincos*]

(12-16-2024, 04:21 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: A broncos loss would have certain helped.

I would almost argue it wouldn't have.

Look at IND's remaining schedule - TEN, NYG, and JAX
Being 7-7 Indy would have just needed to beat two of those remaining teams to knock the Bengals out of contention, and it's even more likely that they get 2 wins compared to all 3.