01-05-2025, 11:51 PM
We did not make the playoffs. The odds were always long and ultimately we did not get the outside help needed. A lot of posts here are being quite negative, and I get it. We expected to be Super Bowl contenders and this was a big let down. But now that the season is really over the time has come to really look at what happened.
1) Our usual slow start. Going 0-3 put us in the hole from the start. And although we made it to 9-8 it took a 5 game winning streak to get there.
2) Freak plays that went against us. Really until the finale we had no games where the "bounce of the ball" went our way. It happens sometimes.
3) Players unexpectedly collapsing, Mac unexpectedly went south and so did Hubbard, Cappa and Bell among others. Had they played at their 2023 levels we are likely getting ready to host a playoff game as AFCN champs.
4) Losing not one but two games directly sue to missed/iffy calls (KC and Baltimore Game 2).
5) A historically bad defense.
Some of this is clearly on the team and some of it out of anyones control. But not everything was a downer. For example:
1) Burrow, Chase and Trey not only had strong seasons but record setting elite seasons.
2) Chase Brown, Mike Gesicki and others stepped up.
3) The injury spate got a lot of our youngsters into the lineup so we have a much clearer picture on where the young talent stands. Some (Jackson, Jenkins, Mims, Battle, Yoshi, etc.) are keepers and others we now know are up for replacement.
4) Winning 5 straight is not easy to do regardless of the opponents.
So while not being in it for the Lombardi this year is a big disappointment (and yes it is another season where the Bengals have never lifted the Lombardi which is not how to repay the fans for their support) it is much more up and down than the typical Bengals train wrecks. Yes there are needs to upgrade to but also yes we had players play well. We are officially into our offseason and hopefully we see coaching changes and the correct priorities in player acquisition
1) Our usual slow start. Going 0-3 put us in the hole from the start. And although we made it to 9-8 it took a 5 game winning streak to get there.
2) Freak plays that went against us. Really until the finale we had no games where the "bounce of the ball" went our way. It happens sometimes.
3) Players unexpectedly collapsing, Mac unexpectedly went south and so did Hubbard, Cappa and Bell among others. Had they played at their 2023 levels we are likely getting ready to host a playoff game as AFCN champs.
4) Losing not one but two games directly sue to missed/iffy calls (KC and Baltimore Game 2).
5) A historically bad defense.
Some of this is clearly on the team and some of it out of anyones control. But not everything was a downer. For example:
1) Burrow, Chase and Trey not only had strong seasons but record setting elite seasons.
2) Chase Brown, Mike Gesicki and others stepped up.
3) The injury spate got a lot of our youngsters into the lineup so we have a much clearer picture on where the young talent stands. Some (Jackson, Jenkins, Mims, Battle, Yoshi, etc.) are keepers and others we now know are up for replacement.
4) Winning 5 straight is not easy to do regardless of the opponents.
So while not being in it for the Lombardi this year is a big disappointment (and yes it is another season where the Bengals have never lifted the Lombardi which is not how to repay the fans for their support) it is much more up and down than the typical Bengals train wrecks. Yes there are needs to upgrade to but also yes we had players play well. We are officially into our offseason and hopefully we see coaching changes and the correct priorities in player acquisition
![[Image: 4CV0TeR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4CV0TeR.png)
