10 reasons for optimism

[BengalChris]

(10-22-2018, 02:56 PM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: Reason 1 this team is better talent wise than other Bengal teams  that have made the playoffs under Marvin
Reason 2 Lazor may be best  offensive coordinator Marvin has had
Reason 3 Soft remaining schedule
Reason 4 Our defense usually improves as the season goes on under Marvin
Reason 5 Andy Dalton is playing his best football of his career
Reason 6 Special teams have been an issue most of the year but that's fixable
Reason 7 guys returning from injury Price Gio will help offense quite a bit
reason 8 if defense continues to struggle Marvin is likely to take over playcalling from austin which would be an improvement
reason 9 younger player continuing to play better through experience
reason 10 warm weather teams don't like to play in cold weather which gives us huge advantage against saints and chargers

Well, I guess I see things differently. The Bengals could lose any of their remaining games. There's simply not one game left that they could lose if they don't fix their play. If they play like they did this last week Tampa will win, so will NO, so will Cleveland, etc.

Dalton's passer rating is only average in today's NFL. If this is the best he's got, then we should not expect a playoff win as long as he's the QB. He will continue to have his share of wins against lessor teams, but don't expect much in the way of playoff games or winning the division.

I really thought that Ross might actually show up this last week, but alas, Mr Speed couldn't get open against a defense that has been torched all year.

The front office has gone stupid when it comes to selecting and signing OTs.

[Bengalfan4life27c]

only 10 qb's I would take over Dalton. I would take Dalton over Cousins.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(10-22-2018, 02:56 PM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: Reason 1 this team is better talent wise than other Bengal teams  that have made the playoffs under Marvin
Reason 2 Lazor may be best  offensive coordinator Marvin has had
Reason 3 Soft remaining schedule
Reason 4 Our defense usually improves as the season goes on under Marvin
Reason 5 Andy Dalton is playing his best football of his career
Reason 6 Special teams have been an issue most of the year but that's fixable
Reason 7 guys returning from injury Price Gio will help offense quite a bit
reason 8 if defense continues to struggle Marvin is likely to take over playcalling from austin which would be an improvement
reason 9 younger player continuing to play better through experience
reason 10 warm weather teams don't like to play in cold weather which gives us huge advantage against saints and chargers

Yeah, the season isn't over yet, actually it is not even half over and i think we beat the Bucs this week pretty
handily. We just ran into a buzzsaw in the Chiefs in their place. Thought we would lose to the Chiefs then
bounce back before the bye and make a run. Defense needs to get better though, especially these LB's. They
all looked bad including Burfict. Don't like our LB coach at all.

Vigil should be back soon though and as Fred said we can always move Shawn to LB.

Liked watching Billings make some plays and the Offense is still good and should get much better as you say
when Price and Gio get back.

The Chiefs were just built to beat us in this game, thats all. Hope we don't have to face them again, those
guys are really good.

[impactplaya]

the Chiefs are playing at a high level.everything is working for them. they simply have too many weapons on offense
my hope is that Cincy is playing their worst fball at the moment and by the end of the season they are peaking.

[The Real Deal]

If we are looking for optimism, here is something interesting I read:

“There are home games against four teams with a combined record of 9-16-1 (Bucs, Browns, Broncos and Raiders), so if they split the remaining road games (Baltimore, L.A. Chargers, Cleveland and Pittsburgh) while winning the games they should win at home, that’s 10.The Steelers have the Chargers, Panthers and Patriots, along with the Bengals and Browns, plus games in Jacksonville and New Orleans. Baltimore? In December, like the Bengals, they’re at the Chargers. But they’re also back-to-back in Kansas City and Atlanta on Dec. 2-9. So this thing is going to be tight.”

Take that for what it’s worth.

[grampahol]

I dunno folks .The most optimistic thing about the Bengals this season at this point in time is that I'm not actually required to give a rats ass.
Yey! Go not actually giving a rats ass! 

The problem is that I do .I DO give exactly 1 rats ass. The rest of the rats died in Kansas City  If we get blown out by Tampa that last rat will be completely assless. 

[*Awful Llama*]

(10-24-2018, 10:42 AM)The Real Deal Wrote: So this thing is going to be tight.”

That's what she said   

And, she was right.  Thanks to the inclination of other members of the AFCN to fall all over themselves, amazingly, we're not out of this yet.  The losses to Pit and KC were expected.  The KC loss was worse than anticipated obviously, but a last-second loss to the Steelers is something this team can do in its sleep, so not much of a surprise there.  These games were both tall orders.

As the big tuna once said "you are what your record says you are."  Right now, our record says we're still in this thing, provided we get our shit together.  A win against TB, a bye and a chance to get healthy, then you hit the ground running against NO, and suddenly we're 6-3 and on our way to Ballamore.  Still a lot of ball left to be played.


 

[grampahol]

Maybe I should start drinking heavy again just to get back my false optimism for this team . It sucks to be pessimistic when you're completely sober every Sunday..

[Bengalitis]

When NFL team rankings had us at #4, I knew we were in trouble. At 4-3 I can now feel at ease.

[*bengalfan74*]

(10-24-2018, 11:16 AM)Awful Llama Wrote: That's what she said   

And, she was right.  Thanks to the inclination of other members of the AFCN to fall all over themselves, amazingly, we're not out of this yet.  The losses to Pit and KC were expected.  The KC loss was worse than anticipated obviously, but a last-second loss to the Steelers is something this team can do in its sleep, so not much of a surprise there.  These games were both tall orders.

As the big tuna once said "you are what your record says you are."  Right now, our record says we're still in this thing, provided we get our shit together.  A win against TB, a bye and a chance to get healthy, then you hit the ground running against NO, and suddenly we're 6-3 and on our way to Ballamore.  Still a lot of ball left to be played.


 

No doubt it's still early and while I'm a bit concerned about the O I believe they'll continue to get better. It's the D that has me shaking in my shoes ! I don't understand how we're this bad.

If the D doesn't do a 180 fast we have no chance this season.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(10-24-2018, 10:42 AM)The Real Deal Wrote: If we are looking for optimism, here is something interesting I read:

“There are home games against four teams with a combined record of 9-16-1 (Bucs, Browns, Broncos and Raiders), so if they split the remaining road games (Baltimore, L.A. Chargers, Cleveland and Pittsburgh) while winning the games they should win at home, that’s 10.The Steelers have the Chargers, Panthers and Patriots, along with the Bengals and Browns, plus games in Jacksonville and New Orleans. Baltimore? In December, like the Bengals, they’re at the Chargers. But they’re also back-to-back in Kansas City and Atlanta on Dec. 2-9. So this thing is going to be tight.”

Take that for what it’s worth.

Good stuff, we most definately still have a shot.

(10-24-2018, 11:16 AM)Awful Llama Wrote: That's what she said   

And, she was right.  Thanks to the inclination of other members of the AFCN to fall all over themselves, amazingly, we're not out of this yet.  The losses to Pit and KC were expected.  The KC loss was worse than anticipated obviously, but a last-second loss to the Steelers is something this team can do in its sleep, so not much of a surprise there.  These games were both tall orders.

As the big tuna once said "you are what your record says you are."  Right now, our record says we're still in this thing, provided we get our shit together.  A win against TB, a bye and a chance to get healthy, then you hit the ground running against NO, and suddenly we're 6-3 and on our way to Ballamore.  Still a lot of ball left to be played.


 

All true Llama, i expected us to lose to the Chiefs and it was no surprise we lost to the Steelers in our place.

(10-24-2018, 12:20 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: No doubt it's still early and while I'm a bit concerned about the O I believe they'll continue to get better. It's the D that has me shaking in my shoes ! I don't understand how we're this bad.

If the D doesn't do a 180 fast we have no chance this season.

Yeah, that Defense we saw against the Chiefs would have anyone beyond concerned. It was that bad.

Need to clean up this tackling badly. The good thing is we have the Bucs this weekend (hardly the Chiefs) and
we have a bye week to clean this shit up.

[*bengalfan74*]

(10-24-2018, 01:34 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Good stuff, we most definately still have a shot.


All true Llama, i expected us to lose to the Chiefs and it was no surprise we lost to the Steelers in our place.


Yeah, that Defense we saw against the Chiefs would have anyone beyond concerned. It was that bad.

Need to clean up this tackling badly. The good thing is we have the Bucs this weekend (hardly the Chiefs) and
we have a bye week to clean this shit up.

I hope they find out where somebody has hidden the Bengals D kryptonite on their uniforms and throws it out.

[*SHRacerX*]

(10-22-2018, 02:56 PM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: Reason 1 this team is better talent wise than other Bengal teams  that have made the playoffs under Marvin
Reason 2 Lazor may be best  offensive coordinator Marvin has had
Reason 3 Soft remaining schedule
Reason 4 Our defense usually improves as the season goes on under Marvin
Reason 5 Andy Dalton is playing his best football of his career
Reason 6 Special teams have been an issue most of the year but that's fixable
Reason 7 guys returning from injury Price Gio will help offense quite a bit
reason 8 if defense continues to struggle Marvin is likely to take over playcalling from austin which would be an improvement
reason 9 younger player continuing to play better through experience
reason 10 warm weather teams don't like to play in cold weather which gives us huge advantage against saints and chargers

Reason #2 is a swing and a miss.  I would take Hue as OC or HC all day long over the clowns we have.  

Reason #5:  Dalton had a much better year going in 2015, but I think he is doing more with less creativity on the part of the coordinator. 

Reason #8 is wishful thinking...in terms that it would make a difference.  Our LBs and safeties are gawd awful when it comes to tackling and that is kind of important at that position. 

I agree with the rest of what you have said, and I appreciate the optimism...I really do.  But (and there is an asshole in every butt), Marvin (there it is) is still Marvin.  Conservative.  Outdated.  Clueless.  Hopeless.  He is a black Jeff Fisher. Until he is gone, this talent will be wasted and I can only hope that they hire an innovative coach like the Rams got in McVeigh.  

[Tiger Teeth]

(10-23-2018, 02:22 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, the season isn't over yet, actually it is not even half over and i think we beat the Bucs this week pretty
handily. We just ran into a buzzsaw in the Chiefs in their place. Thought we would lose to the Chiefs then
bounce back before the bye and make a run. Defense needs to get better though, especially these LB's. They
all looked bad including Burfict. Don't like our LB coach at all.

Vigil should be back soon though and as Fred said we can always move Shawn to LB.

Liked watching Billings make some plays and the Offense is still good and should get much better as you say
when Price and Gio get back.

The Chiefs were just built to beat us in this game, thats all. Hope we don't have to face them again, those
guys are really good.

My name is Tiger Teeth, and I endorse this post 110%.   :andy:

[Luvnit2]

I say a win and go 5-3 ad the team has a shot at winning the division still. A loss to TB and the implosion begins. A win, then get Gio back and Price back and maybe even (don't bank on it) Ross back last 4 games of the year and who knows. We can't have more injuries and yet to be seen injuries suffered by teams we play.

KC is a very good team who dominated the Steelers early also at Pittsburgh and barely lost to Pats. The NFL is weird, so get in the playoffs and hope teams you don't match up well against get beat by teams you do match up with, but I cheer to get into playoffs and worry about playoff success later versus throwing in towel now and hoping team does not make the playoffs.