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**Brownshoe** · 10-27-2016, 10:13 AM

I know a lot of you guys were really down on this team after the 2-4 start. I lost a lot of hope in this team after the Dallas game, but since then I have watched Dallas more and I realize that they are the worst matchup in the league for us. This team is a lot better than what people think right now. Especially for non-Bengals fans. They just look and see we went 2-4 and just beat the Browns. They don't realize that we had the toughest schedule in the league our first 6 games. If you look at our losses you can see that we lost to the best teams in the league at their house. We didn't have all of our key players (Eifert was out all of the games and Burfict was out 2).

This team is flying way under the radar and they're about to surprise a lot of people. With a healthy Eifert back and a improving OL our offense can be as potent as it was last year. Bodine has been playing a lot better and they are starting to bench Ced. The playcalling still needs to improve, but I doubt that it won't improve as the season goes on.

The defense has been the biggest question mark for me. We haven't been getting to the QB as much as we should. The run defense is pretty damn bad right now too. I actually think our secondary hasn't been doing that bad other than a few plays. I think of the defensive line starts playing like I know they can we will have a tough defense. Hell, we would be a shit ton better in the games we played if we reduced the penalties we have been having. Those have extended drives and cost us a ton of points. I don't think that we have the defense that everyone is used from these past few years, but their still a good group.

All in all I think we will go on a rampage winning most if not all the remaining games on this schedule. I wouldn't be surprised if we won the last 10 games in the schedule. My biggest concern is what we will do in the playoffs.

**leonardfan40** · 10-27-2016, 10:48 AM

Been saying the same thing. I actually still think we make the playoffs, just have very little faith we do anything once there again. Never know tho, once you're in all it takes is a hot streak or getting the luck of the draw in opponents...you know like every opponent we face in the playoffs always get lol man if we could only play the Bengals in the playoffs!

**OrlandoBengal** · 10-27-2016, 10:59 AM

I think this week tells us a lot about this team. If they are able to get to .500 going into the bye then the season starts to look a lot better. If they lose, they are at 3-5 traveling to the Giants after the bye. And we all know Marvin led teams don't perform that well coming out of the bye. 3-6 and this season is done.

I get the argument that we played some of the best teams in the league, but that is exactly who we would face in the playoffs. It is also the result of having a first place schedule. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Or at least be competitive... this team lucked out (two missed kicks) and beat the 2-5 Jets, as well as the two worst teams in the league. Against better competition, they have not looked good. In addition to Pittsburgh once and Baltimore twice they play the Giants, Bills, Eagles, and Texans. The schedule after the bye is not some cake walk that they are going to demolish week in and week out...

**Brownshoe** · 10-27-2016, 11:18 AM

(10-27-2016, 10:59 AM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: I think this week tells us a lot about this team. If they are able to get to .500 going into the bye then the season starts to look a lot better. If they lose, they are at 3-5 traveling to the Giants after the bye. And we all know Marvin led teams don't perform that well coming out of the bye. 3-6 and this season is done.

I get the argument that we played some of the best teams in the league, but that is exactly who we would face in the playoffs. It is also the result of having a first place schedule. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Or at least be competitive... this team lucked out (two missed kicks) and beat the 2-5 Jets, as well as the two worst teams in the league. Against better competition, they have not looked good. In addition to Pittsburgh once and Baltimore twice they play the Giants, Bills, Eagles, and Texans. The schedule after the bye is not some cake walk that they are going to demolish week in and week out...

We are 3-2 coming off the bye with Dalton and one of the losses was @NE. We won't lose to the Giants.

We were playing the best teams at their place with a team that wasn't gelling yet and missing some of their best players. If the schedule went in a reverse order we would have had a better record for the season. The only game that wasn't close was the Cowboys game, and they are a horrible matchup for us.

We didn't get lucky vs the Jets. We blocked their FG. They haven't looked that good, but we played them when they had all of their weapons, and our OL looked the worst it has all season. Of we played them again I don't even think it's a close game.

The only team im nervous about the rest of the schedule is Pittsburgh, and I don't think they sweep us. Baltimore just lost to the Jets and they don't look good at all. I'm not afraid of the Giants, Bills or Eagles either. The Texans don't have JJ Watt, and I don't think they have even looked good this year. The rest of the year is a cake walk. I will be surprised if we lose 2 games the rest of the season, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if we won out.

***bengalfan74*** · 10-27-2016, 11:22 AM

(10-27-2016, 10:59 AM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: I think this week tells us a lot about this team. If they are able to get to .500 going into the bye then the season starts to look a lot better. If they lose, they are at 3-5 traveling to the Giants after the bye. And we all know Marvin led teams don't perform that well coming out of the bye. 3-6 and this season is done.

I get the argument that we played some of the best teams in the league, but that is exactly who we would face in the playoffs. It is also the result of having a first place schedule. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Or at least be competitive... this team lucked out (two missed kicks) and beat the 2-5 Jets, as well as the two worst teams in the league. Against better competition, they have not looked good. In addition to Pittsburgh once and Baltimore twice they play the Giants, Bills, Eagles, and Texans. The schedule after the bye is not some cake walk that they are going to demolish week in and week out...

Agree,

This team except for a handful of drives on offense, (Andy to AJ) and a handful of defensive series has in no way shape or form looked like a playoff team. Like you say we've barley beat two of the cellar dwellers and should have lost to another lower level team.

Our numbers on O look good on paper but we ain't scoring. We're awful in the red zone, we can't sustain drives because we can't run the ball. We're horrible on 1st down. Our defense is not on the same page way to often. We get gashed against the run, our D-line can't get pressure on any kind of a regular bais. We continue to run a horrible RT out there. The list goes on and on.

We've been unable to muster anything or stop anything against the better teams we've played. One could go on and on. I've seen basically nothing to indicate we're going to go on a run.

Keep drinking the kool-aid though.

**leonardfan40** · 10-27-2016, 11:30 AM

(10-27-2016, 11:22 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Agree,

This team except for a handful of drives on offense, (Andy to AJ) and a handful of defensive series has in no way shape or form looked like a playoff team. Like you say we've barley beat two of the cellar dwellers and should have lost to another lower level team.

Our numbers on O look good on paper but we ain't scoring. We're awful in the red zone, we can't sustain drives because we can't run the ball. We're horrible on 1st down. Our defense is not on the same page way to often. We get gashed against the run, our D-line can't get pressure on any kind of a regular bais. We continue to run a horrible RT out there. The list goes on and on.

We've been unable to muster anything or stop anything against the better teams we've played. One could go on and on. I've seen basically nothing to indicate we're going to go on a run.

Keep drinking the kool-aid though.

It's not kool-aid, it's being realistic and not overreacting to losing to good teams. We played the Broncos pretty close and same with the pats for almost 3 qtrs. Same with the Steelers, only game we looked horrible in was the cowboys game. That was entirely pathetic.

If you look back at the last 5 years this is exactly what the bengals do, lose to the good teams and clean up against the mediocre ones, then flop in the playoffs. Nothing that has happened this season suggest this year should be any different. Sure I'll agree at times this team has looked hopeless but they are SLOWLY coming together and have a manageable schedule the rest of the way. This season looks an awful lot like the last 5, people (including me) just had higher hopes for this team so many of us are overreacting and acting like this team is toast. If you take a step back you may just realize this team is just more of the same

***Go Cards*** · 10-27-2016, 11:39 AM

Still believe in this team, but the time is now to get the ball rolling.

***TheLeonardLeap*** · 10-27-2016, 11:46 AM

(10-27-2016, 10:13 AM)Brownshoe Wrote: I know a lot of you guys were really down on this team after the 2-4 start. I lost a lot of hope in this team after the Dallas game, but since then I have watched Dallas more and I realize that they are the worst matchup in the league for us. This team is a lot better than what people think right now. Especially for non-Bengals fans. They just look and see we went 2-4 and just beat the Browns. They don't realize that we had the toughest schedule in the league our first 6 games. If you look at our losses you can see that we lost to the best teams in the league at their house. We didn't have all of our key players (Eifert was out all of the games and Burfict was out 2).

This team is flying way under the radar and they're about to surprise a lot of people. With a healthy Eifert back and a improving OL our offense can be as potent as it was last year. Bodine has been playing a lot better and they are starting to bench Ced. The playcalling still needs to improve, but I doubt that it won't improve as the season goes on.

The defense has been the biggest question mark for me. We haven't been getting to the QB as much as we should. The run defense is pretty damn bad right now too. I actually think our secondary hasn't been doing that bad other than a few plays. I think of the defensive line starts playing like I know they can we will have a tough defense. Hell, we would be a shit ton better in the games we played if we reduced the penalties we have been having. Those have extended drives and cost us a ton of points. I don't think that we have the defense that everyone is used from these past few years, but their still a good group.

All in all I think we will go on a rampage winning most if not all the remaining games on this schedule. I wouldn't be surprised if we won the last 10 games in the schedule. My biggest concern is what we will do in the playoffs.

Hate when people start doing things like that to rationalize. Everyone has missing people.

The Patriots were missing Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.
The Steelers were missing Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant (and now Ben Roethlisberger).
The Cowboys were missing Tony Romo and Dez Bryant.
The Browns were missing their first 4 (then 5) QBs and Joe Hayden.
The Dolphins were missing Arian Foster and Mike Pouncey.

You can't just say "If they had these people healthy/available, they would have a better record!" because then every other team can say that too.

***bengalfan74*** · 10-27-2016, 11:49 AM

(10-27-2016, 11:30 AM)leonardfan40 Wrote: It's not kool-aid, it's being realistic and not overreacting to losing to good teams. We played the Broncos pretty close and same with the pats for almost 3 qtrs. Same with the Steelers, only game we looked horrible in was the cowboys game. That was entirely pathetic.

If you look back at the last 5 years this is exactly what the bengals do, lose to the good teams and clean up against the mediocre ones, then flop in the playoffs. Nothing that has happened this season suggest this year should be any different. Sure I'll agree at times this team has looked hopeless but they are SLOWLY coming together and have a manageable schedule the rest of the way. This season looks an awful lot like the last 5, people (including me) just had higher hopes for this team so many of us are overreacting and acting like this team is toast. If you take a step back you may just realize this team is just more of the same

I hear what you're saying,

I've been a Bengal Fan for 40+ years. And I'm well aware of how this team rolls. I could write 50 pages and not cover all the SNAFU's.
I have come to accept we're going nowhere under ML. And moreover probably aren't until MB is no longer in charge.

Having said that I also believe this team, the core, (Andy, AJ, Gio, Whit, Carlos, Geno) don't have a lot of years together left. Everybody and I mean nearly everybody has said this team is one of the more talented in the league. But we ain't getting it done. And I'm sick of hearing the excuses !

(10-27-2016, 11:39 AM)Go Cards Wrote: Still believe in this team, but the time is now to get the ball rolling.

I'm trying to hold out hope but it's slipping away fast. If they're gonna do it - it's time to do it !

bengalguy71 · 10-27-2016, 12:02 PM

Running out of time. Need to finish the first half 4-4, and come off the bye with a win to stay afloat.

**CoreyK** · 10-27-2016, 12:28 PM

This Redskins game is essentially a "playoff" game. 4-4 and we are ok and still in playoff mix. If we drop to 3-5 we arent officially out of the playoff mix but its about 90% likely we miss playoffs if we lose this game.

bengalguy71 · 10-27-2016, 12:43 PM

(10-27-2016, 12:28 PM)CoreyK Wrote: This Redskins game is essentially a "playoff" game. 4-4 and we are ok and still in playoff mix. If we drop to 3-5 we arent officially out of the playoff mix but its about 90% likely we miss playoffs if we lose this game.

Agreed. Have to beat the teams they are supposed to beat, and get hot at the right time.

That's how the Giants did it in their last 2 SBs. I know, I know, they didn't have Marvin Lewis but if you replay the games, the defense got hot at the perfect time and they had some breaks on their side. They were 9-7 the first year, a very inconsistent roller coaster season, and 10-6 the next year, both Wild Card spots.

IF, and it's a HUGE IF, the Bengalsd MAKE the playoffs, could the ultimate miracle happen with a team that hasn't necessarily been the best team and with the most expectations????

As always .... time will tell. Redskins first, one game at a time.

***Nate (formerly eliminate08)*** · 10-27-2016, 12:50 PM

(10-27-2016, 10:13 AM)Brownshoe Wrote: I know a lot of you guys were really down on this team after the 2-4 start. I lost a lot of hope in this team after the Dallas game, but since then I have watched Dallas more and I realize that they are the worst matchup in the league for us. This team is a lot better than what people think right now. Especially for non-Bengals fans. They just look and see we went 2-4 and just beat the Browns. They don't realize that we had the toughest schedule in the league our first 6 games. If you look at our losses you can see that we lost to the best teams in the league at their house. We didn't have all of our key players (Eifert was out all of the games and Burfict was out 2).

This team is flying way under the radar and they're about to surprise a lot of people. With a healthy Eifert back and a improving OL our offense can be as potent as it was last year. Bodine has been playing a lot better and they are starting to bench Ced. The playcalling still needs to improve, but I doubt that it won't improve as the season goes on.

The defense has been the biggest question mark for me. We haven't been getting to the QB as much as we should. The run defense is pretty damn bad right now too. I actually think our secondary hasn't been doing that bad other than a few plays. I think of the defensive line starts playing like I know they can we will have a tough defense. Hell, we would be a shit ton better in the games we played if we reduced the penalties we have been having. Those have extended drives and cost us a ton of points. I don't think that we have the defense that everyone is used from these past few years, but their still a good group.

All in all I think we will go on a rampage winning most if not all the remaining games on this schedule. I wouldn't be surprised if we won the last 10 games in the schedule. My biggest concern is what we will do in the playoffs.

I hope you are right Brownshoe and i can understand all of your points. The coaching is just so suspect this year to me.

Even more-so than years past. The good thing is the new coaches can still get it together, there usually is some fails early
on being a coach on a new team. We have Burney, Haslett, Coyle and Lazor. All new coaches this year. I know Coyle has
been here before but there is still adjustments being made.

Burfict will get in better shape as well. We need to start Sims over Peko and use Clarke and Hunt more on the DL.

Starting Winston over Og is a no brainer. We have the players to do what you are saying, it is the coaches that concern me.

**Brimey** · 10-27-2016, 01:44 PM

We are remarkably healthy. After that rough preseason, we have basically the same team we starTed the year with, and guys who were hurt or suspended should improve as the year goes on. Now obviously that could change and we could have a rash of injuries, but as of now, our health is a huge positive. Making the playoffs at 9-7 or 10-6 healthy is better than going 12-4 but having our QB hurt IMO

***rfaulk34*** · 10-27-2016, 01:49 PM

Here's a little fun-time symmetry for you.

In 2012, the Bengals came off the bye in week 8, losing to Denver to go 3-5. Then they started a 7-1 finish against the...

NY Giants.

This week they go into the bye, week 9, after the 'skins game (3-5 or 4-4) and they start the 2nd half run against the...

NY Giants.

***Wyche'sWarrior*** · 10-27-2016, 02:01 PM

They better get their ass in gear then.....

**JumboTron** · 10-27-2016, 02:16 PM

This year is interesting. We are obviously (so far) not as good as last year, yet it looks like we may not need to be seeing as how it's shaping up that 9-7 could end up winning the North. This year's team screams "Just Good Enough" to me and as far as this season goes, that may be all we need.

As far as a winning streak? Well, I can only hope. This Sunday will be a challenge when considering the travel and facing a team with a determined coaching staff and a pretty decent roster that the 'Skins have. Rest up during the Bye, and come out swinging. A whole helluva lot depends on this Sunday though.

The wildcard, unfortunately is Marvin. Can he get this team ready to play at optimum level this week considering the distractions (London, facing off once again against a former OC, travel)? Can he then get this team focused in on winning the meat-and-potatoes part of the schedule that comes after the bye week? I hope so.

**reuben.ahmed** · 10-27-2016, 02:33 PM

Eifert needs to play 100% snaps.

I thikn the stars on our team make our coaching look good (i.e. AJ Green and A.D.). We need a Lebron james out there, someone whose play solely causes the coach to win an award, lol.

**samhain** · 10-27-2016, 03:37 PM

I want to believe this, but I'm not so sure. If the defense doesn't figure things out quick, they'll be victimized even by average teams. They're really that bad right now. The Ogbuehi liability may be mitigated by talent in other places on the offense or by just benching him. The defense is a huge problem, though. It's hard to forget what Kevin freaking Hogan did to them last weekend. They don't just look old and slow. They also look like they're half-assing it on a lot of plays.

***Bengalholic*** · 10-27-2016, 04:00 PM

This game gives the Bengals another opportunity to do something that they've failed at in 4 tries so far this season...beat a team with winning record. Getting that goose egg out of the way would be a good start towards potentially stringing some wins together.

These last 9 games look a bit more favorable than the 1st 7. They have to be able to make some real noise down the stretch, needing 6-3 to get to 9 wins, and 7-2 to get to 10. With the way the division looks currently, they are certainly in contention for a division title...assuming they can take advantage of the schedule over the last couple of months.

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