01-13-2024, 12:19 PM
(01-09-2024, 11:33 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Two things:
1) The Bengals morphed their team to try to beat the likes of the Bills and Chiefs moving forward, which are different than the AFC North teams. Whether we like it or not, it's not going to magically morph back in just one offseason. Winning in the division is still going to be difficult.
2) The divisional games are only 35% of the total games. So while those games are impactful, it's still possible to go winless in the division and make the playoffs (and possibly even win the division).
The bigger detriment this season, IMO, is Burrow really only being healthy for about 5 games, which was Arizona up through Houston, where the Bengals went 4-1.
Outside of that window, their record was 5-7, 4 of which had a recovering-but-limited Burrow.
Bottom line - I think people are making a bit too big of a deal of the 1-5 divisional record, as I think the Bengals were more affected by Burrow's injury/recovery. Had he been healthy for the whole season, I do think the division would have been 3-3 if not better.
I completely agree. Way way too much is made out of the division. Fixing the run game, rush defense, and defense in general will take care of the division. Now you want to talk about Cleveland being a poor matchup I can get around. But the rest we just need to fix our issues and weaknesses.
Romo “ so impressed with Zac ...1 of the best in the NFL… they are just fundamentally sound. Taylor the best winning % in the Playoffs of current coaches. Joe Burrow” Zac is the best head coach in the NFL & that gives me a lot of confidence." Taylor led the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990, ending the longest active drought in the four major North American sports, en and appeared in Super Bowl LVI, the first since 1988.
