Stripes

I guess that means we’ll just have to bring back Bobby Hart!

I think that, beyond the obvious core extensions and defensive FAs, the top priority has to be OL depth. I think they can legitimately go into next season with the same starting five and be fine, including La'el Collins. But we need better contingencies for the inevitability that at least one of them will get hurt. It's such a bummer to drop in two straight postseasons because of bad OL play. I don't blame the front office at all -- they did everything we could reasonably ask to deal with the problem last year. But the work isn't done. Draft 'em or sign 'em or both, but the status quo from 6-10 in that unit cannot continue.

I wouldn't have thought a second tag for Bates is likely, but there's no denying that Dax Hill had a bit of a rough go of things in his limited opportunities. Perhaps a second tag is more feasible of the staff feels Dax needs more time to develop.

Paul Alexander has never sniffed an AFC Championship Game and has no idea what he's talking about. He certainly knows the Burfict/Pacman incident well, and that's because he was a part of a losing tradition. So he can fuck right off back to whatever he was doing before. Joseph Ossai had an excellent game and committed a basic human error in a split second situation.

I expect to lose Bates and Pratt. Someone out there will offer stupid money to each of them, and the Bengals won't be able to match that with Burrowgeddon looming. It'd be a bummer, but also manageable from a team-building standpoint. I care more about corner and the DL than LB or S anyway.

They don’t call the obvious hold against Hendrickson and do call the hit out of bounds. Sucks to have a season left in the hands of the officials.

That’s about as pissed as I have ever been about football, save the 2015-16 playoff stuff. Fantastic work for the defense to overcome it.

It’s there for the taking. Need the defense at its best.

Were right there, baby.

Awesome job defense!

7 point deficit after all that nonsense is a gift. Gotta start the half strong on defense and get Anarumo’s best.

Long game ahead. Obviously not ideal, but this team has earned the trust that they will find a way to stay in it.

Remember that time you complained about the usual suspects in the game thread

Yes. Scharping is having a tough time with Chris Jones.

Holding them to two FGs is a big win.

The 49ers defense is keeping them breathing. They'd be a very fortunate Super Bowl opponent if they can pull off a shocker here.

Just another game day paycheck for Browning.

I care 0% about the bulletin board material. The Bengals are too good a team, and the AFCCG is too deep in the playoffs, for that to tip any scales. The Chiefs are too, frankly. Just ready to finally play the damned game.

There is no way in hell Kelce misses the game.

Yeah that one made me laugh. If there's any such thing as a "bulletin board" edge, the Chiefs could have held that edge by leaving it all at "Burrowhead". But Willie Gay just evened the scales, so good one dude.

Revisiting perhaps my favorite play of the regular season: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KgVYhLLZZU

The Bengals were awesome against Dawson Knox on Sunday. Obviously he is no Kelce, but it leaves me optimistic since they were operating without Flowers. They seem to have a defensive answer for every crisis (I was terrified of Diggs against Apple/CTB too, and he did nothing). The safeties, Dax, and Flowers should combine to give Kelce a significant challenge -- certainly more than Jacksonville did. They basically just let him do whatever he wanted.

Either he’s drugged up for practice or he’s fine. They’ll be ready regardless.

I will be performing all the necessary voodoo to enhance and repair Cappa's ankle so that he may join in the domination.

A few low-level implications of the game Sunday: Win, and Joe Burrow is the most successful Bengals QB ever by any inspired measure. Win, and Zac Taylor is the most successful Bengals coach ever by any inspired measure. Win, and Ja'Marr Chase is two for two in the category "play NFL season, play in Super Bowl" (same goes for all 2021 picks). Win, and Mike Brown will have as many Super Bowl appearances as the owner as his father had. Obviously the journey doesn't end there, and there are bigger goals. But these are still remarkable prospects.