Well This Is The Hard Part! ?

[*ochocincos*]

(11-16-2022, 12:15 PM)higgy100 Wrote: They actually knocked out the Miami QB so doesn't that count? Why does or should everything have to be equal? Cinci. could easily be 7-2 right now
without missing a chip shot kick and having a coach go brain dead from the 2 yard line with 4 downs. Had none of that happened would all of that made you feel better about this team?

Are you really frightened now of the Jets starting QB? What has he done in the league? You play who you play and you play teams with the personnel that they have and you have.

The Bengals beat 2 of the best teams in the NFL on the road last year in Tenn. and KC. in do or die scenarios with the absolute worst OL in football and made the SB. Is it more difficult without Chase? Sure it is but every team has their sob stories and injuries. Those teams left on the schedule certainly aren't licking their chops in having to play the Bengals.

Being 7-2 would have me more confident, but not fully until we actually see how they play against the better teams in this second half - KC, NE, TEN, BUF. Those were always going to be the real test for me.

The thing I care most about is making the playoffs. Being 7-2 at this point would have helped in case the Bengals don't get wins against those teams above. With being 5-4 instead at this point, they likely won't make the playoffs unless they can pick up at least 4 more wins out of the remaining 7 games. Assuming the Bengals get a win against PIT, that means at least 3 wins against the 4 teams I listed above plus BAL and CLE.

I am not confident the Bengals get 4+ wins in these next 7 games.

Bengals can obviously do some damage in the playoffs if they can get some big plays, but they weren't some consistent juggernaut in the playoffs either. But they gotta get to the playoffs first. And they are currently sitting outside of it and depending on other teams to lose to help them get there. And they have the 2nd hardest remaining schedule in the AFC, so those extra couple losses earlier this season could make a big difference.