HoosierCat Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=2574228I think he's dead on about the importance of the schedule in getting to the playoffs; it's probably second only to injuries in terms of things that can make or break a season.That said, there's one big caveat: a schedule that looks tough in September may turn out to have been a cakewalk by December. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semiotter Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 When I first saw that schedule I was a little worried, but then I got thinking that the rest of the div. has to play one like us to so that took care of that problem. Then I saw how good the team was coming around with the new pick ups and hell we dogging man..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBin2k7 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 While the tough schedule argument may be valid, I am sick of sports writers talking about it.To me, I feel the Bengals are a Super Bowl caliber team, meaning we should be able to beat any team in the league, especially at home. Tough schedule or not, 14 of the 16 games are shared between the teams in our division. How long have we complained about the Bengals playing down to the level of their competition, especially at home? To be the best you have to beat the best, it makes each and every game fun, and the players will except the challenge of playing the best teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekshank Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 If I recall, the 3rd Super Bowl win for the Patriots was with the "toughest" NFL schedule. When you are a good team the previous year, you are going to get a tougher schedule.Schedule is important, but there are also a lot of assumptions being made far too early right now. We still have plenty of cupcakes on this schedule (Oakland, New Orleans, Cleveland twice). There will also be teams with good records last year, that are in flux this year (KC - new coaches, SD - new QB, NE - they lost everybody... again).The real issue is to win the division, which we have a good chance at doing. Once you're in the playoffs, everyone has a tough schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 I saw this as well, but figured it had been talked already... As long as the coaching staff keeps the team focused, we should be more than ok. The thing I don't want to see is overlooking one of those cupcakes and getting our asses handed to us worrying about the next one...WHODEY !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalboomer7 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 I hate these kinds of articles. Too many times it shows sports writers are stupid. This isn't last year, and no one knows how these teams will be this year. Take last year's chic picks to make it to the playoffs, Minnesota and Arizona. They don't know how the schedule will be till after the season is already over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_Bengals_Fan Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=2574228I think he's dead on about the importance of the schedule in getting to the playoffs; it's probably second only to injuries in terms of things that can make or break a season.That said, there's one big caveat: a schedule that looks tough in September may turn out to have been a cakewalk by December.If I recall, last year's schedule looked really tough about this time last year. GB was coming off playoffs, Minny was a chic pick even without Moss, Bears had a monster D, Baltimore's D was supposed to be enough to beat anyone, and the AFC south was supposed to at least be respectable (Indy was actually good, Jax and Ten were supposed to be borderline playoff teams, and Texas was pegged for near .500).Turned out the NFC central became a joke, as did Texas and Tennessee, and Baltimore decided to roll over. So we'll see what happens this year. OAK and NO should be pathetic. I think ATL is always overrated and San Diego isn't great, especially breaking in a new QB. I don't think Baltimore added that much in McNair, not much tread left on that tire. TB is "NFC good", which means 6-10 in the AFC. Cleveland isn't quite ready for prime time yet. Bengals should be favored in all those games. We're getting KC early when they're breaking in Herm Edwards and 2 - count them , *2* - new tackles. One of them is also practically a corpse. That will help. Indy loses Edge, which will hurt them a lot more than they think. Tough game, but not impossible. Getting Pissburgh early too, with a healthy Palmer and Ben with a tummy ache. Denver? I'm not sold on them. I think this might be the year Plummer finally implodes, but I'm not sure yet. Pittsburgh's lost 3 key players to the Bengals' 0.NE, Indy, Carolina, and Pittsburgh will be tough games, no getting around that. But I think the timing of the schedule helps if nothing else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMC Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 If they make it to the playoffs/Super Bowl after going through this sched, they will be one tough, battle tested team! Bring it on!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripes Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 I don't buy it. The schedule probably won't look anything like it does now in a few weeks, and a Superbowl team should win the large majority of its games regardless of the schedule difficulty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted September 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Schedule watch for week 1: Teams we play(ed) went a combined 7-6. Well, they will have by tonight; we play both the Chargers and Raiders who play each other, so the current 6-5 is going to become 7-6 one way or the other. (Note I'm only counting Pitt, Balti and Cleveland once each.)So that's a .538, down from the .543 based on last year's sked. Notable losers this week were Denver, Carolina, and Tampa. A combined 35-13 last season, they went 0-3 yesterday. NE's 2-point victory over Buffalo wasn't exactly scary, either.Notable winners were Baltimore and Atlanta. Vick looked good running and throwing, and the Ravens beat Simms so bad he was supposedly "whimpering."(Edited to fix my inability to count) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazkal Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 The truth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripes Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 The best looking team on our schedule through week one is probably Pittsburgh. Baltimore looked great too, but they're still a question mark. The division games are shaping up to be by far the toughest we'll play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldcat Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Another point the article misses is that the teams that get to the playoffs with the 'manageable' cupcake schedule tend to get stomped on by the teams from the tougher divisions.Look at the record - Indy walks into the playoffs each year, gets bounced. Philly before last year stomped all over that division for 5 years but failed in the playoffs before the Superbowl. When NE went to the bowls, their division was reasonably tough - the Jets were pretty good, same with Buffalo. The team that gets out of the North will have played in 6 tough games, regardless of the record. After that, the playoffs will be something of a relief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DontPushMe Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 A hard schedule will prepare us for the playoffs. If you dont play top competition in the regular season, you go in to the playoffs unprepared. That said, ive never really thought our schedule was THAT hard. Its harder than last years, but its not as bad as its being made out to be. The patriots arent the same team as they were, neither are the bucs or broncos. The panthers game could be tough, though they didnt show much last sunday. Obviously the colts game will be another tough one but i think we take it. The Falcons and Chargers also look like challenges, but they are both played here, and it could be getting pretty cold by the time San Diego visits.Im actually more worried about the division games, they always play us tough, and they all look to be upgraded this year, except the stealers who were already good. Im still not sold on steve mcnair though, and we get them late so theres a good chance hes banged up by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekshank Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 We already beat out tough week 1 opponent on the road. Now we get a bye week against the Browns... so we'll be 2-0 going into Pittsburgh. NE has multiple personalities, so you never know who you're going to get, but we should be able to handle them in Cincy.Then we have an actual bye week, and stretch of 9 games that we should be favored in. Is the shedule tougher than last year? Yep... but it's not going to be impossible. Last year we went into week 15 at 11-3, and didn't need to worry about the last 2 games of the season. This season, the result could be very much the same... or better. I could easily see us going into week 14 at 11-2... and those last 3 games that everyone is so worried about will just seem like a warm-up for the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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