Playoffs

[HarleyDog]

Miss Cleo said we are going to win out. Don’t believe me? CALL HER NOW!

[Essex Johnson]

(12-30-2021, 02:23 AM)Tony Wrote: There is no way in hell the Browns play their 2nd string if eliminated.. They are gonna want to play spoiler to us..

They might be more cautious with players banged up if eliminated but I can assure you the many of the fan base will be treating this as a preseason game they will be very depressed if eliminated which will help us.

[*SHRacerX*]

(12-29-2021, 11:31 PM)swilson3828 Wrote: As much as I hate to say this a lot are getting their hopes up for something that has a decent chance of not happening.  Beating the Chiefs, who are playing the best football in the league right now, will be no easy feat, and playing the Browns at Cleveland......a tough situation.  Been down this road too, too, too many times.  

Go ahead and villify me for saying that, but just trying to be a bit realistic. Although the Bengals control their own fate it will be a very difficult task.  Just don't get your hopes up is all I'm saying.

You are vilified.  

[M.W.]

(12-30-2021, 03:09 AM)JaggedJimmyJay Wrote: The Bengals can lose both and still get in. Root hard for Pittsburgh over Cleveland and LAR over Baltimore this week.

Absolutely , I think the Bengals clinch this week even if they lose.

[motoarch]

I don't think anyone assumes the Bengals get in.

However they are around an 80% chance at the moment based on tie breakers even if they lose their last 2 games.

Does that 80% make me fell better? Not really. A loss this weekend combined with a Cleveland win will make me very nervous in-fact.

Cant do anything about that right now so why dwell on it? Just look forward to this weekend and cheer on your favorite team and cheer for Cleveland to lose.

Then after the weekends check all the standings and if Cincinnati hasn't locked up a spot then worry about what has to happen for them to get in next week.

[motoarch]

(12-30-2021, 10:17 AM)M.W. Wrote: Absolutely , I think the Bengals clinch this week even if they lose.

I don't think they can without a Pittsburg - Cleveland tie.  And Ravens loss as well.

That probably wont happen.

EDIT:
The Bengals (9-6) can clinch AFC North division title with:

Bengals win OR
Bengals tie + Ravens loss or tie OR
Ravens loss + Browns-Steelers tie. <------- This is the only way the Bengals can lose and still clinch this weekend
The Bengals can clinch playoff berth with:

All other clinching scenarios involve the Bengals finish in a tie:
Bengals tie + Chargers loss + Raiders loss + Dolphins loss or tie OR
Bengals tie + Chargers loss + Raiders loss + Patriots loss OR
Bengals tie + Chargers loss + Raiders tie + Dolphins loss or tie + NE win OR
Bengals tie + Chargers loss + Raiders tie + Patriots tie + Dolphins tie + Bills win or tie OR
Bengals tie + Chargers loss + Raiders tie + Patriots loss + Dolphins win + Bills win or tie

[*ochocincos*]

(12-29-2021, 11:31 PM)swilson3828 Wrote: As much as I hate to say this a lot are getting their hopes up for something that has a decent chance of not happening.  Beating the Chiefs, who are playing the best football in the league right now, will be no easy feat, and playing the Browns at Cleveland......a tough situation.  Been down this road too, too, too many times.  

Go ahead and villify me for saying that, but just trying to be a bit realistic. Although the Bengals control their own fate it will be a very difficult task.  Just don't get your hopes up is all I'm saying.

I don't think the Browns playing at home will make that much of a difference, honestly.
Reasons:
Bengals are actually better away than at home this year
Browns are only 5-3 at home, with losses to the Cardinals, Steelers (who Bengals swept handily), and Raiders (who Bengals beat handily).
If Browns lose to Pittsburgh this weekend, they have no way of winning the division, and also very likely miss out on playoffs. The motivation to win at that point might be lower, as I'd guess they'd want the Bengals to win the division over the Ravens and Steelers anyway.

I'm definitely not getting my hopes up against the Chiefs though.

[M.W.]

(12-30-2021, 10:27 AM)motoarch Wrote: I don't think they can without a Pittsburg - Cleveland tie.  And Ravens loss as well.

That probably wont happen.

EDIT:
The Bengals (9-6) can clinch AFC North division title with:

Bengals win OR
Bengals tie + Ravens loss or tie OR
Ravens loss + Browns-Steelers tie. <------- This is the only way the Bengals can lose and still clinch this weekend
The Bengals can clinch playoff berth with:

All other clinching scenarios involve the Bengals finish in a tie:
Bengals tie + Chargers loss + Raiders loss + Dolphins loss or tie OR
Bengals tie + Chargers loss + Raiders loss + Patriots loss OR



Bengals tie + Chargers loss + Raiders tie + Dolphins loss or tie + NE win OR




Bengals tie + Chargers loss + Raiders tie + Patriots tie + Dolphins tie + Bills win or tie OR

Bengals tie + Chargers loss + Raiders tie + Patriots loss + Dolphins win + Bills win or tie

Yes! Damn I forgot about the Steelers freaking tie against the (at the time) winless Lions.  

[MileHighGrowler]

There are definitely reasons to be optimistic, seeing how this team has dominated some games. When they're rolling, they're really rolling. But you'd also have to be crazy to go into this week with unfettered optimism. The last time the Bengals beat up on Baltimore, everyone was screaming "best team in the league" only to lose to the Jets the next week. "It's okay, they'll come back and destroy the Browns for a rebound" and then got embarrassed at home.

Do I think the Bengals can win this week? Yes. Do I think they have the talent to make a push into the post-season? Absolutely (and have felt this way all year). But would I be surprised to see them lay another egg? No. And I don't think it makes anyone less of a fan to admit the team hasn't exactly carried their winnings after a big game into the next set of games.

PBS is hardly the dominant homefield stadium that Riverfront was, and doesn't compare in the least to Arrowhead. But I do really hope the fans show up LOUD this week and do what they can to assist. This game is probably the best test of where the team truly stands in the Conference, and is exciting/interesting from that vantage point at least.

[Interceptor]

If we get blown out (I'm not talking loss, but a loss by a HUGE margin) in Sunday's game, then we are not ready for the playoffs.

[fredtoast]

All I can say is that fans who claim regular season wins don't matter are wrong.

It is 1000% more fun and exciting to be talking about playoff possibilities the last two weeks of the season instead of the draft, free agency, and replacing coaches.

I have not seen a single post from anyone saying "I don't care what happens the next two weeks. Instead I am going to wait and see if we win a playoff game before I decide if I am excited."

[MileHighGrowler]

(12-30-2021, 02:10 PM)fredtoast Wrote: All I can say is that fans who claim regular season wins don't matter are wrong.

It is 1000% more fun and exciting to be talking about playoff possibilities the last two weeks of the season instead of the draft, free agency, and replacing coaches.

I have not seen a single post from anyone saying "I don't care what happens the next two weeks.  Instead I am going to wait and see if we win a playoff game before I decide if I am excited."

This is a misrepresentation of that thought process.  Regular season wins 100% matter.  To everyone.  The argument that's been made (because I've made it as well) is that regular season wins ALONE don't mean anything.  You can go 16-0 during the regular season and lose in the first playoff game every year, thereby making those amazing records largely meaningless when you're looking at a team's/coach's success.  The regular is the (important) road to the playoffs and Super Bowl.  But ending it with the regular season, as exciting as the season might have been, is not reaching the pinnacle. 

For a team like the Bengals, the big question now is whether they can take regular season success and translate it to playoff wins.  Not just can they have a competitive game this Sunday, but have they made it?  Have they turned the corner?  Can they manage a stretch of games where every one of them is a must-win to keep advancing?  Tempered optimism and wanting to see the team actually prove after a 30-year famine they can feast on the playoffs is a totally fair measuring stick of the success of a team. 

[*Go Cards*]

(12-30-2021, 01:45 AM)fredtoast Wrote: We could win both of these games.

Or we could lose both of them.

or maybe even split

[Interceptor]

(12-31-2021, 09:33 PM)Go Cards Wrote: or maybe even split

Two ties? What are the Vegas odds on that?

[*bengalfan74*]

(12-29-2021, 11:39 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Just need to have Lamar Jackson go cough on Chubb next week and the Cleveland game is a cakewalk. Baker is bad.

That's the thing about Baker Hayfield I've never understood ? He'll tap his inner Ryan Leaf for 3 games in a row and everybody is saying he's just not an NFL caliber QB.

Bengals game comes up and it's Joe Montana 2.0

[*bengalfan74*]

(12-30-2021, 02:52 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: This is a misrepresentation of that thought process.  Regular season wins 100% matter.  To everyone.  The argument that's been made (because I've made it as well) is that regular season wins ALONE don't mean anything.  You can go 16-0 during the regular season and lose in the first playoff game every year, thereby making those amazing records largely meaningless when you're looking at a team's/coach's success.  The regular is the (important) road to the playoffs and Super Bowl.  But ending it with the regular season, as exciting as the season might have been, is not reaching the pinnacle. 

For a team like the Bengals, the big question now is whether they can take regular season success and translate it to playoff wins.  Not just can they have a competitive game this Sunday, but have they made it?  Have they turned the corner?  Can they manage a stretch of games where every one of them is a must-win to keep advancing?  Tempered optimism and wanting to see the team actually prove after a 30-year famine they can feast on the playoffs is a totally fair measuring stick of the success of a team. 

He's been arguing this this early Marvin days on the mother ship. I'm beginning to believe he really believes it.

[TecmoBengals]

(12-31-2021, 10:29 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: He's been arguing this this early Marvin days on the mother ship. I'm beginning to believe he really believes it.

trolling

[Fulcher_33]

Obviously both games could go either way, but the die hard in me wont let me think anything but positive thoughts!!!

WHO DEY! Lets GO

[fredtoast]

(12-30-2021, 12:19 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: PBS is hardly the dominant homefield stadium that Riverfront was, and doesn't compare in the least to Arrowhead. 

Bengals have not lost the Chiefs at home in THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS.

[Interceptor]

(01-01-2022, 02:53 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Bengals have not lost the Chiefs at home in THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS.

If this continues, then we would have broken out of out 2-win limit since 2015. WHO DEY!!!