An optimistic take

[THE PISTONS]

We lost to 2 teams that we were basically TD favorites to beat. ie We lost 2 really winnable games.

Our schedule gets brutally tough the 2nd half of the year.

[TheCincinnatiKid]

(09-19-2022, 09:52 AM)jorev5 Wrote: only 1 game out for division lead.  just have to win division to sneak into playoffs.

While true, I think the Ravens will be decent this year, rather than the up and down mess they were last year. I know they blew it yesterday, but I think Miami will be quite decent this year themselves. I personally had the division as a toss up between us and them, and that was when I thought the O-Line would be vastly improved.

[THE PISTONS]

The optimistic take is the Chiefs sucked early last year. Started 1-2. Offense looked bad. They figured it out.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(09-19-2022, 09:28 AM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: We are not much different to how we started last year. 1-1 losing to bad Bears team and barely beating Vikings. Joe missing time with appendectomy has him and entire offense out of sync. With 4 new starters on Offensive line it will take time to gel. We had the unfortunate situation of a long snapper in game 1 and some favorable calls for the Cowboys in game 2. We have no major injuries to key players yet. We start playing well we can gain momentum and it can steamroll and lead to a winning streak.

I didn't get to watch the game yet so once I do I will come back to this thread and put in some optimism that I see.

Didn't expect this though honestly. The coaching is bad and I thought this would just keep improving coming off what they
did late last year and into the Postseason. Instead this Offense doesn't look anything like the one that tore up the Chiefs, 
Ravens and Steelers last season. I don't know what to think except we can only get better. 

[TheCincinnatiKid]

(09-19-2022, 01:37 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The optimistic take is the Chiefs sucked early last year. Started 1-2. Offense looked bad. They figured it out.

Yeah that's the model I guess. The Chiefs did look pretty bad for the first half of last season. Offensively they weren't good, but figured it all out.

[jj22]

(09-19-2022, 11:29 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Live life in a vacuum much?

Guy is a future HOF coach.

Hopefully the team gives us more seasons of success than 2021 or we'll be hearing about 2021 for the next couple decades.

I can see it now in the Gameday threads come 2049 "Remember when yall said it was over when we were down 21-3 to KC, we'll be sure to quote this when we win"...... 

[Soonerpeace]

First of all teams are taking away the deep ball. The safeties are deeper and you have to combat with the run game. We aren’t making it hurt as the run game needs to be much better.

The cohesion and communication of the OL is poor. Not playing them in the pre-season was a mistake.

Joe is uncomfortable and needs some confidence.

The entire offensive staff better get a plan and until they can counteract the way teams are defending us it’s going to be tough.

Bottom line is teams view the Bengals differently and are more prepared for us. We need to get our offense untracked

[Ell Prez]

(09-19-2022, 10:36 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Agreed, in a couple of weeks if the Bengals are 2-2 then the narrative shifts in what people will post about on this board.

Not really. You cant watch these 2 games and tell me that team is the #1 team in the NFL. That’s what our goals were right, winning a super bowl? Even if they go 2-2 to start, doesn’t matter, they aren’t making the super bowl, much less winning it.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(09-19-2022, 10:32 AM)Boomer Anderson Wrote: Our kicking game looked fixed at least. The long snapper did well. So there’s that at least.

Exactly right!!!!! Cal Adomitis for MVP!!!!! 

Seriously though, it looked like that bunch never missed a beat with a legit LS. Hope he can keep it going, I think he will.

[TKUHL]

I’m just glad every team in our div lost to AFC teams. Sucks losing to a Dallas team with a backup QB but I don’t think any of us are shocked. At least it was a NFC team. Pitt loss hurts us much more. We have got to get our shit together fast cause the schedule gods didn’t do us any favors. One of my main worries is injuries. Playing this sloppy and out of sync is a recipe to getting players hurt. Either the line is going to get Burrow killed, or one of these rushed off target passes is going to get our receivers, TE’s, RB Destroyed. We have to get rolling before the injuries pile up. .

[Tony]

(09-19-2022, 10:39 AM)Sled21 Wrote: One positive of being 0-2 is it shows who the "Sunshine Soldier" fans are and who the quitters and whiners are. I think everyone knows, including Taylor, not playing the O-line in pre-season was a mistake. This was their first game playing together in a hostile atmosphere, and it showed. And it wasn't Volston who was the problem, it was Collins and Williams. They will get better quickly and things will turn around. Meanwhile, we lost no ground yesterday as the whole AFCN lost. While we came back and almost won this game, Miami scored about 28 unanswered point against the Raven in the 4th quarter yesterday, and the Clowns lost to the Jets. The sky is not falling.....

You are talking about hoping what happens, while we are living in reality. What is the big deal with some of you guys if the rest of us don't ultra homer?

[TecmoBengals]

(09-19-2022, 03:08 PM)Ell Prez Wrote: Not really. You cant watch these 2 games and tell me that team is the #1 team in the NFL. That’s what our goals were right, winning a super bowl? Even if they go 2-2 to start, doesn’t matter, they aren’t making the super bowl, much less winning it.

I'm talking about the narrative on these boards of how people will post. I anticipate people will view the team in and Taylor in a more positive manner. It happened last year. Weeks 1-5, fire Taylor was the narrative. As the season progressed the collective narrative changed to Coach of the Year Taylor.

[Sled21]

(09-19-2022, 03:20 PM)Tony Wrote: You are talking about hoping what happens, while we are living in reality. What is the big deal with some of you guys if the rest of us don't ultra homer?

Not declaring the season a loss 2 games into a 17 game season is not being an Ultra Homer, it's just not being a bandwagoner..

[*PhilHos*]

(09-19-2022, 11:37 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: We lost to 2 teams that we were basically TD favorites to beat. ie We lost 2 really winnable games.

Our schedule gets brutally tough the 2nd half of the year.

Maybe we're one of those teams that plays up to (or down to) our opponents. Maybe when we play the Chiefs, we'll look and play really well. Then again, we're about to play the Jets so that would mean we would win or lose, the next game is also going to be unreasonably close.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(09-19-2022, 10:34 AM)casear2727 Wrote: "They aren't winning their division or making playoffs this year guys. "   Ok Nostradamus... why do people talk in such absolutes?  

KC was 1-2 to start the season last year.

We look bad right now but you dont know for sure if we will turn it around or not.  "It looks like they aren't winning their division or making playoffs this year guys. "  Is a much more intelligent and responsible statement than the absolutism.

This is what has given me pause about going nuclear, lol. They very much looked like hot garbage for about four weeks last year until they got adjusted to what teams were doing to them, and their offensive line woes of their own got sorted out. Even Mahommes looked like warmed up dog shit to start the year. Here's to hoping our guys can figure it out like they did. It's obvious several folks don't watch other teams besides us and who we play, lol. Look what Vegas did yesterday, the exact opposite of us. Came out on fire, then let AZ beat them in the 2nd half/OT. 

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(09-19-2022, 10:40 AM)Boomer Anderson Wrote: No Bengals team has ever made playoffs starting 0-2 which is a sucky statistic but if a team has the talent to do so maybe it’s this one.

We've broken every curse so far, time to end that one. I just don't like being 0-2 though, lol.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(09-19-2022, 10:41 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: KC has Andy Reid. 

Who we beat twice last year, but that point is surely duly noted. 

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(09-19-2022, 10:53 AM)RegularGuy22 Wrote: OK coach, maybe I chose 1 wrong word. But after watching the Bengals since 1967 and Greg Cook and after all the failures over the decades a certain pattern begins to show. You get used to it. They get close but haven't been able to ever seal the deal.

I hope I'm wrong and they do turn things around, but they better start doing it today.

Wish they'd have done it yesterday!!!!

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(09-19-2022, 01:37 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The optimistic take is the Chiefs sucked early last year. Started 1-2. Offense looked bad. They figured it out.

Ain't that the point of the thread?

[Bengalfan4life27c]

I still feel we are better than last year, Its just I feel like we just played our dress rehearsal pre season game this week more so the offense specifically Burrow. He missed quite a bit of prep time with the appendectomy. Throw in the Bates hold out, Logan and Tee with the shoulders. Kappa and Collins on the line. We figure it out we can still be best team in football even over Bills.