Few comments on sweeping both Ravens and Steelers

[fredtoast]

First of all I don't think there is anyone that enjoys beating the Steelers more than me. If I had been older I might have remembered the pre-'72 Steelers who only had 6 winning seasons in their forty year history and were a joke of a franchise. Or if I was younger I would not have had to deal with their success for so long. But I became an NFL fan in the early 70's exactly when they were becoming a dynasty.

Then there was the fact that they almost single handedly ruined the entire Marvin era. The success the Steelers had against Marvin defies logic. Most people don't realize that during the Marvin Era only 5 teams (Phi, Ind, Den, Pitt, NE) had more wins against winning teams than the Bengals 42, but look at the breakdown of the Bengals and Steelers wins.

Bengals had 38 wins against winning teams other than Steelers.
Steelers had 38 wins against winning teams other than Bengals.

Bengals had 4 wins against Steelers when they finished with a winning record.
Steelers had 19 wins against Bengals when they finished with a winning record.

ONE THIRD of all of the Steelers wins against winning teams came against just one team, the Bengals. They were not that much better than us, but they completely dominated us. (8-26)

So I am thrilled that we swept the Steelers, but at the same time I realize that it has been 18 years since the Steelers had a team finish worse than this year's .500 version.

We have had a lot of success against the Ravens. I don't hate them like the Steelers, but I still love sweeping them. However, they were already missing several starters including 2 All-Pros when we played them the first time (LB L.J. Fort, DT Derek Wolfe, RB Gus Edwards, RB J.K. Dobbins, FS DeShon Elliott, All-Pro LT Ronnie Stanley, All-Pro CB Marcus Peters). And this last Sunday they were missing a few more due to Covid. They started their 3rd string QB and 3 of their top 4 CBs had just been called up from the practice squad.

So we owned the Steelers and Ravens this year. Not just a 4-0 sweep, but no game was closer than 14 points and the total score was 147-58. It feels great. But both of these teams will finish around .500. They are not the good teams that had beaten us down for so long. No matter how good the wins feel they are not really a great achievement to brag about.

[fredtoast]

Oops. Wrong forum. Needs to be moved to Jungle Noise.

[Johnny Cupcakes]

I’m gonna have to pass on the “not a great achievement to brag about” take.

The Bengals beat their two biggest rivals four times this year, each win being incredibly dominant. Without these losses to the Bengals, the Ravens would have a playoff spot locked up, and the Steelers would be #1 in the wildcard race at the moment.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-28-2021, 02:58 AM)Chip Smallwood Wrote: I’m gonna have to pass on the “not a great achievement to brag about” take.

The Bengals beat their two biggest rivals four times this year, each win being incredibly dominant. Without these losses to the Bengals, the Ravens would have a playoff spot locked up, and the Steelers would be #1 in the wildcard race at the moment.

Yep, and they sure didn't mind kicking the Bengals when they were down.

[Murdock2420]

Be interesting to see how the sweep feels if the Bengals lose to KC and Browns win this week. Would lead to a final week showdown in Cleveland with the division on the line.

Sweeping the Rats and steelers is great, but if they miss the playoffs it really means nothing.

[Big_Ern]

Still a chance to play the Ravens, a healthier version, again this year.

[HarleyDog]

(12-28-2021, 03:33 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Be interesting to see how the sweep feels if the Bengals lose to KC and Browns win this week. Would lead to a final week showdown in Cleveland with the division on the line.

Sweeping the Rats and steelers is great, but if they miss the playoffs it really means nothing.

This is assuming either Browns beat Steelers next week, or Steelers win out. Either way, we don’t have a walk in into the playoffs and the next 2 weeks will be critical. A victory over KC would make us AFCN champs regardless of the Cleveland game. WTS, Baltimore would have to lose 1 of the next two and they face Rams and Steelers.

[Sled21]

(12-28-2021, 02:58 AM)Chip Smallwood Wrote: I’m gonna have to pass on the “not a great achievement to brag about” take.

The Bengals beat their two biggest rivals four times this year, each win being incredibly dominant. Without these losses to the Bengals, the Ravens would have a playoff spot locked up, and the Steelers would be #1 in the wildcard race at the moment.

Ever go camping when it's a little chilly, and when you finally get a fire started there is always that guy that throws water on it. Yeah, that's Fred.

[Whacked]

We may be the Steelers of the Marvin era to the Rat Turds

Let’s just hope the Browns don’t become the next Steelers of that same era on us
Even w Faker Mayfield, they own us lately. God forbid they get a decent QB. Bad news.

[*SHRacerX*]

(12-27-2021, 09:24 PM)fredtoast Wrote: First of all I don't think there is anyone that enjoys beating the Steelers more than me.  If I had been older I might have remembered the pre-'72 Steelers who only had 6 winning seasons in their forty year history and were a joke of a franchise.  Or if I was younger I would not have had to deal with their success for so long.  But I became an NFL fan in the early 70's exactly when they were becoming a dynasty.

Then there was the fact that they almost single handedly ruined the entire Marvin era.  The success the Steelers had against Marvin defies logic.  Most people don't realize that during the Marvin Era only 5 teams (Phi, Ind, Den, Pitt, NE) had more wins against winning teams than the Bengals 42, but look at the breakdown of the Bengals and Steelers wins.

Bengals had 38 wins against winning teams other than Steelers.
Steelers had 38 wins against winning teams other than Bengals.

Bengals had 4 wins against Steelers when they finished with a winning record.
Steelers had 19 wins against Bengals when they finished with a winning record.

ONE THIRD of all of the Steelers wins against winning teams came against just one team, the Bengals. They were not that much better than us, but they completely dominated us. (8-26)

So I am thrilled that we swept the Steelers, but at the same time I realize that it has been 18 years since the Steelers had a team finish worse than this year's .500 version.

We have had a lot of success against the Ravens. I don't hate them like the Steelers, but I still love sweeping them.  However, they were already missing several starters including 2 All-Pros when we played them the first time (LB L.J. Fort, DT Derek Wolfe, RB Gus Edwards, RB J.K. Dobbins, FS DeShon Elliott, All-Pro LT Ronnie Stanley, All-Pro CB Marcus Peters).  And this last Sunday they were missing a few more due to Covid.  They started their 3rd string QB and 3 of their top 4 CBs had just been called up from the practice squad.

So we owned the Steelers and Ravens this year.  Not just a 4-0 sweep, but no game was closer than 14 points and the total score was 147-58.  It feels great.  But both of these teams will finish around .500.  They are not the good teams that had beaten us down for so long. No matter how good the wins feel they are not really a great achievement to brag about.

So, I take this to mean that Marvin Lewis was a mole for the steelers.  

[Murdock2420]

(12-28-2021, 08:54 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: This is assuming either Browns beat Steelers next week, or Steelers win out. Either way, we don’t have a walk in into the playoffs and the next 2 weeks will be critical. A victory over KC would make us AFCN champs regardless of the Cleveland game. WTS, Baltimore would have to lose 1 of the next two and they face Rams and Steelers.

I really like the way the team has played this season. They've been fun to watch and been productive and maybe the ass whooping of Baltimore is them hitting their stride at the right time. 

I just fear the KC game. You always bet on the team with the better QB, and while I'm going to get hammered by a select few posters on this board, Burrow is not Mahomes. He might get there, but right now, Mahomes is the gold standard for QB play in the AFC. He's been there, done that. 

Having to win a game in Cleveland to get to the playoffs just seems like a terrible weekend....

[TheFan]

If we would have split with both of them they both likely end up with winning records (the Ravens for sure). So would that have been more or just as impressive?

It's not like they were 4 win teams this year. Everyone else seems to be struggling against them outside of us and we just saw Houston stomp the Chargers despite sucking and missing a ton of people due to covid.

[Interceptor]

Steelers got away with a lot of shit for almost 50 years because the refs looked the other way.

[Au165]

(12-28-2021, 04:01 PM)TheFan Wrote: If we would have split with both of them they both likely end up with winning records (the Ravens for sure). So would that have been more or just as impressive?

Right, the Steelers wouldn't be the ".500 version" if they swept us...what an odd take. If we beat them and make their record worse it's not impressive but if we lose to them it makes them good?

As for the Ravens they are a couple 2 point conversion failures from being a really freaking good team this year record wise.

[*jason*]

(12-28-2021, 03:33 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Be interesting to see how the sweep feels if the Bengals lose to KC and Browns win this week. Would lead to a final week showdown in Cleveland with the division on the line.

Sweeping the Rats and steelers is great, but if they miss the playoffs it really means nothing.

This... There's another team that seems to just own is at the moment, and we play them a week from Sunday.

[bengaloo]

All I know is that with a young team we swept both the Steelers and Ravens this year and not just won the beat the crap out of them. The Ravens were favorites to compete for the SB in the AFC. This past Sunday's win was without Lamar and some other players, but we beat the dogshit out of them in their own house when Lamar was QB and their roster was healthier. I'll take it, brag about it and rub it in to the very few Raven's fans I know and love every minute of it

[Fan_in_Kettering]

With this roster beating the Steelers and Ravens to a pulp is now considered normal.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

OP also forgets we have won three straight against the Stoolers, with the first win having Ryan Finley leading the charge.

[higgy100]

(12-27-2021, 09:24 PM)fredtoast Wrote: First of all I don't think there is anyone that enjoys beating the Steelers more than me.  If I had been older I might have remembered the pre-'72 Steelers who only had 6 winning seasons in their forty year history and were a joke of a franchise.  Or if I was younger I would not have had to deal with their success for so long.  But I became an NFL fan in the early 70's exactly when they were becoming a dynasty.

Then there was the fact that they almost single handedly ruined the entire Marvin era.  The success the Steelers had against Marvin defies logic.  Most people don't realize that during the Marvin Era only 5 teams (Phi, Ind, Den, Pitt, NE) had more wins against winning teams than the Bengals 42, but look at the breakdown of the Bengals and Steelers wins.

Bengals had 38 wins against winning teams other than Steelers.
Steelers had 38 wins against winning teams other than Bengals.

Bengals had 4 wins against Steelers when they finished with a winning record.
Steelers had 19 wins against Bengals when they finished with a winning record.

ONE THIRD of all of the Steelers wins against winning teams came against just one team, the Bengals. They were not that much better than us, but they completely dominated us. (8-26)

So I am thrilled that we swept the Steelers, but at the same time I realize that it has been 18 years since the Steelers had a team finish worse than this year's .500 version.

We have had a lot of success against the Ravens. I don't hate them like the Steelers, but I still love sweeping them.  However, they were already missing several starters including 2 All-Pros when we played them the first time (LB L.J. Fort, DT Derek Wolfe, RB Gus Edwards, RB J.K. Dobbins, FS DeShon Elliott, All-Pro LT Ronnie Stanley, All-Pro CB Marcus Peters).  And this last Sunday they were missing a few more due to Covid.  They started their 3rd string QB and 3 of their top 4 CBs had just been called up from the practice squad.

So we owned the Steelers and Ravens this year.  Not just a 4-0 sweep, but no game was closer than 14 points and the total score was 147-58.  It feels great.  But both of these teams will finish around .500.  They are not the good teams that had beaten us down for so long. No matter how good the wins feel they are not really a great achievement to brag about.

Not a bad post except the first part of the comment that "they are not really a great achievement to brag about" is rather ignorant. First off, while nobody should brag after the total dominance and success by both of those teams against Cincy over the years, these are "tremendous achievements" because they are all part of this division-leading 9 win season up to this point.

Secondly, sheer utter dominance to the highest degree in 3 of the 4 games with the first game at Pitt resembling a Boa that simply had a nice vice grip on the Steelers, is enough to impress the entire NFL and for anybody to win by the cumulative total of over 90 or so points, well, every single former announcer/analyst/ is extremely impressed. Third, damn near the entire Jungle nation and any Bengals fan out there wanted Taylor gone pretty much and those that didn't were lying to themselves. The "you better win now" mentality was crucial if you wanted a guy like Burrow to want to play here and be energized when his rookie deal is over.

[Tomkat]

(12-27-2021, 09:24 PM)fredtoast Wrote: ....The success the Steelers had against Marvin defies logic.  

Marvin is a Pittsburgh native, yes?  My guess is that deep down, he was a Steelers fan and didn't really want to beat them very badly.