04-04-2016, 12:22 AM
(04-03-2016, 11:56 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Instead of listening to all the hype the ravens are getting this off-season, I suggest you actually look at their depth chart and then factor in their best players are coming off ACL tears and several are ancient and maybe you'll start to realize what some of us have been saying all along. The Ravens are not that good!This is the most reasonable statement I have read in awhile. I don't understand why the Ravens get all this hype, or the Steelers for that matter. The Steelers make the playoffs, sure and they (ahem , cough... wink wink) beat us last year but Ben keeps getting crushed and he is not going to last forever. The Ravens ?: I just don't understand why the media hypes them so much. It just must be their reputation of usually being good, but that was when Ray Lewis was there. The Bengals are easily one of the top 3 teams in the AFC and have been for years, its just the media wont accept that. I know we haven't won in the playoffs but you have to win in the regular season to get to the playoffs right? We have done that for 5 straight years which only 3 teams in the NFL can say.
As for your point about the bengals missing the playoffs, I disagree. We basically have the same team coming back minus Marvin Jones. If we draft a good WR who can contribute a decent amount in the first couple of rounds we should be at least as good as we were last year. Then look at everyone else, there are a lot of good teams, but even the defending super bowl champs will be good not great this year with no QB. I see 3 potentially "elite" level teams in the AFC, the Pats (because they always are no matter what lol), the steelers (could be although I don't see that as a given like some others do, but I do think they make the playoffs either way), and the Bengals.
The Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Raiders, Chargers, Chiefs, Broncos, Ravens, Jags, Colts, Texans, are all capable of making the playoffs, but none are gonna be great. They'll be fringe playoff teams, sure the AFC could be very very deep this year, but the bengals should without a doubt be one of the best 3-4 teams. I'd say our chances of making the playoffs should be right in line with the pats and steelers and after those 3 teams it's a crapshoot. All of those teams with potential will probably beat the crap out of each other more than they will the top tier teams in the AFC.
