Browns game had nothing to do with Chase out

[kevin]

(11-01-2022, 09:54 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: This Sunday the Bengals will beat the Carolina Panthers easily and over the bye week everyone will think all is well in Cincinnati.  

Trust me, it’s not.  All is not well.

I agree and here is why.  Bengals went 10-7 last year which is OK and better than I expected.  Then they got HOT in the Play-offs.  

But last years Bengals went 4-2 in the AFC North to barely make the Play-Offs.  We should not forget that in the last 2 weeks of the 2021 season, it was possible Bengals might not make play-offs, even after beating Steelers and Ravens.  Had Bengals not beat Chiefs, the Bengals would have dropped out of AFC North First Place and dropped out of Wild Card to other teams in AFC.   We forget that because Bengals did get in and got so HOT in play-offs. 

OK, last years team went 4-2 in the AFC North.   This years team CAN NOT have a winning record in the AFC North.  The Bengals are already 0-3 in Division play.   Those losses count as Double because not only is it a Bengals loss, but a Win for the other teams in the same Division.  I will point out 2009 season when Bengals Fans complained Bengals could only Run The Ball and could only beat AFC North Teams, as the Bengals went 6-0 in the AFC North in 2009 on the back of running back Benson.  I never understood why Fans complained about sweeping the Browns, Ravens and Steelers that year and making the Play-Offs, except losing to the Jets twice in 7 days was a sour end to season and play-offs. 

You are right , ALL is NOT well even if Bengals beat Panthers.   The Bengals sit at 0-3 in the AFC North.   Here is some bad news on that.   The Bengals play at Pittsburgh still which is a tough place to play.   Then the Ravens play in Cincy and the Ravens have made trades to not just win the AFC North but the Super Bowl.  At end of season Browns play at Cincy and Watson will probably be at Quarterback and the Browns have beat Bengals 8 of the last 9 games.  

So Bengals sit at 0-3 in AFC North and going 3-3 is in doubt.  Very possible Bengals get SWEPT by some AFC NORTH teams this year.  One thing is for certain.  Bengals swept Ravens and Steelers last year, and that can NOT happen this year.  Bengals are 0-3 in AFC North, so ALL is NOT well.  

I would add though that if Bengals beat Panthers, they are a Win over Tampa away from SWEEPING the NFC SOUTH, and THAT could help play-off chances if AFC North teams lose to NFC South, but only if Bengals win out against AFC North in 3 hard battles after bye week.