Perspective

[JRBengals]

Just over 7 years ago we were dump out of the playoffs after the meltdown against Pittsburgh…

If you were to tell me then after the 5 consecutive losing seasons, a mass exodus of talent, and coaches that we’d be in a position where we’ve won 5/7 playoff games, have bonafide studs at QB, WR, DL, LB and had been to 2 conference championships and a Super Bowl in the 2 seasons that followed the 5 consecutive losing ones. Add that to opening the purse strings to bring impact players in via free agency and the draft, I think most would’ve snapped your hand off.

Last night sucks too, and when the Bengals season ends I feel like there’s a massive void in my life that’s not been there since early August.

But my word, do we have a future to come with Joe & co.

I hope the players and my fellow fans rest up well because we’ll be doing it all again come September!!

Have a nice off-season to you all, see you in the autumn/fall (depending where you’re from).

Who Dey

[MileHighGrowler]

Very true! I appreciate the positive outlook in the midst of numerous meltdown threads. I didn't lose sleep last night and feel fine today. It's a new dey. The thing that's hard for so many people is the change in mentality. Previously, it seemed like such a miracle to make the playoffs, and if they didn't get it done that one season it was over. But this team is getting stronger each year. This was a better team than last year, but had some unfortunate setbacks at the start (Burrow's appendix) and the injuries at the end. This team isn't finished by a long shot. And they'll come back better next year. I believe that.

This year, my expectation was make the playoffs, but not get to the AFCCG. I'm not disappointed because they exceeded my expectations coming from the "SB hangover." Next year? My expectation is SB return. And they can absolutely pull it off.

Lots of fun things to discuss over the offseason, but I might lay low here for a bit until the dust settles and everyone calms down!

[THE PISTONS]

Yes. Still sucks, but we had a good year.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

Good point, our fans need to quit waiting on that other shoe to drop. This is a new and different era.

[HarleyDog]

Like MHG, I didn't lose an ounce of sleep either and woke up feeling great. What a great season. This team is unbelievable and I'm so proud to be a fan.

[leonardfan40]

Yep, very happy with where the franchise is. Wish we coulda won a SB this year. Last years team wasn’t quite ready and still nearly pulled it off. This team is a SB caliber team, but it is so hard to win it. One thing here or there is the difference when you are playing the other elite teams.

We’ll be even better next season and hopefully the ones with home field advantage since Joe won’t be coming off offseason surgery (fingers crossed). If we get that, I think we find ourselves holding up the Lombardi at the end of the year.

[KillerGoose]

(01-30-2023, 11:43 AM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Yep, very happy with where the franchise is. Wish we coulda won a SB this year. Last years team wasn’t quite ready and still nearly pulled it off. This team is a SB caliber team, but it is so hard to win it. One thing here or there is the difference when you are playing the other elite teams.

We’ll be even better next season and hopefully the ones with home field advantage since Joe won’t be coming off offseason surgery (fingers crossed). If we get that, I think we find ourselves holding up the Lombardi at the end of the year.

It really, really is. Think about the teams with the most Super Bowls. Patriots and Steelers. If we consider a Super Bowl as the barometer for season success, then the Patriots have only succeeded 9% and the Steelers 6% since their inceptions. Both teams have "failed" in over 90% of their seasons. 

Winning a Super Bowl is crazy hard. 

[Clark W Griswold]

(01-30-2023, 11:36 AM)WychesWarrior Wrote: Good point, our fans need to quit waiting on that other shoe to drop.

But it did.
They are not going to magically make it to the SB every year and this was an excellent opportunity but damn we need to win one.
We got robbed by officials/a couple stupid plays.

[TheCincinnatiKid]

(01-30-2023, 11:47 AM)KillerGoose Wrote: It really, really is. Think about the teams with the most Super Bowls. Patriots and Steelers. If we consider a Super Bowl as the barometer for season success, then the Patriots have only succeeded 9% and the Steelers 6% since their inceptions. Both teams have "failed" in over 90% of their seasons. 

Winning a Super Bowl is crazy hard. 

Absolutely. It's clear that the Bengals are one of a few teams with the unquestionable talent to win it all. But the key point is 'one of a few teams'. Like last night's game showed, when the big boys meet up, it's a close game and it can go either way. 

5-2 in the playoffs for a franchise that hadn't won a single playoff game in 30 years. Back to back AFCCG's at the supposed current dynasty, and we're 1-1 with them. 

[THE PISTONS]

I feel like the Eagles and Chiefs are better than us with 3 lineman hurt. Healthy? We win.

[MileHighGrowler]

(01-30-2023, 01:32 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: But it did.
They are not going to magically make it to the SB every year and this was an excellent opportunity but damn we need to win one.
We got robbed by officials/a couple stupid plays.

Every year is an excellent opportunity, but can't make it every year.  Look at KC.  They were good enough last year, but the ball bounced the other way.  These are going to be close matchups for years to come.  The battle in the AFC will be fierce.  One team isn't going to come out on top every year.  It's okay.  Even it takes another 3 years to get back to the AFCCG, this team is now built to be in the mix every year.  

The whole point of "perspective" is to look at how things have changed.  A year ago we were ecstatic to win a playoff game, now everyone is grousing because the team didn't make back to back Bowls.  Just a good opportunity to take a step back and realize how far this team has come, and that it's not over after this year. 

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(01-30-2023, 01:32 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: But it did.
They are not going to magically make it to the SB every year and this was an excellent opportunity but damn we need to win one.
We got robbed by officials/a couple stupid plays.

Eh.....we made it to two consecutive AFCCGs and got the dub in one of them. Time to embrace the New Dey. I understand the angst, I get it, but this isn't the 90s, and it isn't Marv's team.

[Joelist]

So basically enjoy our participation trophy.

Like it or not the team regressed this year. Last year we were one play from winning the Super Bowl and this year we're sitting on the sidelines. That is regression plain and simple in the all important realm of results.

While winning ten in a row sounds cool if it doesn't result in a Lombardi it is meaningless. Injuries were a factor, so was our team playing very non clutch in a clutch situation and yes so were the refs. Ultimately, though, it adds up to the same failure. And as usual Bengal fans are saying "Wait Till Next Year" while more and more of the old guard who endured the 90s and such pass on with never seeing a Bengals Lombardi.

That is the bottom line - winning the Lombardi.

[*Synric*]

(01-30-2023, 11:47 AM)KillerGoose Wrote: It really, really is. Think about the teams with the most Super Bowls. Patriots and Steelers. If we consider a Super Bowl as the barometer for season success, then the Patriots have only succeeded 9% and the Steelers 6% since their inceptions. Both teams have "failed" in over 90% of their seasons. 

Winning a Super Bowl is crazy hard. 

So much goes into winning a superbowl. Bengals had a great team this year and fought through some adversity but 3 games 3 starting linemen go down right as you enter the divisional round... That is so tough to overcome and the Bengals almost did it on the road twice against the 2 of the best teams in the AFC.