Keyshawn Johnson: "Bengals are not at the top of the class in the AFC"

[BurrowTheGoat]

This is a fairly common take among the talking heads recently. I don't think it is too insane of a take, however, I have a feeling if we had "Steelers" or "Cowboys" or "Giants" on the front of our jersey these takes would be much less common. Thoughts?

[*ochocincos*]

(05-25-2022, 05:49 PM)BurrowTheGoat Wrote:



This is a fairly common take among the talking heads recently.  I don't think it is too insane of a take, however, I have a feeling if we had "Steelers" or "Cowboys" or "Giants" on the front of our jersey these takes would be much less common.  Thoughts?

Keyshawn does say though that the Bengals are a good team.
He acknowledges that they tried to upgrade the OL and defense.
He said, "Every now and then you have a sneak-up type team that sneaks up on somebody like a Kansas City."

I actually understand his stance.
Bengals did make it to the Super Bowl, but that doesn't mean they're the best in the conference.
Chiefs have played in the past 4 AFC Championship Games.
Bills have made the playoffs the past 3 seasons.
Titans have also made the playoffs the past 3 seasons.
Prior to 2021, Bengals hadn't had a winning season for 5 straight seasons.

So all Keyshawn is saying is basically, "Get back to the playoffs again to prove you aren't a one-year wonder."

[WhoDey]

(05-25-2022, 05:49 PM)BurrowTheGoat Wrote:



This is a fairly common take among the talking heads recently.  I don't think it is too insane of a take, however, I have a feeling if we had "Steelers" or "Cowboys" or "Giants" on the front of our jersey these takes would be much less common.  Thoughts?

Not a surprising take from Keyshawn Johnson. 

[BurrowTheGoat]

(05-25-2022, 06:02 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Keyshawn does say though that the Bengals are a good team.
He acknowledges that they tried to upgrade the OL and defense.
He said, "Every now and then you have a sneak-up type team that sneaks up on somebody like a Kansas City."

I actually understand his stance.
Bengals did make it to the Super Bowl, but that doesn't mean they're the best in the conference.
Chiefs have played in the past 4 AFC Championship Games.
Bills have made the playoffs the past 3 seasons.
Titans have also made the playoffs the past 3 seasons.
Prior to 2021, Bengals hadn't had a winning season for 5 straight seasons.

So all Keyshawn is saying is basically, "Get back to the playoffs again to prove you aren't a one-year wonder."

Like said its not an insane take but I do wonder how much of this is influenced by us being a long-time bad franchise.  We are a very young team so an easier take would be "Bengals are going to be really good." If we were the Steelers I can guarantee no one would be saying it was a fluke year and we may miss the playoffs this season.  

[QueenCity]

Bengals going back to the Superbowl doesn't grab headlines... like a marquee franchise.

Until we win one and have sustained playoff success this crap won't ever go away.

[*Go Cards*]

Who cares what Keyshawn "throw me the damn ball" Johnson has to say anyway.

He was never known for class and probably wouldn't recognize class if he tripped over it.

[*bengalfan74*]

(05-25-2022, 06:28 PM)QueenCity Wrote: Bengals going back to the Superbowl doesn't grab headlines... like a marquee franchise.

Until we win one and have sustained playoff success this crap won't ever go away.

Exactly

I mean lets face it. This team has had way more irrelevant seasons than not for 3 decades. Oh we had a couple rays of sunshine with Dalton and company but one and dones didn't move the needle much for people outside of Cincinnati.

We're going to have to have some sustained success to get the narrative changed.

[leonardfan40]

(05-25-2022, 06:02 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Keyshawn does say though that the Bengals are a good team.
He acknowledges that they tried to upgrade the OL and defense.
He said, "Every now and then you have a sneak-up type team that sneaks up on somebody like a Kansas City."

I actually understand his stance.
Bengals did make it to the Super Bowl, but that doesn't mean they're the best in the conference.
Chiefs have played in the past 4 AFC Championship Games.
Bills have made the playoffs the past 3 seasons.
Titans have also made the playoffs the past 3 seasons.
Prior to 2021, Bengals hadn't had a winning season for 5 straight seasons.

So all Keyshawn is saying is basically, "Get back to the playoffs again to prove you aren't a one-year wonder."

So what he’s really saying is he can’t evaluate talent/teams and has to judge teams based on what they’ve done historically. So once we win 5 SB’s in a row he’ll buy in, but not before, because he hasn’t seen it yet.

Glad he gets paid big money for his football “knowledge” lol

[*ochocincos*]

(05-25-2022, 06:28 PM)QueenCity Wrote: Bengals going back to the Superbowl doesn't grab headlines... like a marquee franchise.

Until we win one and have sustained playoff success this crap won't ever go away.

Not necessarily.

The Bills have not won a Super Bowl and haven't been to one since 1994.


Yet no one is doubting the Bills like they are the Bengals because the Bills have made the playoffs (and gone deep in the playoffs) 3 straight seasons.

The Bengals just need to show they are perennial playoff contenders like the Bills.

[*ochocincos*]

(05-25-2022, 06:47 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: So what he’s really saying is he can’t evaluate talent/teams and has to judge teams based on what they’ve done historically. So once we win 5 SB’s in a row he’ll buy in, but not before, because he hasn’t seen it yet.

Glad he gets paid big money for his football “knowledge” lol

No, he's really saying he doesn't consider any team being a true conference leader unless they're making the playoffs (and advancing) multiple years consecutively.

[BurrowTheGoat]

(05-25-2022, 06:57 PM)ochocincos Wrote: No, he's really saying he doesn't consider any team being a true conference leader unless they're making the playoffs (and advancing) multiple years consecutively.

That take is so lazy.  My Aunt who hardly watches the NFL could have that take.  I get the feeling Keyshawn hasn't watched us or done a deep-dive on our roster.  Nearly all of our best players are very young and in theory should be even better in 2022.  "I don't consider you real contenders because in the past teams have gotten lucky."  It's a take that sounds good on paper but when you think about it its very easy and lazy.

[grampahol]

OH NO! Someone doesn't think the Bengals are the greatest team since sliced bread!   You remember the Sliced Breads team...right? The Chicago or some town Sliced Breads.. Bengals should rename the team to the Cincinnati Sliced Breads then we'll always be knows as the team every other great teams are compared to..Greatest team since sliced bread! 

[*ochocincos*]

(05-25-2022, 07:01 PM)BurrowTheGoat Wrote: That take is so lazy.  My Aunt who hardly watches the NFL could have that take.  I get the feeling Keyshawn hasn't watched us or done a deep-dive on our roster.  Nearly all of our best players are very young and in theory should be even better in 2022.  "I don't consider you real contenders because in the past teams have gotten lucky."  It's a take that sounds good on paper but when you think about it its very easy and lazy.

His job is being a TV personality who has some credibility because he's a former 1st overall pick that was also a Super Bowl champion.
He doesn't have to be super knowledgeable on everything to share an opinion of it.

Think about how many people speak on things when they have limited knowledge or only care to put in a certain amount of effort to gain knowledge on a subject?
It happens all. the. time. (We all do it)

[BurrowTheGoat]

(05-25-2022, 07:01 PM)grampahol Wrote: OH NO! Someone doesn't think the Bengals are the greatest team since sliced bread!   You remember the Sliced Breads team...right? The Chicago or some town Sliced Breads.. Bengals should rename the team to the Cincinnati Sliced Breads then we'll always be knows as the team every other great teams are compared to..Greatest team since sliced bread! 

Knew this exact comment was coming at some point.  Its May man are we not allowed to discuss things said about the Bengals? 

[KillerGoose]

(05-25-2022, 07:13 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Think about how many people speak on things when they have limited knowledge or only care to put in a certain amount of effort to gain knowledge on a subject?
It happens all. the. time. (We all do it)

Exactly. Pretty much every single person on this board doesn't have the requisite knowledge to speak on anything football related, but we all do it. We have takes and opinions. I don't really have an issue with what Keyshawn said. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I understand it. 

[*jason*]

I like the pundits and everyone else doubting us. Let them think we're a fluke.

[WVUHomer]

(05-25-2022, 07:41 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: Exactly. Pretty much every single person on this board doesn't have the requisite knowledge to speak on anything football related, but we all do it. We have takes and opinions. I don't really have an issue with what Keyshawn said. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I understand it. 

Big difference is we aren't paid millions by a national sports agency to have an objective opinion. Bring on our unpaid homerisms!!

[Gdale_Bengal]

I don’t think he meant anything bad behind his take. Mo Egger had a segment about this today and he had some good points about the contrary.

Also, I don’t think anyone is ready to say the Bengals have a really good defense. You don’t have the stretch of games like the defense did in the play offs last year and not have a good defense. They stopped the Raiders, executed a game plan against the Titans flawlessly, and confused Mahomes and held them to 3 in the 2nd half and were very close to winning the SB.

And they got better.

[QueenCity]

(05-25-2022, 06:48 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Not necessarily.

The Bills have not won a Super Bowl and haven't been to one since 1994.


Yet no one is doubting the Bills like they are the Bengals because the Bills have made the playoffs (and gone deep in the playoffs) 3 straight seasons.

The Bengals just need to show they are perennial playoff contenders like the Bills.

Media has a huge love affair with Josh Allen... doesn't hurt he plays in NY yes upstate doesn't matter. 

Cincinnati due to our abysmal history has more work to do. Hell there's a huge hole in my heart still after the SB that only winning one will cure.

[wanga]

Fair enough too. We have a talented roster but we haven’t been a dominant force like a KC for years so there’s every chance we are a ‘flash in the pan’.
Pretty confident we aren’t but every season’s different and you need to show it every week.