COB

I’m like a bengals jinx in game threads. I post something, we fumble. I post something else, we give up a td.

I can’t believe this offense will continue to play this poorly. Just has to be a turnaround this week.

New NFL rule, if two teams from the same division are matched up on wildcard weekend, they play it as normal. But if there are two such games on wildcard weekend like today, then regardless of records they switch those teams up so both games feature inter division matchups. I’m tired of this play the same team three times bullshit.

Tonight’s game - our O line coach hopefully watched a thousand hours of film, because that second half last week was an absolute horror show. 0 for 9 on our last 9 third down attempts. Roquan Smith absolutely has to be dealt with somehow. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lot more Perine and a lot less Mixon. Smith needs attention and Perine is the answer, I think. I’m actually very worried about this game. Of some comfort to me as I swoon on my fainting couch, is that the Ravens little points outburst last week was an aberration. Before that their offense was abysmal. Hopefully they return to form. Health update as I contemplate this game - I’ve got the vapors.

True, Jags have a vet coach who’s seen it all before, and a QB who has the type of ceiling that, if he suddenly hits his stride, could overwhelm a team.

NFL Media: “Did you say Nick Bosa?”

If you want to get ignored by the NFL media, sign with the Bengals.

AP All Pro first and second teams just announced. 3 Ravens, 3 Browns, 6 Chiefs, 3 Cowboys, 6 FortyNiners, 3 Vikings, 6 Eagles. Zero Bengals.

The ravens love to pound their chests and strut around. But there’s another side to that sort of personality. It’s called a Diva and the ravens are dealing with it!

Hey good luck on that job interview, I hope you get it.

I’d rather see Huntley than the other guy. Huntley’s arm is horrible.

Yes they got a great player. Kind of reminds me of the Steelers getting Minkah for a first. A lot of picks bust. Getting Minkah Fitzpatrick was a great use of that pick. The downside to the strategy of picks for this type of player - you are sacrificing 4 or 5 years of having a player locked into his price controlled rookie deal. Instead you’ve got a high paid vet using up significant cap space. For instance, when the Steelers signed Minkah to a new deal he became the highest paid safety in the league. Likewise Rowan Smith - when the Ravens signed him he became the highest paid ILB in the NFL. That’s the division we’re in. It has teams that will acquire great players and pay them when other teams won’t.

There is a huge difference. Our 3 different games : we play - Bills, Vikings, Chiefs Browns play - Jets, Bears, Broncos

Holy shit, Trey Hendrickson really is a difference maker.

That’s it right there. Lamar’s already twisted out of shape over not getting extended. So much so that he’s got what Baltimore obviously suspects is a contract related injury. Then they go and give 100 million to a guy who just got into town a couple months ago. Lamar probably figures I’ve been here five years, playing QB in a manner that is dangerous and career shortening for me, but in a way that makes up for some shortcomings on the offense. (And it’s true, dude’s legs can compensate for a lot). Hes pissed and has a right to be. Having said that, can you really blame Baltimore for not wanting to back up the Brinks truck? I love Lamar, but the way top ten QBs hog cap space is a daunting thing.

“Heh, my mechanical cyberkinetic exoskeleton will arrive here any day now. I’ll be up and around in no time! /Cackles insanely, drives Rascal Freedom Power Wheelchair ($1,498.20 at Sam’s Club) down PBS hallway to Zac Taylor’s office/ “Zac’s not here, probably at practice. He’s like the son I never had! We’ll toss the old pigskin around once my exoskeleton gets here. I’d already have it except I bought the rebuilt version and saved over thirty percent! My exoskeleton had to be totally redone, it was worn by a drywall hanger in Xinjian Province. He set the Chinese drywalling record, he drywalled a complete 14 story building in two days, but when his twelfth battery ran down the suit went in reverse and he fell down the elevator shaft! Killed him but the suit can be reconditioned! I’ll leave a note for Zac, ask if he needs any drywall hung at his house, I’ll be the guy for that!” /tries to reach paper and pen on Zac’s desk, leans too far out of Rascal Freedom Power Wheelchair ($1,498.20 at Sam’s Club), gets wobbly but saves it. Forgets why he’s in Taylor’s office, falls asleep/

This also kind of shows they are not signing Lamar, at least not at what he’s thinking. Best guess imho is they tag him. I also think they have already begun their qb search. If he won’t play under the tag next year? Baker!!

Smith is a hell of a player. Tough dealing with him last week, he’ll be difficult again.

Coaches matter. Our situation illustrates that. Hey, Marvin is looking for a new job! Harbaugh is in the mix, looks like Denver could be a landing spot. Why he’d want to jump into that division with Mahomes and Herbert there and in their primes, I have no idea. Our coach’s mentor, Sean McVay, may be moving on because the Rams announced they would no longer be making Rams gear in child’s medium sizes.

Man, what a missed opportunity by the Buckeyes. That Ga game was in our hands, and we would have handled TCU no problem. Would have snuck into a natty. Painful to think about how they blew that game.

Pratt has a serious nose for the ball. He’s one of those rare guys, balls out, he suddenly is in the vicinity.

Lamar hasn’t been practicing, hadn’t been throwing with the receivers. If he jumps into practice this week, that’ll help some, but timing and rust will be a factor. Still he’s their best option.

Random fact from rummaging around our o-line pickups (sadly we’re missing two of them, Kappa and La’el Collins are out). For you old-timers, our other pickup, Ted Karras, has a well known great uncle. I’ve kept you in suspense long enough. His great uncle is longtime Detroit Lion Alex Karras.

And that year was accomplished with that statistical outlier game in week one against the Steelers. He threw 4 picks and lost one fumble in that game. So in a 17 game season, in one game he threw a third of his season’s total interceptions and had half his fumbles for turnover.

“The window is my whole career… The window is always open.” I say this with all seriousness; psychologists could study this dude as having one of the greatest examples of the unwavering confidence needed to be the best at something. It’s pretty remarkable. I can’t really recall a QB who had it to this level, and was willing to vocalize it. Maybe Joe Namath?