We Need a Better Record Against the AFC North

[Fan_in_Kettering]

When a team goes 9-8 but underperforms in division play at 1-5 a problem definitely exists. Winning just two more division games — or maybe even one more — would have likely placed the Bengals in the AFC playoffs.

Also — and let’s be brutally honest — the Bengals should rightly have gone 0-6 in the division. In Week 18 Cleveland started their fifth string practice squad’s little brothers to save their starters for the playoffs.

In 2021 and 2022, the years the Bengals went to the AFC Championship, the team featured winning records against division opponents on the way to winning the AFC North and thereby securing at least one home playoff game. I am of the firm belief that Cincinnati needs to refocus effort on winning the AFC North and possibly securing a higher seed in the playoffs.

Success in the AFC North requires a shutdown defense, a robust running game, and a solid offensive line. That’s where to focus in the offseason.

[Nicomo Cosca]

We didn’t have Burrow for either of the Steelers games, and he was only healthy for 2 quarters against the Ravens.

[Essex Johnson]

(01-29-2024, 11:36 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: When a team goes 9-8 but underperforms in division play at 1-5 a problem definitely exists.  Winning just two more division games — or maybe even one more — would have likely placed the Bengals in the AFC playoffs.

Also — and let’s be brutally honest — the Bengals should rightly have gone 0-6 in the division.  In Week 18 Cleveland started their fifth string practice squad’s little brothers to save their starters for the playoffs.

In 2021 and 2022, the years the Bengals went to the AFC Championship, the team featured winning records against division opponents on the way to winning the AFC North and thereby securing at least one home playoff game.  I am of the firm belief that Cincinnati needs to refocus effort on winning the AFC North and possibly securing a higher seed in the playoffs.

Success in the AFC North requires a shutdown defense, a robust running game, and a solid offensive line.  That’s where to focus in the offseason.

We have not been great but this year hard to gauge though the 1st browns game was a ass kicking , don't think healthy Burrow wins that one.

[Soonerpeace]

(01-29-2024, 11:36 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: When a team goes 9-8 but underperforms in division play at 1-5 a problem definitely exists. Winning just two more division games — or maybe even one more — would have likely placed the Bengals in the AFC playoffs.

Also — and let’s be brutally honest — the Bengals should rightly have gone 0-6 in the division. In Week 18 Cleveland started their fifth string practice squad’s little brothers to save their starters for the playoffs.

In 2021 and 2022, the years the Bengals went to the AFC Championship, the team featured winning records against division opponents on the way to winning the AFC North and thereby securing at least one home playoff game. I am of the firm belief that Cincinnati needs to refocus effort on winning the AFC North and possibly securing a higher seed in the playoffs.

Success in the AFC North requires a shutdown defense, a robust running game, and a solid offensive line. That’s where to focus in the offseason.

Let’s be brutally honest. Cleveland and Pittsburg and Baltimore were all improved this season.. We weren’t because we didn’t have a healthy Joe. Let’s don’t overreact. But there are issues that need to be addressed and that’s the piss poor run game and defense.

[casear2727]

[Roland]

(01-30-2024, 12:13 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Let’s be brutally honest. Cleveland and Pittsburg and Baltimore were all improved this season.. We weren’t because we didn’t have a healthy Joe. Let’s don’t overreact. But there are issues that need to be addressed and that’s the piss poor run game and defense.

That's true.

But pass protection needs to be number one priority.  Running the ball will help but whether it's scheme or talent we have to improve at the line of scrimmage.  We can't have Joe getting sacked at this pace year after year and expect success against these AFC North defenses.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(01-29-2024, 11:45 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: We didn’t have Burrow for either of the Steelers games, and he was only healthy for 2 quarters against the Ravens.

If we NEED Joe Burrow in order to beat Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph, that's still worrying.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(01-30-2024, 03:15 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: If we NEED Joe Burrow in order to beat Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph, that's still worrying.

I mean those guys suck but the Steelers have still won plenty of games with them over the past few years. It’s not their QB play that continually keeps them above .500. It’s Watt and their defense.

[puddycat]

We didn't play our questionable line in the preseason and we started an injured Joe Burrow. We lost our first two out of the gate to Cleveland and Baltimore. All other things remaining the same, those games would have put us in the playoffs. We couldn't win a championship in September, but we showed that we can lose one.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(01-30-2024, 03:27 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: I mean those guys suck but the Steelers have still won plenty of games with them over the past few years. It’s not their QB play that continually keeps them above .500. It’s Watt and their defense.

On defense we allowed them to get the 2nd and 3rd most yards they got all year, and the 1st most points as well. Meanwhile on offense missing Joe Burrow isn't a reason to average 10.5 points per game against the Steelers (barely over half of their season average points allowed). 

We had Joe Burrow in 2022 and still went 3-3 against the division despite having games against Mitchell Trubisky, Jacoby Brissett, Anthony Brown, and Kenny Pickett.

It's not just a missing Joe Burrow problem. It's a leaning hard on Joe Burrow to mask a lot of problems problem.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(01-30-2024, 05:51 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: On defense we allowed them to get the 2nd and 3rd most yards they got all year, and the 1st most points as well. Meanwhile on offense missing Joe Burrow isn't a reason to average 10.5 points per game against the Steelers (barely over half of their season average points allowed). 

We had Joe Burrow in 2022 and still went 3-3 against the division despite having games against Mitchell Trubisky, Jacoby Brissett, Anthony Brown, and Kenny Pickett.

It's not just a missing Joe Burrow problem. It's a leaning hard on Joe Burrow to mask a lot of problems problem.

Would have been 4-2 if not for our long snapper going down in week one. I feel like the division thing is overblown. They usually play Baltimore and Pittsburgh pretty tough. It’s Cleveland they need to figure out.

[Nicomo Cosca]

Bengals record against the division since 2020:

Vs the Steelers: 4-4
Vs the Ravens: 4-5
Vs the Browns: 2-6

They need to at least become competitive against the Browns.

[Soonerpeace]

(01-30-2024, 06:38 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Would have been 4-2 if not for our long snapper going down in week one. I feel like the division thing is overblown. They usually play Baltimore and Pittsburgh pretty tough. It’s Cleveland they need to figure out.

They won the division in ‘21 & ‘22. Arguing our record in the division for some is that the hill you want to die on? You are right it’s overblown. We just need to fix our issues the division will take care of itself.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-30-2024, 03:15 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: If we NEED Joe Burrow in order to beat Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph, that's still worrying.

Right, going 0-5 versus the full strength version of our division rivals is a putrid testimony on how bad we were at the fundamental aspects of the game, blocking and tackling.  The AFCN, sans the Bengals, is built to beat teams by being more fundamentally sound than it's opponents.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(01-30-2024, 10:04 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Right, going 0-5 versus the full strength version of our division rivals is a putrid testimony on how bad we were at the fundamental aspects of the game, blocking and tackling.  The AFCN, sans the Bengals, is built to beat teams by being more fundamentally sound than it's opponents.

And yet they all just shit the bed in the playoffs…

[TheCincinnatiKid]

(01-30-2024, 07:02 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Bengals record against the division since 2020:

Vs the Steelers: 4-4
Vs the Ravens: 4-5
Vs the Browns: 2-6

They need to at least become competitive against the Browns.

Aren't 3 of those 4 wins against the Ravens when they're missing Lamar? I know one of them they basically had this forum as their defence (Burrow's 525 game) and last year's Week 18 they had a 3rd stringer at QB. We probably don't win the playoff game against Lamar Huntley without the goal line fumble. I'm not taking those wins away but I personally feel we have a bigger problem with the Ravens than those stats suggest.

That said we at least compete with them generally. The Browns seem to blow us out most of the time.

For the talent we've had since 2021 in particular, we have to be better in the division.

[Destro]

I'm signing the petition to go to the NFC North.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(01-30-2024, 10:22 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: And yet they all just shit the bed in the playoffs…

....and have for a decade. I keep saying it, AFCN football is outdated. 

[Nicomo Cosca]

(01-30-2024, 11:17 AM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: Aren't 3 of those 4 wins against the Ravens when they're missing Lamar? I know one of them they basically had this forum as their defence (Burrow's 525 game) and last year's Week 18 they had a 3rd stringer at QB. We probably don't win the playoff game against Lamar Huntley without the goal line fumble. I'm not taking those wins away but I personally feel we have a bigger problem with the Ravens than those stats suggest.

That said we at least compete with them generally. The Browns seem to blow us out most of the time.

For the talent we've had since 2021 in particular, we have to be better in the division.

So it’s only a valid excuse if Lamar is out, but Burrow playing on one leg or going out in the middle of a game doesn’t matter? Got it.

And I’m not sure why people think the outcome of last year’s wild card game would have been any different had Lamar played. He’s a notorious playoff choker, and Huntley actually played pretty well (280 total yards, 2 TD’s, 92.0 rating). He did have a couple turnovers, but again, Lamar is known for turning the ball over himself. In Lamar’s 6 playoff games he’s only had a higher passer rating than 92.0 once. The game a couple weeks ago the Texans.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(01-30-2024, 11:37 AM)WychesWarrior Wrote: ....and have for a decade. I keep saying it, AFCN football is outdated. 

Absolutely.

Look, I get wanting to have a better record against the division, ofc we all want that. What I don’t get is wanting to emulate any of these teams. The Bengals have more playoff wins the last couple years than all of them combined.