This is the week we see if the formula works

[walzav29]

This is it. We're going against the a team that passes more than they run and they aren't that great at stopping the run. This is the blue print of the teams that we'll face if we make the playoffs. It's a passing league and now that the Bengals run more than pass, running no longer matters. This is the biggest test of the year.

[membengal]

No, the biggest tests of the year were against Pittsburgh and Baltimore. And we have seen the formula already works, against certain opponents. I don't think success or failure against San Diego will validate or invalidate what has already worked.

I also happen to think that the certain teams and matches are a bad fit for what Cincy likes to do, and the Chargers are one such team.

[Ickey44]

I also happen to think that the certain teams and matches are a bad fit for what Cincy likes to do, and the Chargers are one such team.

Which means they need to come up with a plan to at least get an early lead so they can then go back to what they do and grind the clock. I'm all about running, but all that running should be setting up some play-action down the field and it hasn't. Quite honestly, I think Carson's PA fake sucks ass. If he could make it better then maybe some safeties and corners will start to bite on it and we can hit some of those deep PA passes. I know they've called them and I've seen Palmer look elsewhere when his primary target is double covered. It's getting old.

Also, with all the pressure lately, why not roll Palmer out a few times? He can throw on the run for Christ's sake.

[belmontbengal]

I also happen to think that the certain teams and matches are a bad fit for what Cincy likes to do, and the Chargers are one such team.

Which means they need to come up with a plan to at least get an early lead so they can then go back to what they do and grind the clock. I'm all about running, but all that running should be setting up some play-action down the field and it hasn't. Quite honestly, I think Carson's PA fake sucks ass. If he could make it better then maybe some safeties and corners will start to bite on it and we can hit some of those deep PA passes. I know they've called them and I've seen Palmer look elsewhere when his primary target is double covered. It's getting old.

Also, with all the pressure lately, why not roll Palmer out a few times? He can throw on the run for Christ's sake.

The PA comments are a good point...I do wonder if the injury to Carson's left hand early in the year has hindered his ability to pull off a decent handoff fake? I would think it would...

I find myself agreeing with much of what you type, Ron. It's a bit eery honestly.

[agreen_112]

Remember, SD is now 16-0 in December with Rivers.. This is THE test to see how this team will play in the playoffs. On the road, West Coast, in December. We've played Baltimore and Pitt numerous times, those are games we should win. This is a game we MUST win. This is our test to see how we will stack up against post-season teams... I agree with the OP.

[Ickey44]

I find myself agreeing with much of what you type, Ron. It's a bit eery honestly.

It's like, common sense or something. If I notice these things why doesn't Brat?

[BengalByTheBay]

Remember, SD is now 16-0 in December with Rivers.. This is THE test to see how this team will play in the playoffs. On the road, West Coast, in December. We've played Baltimore and Pitt numerous times, those are games we should win. This is a game we MUST win. This is our test to see how we will stack up against post-season teams... I agree with the OP.

There it is again, the old "must win."

Why must we win? To get into the playoffs....not really. To get any particular seeding in the playoffs.....kinda, but since SD currently has a better record, to lose would only maintain that status quo. So, what puts the "must win" label on this game?

If you want my answer it's simply that it would make people feel better. I know it would make me feel better. But since that's true of pretty much every game every week of every year, I can't agree that it's enough of a reason to talk about this as a "must win." In saying that, however, I fully recognize that a million sports reporters will say and write that this week is a "must win" for about half the teams in the league, so I'm not really busting on the Green Giz (eeewwww, somebody get a mop) so much as decrying that this has to be one of the most overused terms in sports.

[Pidge]

Remember, SD is now 16-0 in December with Rivers.. This is THE test to see how this team will play in the playoffs. On the road, West Coast, in December. We've played Baltimore and Pitt numerous times, those are games we should win. This is a game we MUST win. This is our test to see how we will stack up against post-season teams... I agree with the OP.

There it is again, the old "must win."

Why must we win? To get into the playoffs....not really. To get any particular seeding in the playoffs.....kinda, but since SD currently has a better record, to lose would only maintain that status quo. So, what puts the "must win" label on this game?

If you want my answer it's simply that it would make people feel better. I know it would make me feel better. But since that's true of pretty much every game every week of every year, I can't agree that it's enough of a reason to talk about this as a "must win." In saying that, however, I fully recognize that a million sports reporters will say and write that this week is a "must win" for about half the teams in the league, so I'm not really busting on the Green Giz (eeewwww, somebody get a mop) so much as decrying that this has to be one of the most overused terms in sports.

Yep.

[Ickey44]

There it is again, the old "must win."

Why must we win? To get into the playoffs....not really.

No, but if we want the second seed, which is something Marvin alluded to last week, this is a must win. I happy with the playoffs, but I really want that second seed.

[BengalByTheBay]

There it is again, the old "must win."

Why must we win? To get into the playoffs....not really.

No, but if we want the second seed, which is something Marvin alluded to last week, this is a must win. I happy with the playoffs, but I really want that second seed.

So, it's a "want win" not a "must win." That's just my point. "Must win" suggests that something terrible will happen, like the season is over, if you don't win. If the terrible thing that would happen is that we won't get the second seed (which we currently don't have), it's really not a must. Don't get me wrong, I want to win too. But this isn't the NCAA tournament or the playoffs. If we lose, it's not the end of the world.

I mean, hell, I remember a thread stating that week 1 against Denver was a "must win." I think this phrase is losing its impact if it gets thrown around so casually. I certainly hope the Bengals don't think it's a "must win" and shut down for the rest of the season if they don't.

[Pidge]

In fact, and I hope this isn't the case obviously, but were the Ravens to lose we could forfeit all our remaining games and we'd still be AFCN champs. I mean, let's not back into the post season but we're still in a hell of a strong position to make even in the event of an epic collapse.

Nothing 'must win' about this game whatsoever. It's not like Daisy Dukes et al is going to give us credit anyway. We could go on a 10 SB, decade-long period of uber-dominance and they'd still hate us. So, ultimately, who gives a crap?

[Stripes]

In fact, and I hope this isn't the case obviously, but were the Ravens to lose we could forfeit all our remaining games and we'd still be AFCN champs. I mean, let's not back into the post season but we're still in a hell of a strong position to make even in the event of an epic collapse.

It'd be wonderful to rest our starters for a couple weeks. Sure, we'd love for the Bengals to charge into the playoffs firing on all cylinders... but they probably won't anyways. If we clinch the division early and are out of the race for #2, we'll play backups. Hell, that might earn us a playoff game against the Jets immediately after losing to them without the starters.

Injuries suck right now, and that's an easy remedy.

[HoosierCat]

While we're talking about formulas for success, can someone factor "Kevin Huber quits impersonating Kyle Larson" and "The Franchise doesn't shank kickoffs out of bounds" into the equations?

On a positive note, Hobson says Scott will play against SD so we might actually get some pop out of the return game.

[volcom69]

I also happen to think that the certain teams and matches are a bad fit for what Cincy likes to do, and the Chargers are one such team.

Which means they need to come up with a plan to at least get an early lead so they can then go back to what they do and grind the clock. I'm all about running, but all that running should be setting up some play-action down the field and it hasn't. Quite honestly, I think Carson's PA fake sucks ass. If he could make it better then maybe some safeties and corners will start to bite on it and we can hit some of those deep PA passes. I know they've called them and I've seen Palmer look elsewhere when his primary target is double covered. It's getting old.

Also, with all the pressure lately, why not roll Palmer out a few times? He can throw on the run for Christ's sake.

In yesterdays game Palmer moved up in the pocket, and ran outside the pocket a few times, but never found an open guy. With these recievers not getting open Palmer dosnt have much of an option. We can talk about the o-line not giving Palmer the time, but when he does nobody was open to throw too. It seems he never throws the ball down the field, so everybody plays this team with safties in because they never throw deep.

[BengalByTheBay]

While we're talking about formulas for success, can someone factor "Kevin Huber quits impersonating Kyle Larson" and "The Franchise doesn't shank kickoffs out of bounds" into the equations?

Indeed, the biggest breakdown in my opinion was the special teams. Huber looked terrible, Graham kicks one out of bounds to start a freaking half(???) and the coverage team couldn't stop a single return (and there were plenty of opportunities unfortunately) for less than 30 yards. Terrible day for teams.

ST and penalties alone probably lost the game for us regardless of any other factors. And this after the punting and coverage game has been so incredibly, surprisingly strong this season. Just disappointing, man.

[HoosierCat]

ST and penalties alone probably lost the game for us regardless of any other factors. And this after the punting and coverage game has been so incredibly, surprisingly strong this season. Just disappointing, man.

Absolutely. Though I don't think I'd go quite as far as pinning the loss on teams. Everybody shat their bed Sunday.

And on that note, I'd like to raise a point I haven't seen much of in the aftermath of the game: what did we learn about Minnesota?

We didn't learn anything we didn't already know about Cincinnati. But given just how poorly Cincy played, shouldn't the Vikings have pounded them by another 10 or 20 points, at least? Yet even with the Bengals playing terribly, the Vikings managed a 20-point victory only with extra help from boneheaded playcalling at the end of the first half and a dropped pick by Jonathan "Hands of Stone" Joseph. That's 10 points right there. And another Minny TD drive relied on yet another Immaculate Deflection to stay alive.

The Bengals certainly didn't look like a contender yesterday. But I don't think that the Vikes did, either.

[COB]

This game is the least important of the 3 remaining. San Diego is a better team than the Bengals. They're a complete team, good in all facets, we can do like 3 things well.

The last two games are really important. We lose those, to inferior teams, and we're really behind the 8 ball.

[derekshank]

San Diego is a better team than the Bengals. They're a complete team, good in all facets, we can do like 3 things well.

Not sure I agree with this statement. San Diego might be the better team. Time will tell... but they aren't a complete team. They are ranked 21st in rushing defense, and 31st in rushing offense. That's certainly quite a deficiency for a team that you call "complete."

Sure, they don't need to run the ball all that much because they have a top 5 passing attack, but we'll see what's what on Sunday. I feel like the Bengals will be able to run the ball effectively against them, and this will certainly be the best defense San Diego has faced this year.

Like I said, you might be right about them being a better team. They certainly have looked better lately. But they aren't good in all facets, and the places they are weak, are where the Bengals excel. It at the very least should make for an interesting match-up.

[volcom69]

I found the quote by Palmer pretty intesting where he said, "we are a team that throws it 20 times, and runs it 30 times". That is all great if you are in a game that will allow you to do that. Then he goes on and says "I hope we are in a situation where we dont have to throw the ball". Im looking at that quote like maybe he is not to confident right now in himself throwing the ball. You would think as a QB he would want to throw the ball, he would want to win the game by throwing the ball?

Maybe im reading to much into that, but that dosnt make me feel anymore comfortable about this passing game. Im all for the run if it is the way you are going to win, but in a game like yesterday when they got down pretty fast and couldnt run the ball all the time, well i guess they are just going to lose then.

Anybody else find those quotes kind of weird like i said maybe im looking into this to much. These quotes came from bengals.com.

[Stripes]

I found the quote by Palmer pretty intesting where he said, "we are a team that throws it 20 times, and runs it 30 times". That is all great if you are in a game that will allow you to do that. Then he goes on and says "I hope we are in a situation where we dont have to throw the ball". Im looking at that quote like maybe he is not to confident right now in himself throwing the ball. You would think as a QB he would want to throw the ball, he would want to win the game by throwing the ball?

Maybe im reading to much into that, but that dosnt make me feel anymore comfortable about this passing game. Im all for the run if it is the way you are going to win, but in a game like yesterday when they got down pretty fast and couldnt run the ball all the time, well i guess they are just going to lose then.

Anybody else find those quotes kind of weird like i said maybe im looking into this to much. These quotes came from bengals.com.

Yeah, you're reading into them too much. Palmer hopes we don't have to throw because that would mean we have a lead.

[volcom69]

I found the quote by Palmer pretty intesting where he said, "we are a team that throws it 20 times, and runs it 30 times". That is all great if you are in a game that will allow you to do that. Then he goes on and says "I hope we are in a situation where we dont have to throw the ball". Im looking at that quote like maybe he is not to confident right now in himself throwing the ball. You would think as a QB he would want to throw the ball, he would want to win the game by throwing the ball?

Maybe im reading to much into that, but that dosnt make me feel anymore comfortable about this passing game. Im all for the run if it is the way you are going to win, but in a game like yesterday when they got down pretty fast and couldnt run the ball all the time, well i guess they are just going to lose then.

Anybody else find those quotes kind of weird like i said maybe im looking into this to much. These quotes came from bengals.com.

Yeah, you're reading into them too much. Palmer hopes we don't have to throw because that would mean we have a lead.

Yea i thought maybe i was i guess im just letting this passing game thing worry me to much lol. I love the running game and defense, but man i wanna see them open it up and go down the field more.

[agreen_112]

It's a must win. We have to win this game. If this isn't a must win, I don't know what is.

[BengalByTheBay]

It's a must win. We have to win this game. If this isn't a must win, I don't know what is.

I agree...you don't know what a "must win" is.