ShulaSteakhouse Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Fox Sports StoryI think i'm the only one here who thinks they can do it - and this guy! We're a two man bandwagon.--------------------------------I got a host of hate e-mails when I wrote before the Bengals vs. Ravens game two Thursdays ago that I fully believed Cincinnati would run the table the rest of the way.PollWith the Bengals' highly anticipated date with the Colts on Monday Night Football coming up, the prediction doesn't look so crazy after all.The Bengals' offense is explosive, the defense has really come together, and when (not if) the Bengals get to the playoffs, I truly think they can be scary.You just know that Rudi Johnson is salivating to get his crack at the Colts run defense after they got shredded for 375 rushing yards against Jacksonville. He'll carry the ball a minimum of 25 times and easily break 100 rushing yards.Chad Johnson told us last Friday that the chemistry between Carson Palmer and the star receiver was, "at a level that it has never, ever been at. It was like the New Orleans game was our connection this year. We didn't even click like this last season. It's beautiful."Plus, the Bengals will eventually get tackle Levi Jones back for the stretch run.Since the Bengals defense was humiliated at home by Philip Rivers, they really have played lock-down football. They are never going to be the 1985 Bears, but they have greatly improved, highlighted by a shutout in Cleveland and a shutdown of the Ravens.Defensive end Robert Geathers says the mentality and the execution simply had to change."I think more than anything it's about us coming out ready to play with the attitude that you need to be successful in this league," Geathers said. "We are making plays. The turnovers have really gone up. And we are tackling better. It's about fundamentals and playing together. We are doing it right now. And without question that game against San Diego was the turning point. We just knew that kind of embarrassing performance could never, ever happen again."Geathers is enjoying a great season with 10.5 sacks. He credits his success to his move to the outside and the attention that Justin Smith receives on the other end.First-round pick Jonathan Joseph has elevated his game since the Chargers debacle. Chad Johnson calls him, "an emerging star at cornerback and a tough guy to practice against. He can be special."Plus, the Bengals are much healthier, with Dexter Jackson, Sam Adams and Brian Simmons back in the lineup and making plays.Geathers said, "Not only are they great players, but they are older guys. They bring experience to the huddle. With younger guys on our team, it's so important and needed."Of course the only thing that can derail the Bengals is the Bengals themselves, with arrests plaguing and embarrassing this organization.Geathers said, "It is something we have to deal with. It is bothersome and not the way we want this organization represented. Marvin Lewis preaches discipline and respect on and off the field. And it is a distraction and disappointing, no question. Some of our veterans have said things to try to straighten some people out. It has been preached that you are taking away from our team goal. But at the end of the day, you have to be a man when you leave the locker room." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasher Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Wha???Steak, you are predicting that the Bengals can go to Miami, now?Since when did you join the Blind-Homers? I didn't get the memo! Welcome, welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShulaSteakhouse Posted December 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Lol I've been on it all week and no one's suprised apparently!?Dominating 4-game winning streaks in Nov-Dec. are more than just blind homerism!I EXPECT this team to win the next 3 games and win 3 playoff games to get to the big one - there's just something different about this team now - they are the team we saw in preseason and the first two weeks that basically dominated everyone else.Now if they lose Monday Night I will be sorely disappointed and dejected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripes Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 I do think the Bengals CAN do it (hell, I said they'd be 13-3 before the season) but I'm not as confident as you, Steak, that they WILL do it. That's a good read though from an unbiased soure. Everyone here would love nothing more than to see the Bengals win it all obviously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Geathers is enjoying a great season with 10.5 sacks. He credits his success to his move to the outside and the attention that Justin Smith receives on the other end. Props awarded to Kid Steakhouse for not engaging in some creative editing of the posted FoxSports article. The quoted line about Smith deserving some of the credit for Geathers success must have chafed our boy more than a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 "I think more than anything it's about us coming out ready to play with the attitude that you need to be successful in this league," Geathers said. "We are making plays. The turnovers have really gone up. And we are tackling better. It's about fundamentals and playing together. We are doing it right now. And without question that game against San Diego was the turning point. We just knew that kind of embarrassing performance could never, ever happen again." I found Geather's remark about the San Diego game being a "turning point" to be of real interest. I mentioned those same words several weeks ago when I questioned whether we may someday look back at that game as the date that the Bengals defense finally turned things around. Now we've got Geather's adding his voice to that of K2 claiming that this is exactly what happened. There's nothing like hitting rock bottom when it comes to making players question what they're doing, and what they're not doing. Because even units that are ranked dead last have pride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShulaSteakhouse Posted December 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Yeah I let that one slide since they're winning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoePong Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 I don't know. Unless the Bengals pass defense somehow magically improves overnight, they don't have much of a chance of stopping Indy. Peyton Manning is just going to stand back and pick apart our defense, driving up and down the field. We've only had success stopping teams lately because they have faced WRs who have dropped a tons of passes, or QBs who are erratic and inaccurate. The Colts are just going to play pitch and catch against this defense. We won't be able to stop them on 3rd down unless something changes dramatically.The only chance we have to win is by scoring first (early) and getting a lead so we don't have to play catch up like last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalsMan3203 Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Fox Sports StoryI think i'm the only one here who thinks they can do it - and this guy! We're a two man bandwagon.I believe I created that bandwagon... I may not post much... But I come here every day... more then 10 times a day and just read....Last year... the whole year I had... "You gotta believe!! Playoffs Here we come!" At the start of this year and Palmer still under center I changed it to what it is now.... "You gotta believe!!! Super Bowl Here we come!"Super Bowl! Here we come!So its atleast a 3 man wagon. WhodeY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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