07-31-2022, 11:15 AM
(07-31-2022, 02:37 AM)Nepa Wrote: I agree. All this talk about luck as the key to the Bengals season last year. They lost their Right Tackle, a cornerstone of the offensive line, just as they entered the playoffs and had to play teams with great pass rushers. They lost a game to the Jets where there was a terrible call against Mike Hilton that was pretty much universally considered a bad call. They were less healthy entering the playoffs than the Chiefs, Rams, and Buffalo and a few other playoff teams. It seemed to me they had to battle to overcome some bad luck.
I've noticed plenty of fans getting tired of the luck narrative and have started really pushing back on the injuries, specifically. The Bengals were fortunate with injuries, regardless of how you look at it. Bengals starters missed a combined 17 games last season, including the playoffs. Most of the injuries sustained were depth pieces, not critical pieces (ADG, Bachie, Ossai etc.)
The Chiefs, Rams and Buffalo having even better luck doesn't equate to Cincinnati having bad luck. In regard to the games, there was some level of luck involved. There always is, but that doesn't discredit what Cincinnati did. At least, it shouldn't. The nature of football leans into luck, or probability. That is why there is so much parity. You get one take at the game and any mistake can come back to haunt you. Are the Rams lucky that Donald sacked Burrow before he hit Chase to win the game? Or are the Bengals lucky that the refs didn't throw the flag on Tee's long touchdown against Ramsey?
Both are true.
