Everyone does know that preseason means nothing?

[HoosierCat]

Don't know who you're arguing with, there isn't a person here who is claiming that losing a preseason game is indicative of anything.

Uhhhh, I don't blame you for not paying attention, but Hoosier is.

He'll even show you stats that back up the claim.

No, I'm not and no, they don't. The stats say nothing about the impact of winning or losing a single preseason game, but rather refer to total preseason record.

Nor do they in any way suggest playing starters longer. The statistics refer to preseason games played under the usual circumstances. Were the bengals to play starters longer in order to win, they would immediately invalidate those statistics as tools for comparison.

[HairOnFire]

No, I'm not and no, they don't. The stats say nothing about the impact of winning or losing a single preseason game, but rather refer to total preseason record.

Then how do explain the fact that your panties were painfully bunched after one preseason game, and the panic button was firmly pressed after the 2nd?

And didn't you just claim that statistics proved that a good preseason wasn't an indicator anything, but a poor one was strong evidence of something terrible...World Champion Colts being the exception.

Hoosier's Razor?

[Stripes]

To be fair, I believe it was Hoosier that was commenting on other posters pressing the panic button after the first game. He was defending the starting unit.

[HoosierCat]

To be fair, I believe it was Hoosier that was commenting on other posters pressing the panic button after the first game. He was defending the starting unit.

Yeah, I guess he missed that whole "glad I was going on vacation" thing, eh?

[ArmyBengal]

I'm all for addressing concerns about the team and God knows there are portions of this team I AM CONCERNED about !!!

**cough** DEFENSE **cough**

I'm not however, going to jump overboard about said concerns while there are people playing in games I've never heard of and won't be on the team come the season opener. I've been a fan forever in a day as well and went to Superbowl XVI. I can't stand not getting a playoff win since forever and not Superbowl Championship is a constant source of aggravation to me. All that aside, this particular preseason hasn't brought anything new to light that wasn't already there. Why are we all of a sudden waiting for preseason to think the sky is again falling ??

WHODEY !!!

[Spor_tees]

Once again, it isn't that the sky is falling, it's that the team isn't showing progress still despite the fact they say they are doing everything to do so. Back when I was playing football, or any sport for that matter, coaches used to always say, "You play like you practice!" If you are sloppy and undisciplined in practice, you will be the same when it comes game time. That is why I am worried about this preseason. Players who are supposed to be getting better with experience are still being caught out of place, players are still missing tackles, corners are still playing way too soft, and LB's are still missing assignments. These things are a big reason why I don't understand this idea of playing a "vanilla" defense during these preseason games. How are these young guys going to gel on defense and learn what to do, if they are not using the same defense they are going to need to know come the games that count? Don't say they are learning during regular team practices, because those aren't game speed, and a lot of the time the players know what is coming.

If this team wants to get over the hump, they need to be playing like a team that went 2-14 last year and not like the Patriots, a team that make the play-offs every year. They haven't earned the ability to just overlook the preseason just yet, they still have too much room for improvement.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Once again, it isn't that the sky is falling, it's that the team isn't showing progress still despite the fact they say they are doing everything to do so. Back when I was playing football, or any sport for that matter, coaches used to always say, "You play like you practice!" If you are sloppy and undisciplined in practice, you will be the same when it comes game time. That is why I am worried about this preseason.

And that's the problem Spor_tees. Most of the folks here that see no problem haven't played more than checkers before in their lives and can't grasp the concept. There ARE problems, and Marvin Lewis himself has said so himself. To think that suddenly in game one of the regular season against the Ravens that these plays and tackles that aren't being made will miraculously begin to occur is nothing more than delusional.

[Stripes]

Once again, it isn't that the sky is falling, it's that the team isn't showing progress still despite the fact they say they are doing everything to do so. Back when I was playing football, or any sport for that matter, coaches used to always say, "You play like you practice!" If you are sloppy and undisciplined in practice, you will be the same when it comes game time. That is why I am worried about this preseason.

And that's the problem Spor_tees. Most of the folks here that see no problem haven't played more than checkers before in their lives and can't grasp the concept. There ARE problems, and Marvin Lewis himself has said so himself. To think that suddenly in game one of the regular season against the Ravens that these plays and tackles that aren't being made will miraculously begin to occur is nothing more than delusional.

Nobody has stated that the team is completely without issue. The fact is, we knew the team had problems before the preseason, and nothing that has happened during the preseason has changed how the team should be viewed. We already knew the linebacker depth was poor. We already knew Doug Johnson isn't much of a quarterback. We already knew the secondary has a tackling problem. Why did so many people wait until now to freak out? Did we really need the Bengals to affirm those issues for us?

[HoosierCat]

Nobody has stated that the team is completely without issue. The fact is, we knew the team had problems before the preseason, and nothing that has happened during the preseason has changed how the team should be viewed. We already knew the linebacker depth was poor. We already knew Doug Johnson isn't much of a quarterback. We already knew the secondary has a tackling problem. Why did so many people wait until now to freak out? Did we really need the Bengals to affirm those issues for us?

I would take issue with your statement that "nothing that has happened during the preseason has changed how the team should be viewed." You are absolutely right that we've known there were weak spots for months. I've expressed my concern over the o-line all offseason. Membengal was out in front of everyone with his (correct) analysis that the No. 3 WR spot would be trouble. TE has been a gaping hole since March.

However, I think we all expected that these issues would get dealt with in camp -- and they haven't. The o-line has gotten more banged up, every TE they signed to try out behind Kelly got hurt, and no one has been able to seize the three spot at wideout. On top of that, several things have happened during the preseason, the most obvious of which was the injury to Kenny Irons, which deep-sixed hopes of a home run threat out of the backfield and cut out a big chunk of RB depth. Also, Odell's petition for reinstatement was denied, to the surprise of everyone including, apparently, the Bengals. Combined with Brooks' failure to develop so far, an already shaky LB corps has gotten even shakier.

Does this mean the bengals are doomed? Of course not. But it's hard to escape the impression that the team is going in the wrong direction, piling up more question marks instead of answers. And I don't think the jitters will die down until we see a few of the key injured guys, like Willie and Levi, back on the field, and a solid game by both the first team offense and defense.

[bengalsfansince68]

And that's the problem Spor_tees. Most of the folks here that see no problem haven't played more than checkers before in their lives and can't grasp the concept.

I'm unsure how many people here see no problems. It seems to me that most people are not denying that there are problems but are questioning ya'll's the sky is falling mentality.

Those who think that way don't seem to understand that teams can stink for a while until they come together as a team. Those who do understand this are likely to be of a more optimistic mindset than the pessimistic, defeatist attitude that seems to be prevelant at all boards, not just this one.

I once played in a ten team baseball league. The first half of the season we went 0 - 9, the second half, 9 - 0.

I know our Bengals can't afford to perform at that level of sucking before getting started but teams can improve dramatically across the course of a season.

I could be wrong but I'm not!

[hrod382]

That first game was lost because of our 3rd string guys at the very end of the game, who cares that we lost that one. Last weeks was dissapointing because of the first teams lack of production on offense but it was still the first game.

I was a little concerned after the '05 preseason and was pumped after the '06 preseason, if no one has learned from the last two years then shame on you.