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**BFritz21** · 10-22-2021, 04:54 PM

All 6 times we have started 5-2 since 1990, we have made the playoffs!

If we win this week, does it mean that we're for sure going to make it?!

Granted that, top to bottom, our division has never been this strong all the way around, but we've also never been this balanced or had this strong of leaders.

Pittsburgh has a bye this week, which the NFL finally did the rest of the league a favor because they usually kiss the Steelers' ass and give them a mid or late-season bye, and that's going to be rough on them because I think that Ben could start to fall off mid-season since he's already struggling to throw the ball downfield.

I don't think that they'll be in the hunt come December.

The Browns could have a QB controversy because they might not want to pay Baker 100+ million if Keenum can win games like he did against Denver. They have a pretty good team and paying Baker that much would force them to release a lot of good players, so will that cause commotion in the locker room and can they overcome it?

The Ravens might be tougher to predict, but, when we win this week and get to 5-2, will that make us guaranteed to make the playoffs?!

I think it does just because of, like I said, our balance and leadership!

**jj22** · 10-22-2021, 04:56 PM

I think we can get to 6-3 by the bye, and win 4 of 8 after the bye.

Not sure in the AFC if 10 will get us in. If we steal one more game somewhere (which Baltimore would be considered a steal in my book) then yes, I agree the chances of playoffs look legit.

**XenoMorph** · 10-22-2021, 05:00 PM

thats not how it works.... But winning doesnt hurt playoff chances.

**BFritz21** · 10-22-2021, 05:10 PM

(10-22-2021, 04:56 PM)jj22 Wrote: I think we can get to 6-3 by the bye, and win 4 of 8 after the bye.

Not sure in the AFC if 10 will get us in. If we steal one more game somewhere (which Baltimore would be considered a steal in my book) then yes, I agree the chances of playoffs look legit.

With 7 teams getting in this year, I think 10 would definitely get us in.

**BFritz21** · 10-22-2021, 05:12 PM

(10-22-2021, 05:00 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: thats not how it works.... But winning doesnt hurt playoff chances.

What do you mean that's not how it works? I know a win this early wouldn't mean much but I'm saying if things play-out the way it looks like they will.

**jj22** · 10-22-2021, 05:13 PM

It'll depend on how the rest of the season plays out. I feel like there are a bunch of 4-2, 3-3 teams all locked in together in the AFC. No clear bad/good teams as it's been in the past.

**Sled21** · 10-22-2021, 05:22 PM

Need to stay out in front of Chitsburgh and I see them losing their last 6 games. Unfortunately, that is also the tough part of our schedule.

**MileHighGrowler** · 10-22-2021, 05:26 PM

It certainly wouldn't guarantee anything about the rest of the season, but it would show some big steps in the right direction considering how they looked in the past against Baltimore. There's a lot of season left, plenty that could change the landscape for all teams. But it sure would be fantastic to see them grab a W this week. Especially if they really showed some level of dominance.

***Awful Llama*** · 10-22-2021, 05:39 PM

Well, if we beat the Ratbirds but still lose to the Shitstains, then I'm no more confident than if we lose Sunday but win in two weeks, if that makes any sense. If we went into the bye at 7-2, meaning we take the next three, then I really like our chances of getting a wildcard spot if not the actual division title. Lose and we can still qualify but it's going to be a lot murkier. There would be too many teams/variables at play to say anything definitively.

***pally*** · 10-22-2021, 05:52 PM

Winning helps...losing hurts. I'm not looking past Sunday

**Dr.Z** · 10-22-2021, 05:52 PM

We still lack some depth at OL and Db.... Hopefully we can stay relatively healthy, and if so, I think we have a decent shot. The good thing (depending on how you look at it) is that we haven't had a game where we "clicked" on all facets.

fredtoast · 10-22-2021, 07:38 PM

Do you guys realize we are talking about beating the Ravens on the road.

At the beginning of the season I doubt even the hard core homers had us winning this game.

Right now I have a lot of questions about the Bengals. We have a nice record, but we have been playing mostly trash teams. We have zero wins against teams with winning records.

Fans are excited about our defense only allowing 331 yards a game good for 8th in the league. But our opponents have had such bad offenses that they are only averaging 334.1 against everyone. 5 of our 6 opponents are averaging less than the league average 359.9 yds/gm. Four of them are in the bottom 11 of the league.

Our offense has shown flashes of brilliance but they are still 19th in yards, 16th in third down conversions, and 16th in drive success rate.

But if we freaking beat the Ravens ON THE ROAD then everyone will be looking at this team differently. And it would be a HUGE step toward a playoff berth.

Of course nothing is guaranteed this early. Last year the Raiders started 6-3 but fell apart. You see teams like that every year.

**CarolinaBengalFanGuy** · 10-22-2021, 08:03 PM

The Browns game seems very winnable now depending on how hurt they are going into it. Well
Honestly I thought it was winnable to begin with but much more so if they are missing all them players.

**BFritz21** · 10-22-2021, 08:15 PM

(10-22-2021, 08:03 PM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: The Browns game seems very winnable now depending on how hurt they are going into it. Well
Honestly I thought it was winnable to begin with but much more so if they are missing all them players.

Like I said, injuries and then I also see turmoil for the Browns. I don't think they're mentally stable enough to withstand it all and I also don't think they have the leadership to weather the storm.

If we can squeeze out a win here or at least keep it close and then take care of the Jets in their place, I think we just steamroll the Browns in The Jungle.

Then we get a week off and then we'll have a tough stretch of games in the last 8.

**Tiger Teeth** · 10-23-2021, 12:24 AM

I don't know if a win is a guarantee for a playoff berth, but it would improve our divisional record to 2 - 0. And both of those on the road. So I stated in fred's thread, I'll be pissed with a loss. If we're going to be able to win it all, we have to win games like this one.

**grampahol** · 10-23-2021, 08:41 AM

There are no guarantees other than the squeelers not getting called for holding.. The only guarantee I see is that the more games we win the better our chances of getting in the playoffs are..
As far as Keenum? He's pretty inconsistent. He either plays good or plays terrible, but never average..

***bengalfan74*** · 10-23-2021, 09:34 AM

I don't think so, the back half of our schedule is pretty tough.

**Interceptor** · 10-23-2021, 09:52 AM

I think it will be more definitive after week 10.

**No-huddle Joe** · 10-23-2021, 10:24 AM

I can add this....since the 17 week schedule, and 7 teams in each conference make the playoffs, teams that start 5-2 have a 77% chance of making the playoffs. Teams that start 4-3 only made the playoffs 55% of the time. Pretty interesting.

**Destro** · 10-23-2021, 11:10 AM

Not even halfway through the season.

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