This week vs the Steelers is basically the season

[BFritz21]

(11-18-2022, 05:14 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: not a must win to get a wildcard spot but every lose to an AFC team hurts  division more so

I agree.

[Mer]

Stop with this must win junk, please. It's only a must win if you loose and are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs due to that lose. 0-6 in the division and winning it is possible even if it hasn't been done before. Just enjoy the ride. We're all Bengals fans so it's not like we haven't experienced a season where we missed the playoffs. As someone posted earlier, anything can happen between now and game 17 and I do believe this team is starting to hit it's stride at the right time just like last year. Who Dey!!

[Destro]

People out with their calculators on some Dumb and Dumber "so you're saying there's a chance" positions. If they lose to the Stealers with two weeks to prepare for that sorry team, it is an indication they are not at the top tier any longer.

Beat the dog boom boom out of the Stealers and then get ready pumped to face the next team. Losing to those scum bags again will make it very hard to get back up for much.

[Roland]

The margins for a playoff run are tight. We can get away with maybe two losses and make the playoffs without someone else spitting the bit. Drop the Steelers game and we have to finish 5-1 against a lineup that are all playoff contenders except the problematic Browns.

One potential help is that the Ravens may be in a position to rest their starters on closing weekend. But if we make it, it's very likely that we'll end up turning around and playing them again in the wild card round anyway.

[ezekiel23]

I agree,Bengals MUST win to have any chance of a wild card.I like our chances with Reader and Hilton returning to the defense.

[*Go Cards*]

(11-18-2022, 05:14 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: not a must win to get a wildcard spot but every lose to an AFC team hurts  division more so

This ^^^^^^

Plus this AFC team is the freakin steelers, the must win part is for my sanity as much as anything else

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

Me from three years old until last fall: . . . EVERY game is a must win

Me now after watching Burrow last year: Must wins before Thanksgiving? Really?

[kevin]

(11-18-2022, 12:49 PM)Trademark Wrote: If the Bengals lose this game they will fall to 0-4 in the division and 5-5 overall with a brutal stretch coming. This game this week is basically a must win, if they lose this the season is pretty much toast

Agreed.  This isn't even up for debate.  If Bengals get swept by Steelers, we can kiss Bengal Play-Off Hopes good-bye at 0-4 in the AFC North.  Somehow. Some way.  Bengals must win.  

[KillerGoose]

(11-18-2022, 05:36 PM)Mer Wrote: Stop with this must win junk, please. It's only a must win if you loose and are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs due to that lose. 0-6 in the division and winning it is possible even if it hasn't been done before. Just enjoy the ride. We're all Bengals fans so it's not like we haven't experienced a season where we missed the playoffs. As someone posted earlier, anything can happen between now and game 17 and I do believe this team is starting to hit it's stride at the right time just like last year. Who Dey!!

While it is possible, you can safely say it won't happen from a probabilistic standpoint. Going 0-6 in your division removes any margin for error. Being unable to pull out a single game against Cleveland/Pit/Baltimore is a clear sign of where this team is at and they would also lose some of the non-divisional games remaining. The best record ever for an 0-6 team was 7-9 back in 2008. I think they were actually a decent team, but in a pretty tough division. That isn't the case for Cincinnati. 

At this point, Cincinnati has doesn't have much room for mistakes. This is a big game this weekend. 

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(11-18-2022, 02:22 PM)Sled21 Wrote: It's really not. Sure, winning is better than losing, but if they lose then anything can happen down the road. Allen's elbow if definitely affecting him. Lamar is always one play away from injury or one breath away from covid. Anything can happen, it's the NFL. It ain't over till it's over. Of course, if they lose the season will be over for the wrist slitters, because they will bleed out and die before the big comeback. It's all moot anyway, we won't lose this game.

I have been saying that this is a must win game, but I think you are spot on Sled. You have been backing Zac longer than 
about anybody and believed in him when no one else did last year before we even really saw the proof of this team taking 
that next step. I tend to believe you now, especially over the wrist slitters as you say lol

Also, yeah, it is a moot point because we won't lose this game.

[Emeritus]

Its Zac I'm worried about. Not Joe Mixon