When we win the first playoff game...

[Bengalzona]

(12-29-2015, 03:04 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Correct. They're not a bad team. They're a team with no killer instinct and they can't finish.

Here's my thing. I look at this team and see a team that has won 11 times, lost 3 times by less than 4 pints with the game still in question at the two minute mark or less, and was only out of it in the 2nd Steelers game (which I attribute to the Dalton injury). This is not a team that quits. They play the tough teams close and win some (KC, SEA, etc.) and lose some (ARI, DEN, etc.). As long as they don't quit on field, then I don't quit as a fan.

And what is "killer instinct" in football anyway? This isn't boxing. We didn't put DEN away because they are a good team. Good teams don't get put away. They struggle back. We don't get put away. We are a good team.

[*Nately120*]

We're going into the playoffs with a 4-game losing streak against winning teams, and that has me somewhat concerned seeing as winning teams frequent the playoffs.

[Bengalzona]

(12-30-2015, 03:11 AM)Nately120 Wrote: We're going into the playoffs with a 4-game losing streak against winning teams, and that has me somewhat concerned seeing as winning teams frequent the playoffs.

I'm not so concerned the losses in the second half so much as why we have lost, which I attribute mostly to some injuries to key guys and some lack of depth at some spots. But injuries are part of the game, so we have to take what we have and try to win with it. And what we really need right now is for one or two of the young guys to take some leaps and step their game up a notch or two. And what that translates to is them playing fundamentally sound ball for the whole game. Protect the ball. Don't make stupid penalties. Know your coverage and responsibility and don't be out of position. Study the films, know what how your guy is gonna try to beat you. Don't drop the pass. Know your routes. Make sure you know what the play is and what the count is. Etc. We have all eleven guys on the field at any time doing that for the full game, we will beat any and every team out there. Being a rookie or having limited playing time is no excuse. This is the standard to meet.

Bill Belichick has a reputation that if you fumble in a game, you are probably not coming back to the team the next season. Imagine if Marvin were like that.

[*Nately120*]

(12-30-2015, 03:58 AM)Bengalzona Wrote: Bill Belichick has a reputation that if you fumble in a game, you are probably not coming back to the team the next season. Imagine if Marvin were like that.

Marvin would have to fire himself or risk being a huge hypocrite.

[Beaker]

(12-29-2015, 03:43 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I might have to double-beck this, but aren't we 2-6 in prime-time the past 2 seasons?  So let's see, that makes us

21-9-1 overall (.700)


But hey, we can fill our trophy case with "Just lost by 3 to a tough team" awards, right?

21-9-1 overall in the past two seasons is all that matters.  We can put those awards right next to the "we won in night games" awards in the trophy case of your imagination.

[Shake n Blake]

(12-30-2015, 12:02 PM)Beaker Wrote: 21-9-1 overall in the past two seasons is all that matters.  We can put those awards right next to the "we won in night games" awards in the trophy case of your imagination.

These night games don't have trophies, but they do have major playoff implications. Our 2-6 record (over the last 2 seasons) in these games has kept this team from earning a BYE and it made us a road WC team last year instead of a division winner. You also can't help but wonder if the reason Marv is 8-19 in prime-time is the same reason he's 0-6 in the playoffs. 

[*rfaulk34*]

(12-30-2015, 02:16 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: These night games don't have trophies, but they do have major playoff implications. Our 2-6 record (over the last 2 seasons) in these games has kept this team from earning a BYE and it made us a road WC team last year instead of a division winner. You also can't help but wonder if the reason Marv is 8-19 in prime-time is the same reason he's 0-6 in the playoffs. 

Yup. Night games are usually against good competition. They're played at a time other than what players are used to. Just like the playoffs.

How you play against good teams in prime time is usually how you're going to play against good teams in the playoffs.

If the Bengals had around a .500 record in prime time, there'd be no need to get all brain gooey. 

Since they are so inept in prime time, the brain goo is appropriate because it does nothing to predict a positive outcome for the team that sucks in prime time, when the playoffs come around--or even during those prime time games against good teams.

[*Nately120*]

(12-30-2015, 12:02 PM)Beaker Wrote: 21-9-1 overall in the past two seasons is all that matters.  We can put those awards right next to the "we won in night games" awards in the trophy case of your imagination.

Hey now, I'm not one of the people around here who wonders why no one outside of Cincy thinks we are all that impressive.  The only time anyone sees us play there is a very good chance we totally stink up the joint.  The biggest reason I have an issue with the prime-time issues is because they are so consistent, and so divergent from the way we play in day games.  It's downright significant and reliable that we see a seemingly implausible downturn with such regularity.

It's like making fun of Tomlin for having a losing record (er...at least within the past 4 years or so) against sub .500 teams.  A loss is a loss whether you lose to a 1-15 or a 15-1 team BUT when things that are supposed to be unlikely (losing to sub .500 teams when you beat winning teams OR playing significantly worse in prime-time) become more likely than not, it may be time to take note.

It's interesting as hell, if nothing else. And as someone else pointed out, I'd have less of an issue with Marvin's prime-time record had playoff games not looked so similar, and had the last QB who was here and stunk in prime-time not shaken that funk as soon as he left. Also, if the Bengals weren't a very good team when it's not prime-time, I wouldn't have an issue with it either. It's this Jekyll/Hyde stuff that is intriguing. It's like Peyton Manning when the temperature is below 40 and he does a 180 in a not-so-hot QB, and so on.

[masonbengals fan]

It truly is baffling why we aren't any better when the lights are on.