ArmyBengal

I was thinking with Burrow being down for the year and Higgins said to not be part of future plans, if they wish they would have moved him before the trade deadline. Well, with hindsight being 20/20, I would guess that's not really important, but still. However, here's something that jumped in my head... I and others have said many times, "Higgins is a #1 on most teams". Now that this season is over, I'm left to ponder if that's really the case. Is he a #1 WR for another team? I know it only takes one team to pay him that way and they probably will, but I can't help but wonder if his best outcome is here as a true #2? Yeah, we aren't paying him what Chase is going to get, but how many times do you see a player move on and fail to achieve success? I just wish there was a midpoint where he would stick around. I have always liked Tee and wanted to see him get a ring with this group.

With Jonah doing well at RT, which I knew he would and said many times, I would have no issue bringing him back there. Having him as a backup with Brown at LT would be a HUGE plus as well, but at what cost? Along with that question is, does Jonah still harbor ill will about the move from LT to a point he has no interest in returning? Maybe he really only wants to be considered at LT? Guess we will see. I think they need to get younger at DT, but have no issue if they bring Reader back. Again, at what cost? WR is a must in the draft and maybe double up at the position depending on what happens. I have a question to pose about Higgins, but will ask in the main forum to stir up the talk. Bowers may dip a bit due to the injured ankle, but he still goes high. Personally he would be a no brainer for this offense.

Let the slide begin !! Like I said, winning at this point does nothing for me as a fan. This team is not getting to or winning in the playoffs without Burrow. Fire Pollack and let the new guy start his tenure with a possible blue chip o-line prospect. If not that, Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia. There there are some nice sized WR's thought to go high as well for a Higgins replacement.

Of all the games I wouldn’t mind watching, they show the Browns and Steelers. Shoot me now !!

The funny thing about that, is that it serves as a reminder to how long this forum and some of us have been around here. We were a thing before Facebook and the rise of social media as we know it today. Forums were the main way people were talking about their favorite teams and harassing other teams fans. Back in the day where we had to have a specific smack talk sub forum. Good times...

If there just has to be a "This season is fucked" scenario, I would prefer it this way. There's a real chance they suck the rest of the season and end up with a top 10 pick. As opposed to being in the mix, only to fall short and picking 23rd or some shit. I compare it to Burrow's rookie season when his knee was imploded and the result was draft Ja'Marr #5 overall. As much as losing hurts, it will hurt a lot less in 2024 with a true blue chip player who produces year one. I'm all in on the Texans for the remainder of the year.

Dudes, anyone watching last night and seeing Joe try to throw the football on the sideline after the injury had to know. That ball just decided to do it's own thing, falling out of his hand, and Joe was yelling at anything standing in front of him. I went to bed, knowing the game was over and hoping it was just a sprain. I seriously woke up and told my wife that it wouldn't surprise me to see him done for the season. "HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND"

Just to be clear, there will be no joy taken in anything other than making the playoffs and making a Super Bowl run. Since that's not happening at this point, the next thing I will take joy in is a top 10 pick in the 2024 draft. I won't care if they lose every game from here on out without Burrow. They sure as shit aren't winning every game from here on out. Like I said in an earlier post. I'm not even upset at this point. I'm just looking forward. This team has a lot to consider heading into next season. I feel bad for the team, especially guys like Tee and Boyd, who may not play another snap with Joe.

Soooo about the 2024 draft…

Just reported torn ligaments. SUCKS !!!

So what you are saying is Collins is free to help with yard work? Cool, thanks Hoosier. I want to like Volson and want him to do well, but he's been getting blasted this season.

Spike has been hanging out with TJ's dead gramma. A lot of drinking and talk about who's death was more traumatic. Talk is TJ's dead gramma called Spike a bitch and told him she could have taken that hammer to the dome like a champ. Spike is contemplating his next move, but thinks since she's bigger than him, it would only be fair to test her theory with a sledge hammer. Nick Scott was a bad move from jump. He has one good season where he started more than one game and he should become our new starter? Maybe not the best decision. Retrospect and all, but Battle should have been given that opportunity.

I went to bed when Burrow exited in the first half. How many times were the backup QB's mentioned prior to the start of the season? They sucked then and suck now. I guess I will be the guy... There is no way in hell the Bengals make the playoffs at this point. Is it possible? Sure, but it's not happening. At least not without Burrow. Just get Burrow healthy, because it looked like his calf was still an issue last night. Get the younger guys more snaps regardless of what happens. I mean EVERY draft pick from this year. I've already moved on mentally to the 2024 draft. Serious. Go ahead and hate or whatever, but the leaves and gutters won't clean themselves. Where is La'el Collins by the way ?? Remember how he was going to get snatched up quick ?? I could use some help !!

And it’s bedtime

At least we don’t have to listen to Collinsworth yammer on about obvious shit or things no one cares about.

We need better coaching. At least that’s where I align today. Gimme a TE, RB, OT, DT, CB and whatever else. Not necessarily in that order.

It was widely thought that Murphy was a top end talent. A month before the draft, many still had him in their top 10. Murphy was the 4th DE taken and the other 3 went in the top 15. He fell not because he sucked or that teams didn't like him, but rather the needs of the teams drafting ahead of the Bengals. I get it takes DE's some time and Murphy was definitely a luxury pick when considering our roster, but this is an opportunity with Hubbard down again. I just want to see more of him.

Talk about a team that seems to be headed down the crap hole. Diggs' brother talking shit about him needing to get out of Buffalo. Saying Allen wasn't anything until Diggs got there and having the media openly wonder if that's accurate. OC getting shitcanned and players feeling all bad about how they let him down. The team seemingly falling apart and playing really ugly ball. For how much I have grown to dislike the Bills, none of this bothers me.

I know we have talked about this before, but it's really starting to irritate me how we draft first round guys and when opportunity presents, there seems to be little involvement. Maybe it's just me thinking that damn near every 1st round guy should be starting in year one. I get that Murphy hasn't been here as long as Sample and I like Sample, but damn. It's also not like we are only 3 weeks into the season either. It's more puzzling when considering that many had Murphy ranked far higher that his draft status suggests. My mind tells me (Side note, my mind is a scary place) Murphy should be getting these starts at this point in the season if one of the starters goes down. With more high dollar contracts to come, the Bengals won't have the luxury of first rounders sitting back and not getting snaps. They are going to need impact sooner rather than later.

Agree with not counting a team out. Not only could we go on a hot streak like last season, but other teams suffer injuries as well, or drop games they shouldn't. It's certainly too early to say, but a loss tonight puts them 3 game behind first place Ravens who would hold a 2-0 advantage over them. When trying to project if all things remain the same, that would tell me a wild card spot is our only real hope, minus something crazy happening. A win tonight and everything is still on the table. Couple that with the Steelers and Browns playing each other and this week is VERY important !! I don't know why, but I just feel an upsetting loss coming. I really want to be wrong.

Yeah they can’t go 0-2 to the Ravens and think they are going to win the North. I wouldn’t completely rule out the playoffs yet, but they wouldn’t be far.

Kind of expected that news. Having Trey is a bonus.

Burrow threw the ball 41 times against the Texans. Mixon was the only RB to get a carry, which happened 11 times. The RB's weren't even used in the passing game either. Mixon and Williams both had a combined 3 catches for 1 yard. When they make it so one dimensional, that makes things a lot easier on the defense. Considering they decided to do that without Higgins is at least questionable. That being said, TB should have caught that ball and they still should have won that game.

That leaves either the rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson or PJ Walker for the rest of the season. Ouch from more than one perspective, although I liked DTR coming out of UCLA. Guess we will get to watch and see what happens !!

I won't disagree with that point either Hoosier, but I think it makes me looks harder at Pollack. Even when you go back and look at his time in Dallas, his o-line units were stellar at running the ball, but he was criticized for their pass blocking. That would probably explain why Mixon was so happy to see him return to Cincinnati for his second stint. However, considering we run the ball less than pretty much everyone in the league, maybe he just isn't a fit for what this offense wants to be. Again, I'm speculating, but it's just an interesting situation.