Eisen picking Cincy over KC again

[*rfaulk34*]

(12-03-2022, 10:34 PM)JaggedJimmyJay Wrote: It is essentially irrefutable that the conditions surrounding a football game (including the perceptions of that game from external sources such as the media) impact the football game. If a single player witnesses it, then it will have a non-zero impact upon his view of the game and then by extension the way he approaches playing the game.

The important question isn't "is there an impact?" but rather "is the impact meaningful enough to be worth discussing?" --> I don't know the answer to the latter question. I suspect it depends upon the circumstances. But I do think this sort of thing extends beyond the confines of basic superstition.

It's hard to say it doesn't when players cite it all the time. Anyone think Justin Reid's comments aren't going to have an impact on some Bengals players?

I've battled with the idea that it gives them an "edge" because i've always felt that they're already giving their maximum effort and it always comes down to preparation and execution. I'm starting to come around to the idea that it can impact them where they watch more film, lift more weight, get a mental edge whereas before they were giving what they perceived to be their maximum effort when it was actually just a bit short of that. 

All that said, i think those things all fade away before halftime. You can get a bit more pumped, play a little bit harder, focus a little more in the beginning but eventually you get lost in the execution of a game and you're doing what you've always done. 

In addition to that, sometimes the other guy is just better and no amount of 'extra effort' is going to matter.