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The Make Or Break Week


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If there isn't definite improvement this week, and if they go into the bye week at 1-3 and looking as bad as they have so far this season, not only will they not make the playoffs, but they will have to fight hard to have a winning or .500 record this season.

This is not pessimism...if you look at the rest of their schedule, they have Baltimore, Philly, and New England on the road in December, quality teams in Dallas, Washington, and the Giants in November and December, and Denver on the MNF game. I am not saying that they will lose all of these games, but they will struggle mightily and win in some and most likely lose the others. I picked the Bengals at 10-6 before the year started, but I also had them going 4-0 into the bye week, and obviously I was grossly mistaken in that prediction. I know that we started 1-4 before kicking it into high gear last year, but everyone that I watched the games with and talked to about the games said that the Bengals showed definite signs of getting better in the early weeks when they were losing, and I haven't seen that this year. This year was supposed to be different, and the growing pains of the Lewis era were supposed to be out of their systems, and obviously that is not the case.

I want the Bengals to win more than anything in the world...I have never seen a winning season in the time that I have been a fan, and I can only imagine what it would feel like to watch them in the playoffs, to see them have an actual shot at doing something more than fighting for a Top 10 draft pick. If we don't win at Pittsburgh on Sunday, the rest of the season looks very, very grim.

This isn't about Kitna...this isn't about Palmer. This is about winning, and I hope to God that we can finally do some. That's all for now.

Who Dey!

BN1281

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I'm not very hopeful for this year's team after last Sunday, but, who the hell knows at this point still. The NFL has become incredibly unpredictable and seasons are literally won or lost on one or two plays these days.

The injuries and complete lack of impact players on defense are the biggest problems this year, there simply is not a single "star" on the defensive side of the ball, not one, not one pro-bowl caliber player (Simmons once was, but is overshadowed by other, better players at his position on other teams).

I think the 0-line is the most overrated group in the NFL, and we're looking at possibly Steinbach playing left tackle this weekend and Sulfsted playing guard with Fontenot at center (oh God help Palmer).

Warrick has some sort of mysterious shin problem, Marvin Lewis has become the most arrogant coach in the NFL who feels he's above communicating things to the fans and press now (ecspecially the details of injuries) and can't seem to get his defense motivated enough to be better than last in the league against the run even after two off-seasons and extra draft picks to do so.

Frustration? Yes. lack of patience? After 14 years of miserable seasons, yes.

No one's jumping ship here, but I refuse to get my hopes up only to be crushed every Sunday by blindly thinking they are better than they are.

Too many injuries combined with not enough talent = formula for losing season.

Sorry, just how I feel, unfortunately. And I'm sick and tired of it.

If they win Sunday I will eat extra heapings of crow and run around PBS stadium in my b-day suit on MNF.

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If they win Sunday I will eat extra heapings of crow and run around PBS stadium in my b-day suit on MNF.

Please don't! Now I would pay to see the cutie from BN1281's post run around naked!

Oh sh&t!! My wife sometimes reads this forum. Just kidding honey!!!!

Yeah, that's a lie and she knows it!

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The Bengals will not make the playoffs if they lose this week. The Bengals history shows that they have NEVER made the playoffs if they were not at least 3-1 after 4 weeks. In 1990 they started off 3-0. In 1988, it was 6-0. In 1981, 3-1.... etc

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I am seriously getting fearful and teh 1pm gametime draws nearer...

Warrick is such an important piece of our offense!!! We simply cannot have him injured like this all year!

I am trying my best to be positive :D

Lets see what happens Sunday

Nice job trying to be positive Bax, and, for once, I agree with you. There were some absurd posts in the offseason wondering just how valuable Peter Warrick was to this team. I was incredulous that anyone could underestimate his contributions last year.

His absence last Sunday was devastating on this team's ability to move the ball in the red zone, and it will be hard again without him on Sunday.

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His absence last Sunday was devastating on this team's ability to move the ball in the red zone, and it will be hard again without him on Sunday.

True Warrick is important in the Redzone, but where are the TE's, the RB's and are star player CJ when we're down there??? We need the rest of the offense to step it up.

Thank God we won't be facing a Dolphin/Raven caliber defense this week. :blink:

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I know that we started 1-4 before kicking it into high gear last year, but everyone that I watched the games with and talked to about the games said that the Bengals showed definite signs of getting better in the early weeks when they were losing, and I haven't seen that this year.

Quite an insightful statement there BN1281, although I kinda disagree with saying the Bengals as a whole are showing no definite signs of improvement. As far as the defense (or as better stated; a lack of...) is concerned, the tackling has been pathetic and the level of play has been inconsistant. Poor performance overall, even when you take into account the injuries.

I thought things may have been getting better for the Cincinnati defense after the Miami game. Then Boller and the "mighty" :rolleyes: Ravens offense shredded them. I guess Miami's offense could make any teams "D" look like the "Steel Curtain!"

On the other hand the Bengals offense is and will continue to improve. For whatever reason, the offensive unit seems to manage better when a player goes out with an injury than does the defense. Probably looking at a depth issue there.

These gains made by the offense each week aren't huge, and are easily overlooked during the course of a game. The Bengals offense learned many a good lesson last week against Ray Lewis and the Ravens top notch defense. I look for those lessons to pay off soon in these upcoming games! :player:

Oh. About the part of the Bengals "kicking it into high gear" last season...well I wouldn't exactly call the gear high, but it did raise a notch! When you combine that with the factor that many teams didn't really consider Cincinnati a threat, the effect was that we were able to sneak up on them in a way. I would point that out as much of the reason for the improvement from 2-14 to 8-8.

Don't count on "sneaking" up on NOBODY this year. Every team is well aware of the weaponry the Bengals can wield when they have the ball! ^_^

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