Something that's bothering me.

[BTG]

Ok guys, I'm going to lay this out on the line. I write daily columns for the 49ers, and while I'm not a fan of theirs, I do visit their message boards daily to see what the fans are saying about the team and to get a general idea of what they need (or do not need) to hear.

Let me tell you, I like their fans, but some of them are absolutely intolerable. They are the most pessimistic people I have ever encountered, and every time something bad happens they write off the season. A few have even called Alex Smith a piece of garbage quarterback who has no clue and that they want Garcia back. This about a second-year QB with 906 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions after four games.

Anyway, I don't want to see that sort of thing here. It's already kind of starting with people complaining about the run defense. As I said in another post, the last two games have been played without our starting strong side linebacker and strong safety. Obviously Pollack is out for the year, but things will get better when Jackson comes back. People don't seem to realize how big of a deal he is to our defense.

The Bengals have dealt with numerous injuries to both the offense and defense and have still managed to go 3-1 going into the bye week.

Let me say that again: the Bengals are 3-1. This time five years ago they were 0-4. Stay upbeat and for the love of God smile. There is no need for anyone to panic or declare the season a bust. Anyone who does so will receive a visit from a knife-wielding Chris Henry.

[DesperateDerelict]

Ok guys, I'm going to lay this out on the line. I write daily columns for the 49ers, and while I'm not a fan of theirs, I do visit their message boards daily to see what the fans are saying about the team and to get a general idea of what they need (or do not need) to hear.

Let me tell you, I like their fans, but some of them are absolutely intolerable. They are the most pessimistic people I have ever encountered, and every time something bad happens they write off the season. A few have even called Alex Smith a piece of garbage quarterback who has no clue and that they want Garcia back. This about a second-year QB with 906 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions after four games.

Anyway, I don't want to see that sort of thing here. It's already kind of starting with people complaining about the run defense. As I said in another post, the last two games have been played without our starting strong side linebacker and strong safety. Obviously Pollack is out for the year, but things will get better when Jackson comes back. People don't seem to realize how big of a deal he is to our defense.

The Bengals have dealt with numerous injuries to both the offense and defense and have still managed to go 3-1 going into the bye week.

Let me say that again: the Bengals are 3-1. This time five years ago they were 0-4. Stay upbeat and for the love of God smile. There is no need for anyone to panic or declare the season a bust. Anyone who does so will receive a visit from a knife-wielding Chris Henry.

BTG -

Are you really Hunter S Thompson. A slight correction - last year we were 4 - 0. Given some time to gather perspective, I'll think you'll find that this will be viewed as a 'good' loss - it's not like we let it get away, and it shows we have a long way to go to be a SB XLI elite team.

Had you asked anybody on this board in August (except the blatant and unrealistic homers) if they'd be happy with 3 - 1 going into the bye, you'd have heard a resounding "Yes".

I'd rather have a good team battling other good teams that is a work-in-progress than a team dominating inferior competition, with no idea of their worth.

[BTG]

Sadly no, I am not Hunter. He is, however, my idol.

Anyway, I said five years ago for the 0-4...not last season. I know the history of the club.

And I'm not trying to act holier-than-thou or anything. I just have to read that sort of pessimistic nonsense every day from the other people and don't want to see the best fans on the planet resort to that.

BTG - Bengals fan since '86.

[membengal]

For the record, I had them pegged at 10-6 in the pre-season "guess the record" thread, and that was factoring in what I thought would be a 2-2 start. So, on the whole, I am pleased.

That said, I thought the run D would be vastly improved, and through four games, it is anything but. And that is truly bothersome. Yes, there are valid reasons for their struggles (injury chief among them, and, yes, the Steelers and Pats have good offensive lines), but on the whole, they simply cannot be that bad again against the run in 2006 like they were in 2005 and this team make the playoffs. They just can't.

[BTG]

I'll tell you, the thing I'm most concerned about is Carson dropping the ball nearly every time he gets hit. What's he have, five fumbles in the past two games? He looks like Warner handling the ball.

Also, people are blaming The Ghiacic for all the line problems, but Willie and Levi are getting beaten around the end quite often, meaning that Carson can't drop as deep. This makes the interior of the line look worse than it really is. Just my .02 from watching the Steelers and Pats games.

And where have the deep passes been? The Bengals are not stretching the field at all with the vertical passing game. I know the opposing secondaries are playing deep coverage, but damn. At least test them 2-3 times a game.

Hopefully that will change after the bye week.

[Stripes]

Yeah, I'd have been satisfied with 3-1 at the bye had you asked me before the season started. By no means do I think the season is a bust, and I am still very much looking foward to next 12+ games.

I don't think injuries are a valid excuse for the Bengals performance yesterday though. They went out and embarassed all of us in front of a national audience on their home turf. The run defense the last two weeks has looked like swiss cheese.

We have work to do.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Bengals' are now hovering near last in defense...again. I surely don't think that's all because of one missing player. They were down there last year with Pollack and Thurman playing.

I thought Madeiu was the missing link, now it's Dexter?

They were 20th against the run going into this week.

SB teams don't go into the SB with a defense ranked 28th or 30th against the run. It doesn't happen.

They don't give up 4-6 sacks a game and are so poor at protecting their qB that his knee gets hurt every year from hits and fumbles the ball away in the pocket because he's getting blind-sided every snap.

Over-rated 0-line.

You won't win more than you lose with the above 2 factors, in addition to having more penalty yards than rushing yards - which is absolutely pathetic.

Defense hasn't changed.

I don't know how or what they do or how they change it.

It's like Rudi said post-game, "I don't know how things change, but something has to change."

I'm tired of settling for "improvement," or "competitive."

Nor as a fan am I going to put my head in the sand and pretend a 3-1 record that could easily turn into a 4-6 or 5-5 record fool me into believing a team is better than they are.

Either they drastically improve in some critical areas - or they are done.

I was deeply disappointed in their effort, focus, enthusiasm and preparation yesterday.

The whole team including the coaching staff sucked - no excuse for that.

Great/winning teams don't lay eggs like that at home - ever. Losing is one thing - getting embarrassed and looking like the Bengals' of old is not excusable at this point.

Marvin needs to get control of his team and fix things, I just don't know how he does it. Guess we'll see.

Good news is the woeful Bucs are next - will see how that turns out.

[AMC]

The first 4 game segment is done @ 3-1. Let's say they go 2-2, 2-2, and 3-1....That a 10-6 record in a tough AFC.....Equals playoffs???

[BTG]

The first 4 game segment is done @ 3-1. Let's say they go 2-2, 2-2, and 3-1....That a 10-6 record in a tough AFC.....Equals playoffs???

You'd think so.

And let's hope OSU's next 8 games goes 4-0/4-0.

[Tasher]

If they continue to play against everybody else the way they played on Sunday, then there will be huge problems and we might not make .500. That is what has everybody on edge.

You have to remember how fragile the Bengal fan psyche is with success: we are not sure it is real until about 15 games into the season and we have locked up the division or the wild card.

this team right now can go in two different directions up and down very easily, we have been so used to the down direction that it is a hard habit to shake.

And right now, there are added pressures: off field issues, injuries, youth/inexperience that would make the down direction not too big of a stretch for this season, especially considering the very tough schedule.

[membengal]

The first 4 game segment is done @ 3-1. Let's say they go 2-2, 2-2, and 3-1....That a 10-6 record in a tough AFC.....Equals playoffs???

They ain't going 3-1 in their last four (unless Denver and Indy are not trying because they have already locked up the playoffs etc.). I would advise them to be around 9-3 when their last four-game stretch starts.