AFC Champion Bengals at 9-4 with 5 game winning streak

[kevin]

Had to have the win over Browns. Getting swept by Browns and falling to 1-4 in AFC North would have really hurt play-off chances. You look at the wins over Tennessee and Kansas City in this 5 game winning streak, and our AFC Champ Bengals are playing great football. If Bengals can get key players healthy, going back to the Super Bowl is very possible.

GO BENGALS

[Science Friction]

We need to get through these next two road games with wins and keep alive our hopes for playoff home games.

[*michaelsean*]

(12-12-2022, 01:54 AM)Science Friction Wrote: We need to get through these next two road games with wins and keep alive our hopes for playoff home games.

How in God’s name do we still have consecutive road games? We just had our first back to back home games of the year. I know there’s one extra, but damn.

[JumboTron]

(12-12-2022, 01:59 AM)michaelsean Wrote: How in God’s name do we still have consecutive road games?  We just had our first back to back home games of the year. I know there’s one extra, but damn.

1st place schedule, plus this is the year where all NFC teams get the extra home game due to the odd number of regular season games (AFC teams got the advantage last season).

[kevin]

(12-12-2022, 01:54 AM)Science Friction Wrote: We need to get through these next two road games with wins and keep alive our hopes for playoff home games.

I'm more concerned about getting healthy.  I don't want Higgins or Boyd or Hurst back until they are healthy.  That may not be the at Tampa game next week. 

I don't think Bengals have to win out, or win next 2 road games.  Bengals won on road in play-offs last year at Tennessee and Kansas City.  Bengals did start 4-4 on season.  So being at 9-4 now is a huge turn around.  

Of the 2 road games, I see Tampa as being better than New England.  Better QB, better Defense, better runners and receivers.  Tampa is the harder game.  Then Buffalo and Baltimore in The Jungle.  With the Ravens QB banged up, and their running backs, I would like to see Bengals beat Ravens and win the AFC North and that would be a home play-off game by doing that.  

So if Bengals go 13-4, great.  More realistic after the 4-4 start would be 10 or 11 wins.  12 wins would be great also.   10 or 11 wins should get Bengals from 4-4 start into play-offs.  Bengals have that Super Bowl Defense, but the Bengals Super Bowl offense hasn't been healthy.  The goal should be to have Burrow, Chase, Higgins, Boyd, Mixon, Perine and hopefully Hurst in Play-Offs all healthy.  So I don't want Higgins or Boyd against Tampa if they are not ready yet.  

This is why beating Browns was a big deal.  You can't lose to losing record teams like Browns with nothing but Play-Off type teams from now to Super Bowl.  Getting that 9th win was huge.  Getting to 2-3 in AFC North was huge.  Bengals could win AFC North again, especially with Ravens injuries.  

At Tampa may be the hardest game left on regular schedule, road games are hard, and Tampa still has a lot of their 2020 Super Bowl team.  Bengals do have a Super Bowl Defense, so it should be a good game. I think if Bengals beat Baltimore and one more team to get get 11 wins, they will be fine.  They have the Super Bowl Defense, now to get The Super Bowl Offense healthy to win some play-off games.  Cowboys and 49ers are red hot, but Bengals have Super Bowl experience on their side.  If Bengals get real healthy, they can go all the way.   So getting healthy to me is very key to going back to Super Bowl and winning.