Preseason Predictions (merged)

[Wraith]

So the Sporting News season preview came out last week and they had the Bengals 8-8 and third in the AFC North. Athlon's has us 6-10 and the 10th best team in the AFC. Do these guys know something about this team that we don't or are they just going off of the "haven't won in consecutive years since 80-81". Is Palmer a C+ QB? Ochocinco, Bryant, Shipley, Gresham, Matt Jones, Coffman, Caldwell a C+ Receiving Corp? They graded our Linebackers a B-? I admit to being a homer but I see this tam as one of the most talented in the AFC (third or fourth behind the Jets, Ravens, Chargers). Am I just delusional?

Before Chris Henry's Injury Carson was on track for a 3,663 yard year with 28 TDs and 14 INTs and an 88.9 QB Rating. Isn't it reasonable to expect more from him this season? Matt Jones has Chris Henry like ability and Bryant also has deep threat ability.

[BengalByTheBay]

So the Sporting News season preview came out last week and they had the Bengals 8-8 and third in the AFC North. Athlon's has us 6-10 and the 10th best team in the AFC. Do these guys know something about this team that we don't or are they just going off of the "haven't won in consecutive years since 80-81". Is Palmer a C+ QB? Ochocinco, Bryant, Shipley, Gresham, Matt Jones, Coffman, Caldwell a C+ Receiving Corp? They graded our Linebackers a B-? I admit to being a homer but I see this tam as one of the most talented in the AFC (third or fourth behind the Jets, Ravens, Chargers). Am I just delusional?

Before Chris Henry's Injury Carson was on track for a 3,663 yard year with 28 TDs and 14 INTs and an 88.9 QB Rating. Isn't it reasonable to expect more from him this season? Matt Jones has Chris Henry like ability and Bryant also has deep threat ability.

I choose to answer your question this way. What did the Sporting News season preview say about the Bengals for 2009? If it was anything remarkably different than the 10-6 record, I would discount the current prediction according to exactly how far off they were last season. I'm not going to look it up, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if they had predicted a losing record.

[BengalPimp]

Those predictions are garbage. There is only one entity thats can predict the future, and that is.......The Magic 8 Ball

BengalPimp: Oh glorious Magic 8 Ball, will the Bengals end up with a better record than the 6-10 Athlon predicts?

Magic 8 Ball: It is Certain

BP: Oh Magic 8 Ball, will the Bengals end up with a better record than the 8-8 The Sporting News predicts?

M 8 B: Signs point to yes.

BP: Oh Magic 8 Ball, will the Bengals repeat as Division Champs?

M 8 B: Outlook Good.

BP: Oh Magic 8 Ball, are all other so called "Prognosticators" full of crap?

M 8 B: You may rely on it

BP: I will !!!

....and for my own personal amusement, I asked 1 other question on an unrelated topic.....

BP: Oh Magic 8 Ball, Did Matt Jones ever buy you, break you open, and try to snort your insides thinking you were an 8 Ball of Coke?

M 8 B: Yes

[TJJackson]

BP: Oh Magic 8 Ball, Did Matt Jones ever buy you, break you open, and try to snort your insides thinking you were an 8 Ball of Coke?

M 8 B: Yes

Made my day

[Wraith]

I believe they had us at 6-10 last season, oh and by the way...Chick Ludwig wrote the Bengals piece so I think I answered my own question.

[HoosierCat]

I choose to answer your question this way. What did the Sporting News season preview say about the Bengals for 2009?

I don't have that offhand, but I was just cleaning off my overcluttered desktop and found this blast from the not-so-distant past.

Browns will be in better shape than Bengals

By Tom Archdeacon | Monday, December 29, 2008, 10:15 AM

The Bengals finished with three straight victories and — by virtue of that tie with Philadelphia — ended up with a slightly better record at 4-11-1 than the 4-12 Browns, who lost their last six games and , were out-scored, 45-0, in the final two.

So which franchise will fare better in the future?

Even though they canned general manager Phil Savage on Sunday and coach Romeo Crennel this morning — even though their roster has too many overpaid players and the club will face salary cap issues because so many huge signing bonuses that have been handed out — I’ll go with the Browns.

And that’s even if they don’t end up with Bill Cowher, Bill Parcells or Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo as their next head coach.

Whether it’s in politics or sports, change often can be for the better. The Miami Dolphins scrapped everything after last year’s 1-15 nightmare and look at them now. They’re 11-5 and in the play-offs.

As for Cincinnati?

Once again nothing of significance will change and because of it a winning record in 2009 will be just as elusive as it has been the past 18 seasons — when just one Bengals team finished a winner.

Thanks to three meaningless victories in a row to close out this season — against, it should be noted, three teams they should have beaten — the Bengals power brokers can fool themselves into believing they are right on the cusp of NFL respectability.

They’ll point out they had a record 23 players on injured reserve , including quarterback Carson Palmer. They’ll note the emergence of young players and back-ups from rookie receiver Andre Caldwell to veteran running back Cedric Benson.

Certainly Caldwell and Benson and some others were great finds this year, but one thing — the main thing — was no different.

Team owner Mike Brown and his family — good people, but inadequate when it comes to managing a competitive NFL franchise — run the Bengals like a Mom and Pop corner grocery:

No GM, few scouts, no clue,.

And they certainly won’t change anything now that the season ended with a glimmer of hope. But that promise shimmers like an emerald mirage in the middle of a desert.

A young Cincinnati Enquirer reporter touched on that point in a legitimate question to Marvin Lewis a couple of weeks ago and the Bengals coach wrongly laced into him, saying the question was disrespectful of what he and his team were trying to do.

The only people being disrespected here are the Bengals faithful fans, the Hamilton County voters who paid for Paul Brown Stadium and the corporate donors who fork out something like $175,000 to rent a stadium suite.

They deserve more for their money.

Since Mike Brown took over the club in 1991, the Bengals have won just 101 games — 34 of them in December. Most of those wins meant nothing. By then, the play-offs were an impossibility.

And will next year be any different?

Several key players will be lost to free agency and there’s still the looming question of Carson Palmer’s arm. Will it ever be the same again? Will the offensive line — hampered both by key injuries and some over-matched starters — be able to protect him when he does return? Bengals quarterbacks were sacked 51 times this season — three times the number in 2007.

Under the Lerner family the past 10 years, the Browns haven’t — as just two winning seasons attest — been very successful either. But at least they will make an effort to change.

Owner Randy Lerner will spent a lot of money to dump Savage, Crennel and possibly offensive coordinator Rod Chudzinski. Savage has four years left on his contract, the other two have three and that could cost Lerner $30 million in all.

But he gave $12 million to Butch Davis when he left in 1994.

If nothing else, a guy coming into the Browns knows he will be paid well. Sure, name guys are going to want more than that and that’s the convincing Lerner will have to do.

Cowher is first on his wish list, but tops on several other teams’ as well. And the former Pittsburgh Steelers coach has said he was going to stay out of coaching another year.

I don’t necessarily believe that and I don’t think there’s any kind of handshake agreement with the Steelers not to coach the Browns. Whether he wants to come to Cleveland, though, is another story.

Parcells, as ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported Sunday, can leave his Dolphins front office job if owner Wayne Huizenga sells the team and, from what I know from folks in Miami, that seems likely to happen next month in a deal already in the works with developer Stephen Ross.

As for a general manager, the Browns first choice seems to be New England executive president Scott Pioli.

But if that should be the case, Parcells wouldn’t be interested in Cleveland. He’s said all along that he’s not going to work alongside Pioli, who is his son-in-law.

He believes family and business don’t always mix.

Too bad the Bengals don’t see it the same way.

So, how's that working out there for ya, Tom?

[FubWilson]

The Bengals have deepen their roster and that is enough reason to believe that they will go far this time. The addition of Terrell Owens plus their two rookies, Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley gave the Bengals additional options. Thus, easing the burden on Palmer.

[HoosierCat]

Speaking of season previews, espn.com put its out yesterday.

Buckle your chinstraps, fellas, because you ain't gonna believe this.

[cincyhokie]

Go to www.nfl.com for their season and playoff predictions.

It was a unanimous that the Packers would win the SB. Pat Kirwan has the Bengals winning it all against GB. Crazy to see that in print.

[volcom69]

Speaking of season previews, espn.com put its out yesterday.

Buckle your chinstraps, fellas, because you ain't gonna believe this.

That guy from the espn mag made me laugh lol lol. Well at least we win for having two guys on a vh1 drama show

[cincyhokie]

Speaking of season previews, espn.com put its out yesterday.

Buckle your chinstraps, fellas, because you ain't gonna believe this.

That guy from the espn mag made me laugh lol lol. Well at least we win for having two guys on a vh1 drama show

Seth Wickersham must be a Browns fan.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Dang. Interesting parts about that:

1) Writers are more sold on us than the bookies, where the Bengals are still sitting at 8 wins for over/under at most sites. Usually the books are smarter than the writers, who tend to just pick last year's winners.

2) I don't know who Seth Wickersham is, but he's a moron. 4th place, really? If he wants to put even money that the Browns end up with more wins than the Bengals, I'm available.

3) I can't see how you can look at the Bengals and not think playoffs. They've just got too much talent.

4) 6-10 is insane. I can't believe that anybody who's watched football would come up with that. Wraith, are you sure that was the prediction for 2010?

[Trevor]

Speaking of season previews, espn.com put its out yesterday.

Buckle your chinstraps, fellas, because you ain't gonna believe this.

+1, & likes this

[volcom69]

Dang. Interesting parts about that:

1) Writers are more sold on us than the bookies, where the Bengals are still sitting at 8 wins for over/under at most sites. Usually the books are smarter than the writers, who tend to just pick last year's winners.

2) I don't know who Seth Wickersham is, but he's a moron. 4th place, really? If he wants to put even money that the Browns end up with more wins than the Bengals, I'm available.

3) I can't see how you can look at the Bengals and not think playoffs. They've just got too much talent.

4) 6-10 is insane. I can't believe that anybody who's watched football would come up with that. Wraith, are you sure that was the prediction for 2010?

Yea i think espn mag had us at 6-10, but they did have the chiefs at 9-7 this year

[HairOnFire]

So the range is 6-10 all of the way to Superbowl champions?

[[[shrug]]]

I'm not buying 6-10.

But I can very easily buy the any idea based on a group of observers grading THIS team could walk away with vastly different opinions.

Some see the talent. Others don't recognize the names. Some see the potential for meltdown. Others see the Great Redeemer vindicated. Some see only the high profile floundering and flailing...Bryant, Andre, Manwhore, Batman, etc. Others see a remarkably solid core surrounded by a thin covering of harmless flakey bits. And last, absolutely everybody sees the schedule to be faced. Only a select few will see how the same pathway to the playoffs exists. Specifically, grind the rest of the North into dust. And while another sweep of the division would be nice it isn't mandatory....as sometimes implied.

Do that much and this team makes the playoffs.....where most will see little more than last seasons miserable performance against the Jets. Few will look beyond and see how this team is better built to compete at a playoff level.

Plus, there's Chad and Owens to consider. Everyone sees diva. But others see Owens as a much needed leader for Chad and the team itself.

Finally, this team doesn't have a proven kicker. Worse, the favorite to win the job is injury prone and could leave the Bengals without a much needed scoring threat at any time. Unless of course you count on The Ocho as a viable backup. Which you sort of have to.

So yeah. Boom or bust?

Absolutely.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Finally, this team doesn't have a proven kicker.

That's the one thing that worries me. I don't want to be in January saying 'but for a kicker...'

Other than that, I think this sort of team is a good discriminator for writers who write headlines vs. those that know football. Because for all the screwups - Andre, Bryant, the 'bad apples' - they've assembled a great defense, a deep backfield, and a top-notch receiving corps.

I understand there's always a lot of variance in guessing team records in the NFL. So I can see somebody saying anything from 6-10 to SB is possible. But I can't see claiming that 6-10 is the expected value. That just smacks of somebody who doesn't know football.

[volcom69]

I think it all comes down to how can the Bengals handle success. Last year they came in and nobody knew what they were, they thought the Bengals were just another team. It shows though what can happen when they play a team. This year though they wont sneek up on anybody, so can they come out and put it all toghter and play as a team. If so can they handle success, if so then i see no reason why the Bengals cant take the division, or go deep in the playoffs. Its a talented team, but can they put it all toghter.

[HairOnFire]

I understand there's always a lot of variance in guessing team records in the NFL. So I can see somebody saying anything from 6-10 to SB is possible. But I can't see claiming that 6-10 is the expected value. That just smacks of somebody who doesn't know football.

Perhaps, but in the grand scheme of things 6-10 doesn't seem much different than 8-8 and that's where plenty of people have the Bengals pegged. Plus, consider what the storylines will be, and how the pressure will rise, if this team opens the season by going 0-2.

[jjakq27]

Sports Illustrated picked the Bengals third in the division behind the Steelers and Ravens. And they (Peter King) picked the Steelers to win the Super Bowl over the Packers. i just don't get the love fest with the Packers this year and even less with the Steelers.

Hope someone nails that one to the locker room bulletin board at PBS.

[COB]

If you are old enough to have any sense, you grew up getting sports info from your local paper and Sports Illustrated.

Therefore I still read SI.

Peter King wrote their preview, and he had the Bengals 3rd in the AFC North, behind Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Offensive? Yes, to anyone with a brain.

Then I read the story that goes with each ranking. He doesn't even bother to back up his rankings. He just gives some personnel moves, talks a little about their schedules, fellates ownership and management of his favored teams, then signs off.

He never even bothers to say the Bengals will suck because A, B, C, or whatever. He never explains why the Steelers will be so good.

I expect mediocrity from Peter King. But no analysis at all is frustrating.j

Caveat: Before the abysmal '08 season, some media were high on the Bengals. Peter King visited camp and totally called it. He said the Bengals looked horrible in practice and they wouldn't be any good.

[savagehenry54]

If you are old enough to have any sense, you grew up getting sports info from your local paper and Sports Illustrated.

Therefore I still read SI.

Peter King wrote their preview, and he had the Bengals 3rd in the AFC North, behind Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Offensive? Yes, to anyone with a brain.

Then I read the story that goes with each ranking. He doesn't even bother to back up his rankings. He just gives some personnel moves, talks a little about their schedules, fellates ownership and management of his favored teams, then signs off.

He never even bothers to say the Bengals will suck because A, B, C, or whatever. He never explains why the Steelers will be so good.

I expect mediocrity from Peter King. But no analysis at all is frustrating.j

Caveat: Before the abysmal '08 season, some media were high on the Bengals. Peter King visited camp and totally called it. He said the Bengals looked horrible in practice and they wouldn't be any good.

To your caveat, if you keep saying that every year like he does, you're bound to be right sometimes. LOL

[cincyhokie]

It's funny how people can attain credibility in their professions. Peter King might be a writer but he's not a good analyst. Colin Cowerd has a radio personality but he couldn't provide analysis on sports if his life depended on it.

Peter King's idiotic opinions don't piss me off. Him getting paid for what he does puzzles the sh*t out of me, however.

[Stripes]

Seth Wickersham pegged them at 4th in the division.

I don't expect them to finish that low either, but let's just wait for the season to prove us right. Should the ever surprising NFL decide to surprise us with a 7-9 type crap season, nobody will want to be subjected to the s**t-eating grin that'll surely grace Peter King's fat face.

[cincyhokie]

Again, Peter King was so good as Norm in "Cheers". Now he's just an a**hole. What happened?

[jjakq27]

The highlight of the entire thing is that he predicted the Steelers would beat the Packers in the Super Bowl.