How about a Patriots related thread?

[derekshank]

moss sure...fred taylor? I doubt he gets over 50 yards.

If Taylor get 50 and Morris gets 50 and Faulk gets 50.

I can live with that.

I'll bet you could live with that... since the Bengals averaged less than 100 yards rushing/game last year.

You should be f**king ecstatic if that mess you call a RB corps gets 30 yards a piece.

My prediction? The Pats get at best 80 yards rushing. Brady is the only shot the Pats have of moving th ball in this one.

[HairOnFire]

Pardon me, Seymor not Wilfork.

Maybe the biggest issue of all is the Pats starting corners are a rookie and a second year player with 5 starts.

I see a serious lack of experience across the entire defensive backfield.

If Chad and TO and Shipley cannot exploit this with Carson I will be very surprised.

Hopefully, this is where adding a veteran WR like Owens pays off....with a core offensive passing attack that doesn't take weeks or months to begin producing.

[capslock]

This should be a very good game. The Bengals seem loaded this year.

The Pats are loaded on offense.

No Rodney Harrison, no Tedy Bruschi, no Mike Vrabel, so I'm wondering how good the defense will be. Lots of good guys in your secondary, but your D line is what I'll be watching.

All those guys got old. Vrabel is still playing good though.

The NE defense will surely be a bend dont break type. Dont give up the big play and get the opposing team in the redzone where there is less room to operate for the offense. The NE DL has 2 new guys in Wright and Gerrard Warren. Wrights made some good plays over the years as a back up, but hes never been a starter until now. G Warren? I dont know how long he will last.

[capslock]

moss sure...fred taylor? I doubt he gets over 50 yards.

If Taylor get 50 and Morris gets 50 and Faulk gets 50.

I can live with that.

I'll bet you could live with that... since the Bengals averaged less than 100 yards rushing/game last year.

You should be f**king ecstatic if that mess you call a RB corps gets 30 yards a piece.

My prediction? The Pats get at best 80 yards rushing. Brady is the only shot the Pats have of moving th ball in this one.

Im not sure what last season has to do with the 2010 season. Things are rarely the same from year to year. The Bengals swept the AFCN last year. That wont happen again in 2010.

There very well could be 4 guys rushing the ball for NE. 80 yards seems really light if that many guys are called upon to carry the ball. Trouble is NE can pass the ball like crazy. And, that usually opens up the run.

Its going to be a good game. Really looking forward to it. The Bengals are a worthy opponent and could very well beat NE.

[Walrus]

LOL from the dot.com

INJURY UPDATE: Head coach Marvin Lewis had his players dress in their one-for-all-for one practice jerseys Wednesday. The defense had on white shirts and the defense black shirts with no numbers. Or it may been to prevent spying as they worked out under beautiful sunny skies in downtown. What could be seen is that running back Brian Leonard (foot) and cornerback Brandon Ghee (concussion) weren't working.

[derekshank]

moss sure...fred taylor? I doubt he gets over 50 yards.

If Taylor get 50 and Morris gets 50 and Faulk gets 50.

I can live with that.

I'll bet you could live with that... since the Bengals averaged less than 100 yards rushing/game last year.

You should be f**king ecstatic if that mess you call a RB corps gets 30 yards a piece.

My prediction? The Pats get at best 80 yards rushing. Brady is the only shot the Pats have of moving th ball in this one.

Im not sure what last season has to do with the 2010 season. Things are rarely the same from year to year. The Bengals swept the AFCN last year. That wont happen again in 2010.

I didn't predict a sweep of the AFCN. I predicted the Pats will have trouble running the ball.

The Bengals have the same starting front-7 from last year... and have done nothing but add depth and talent to it.

The Pats won't get 100 yards rushing. But you're right. Brady will try to throw like crazy. His level of success against the Bengals secondary is what will determine the outcome of the game, because the running will be stifled all day long.

[Sea Ray]

I think it'd be an incredible upset if the Bengals were to come out of Foxborough with a victory. Last year was one of the best years in recent Bengal history and they only managed one road win outside of the division, Green Bay. They lost to a lot of teams worse than NE on the road last year.

If our Bengals start off 1-0 this year then we've got an awfully good team to root for and one that's likely better than last year's.

[volcom69]

I really think its a matter of how much they pressure Brady, if they get no pass rush im not sure the secondary can hold there WR. They need to play physical at the line, and im sure they will not be putting 8 men in the box, so the d-line needs to stop the run also.

They need to find a way to beat the Pats young secondary/defense. Throw some long shots, and use the middle of the field. I would also like to see Benson have a great game.

[whizzo]

yup. ocho and TO have to use their veteran savvy to beat the Pats' secondary - they're starting a rookie and a 2nd year player at CB, for crying out loud.

[capslock]

I didn't predict a sweep of the AFCN. I predicted the Pats will have trouble running the ball.

The Bengals have the same starting front-7 from last year... and have done nothing but add depth and talent to it.

The Pats won't get 100 yards rushing. But you're right. Brady will try to throw like crazy. His level of success against the Bengals secondary is what will determine the outcome of the game, because the running will be stifled all day long.

I didnt imply that you predicted an AFCN sweep. That was an example that no two seasons are alike.

We shall see if the Bengals DL is the same. Pre season games can lie.

I dont know why the Bengals wouldnt focus their efforts on stopping the pass instead of the run? I think NE will spread the Bengals D out with 4 and 5 receiving targets. The emphasis this year is spreading the ball around instead of Welker and Moss getting all the catches.

[HoosierCat]

They lost to a lot of teams worse than NE on the road last year.

How do you figure that?

Last year's road losses were to the Vikings (12-4 vs. the Pats' 10-6), the Chargers (13-3), the Jets in a game in which they didn't even try, and a loss to miserable Oakland. I'll give you that one, but I don't see a "lot of teams" here.

[HoosierCat]

Today's injury report, via Florio:

Pats missing practice: Randy Moss (illness), receiver Julian Edelman (foot), tackle Nick Kaczur (back), running back Laurence Maroney (thigh), and cornerback Terrence Wheatley (foot).

Bengals:

For the Bengals, cornerback Brandon Ghee (head) and running back Brian Leonard (foot) did not practice. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins (knee), receiver Andre Caldwell (groin), and defensive end Jonathan Fanene (hamstring) practiced on a limited basis.

[Sea Ray]

They lost to a lot of teams worse than NE on the road last year.

How do you figure that?

Last year's road losses were to the Vikings (12-4 vs. the Pats' 10-6), the Chargers (13-3), the Jets in a game in which they didn't even try, and a loss to miserable Oakland. I'll give you that one, but I don't see a "lot of teams" here.

Want to quibble on my choice of words, fine. I'll change it to "some". Or if you prefer I'll say "they didn't beat any team on the road last year that was as good as the Patriots appear to be this year." Perhaps you could argue GB but my point is this: We don't beat teams as good as NE very often on the road. Do you have an issue with that statement?

Sure they threw the first Jets game but then they had them at home and still couldn't beat them which is even more damning than losing to them on the road. Again my point is that the Bengals rarely beat playoff teams on the road

[HoosierCat]

We don't beat teams as good as NE very often on the road. Do you have an issue with that statement?

Only that it's an example of making a mountain out of a molehill. It's tough to win on the road versus teams of any caliber in the NFL.

Let's take, for example, the mighty New England Patriots. They were undefeated at home last year.

On the road? 2-6. They managed to beat the Bills and Bucs. They lost to the Jets, Denver, Indy, NO, Miami and Houston.

The Bengals were 4-4 on the road, winning at Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Green Bay and Cleveland.

If you want to argue the Pats are tough at home, that's true. But based on last years road performance, I like Cincy's chances better than if I were a Pats fan facing opening day on the Ohio River.

[Stripes]

Again my point is that the Bengals rarely beat playoff teams on the road

I agree. I have to wonder though: who does often beat playoff teams on the road? The Colts, sure, and... eh?

[Sea Ray]

We don't beat teams as good as NE very often on the road. Do you have an issue with that statement?

Only that it's an example of making a mountain out of a molehill. It's tough to win on the road versus teams of any caliber in the NFL.

Let's take, for example, the mighty New England Patriots. They were undefeated at home last year.

On the road? 2-6. They managed to beat the Bills and Bucs. They lost to the Jets, Denver, Indy, NO, Miami and Houston.

The Bengals were 4-4 on the road, winning at Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Green Bay and Cleveland.

If you want to argue the Pats are tough at home, that's true. But based on last years road performance, I like Cincy's chances better than if I were a Pats fan facing opening day on the Ohio River.

You're making my point. It's very tough and highly unusual to beat a team like NE on the road, thus I'd be very surprised if the Bengals won. It doesn't happen very often and as you stated, it didn't happen at all last year for NE.

Do you realize how much of a longshot the Bengals are to win this game?

[Sea Ray]

Again my point is that the Bengals rarely beat playoff teams on the road

I agree. I have to wonder though: who does often beat playoff teams on the road? The Colts, sure, and... eh?

Not often, hence the Bengals are a longshot to pull out a win

[Trevor]

I didn't predict a sweep of the AFCN. I predicted the Pats will have trouble running the ball.

The Bengals have the same starting front-7 from last year... and have done nothing but add depth and talent to it.

The Pats won't get 100 yards rushing. But you're right. Brady will try to throw like crazy. His level of success against the Bengals secondary is what will determine the outcome of the game, because the running will be stifled all day long.

I didnt imply that you predicted an AFCN sweep. That was an example that no two seasons are alike.

We shall see if the Bengals DL is the same. Pre season games can lie.

I dont know why the Bengals wouldnt focus their efforts on stopping the pass instead of the run? I think NE will spread the Bengals D out with 4 and 5 receiving targets. The emphasis this year is spreading the ball around instead of Welker and Moss getting all the catches.

Well,.. Thats why we have 2 top flight corners, one superfast talented corner at nickel, and young solid backups,.. Dude i'm pumped to watch this

[HoosierCat]

It doesn't happen very often and as you stated, it didn't happen at all last year for NE.

Meanwhile, it happened a quarter of the time for Cincy, yet there you stand with knees knocking like a virgin on her wedding night.

Do you realize how much of a longshot the Bengals are to win this game?

Yeah, they are a whole 4.5 point dog last I checked, which is 1.5 points above the throwaway 3 given to a home team ('cause, y'know, it's hard to win on the road).

[Sea Ray]

It doesn't happen very often and as you stated, it didn't happen at all last year for NE.

Meanwhile, it happened a quarter of the time for Cincy, yet there you stand with knees knocking like a virgin on her wedding night.

Do you realize how much of a longshot the Bengals are to win this game?

Yeah, they are a whole 4.5 point dog last I checked, which is 1.5 points above the throwaway 3 given to a home team ('cause, y'know, it's hard to win on the road).

A quarter of the time. Not a lot, huh?

It's not a matter of knees a knockin'. Just giving a dose of reality. The point spread does not foretell the chances of winning; only how close the final score will be. I don't care about the final score. I just want a W.

[TJJackson]

Reported today - Tom Brady has been in a car accident - he's shaken up but fine, driver of the other vehicle is messed up, had to be pulled out with the jaws of life

[Sea Ray]

Reported today - Tom Brady has been in a car accident - he's shaken up but fine, driver of the other vehicle is messed up, had to be pulled out with the jaws of life

Must have been more than just a fender bender

/>http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nfl/news/story?id=5549709

[JoeMama]

This Patriots thread isn't nearly irreverent enough.

They can keep all their asterisk marked Super Bowls. The Cheatriots.

[volcom69]

All these things happening to Brady, the car crash, the contract issue, then throw in the moss not happy about his contract. I dont know what to make of this is it good for the Bengals...distractions, or is it going to make Brady even better. I still dont have a clue whats going to happen in this game. I just hope its fun game to watch, like Bengals just killing them lol...i wish.

[ArmyBengal]

Isn't Logan Mankins still holding out ??