Your expectations

[Speedy Thomas]

Before we play Sunday night, I'm wondering how everyone is feeling about this team. Seems like a very long time ago, but what were your expectations going into the season? Knowing that we were playing one of the toughest schedules in the league. Knowing that Joe had missed most of the summer with appendicitis, and that his recovery was still ongoing. Knowing that the Super bowl hangover is a real thing.

Did you expect a competitive season, and leave it at that? Wild Card? A division championship? A playoff win? AFC championship? Super Bowl win?

I expected a division championship. Had my doubts back in September, but here we are.

[QueenCity]

I voted one playoff win.... no shame in losing to the Bills.

But I sure felt dirty voting it... team should absolutely feel its AFC Championship minimum or bust.

[Tomkat]

I thought this was expectations going forward. Back before the season... I just wanted them to make the playoffs, because after that anything can happen.
However, I voted for "AFC Champions" because that is my expectations, now.

[SunsetBengal]

After yet, another narrow Super Bowl loss, my expectation level has been to see them win the title.

[HarleyDog]

The Lombardi belongs in Cincinnati now.

[Essex Johnson]

I said in beginning of year, we should expect this team in the AFC Championship.. anything less would be a disappointment unless major injuries to premier players make that hard to overcome. As a whole we are healthy with our major players so anything less will be a disappointment

[JaggedJimmyJay]

That poll is going to be skewed by people that didn’t read.

Entering the season I felt good about winning at least a playoff game. Right now I am thinking much bigger.

[Big Boss]

I expect they'll beat the Ravens on Sunday and that should be the bare minimum.

With that said, I'm not as optimistic as others are about making the Super Bowl. My gut instinct is our season ends in Buffalo next weekend.

[NUGDUKWE]

I voted one playoff win. That's what I was thinking when the the season started. I would love to make a run again especially while we have this defense. I think we are gonna be in for a rude awakening when we have to start letting players walk.

[BengalBob]

The Lombardi trophy should be the standard around here until #9 retires.

[*ochocincos*]

(01-12-2023, 01:02 PM)QueenCity Wrote: I voted one playoff win.... no shame in losing to the Bills.

But I sure felt dirty voting it...  team should absolutely feel its AFC Championship minimum or bust.

I'm the same.
Bengals are on the same tier as BUF and KC.
Any of those teams can beat each other.


My only disappointment would be losing to one of the WC teams or the Jags. Bengals are better than all of them.

[Soonerpeace]

(01-12-2023, 01:50 PM)Big Boss Wrote: I expect they'll beat the Ravens on Sunday and that should be the bare minimum.

With that said, I'm not as optimistic as others are about making the Super Bowl. My gut instinct is our season ends in Buffalo next weekend.

I know from my source the confidence level after the first few series against the Bills at PBS was through the roof. But KC/Bills/Cincy are all about equal. I think the Bengals if Joe and Allen are both on then we have the edge. Barely. But Buffalo weather and our poor run game is a bother.

[phil413]

(01-12-2023, 01:53 PM)BengalBob Wrote: The Lombardi trophy should be the standard around here until #9 retires.

Yeah, regardless of the competition I'm not betting against this guy.

[MileHighGrowler]

Before the season, I expected to get to the playoffs, but not a SB win. That's such an uphill battle for any team. But the way this team hit their groove as the season went on, it feels like a lot less of a stretch. The hiccup in momentum the other week may or may not matter. Going into that MNF game, I was thinking SB bound, and if we'd beat the Bills that night, I would have been ready to lock that in. Now it feels a little harder, but I have faith the team can make it happen.

That said, I don't think I'll be disappointed if they lose after this weekend. They'll hopefully be in better shape next year and the window isn't closing. But I don't bet against this team any more. Which I think is the biggest win for this franchise; they've changed the expectations.

[GAWhoDey]

I selected at least one playoff win, but I'm actually more optimistic than that. This team is good enough to win it all, I'm sure of that. It's just that the path is so tough to beat Baltimore for the second straight week, and then to presumably have to go to Buffalo and KC in back to back weeks just to get back to the big game, and then having to face either SF or Philly who are very, very good and balanced teams.

These Bengals are special, but that's a tough ask for any team. Can they do it, of course!

[Housh]

I fully expect to make the AFC championship game.


There’s no reason not to. We are better than every team in the AFC but Kansas City. And even that is only because they have Mahommes and Mahommes is the only QB i feel could beat us without even having a super game.


No team has the cohesion we have, the drive or the roster.


We should be ashamed of ourselves if we don’t even make it to the AFC championship game.

[GAWhoDey]

(01-12-2023, 02:04 PM)Housh Wrote: I fully expect to make the AFC championship game.


There’s no reason not to. We are better than every team in the AFC but Kansas City. And even that is only because they have Mahommes and Mahommes is the only QB i feel could beat us without even having a super game.


No team has the cohesion we have, the drive or the roster.


We should be ashamed of ourselves if we don’t even make it to the AFC championship game.

"Ashamed" is a little strong. Beating Buffalo in Orchard Park is no small task, they are a great team. I think we are as good as them or maybe better on a neutral field, but they have a solid home field advantage there. Gun to my head, I would pick the Bengals to win, but it wouldn't be shameful to lose to that team.  

[*Synric*]

I said pre-season if the Bengals could get a wild card spot after surviving the AFC North defenses and a very tough second half schedule they would be a very dangerous playoff team.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-12-2023, 01:10 PM)JaggedJimmyJay Wrote: That poll is going to be skewed by people that didn’t read.

Entering the season I felt good about winning at least a playoff game. Right now I am thinking much bigger.

Not so much, if you know who is typically pretty sensible and who's knee-jerk around here.  The results tab shows who voted for whichever option.

As for me, when they overhauled the OL in free agency, it showed me that the team was intent on returning to the Super Bowl.  Last year, many proclaimed to the Bengals to have been a fluke, as they got to the SB with a lot of big plays, key takeaways by the defense, and clutch FG kicking.  This year they are right back in the heat of it, simply by playing sound, fundamental football on both sides of the ball.  Even the games that they lost early in the season, when Joe was still getting back to himself from the surgery, and the OL was still getting familiar with one another, they were still just a play or two from winning those games.

It's time for some folks to wake up and realize that this is where the Bengals belong, not where they are lucky to be.

[Earendil]

Before the season, I was on the "Bring home the big prize" train. I'm still pretty darn confident in that regard. My biggest concern at the moment is weather in Buffalo now that we would have to go there. Aside from that, I'm not too worried. The 49ers defense scares me, but I still think we could come out on top if we faced them in the SB. This team is built to win shootouts against KC and Buffalo, but can also go toe to toe with tough defensive teams like the 49ers. They can win 42-38 or grind out a 17-16 game.