Playoff Possiblities and Scenarios

[HoosierCat]

Agreed, the Ravens aren't a good team. I also have this bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in purchasing...

The Ravens are certainly a good team, but not a dominate one. What they have done well to date this season is to win games they're supposed to win: they are 6-0 vs. teams with losing records right now. Against teams on the plus side of the aisle, they are a pedestrian 2-2.

Notably, the Bengals are the same percentage, .500 (3-3), against winning teams. What they have done is to revert to the pattern of a couple years ago: dropping games against weaker opposition.

[jjakq27]

It's funny how they say football is a game of inches or is decided by a few plays. I think this year is a perfect example of that.

With that in mind, if the Bengals fail to make playoffs this year, I will point to the Tampa Bay game for a variety of reasons including facing a rookie QB, a questionable sack/penalty and the last minute goal line sequence for TB. I will also think of the fumble by Perry and the INT by Carson in the Ravens game as season changers. Losing that game was a two-game swing in the standings. Win one or both of them and we're probably not sweating the playoffs at all.

[Tasher]

It's funny how they say football is a game of inches or is decided by a few plays. I think this year is a perfect example of that.

With that in mind, if the Bengals fail to make playoffs this year, I will point to the Tampa Bay game for a variety of reasons including facing a rookie QB, a questionable sack/penalty and the last minute goal line sequence for TB. I will also think of the fumble by Perry and the INT by Carson in the Ravens game as season changers. Losing that game was a two-game swing in the standings. Win one or both of them and we're probably not sweating the playoffs at all.

This is kinda funny. You could pick just about any 4 of the 5 losses to say that about...

Atl - 2 point loss, roughing call, missed int/fumble recovery

TB - missed FG at the end as well

Balti - despite the afore mentioned point, the missed ints on our side, the no-call PI, the no effort Cheech, drops and balls through the hands...

SD - missed ints, drops and balls through the hands, especially Cheech in the END ZONE!

You could also recount any number of defensive plays where we had them on 3rd and Long and did not get off the field, or held on 3rd on the the goal line or another position on the field, only to give up the 1st/TD on 4th down.

Sunday we held onto the ints and recovered the fumbles that we needed. We made just enough stops on 3rd down and we stopped them on the goal line in a situation where they had to put points on the board and they kicked the FG. That was the difference in the game.

[derekshank]

The Jags schedule doesn't look quite as tough now that they beat the Giants. Their schedule looks easier than ours, and they are ahead by 1 game. I'm thinking it will either be us or them in the Wild Card... and right now they are the safer bet.

[combatbengal]

OK, We're 5-5. I see us beating the Browns, Ravens, Raiders, Denver and Steelers. The Colts will most likely beat us. With a record of 10-6 and a Div record of 5-1, will we secure a spot in the playoffs. I say yes. I also think we'll get past the 1st round. Now the question of the year is, will our Def get us to the Super Bowl? I don't think so.

[derekshank]

If our defense is good enough to beat the Ravens, Broncos, and Steelers, I don't see why we won't beat Indy. They have the same problem we do... but their QB wasn't recovering from a major knee injury. But my personal opinion is that our defense is not good enough to do that... and we will finish 9-7 and miss the playoffs.

I'd love to make the playoffs again... but I don't see us doing any real damage with the defense we're currently sporting. We'll see though. If Palmer and company get hot like they did last year, anything is possible - but I just don't see it.

[combatbengal]

Have faith brother!

[BengalChamps]

Our D is just too porous to get us to the Tournament. Its too bad because CP has had an awesome year for a guy without 2 completely healthy knees.

Memo to ML: DRAFT SOME DEFENDERS, PUT A DEFENSE TOGETHER, AND GIVE CP A CHANCE IN THE POSTSEASON!!

[ShulaSteakhouse]

The defense really, truly, desperately needs to find a life, a couple of guys who step up and make key plays from here on out.

I don't know what they are going to do about it, or how it changes, you can't rely on INT's to save your a$$ all the way into the playoffs.

It's like a baseball team that has a winning record for the 1st two months of the season despite being outscored during that time and continues to be - those teams, almost every time, fall back to their mean and fail/falter and drop in the standings.

I just can't convince myself that relying on defensive turnovers - at least 3-5 a game from here on out, is going to happen. And right now, be honest with yourself - that pretty much HAS to happen barring a miraculous turnaround of mythical proportions.

But, it is probably more likely to happen than them all of a sudden playing like a top 10 defense - when they're last in the entire league in just about everything.

[jjakq27]

It's official. The Broncos suck. Nice game on national TV.

How did the Chiefs looks so bad against the Steelers a month ago and look so good now?

Hopefully Jay Cutler will be the QB by the time we visit Denver in December.

[BengalPimp]

It's official. The Broncos suck. Nice game on national TV.

How did the Chiefs looks so bad against the Steelers a month ago and look so good now?

Hopefully Jay Cutler will be the QB by the time we visit Denver in December.

Are you kidding? The way Jake Plummer has been playing lately..I hope he is still the QB (last 3 games 3 TD's/5 INT's)

[jjakq27]

Are you kidding? The way Jake Plummer has been playing lately..I hope he is still the QB (last 3 games 3 TD's/5 INT's)

That's true. The way "Snake" has been playing lately, it might be better to have him in there. But my hope was that the Broncos would have imploded by then and a full scale mutiny was under way as their playoff chances evaporated!

[Tasher]

Updated AFC Playoff picture...

AFC playoff standings

Team W L T Div Conf

1. Indianapolis 9 1 0 3-0 7-0

2. Baltimore 8 2 0 2-0 5-1

3. San Diego 8 2 0 2-1 6-2

4. New England 7 3 0 4-1 5-3

5. Kansas City 7 4 0 3-1 3-4

6. Denver 7 4 0 3-2 7-3

7. Jacksonville 6 4 0 1-3 3-3

8. Cincinnati 5 5 0 2-1 3-3

9. N.Y. Jets 5 5 0 3-1 4-4

All we need to do is WIN!

Lets go Bengals!

[TJJackson]

Dunno, Tasher - as I read your chart, if we win and Jacksonville loses, the seeds remain the same, albeit we pull 1 game closer

I'll dare to hope again only if we win the next two games AND get a bit of help

[Tasher]

Dunno, Tasher - as I read your chart, if we win and Jacksonville loses, the seeds remain the same, albeit we pull 1 game closer

I'll dare to hope again only if we win the next two games AND get a bit of help

SD will beat KC and Denver again which will give us the tie breaker over both (before we play Den) since we beat KC and Den will have a poor conf record.

I believe that the Jags will lose again, but if they do not, then Jags and Bengals are the WCs. Seeding can work itself out, I haven't got that far into the scenarios, yet.

However, I do believe that if we win out, we will be the 5 seed, if we do not catch Balti for the division.

Have faith!

[HoosierCat]

AFC Wild Card Update:

Kansas City 7-4 (3-1 in AFC West)

Denver 7-4 (3-2 in AFC West)

Cincinnati 6-5 (.571 in AFC)

New York Jets 6-5 (.555 in AFC)

Jacksonville 6-5 (.429 in AFC)

[BlainThePain]

Looks like Denver is the biggest game left on the schedule.

[schweinhart]

AFC Wild Card Update:

Kansas City 7-4 (3-1 in AFC West)

Denver 7-4 (3-2 in AFC West)

Cincinnati 6-5 (.571 in AFC)

New York Jets 6-5 (.555 in AFC)

Jacksonville 6-5 (.429 in AFC)

Jax look dead in the water after loss to Bills and with Colts, Pats, Chiefs and Fins ahead.

The division is all but sown up by Ratbirds now after gutting the hapless Steelers. It would take the Bengals and Rats finishing with same record and Balti having 2 losses in the division with Bengals just 1.....About as long as the longshot gets.

Best scenario is to reduce the wildcard to 3 teams in KC, Denver and Bengals. Jets got to blow up vs. at least 2 middle pack teams in the Fins, Bills, Vikes and Green Bay. Bengals got to win at least 2 out of next 3 then stick it the Donkeys. And I hate to say it but it may be time to pull for the Old Browns to win one a couple weeks from now vs. KC.

[HoosierCat]

Looks like Denver is the biggest game left on the schedule.

Could be...assuming the Bengals don't blow it in the intervening games.

Denver has benched Plummer, so it's Cutler time now. On the whole I think that's good for us, and every other opponent of Denver. Hard to think he isn't going to struggle, and his first two games will be vs. Seattle and SD. After that its Arizona, us and the 9ers.

Denver might not win more than 2 more games.

Best scenario is to reduce the wildcard to 3 teams in KC, Denver and Bengals. Jets got to blow up vs. at least 2 middle pack teams in the Fins, Bills, Vikes and Green Bay. Bengals got to win at least 2 out of next 3 then stick it the Donkeys. And I hate to say it but it may be time to pull for the Old Browns to win one a couple weeks from now vs. KC.

Yeah, bengals just need to make up one game on KC since they have the head-to-head tiebreaker. Dont think it will be courtesy of the browns, tho. They look like they've packed it in for the year.

Jets still concern me most. Well, second-most. Bengals concern me the most...

[bengalboomer7]

This Thursday game becomes huge now. The divison is probably gone, but we beat the Ratbrids, then get Oakland before we hit that tough three game stretch at the end of the year. Get these next two, tehen i think we can start game planning.

[HoosierCat]

This Thursday game becomes huge now. The divison is probably gone,

I don't think there's any "probably" about it. With Cleveland, Pitt and Buffalo as their final 3 games, I think the worst the Ravens finish is 12-4, and the best we can do is 11-5.

[membengal]

As many of us who still dream have been saying since 4-5, if they can get to 8-5, the last three will be VERY interesting.

All eyes on the f**kin' Ravens and that Thursday nighter now.

Love the cold blooded way they took care of business today, by the way. Love it.

[combatbengal]

If our def comes to play like they did today, we have a chance! I'm only worried about the Colts. Troy Polamalu was hurt today. Not sure how serious but it could be out when we play them. On the other hand, we lost another player today. Perry broke his right leg. Go Bengals!

[derekshank]

My prediction... if we are good enough to beat Baltimore on Thursday, we're good enough to make the playoffs (we have the tie breaker over KC and we would have the tie-breaker over Denver if we beat them). But if we lose to Baltimore, the hole we dug ourselves earlier this season becomes too deep to get out of.

I don't know if we can afford 1 more loss. We might need to win out. The only good news is that we're playing well enough right now, and hitting Denver and Indy at the right time.

My prediction... if we are good enough to beat Baltimore on Thursday, we're good enough to make the playoffs (we have the tie breaker over KC and we would have the tie-breaker over Denver if we beat them). But if we lose to Baltimore, the hole we dug ourselves earlier this season becomes too deep to get out of.

I don't know if we can afford 1 more loss. We might need to win out. The only good news is that we're playing well enough right now, and hitting Denver and Indy at the right time.

[schweinhart]

Looks like Denver is the biggest game left on the schedule.

Could be...assuming the Bengals don't blow it in the intervening games.

Denver has benched Plummer, so it's Cutler time now. On the whole I think that's good for us, and every other opponent of Denver. Hard to think he isn't going to struggle, and his first two games will be vs. Seattle and SD. After that its Arizona, us and the 9ers.

Denver might not win more than 2 more games.

Best scenario is to reduce the wildcard to 3 teams in KC, Denver and Bengals. Jets got to blow up vs. at least 2 middle pack teams in the Fins, Bills, Vikes and Green Bay. Bengals got to win at least 2 out of next 3 then stick it the Donkeys. And I hate to say it but it may be time to pull for the Old Browns to win one a couple weeks from now vs. KC.

Yeah, bengals just need to make up one game on KC since they have the head-to-head tiebreaker. Dont think it will be courtesy of the browns, tho. They look like they've packed it in for the year.

Jets still concern me most. Well, second-most. Bengals concern me the most...

Old Browns ie Ratbirds. They play the Chiefs after they play the Bengals. Don't know if I can actually hope for them to beat the Chiefs but it just seems too much of a lonshot that even Brian Billick and his bunch could eff up to the degree needed for the Bengals to claim the North.

As much as I despise the Donks, they're making the right move with Cutler. I hope he struggles but doubt he will. He's a wicked good QB and could even lead a team like Vandy to wins. Denver has still got the Bolts but play 3 NFC West teams who they should beat just on the basis of their defense.

I can't bring myself to believe the Jets are that good but they keep on beating teams. They'll be playing some teams desperate with last ditch playoff chances. If they beat the Pack and Bills in the next 2 weeks, then they are definitely deep in the wilcard mix.