Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

[FastEddie]

I am looking around this board after the SuperBowl and see so many negative posts almost to the point of “we need to blow this team up and start over”. We were one play from winning the SuperBowl.

I‘d like to look at this year as an added bonus, nobody thought this team would even sniff the playoffs much less win three playoff games.

I am a glass half full person after this year. I have been a fan for nearly 50 years, so I’ve been through the bad years, so many years of listening to games on the radio and almost expecting the team to be down 21-0 at halftime every game because it happened a lot.

Consider the facts:
We are not one of the 9 teams who had to hire a new head coach this year, and we are not one of the teams who had a lot of our coaches poached from them like New England.

We have our quarterback of the future now. We aren’t like the teams who had quarterbacks retire on them this year and now will have to figure out how to replace them. Or a quarterback who isn't happy with their situation and wants a trade. Or one that might end up in prison.

In our own division, the Steelers overspent and didn’t make a succession plan so they are stuck with Rudolph or Haskins and they don’t put fear in many people. We don’t have Mayfield who makes players leave the team and tell others not to go to them. Even the Ravens aren’t what they used to be.

We are not one of the teams who is over the salary cap who are going to have to cut good players to try to meet the salary cap. Or not sign their free agents to save money. We have money to spend. And we hear all the time no about players wanting to come here to play. Most times in the past the Bengals were an afterthought unless you overpaid them to come here. Now it sounds like players want to come here. And the front office is actually spending money on good free agent, not bottom of the barrel free agents.

Yes the Rams bought their championship, but it seems like they already have players retiring, Beckham out for maybe a year, bringing retired players back who are re-retiring, over the cap, etc.

Our glass is half full and getting fuller.

[Interceptor]

Not blow up the team, just the OLine.

[higgy100]

(02-15-2022, 12:48 PM)FastEddie Wrote: I am looking around this board after the SuperBowl and see so many negative posts almost to the point of “we need to blow this team up and start over”. We were one play from winning the SuperBowl.

I‘d like to look at this year as an added bonus, nobody thought this team would even sniff the playoffs much less win three playoff games.

I am a glass half full person after this year. I have been a fan for nearly 50 years, so I’ve been through the bad years, so many years of listening to games on the radio and almost expecting the team to be down 21-0 at halftime every game because it happened a lot.

Consider the facts:
We are not one of the 9 teams who had to hire a new head coach this year, and we are not one of the teams who had a lot of our coaches poached from them like New England.

We have our quarterback of the future now. We aren’t like the teams who had quarterbacks retire on them this year and now will have to figure out how to replace them. Or a quarterback who isn't happy with their situation and wants a trade. Or one that might end up in prison.

In our own division, the Steelers overspent and didn’t make a succession plan so they are stuck with Rudolph or Haskins and they don’t put fear in many people. We don’t have Mayfield who makes players leave the team and tell others not to go to them. Even the Ravens aren’t what they used to be.

We are not one of the teams who is over the salary cap who are going to have to cut good players to try to meet the salary cap. Or not sign their free agents to save money. We have money to spend. And we hear all the time no about players wanting to come here to play. Most times in the past the Bengals were an afterthought unless you overpaid them to come here. Now it sounds like players want to come here. And the front office is actually spending money on good free agent, not bottom of the barrel free agents.

Yes the Rams bought their championship, but it seems like they already have players retiring, Beckham out for maybe a year, bringing retired players back who are re-retiring, over the cap, etc.

Our glass is half full and getting fuller.

I take it you don't read the weekly game threads.lol.If you did you wouldn't be shocked. So many of the same candy asses.

[WeezyBengal]

I'll let you know how the glass looks after this off-season period of FA, draft, and trades.

[MileHighGrowler]

I'm half full. I'm actually surprised to see as many posts right now as they are from people worried that this was the window. This team just wasn't in the position of mortgaging their future to win this year. Yes, the AFC is going to be hard going forward. That's fine, though. I think this team can still beat those teams, especially with some upgrades. I just don't feel like anyone on the team felt it was the end of the line Sunday night. They weren't dejected to where I'd forecast they slump. This was the dress rehearsal. That's how I felt every game of the playoffs after the first win over the Raiders. Everything else was cake.

It sucks to be that close and then lose. I was sure they'd pull it out and win again. But a few tweaks and another year together and the team should be better next year. How is that anything but positive? I dunno. I'm just choosing to be optimistic this offseason until I see something else delivered. But I think these guys come back with a vengeance next year. Now they REALLY have something to prove.

[*Nately120*]

My cup runner over.

[leonardfan40]

The glass isn’t half full. It’s 90% full and we have the ability to overflow it this offseason

[samhain]

This team is in a ridiculously good place. They have a SB caliber team that still hasn't hit it's ceiling, plus are plenty under budget to either retain FAs or go out and address glaring needs. Not many organizations can say this.

[Amalone002]

Glass half full for sure. I for one had faith in Zac and Lou while others didn't from the start. So I had us winning 10 or 11 games way back in training camp with a chance at the SB so much so I put $500 on us winning it back in August, didn't work out but I came close.

Wasn't hard to see if we stayed healthy with the additions we would be really good, not sure where everyone was getting their 5 or 6 wins from.

We get 2 or 3 new OL who are goof will win 12 or 13 games with an even higher chance to win a SB. Also I'm excited to get ossai back next year.

[*PhilHos*]

I'm excited for the future. We have a good, YOUNG core of players who are good-to-great at their respective positions with a couple already showing signs of eliteness (Burrow and Chase). Coaching staff have proven themselves to be masters of the halftime adjustment and Lou has shown the ability to take his somewhat average defense and turn it up a notch or two in the playoffs. The front office took full advantage of free agency the last 2 offseasons to improve the team and there's no reason to think they won't do so again specifically to fix the offensive line.

Hell, we were a bullshit call and one second of pass blocking away from winning the Super Bowl. The glass ain't just half full, it's running over and flooding the apartment. WHO DEY

[*Awful Llama*]

(02-15-2022, 12:58 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I'm half full.  I'm actually surprised to see as many posts right now as they are from people worried that this was the window.  This team just wasn't in the position of mortgaging their future to win this year.  Yes, the AFC is going to be hard going forward.  That's fine, though.  I think this team can still beat those teams, especially with some upgrades.  I just don't feel like anyone on the team felt it was the end of the line Sunday night.  They weren't dejected to where I'd forecast they slump.  This was the dress rehearsal.  That's how I felt every game of the playoffs after the first win over the Raiders.  Everything else was cake.  

It sucks to be that close and then lose.  I was sure they'd pull it out and win again.  But a few tweaks and another year together and the team should be better next year.  How is that anything but positive?  I dunno.  I'm just choosing to be optimistic this offseason until I see something else delivered.  But I think these guys come back with a vengeance next year.  Now they REALLY have something to prove.

I'm not surprised much about that because it is related somewhat to reality.  A good example is the Browns.  Some here have suggested that their magic 2020 season was the entire window and now it's closed.  So, I can see someone questioning if we'll have continued success.  

No, what I wasn't expecting, but have seen too often repeated, is all the discussion suggesting that the NFL is rigged in some fashion, if not outright scripted.  It puzzles me why anyone would still be here who would truly believe that is the case.  If I believed that, you best believe I would never waste one minute of the rest of my life watching or discussing NFL games.  I'd probably wonder if college football and the NHL were in on it too and question caring about them, either.  

It's amazing how four scant points can mean the difference between God being in his heaven and all being right with the world versus an NFL conspiracy instituted by the Rand Corporation, in conjunction with the saucer people, and under the supervision of the reverse vampires.  

[higgy100]

(02-15-2022, 01:36 PM)samhain Wrote: This team is in a ridiculously good place.  They have a SB caliber team that still hasn't hit it's ceiling, plus are plenty under budget to either retain FAs or go out and address glaring needs.  Not many organizations can say this.

More importantly, they have a SB caliber, extremely talented and beyond tough QB with leadership abilities thru the roof where every person in that organization presently, and to be, respects to the highest degree. All starts there.

[*pally*]

I've been in the half (plus) full glass all season and that isn't changing now. This team improved dramatically from 2020 to 2021 when they weren't nearly done rebuilding the roster. Give them another year to tweak things and with luck the sky is the limit

[samhain]

My view is this: They were in a good place regardless, even if they didn't make the run they did. QB is legit, weapons are legit, free agency and drafting have been absolutely on point, youth is on their side.

I get that it's tough to make it back, but this by all accounts ahead of schedule team now has about as deep of a playoff run under their belts as you can get. They have actual Super Bowl experience. Lamar does not. Allen and the Bills do not. Herbert doesn't. Vrabel's boys don't. The Bengals might not have a title, but outside of Mahomes and KC, they are really the only team with and elite quarterback and SB seasoning, and they got it while in a very young stage of their pro development.

this is a very good thing.

[*ochocincos*]

I'm half-full, but that's because I was near empty glass going into the season.
They showed me a lot this season to give me confidence moving forward.
Get OL upgraded to a level the fans feel really confident in, and I think everyone will feel pretty good for 2022 season.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(02-15-2022, 12:48 PM)FastEddie Wrote: I am looking around this board after the SuperBowl and see so many negative posts almost to the point of “we need to blow this team up and start over”. We were one play from winning the SuperBowl.

I‘d like to look at this year as an added bonus, nobody thought this team would even sniff the playoffs much less win three playoff games.

I am a glass half full person after this year. I have been a fan for nearly 50 years, so I’ve been through the bad years, so many years of listening to games on the radio and almost expecting the team to be down 21-0 at halftime every game because it happened a lot.

Consider the facts:
We are not one of the 9 teams who had to hire a new head coach this year, and we are not one of the teams who had a lot of our coaches poached from them like New England.

We have our quarterback of the future now. We aren’t like the teams who had quarterbacks retire on them this year and now will have to figure out how to replace them. Or a quarterback who isn't happy with their situation and wants a trade. Or one that might end up in prison.

In our own division, the Steelers overspent and didn’t make a succession plan so they are stuck with Rudolph or Haskins and they don’t put fear in many people. We don’t have Mayfield who makes players leave the team and tell others not to go to them. Even the Ravens aren’t what they used to be.

We are not one of the teams who is over the salary cap who are going to have to cut good players to try to meet the salary cap. Or not sign their free agents to save money. We have money to spend. And we hear all the time no about players wanting to come here to play. Most times in the past the Bengals were an afterthought unless you overpaid them to come here. Now it sounds like players want to come here. And the front office is actually spending money on good free agent, not bottom of the barrel free agents.

Yes the Rams bought their championship, but it seems like they already have players retiring, Beckham out for maybe a year, bringing retired players back who are re-retiring, over the cap, etc.

Our glass is half full and getting fuller.

Great post FastEddie. Couldn't agree more, our future is so bright. Also, the way we lost reiterated what needs to be improved.

We get a great O-line in front of Burrow and Mixon look out. I wouldn't know what to do if I was a Defense. Pick poison.

[Stewy]

(02-15-2022, 12:48 PM)FastEddie Wrote: I am looking around this board after the SuperBowl and see so many negative posts almost to the point of “we need to blow this team up and start over”. We were one play from winning the SuperBowl.

I‘d like to look at this year as an added bonus, nobody thought this team would even sniff the playoffs much less win three playoff games.

I am a glass half full person after this year. I have been a fan for nearly 50 years, so I’ve been through the bad years, so many years of listening to games on the radio and almost expecting the team to be down 21-0 at halftime every game because it happened a lot.

Consider the facts:
We are not one of the 9 teams who had to hire a new head coach this year, and we are not one of the teams who had a lot of our coaches poached from them like New England.

We have our quarterback of the future now. We aren’t like the teams who had quarterbacks retire on them this year and now will have to figure out how to replace them. Or a quarterback who isn't happy with their situation and wants a trade. Or one that might end up in prison.

In our own division, the Steelers overspent and didn’t make a succession plan so they are stuck with Rudolph or Haskins and they don’t put fear in many people. We don’t have Mayfield who makes players leave the team and tell others not to go to them. Even the Ravens aren’t what they used to be.

We are not one of the teams who is over the salary cap who are going to have to cut good players to try to meet the salary cap. Or not sign their free agents to save money. We have money to spend. And we hear all the time no about players wanting to come here to play. Most times in the past the Bengals were an afterthought unless you overpaid them to come here. Now it sounds like players want to come here. And the front office is actually spending money on good free agent, not bottom of the barrel free agents.

Yes the Rams bought their championship, but it seems like they already have players retiring, Beckham out for maybe a year, bringing retired players back who are re-retiring, over the cap, etc.

Our glass is half full and getting fuller.

You have to either ignore and/or make fun of the very vocal "chicken littles" on these forums.  The negative threads pretty much could have been predicted and by whom.

[Sled21]

(02-15-2022, 01:00 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: The glass isn’t half full. It’s 90% full and we have the ability to overflow it this offseason

Exactly this!!!! 

[Sled21]

(02-15-2022, 03:15 PM)Stewy Wrote: You have to either ignore and/or make fun of the very vocal "chicken littles" on these forums.  The negative threads pretty much could have been predicted and by whom.

I would love to be able to see posters ages posted with their screen names. I have a theory about those that blow up when a little adversity hits and they don't get exactly what they want, and when they were born. 

[THE PISTONS]

I'm optimistic about the future I'd say. With Burrow, we'll always have a chance.

Imagine being a Steelers fan and having Mason Rudolph or a Browns fan with Mayfield. (I feel like Mayfield is like Dalton).