Remaining Schedule

[cincyhokie]

The Bengals are 2-2 with the 1st quarter of the season now over. Games 3 thru 5 were seen as "must wins" against lesser opponents. The Bengals were supposed to win against Carolina, Cleveland, and Tampa Bay so they could absorb the tougher schedule later in the season and the potential losses coming up.

However, looking at who's left, there aren't any games they can't potentially win. 7 home games remaining with only 5 road games left.

Tampa Bay- winnable

BYE

at Atlanta- winnable

Miami- winnable

Pittsburgh- winnable

at Indianapolis- tough

Buffalo- winnable

at NYJ- tough

New Orleans- winnable

at Pittsburgh- winnable

Cleveland- winnable

San Diego- winnable

at Baltimore- winnable

It's a long season. No team in the AFC has set themselves apart as THE team to beat. The Bengals are 2-2 and have just as much chance as any team to make the playoffs. It's very reasonable they can go 8-4 here on out and have a good chance at winning the AFCN or making a WC.

[walzav29]

The Bengals are 2-2 with the 1st quarter of the season now over. Games 3 thru 5 were seen as "must wins" against lesser opponents. The Bengals were supposed to win against Carolina, Cleveland, and Tampa Bay so they could absorb the tougher schedule later in the season and the potential losses coming up.

However, looking at who's left, there aren't any games they can't potentially win. 7 home games remaining with only 5 road games left.

Tampa Bay- winnable

BYE

at Atlanta- winnable

Miami- winnable

Pittsburgh- winnable

at Indianapolis- tough

Buffalo- winnable

at NYJ- tough

New Orleans- winnable

at Pittsburgh- winnable

Cleveland- winnable

San Diego- winnable

at Baltimore- winnable

It's a long season. No team in the AFC has set themselves apart as THE team to beat. The Bengals are 2-2 and have just as much chance as any team to make the playoffs. It's very reasonable they can go 8-4 here on out and have a good chance at winning the AFCN or making a WC.

But they are all losable.They have to get to a point where they dictate the action.

[ArmyBengal]

Again about the schedule:

If they want to lose the "soft" label, they need to go out and beat the tough teams.

Another thought ??

Beat the f*cking teams you are suppose to beat.

[Stripes]

This looks like a season which could feature enough good teams in the AFC that a 10-6 team misses the playoffs. Too early to tell though. I'd agree with both hokie and walzav, that all of the remaining games are both winnable and losable. The best teams we have left have all looked pretty mortal, notably the Saints and Colts. On the flip side, we'd all love to look at Buffalo as a win even though the Bengals haven't beaten them in about ten years. They're going to have to win a couple games as underdogs.

[cincyhokie]

The Bengals are 2-2. They just lost to the Browns. The Browns are a much improved football team.

The Colts are 2-2. They just lost to the Jaguars.

The Eagles, the Giants, the Chargers, the Titans....2-2.

The Vikings and Cowboys....1-2.

The FREAKING CHIEFS are 3-0!!!! The only undefeated team in the NFL!!!!!

Chill the f*ck out! The Bengals are 1.5 games out of the best record in the NFL held by KC!!!

The Bengals DO beat the teams they are supposed to beat. Also they just won 8 games in a ROW in the AFCN until yesterday.

Does ANYONE see a team running away in the AFC that is unbeatable???

[kingwilly]

The Bengals are 2-2. They just lost to the Browns. The Browns are a much improved football team.

The Colts are 2-2. They just lost to the Jaguars.

The Eagles, the Giants, the Chargers, the Titans....2-2.

The Vikings and Cowboys....1-2.

The FREAKING CHIEFS are 3-0!!!! The only undefeated team in the NFL!!!!!

Chill the f*ck out! The Bengals are 1.5 games out of the best record in the NFL held by KC!!!

The Bengals DO beat the teams they are supposed to beat. Also they just won 8 games in a ROW in the AFCN until yesterday.

Does ANYONE see a team running away in the AFC that is unbeatable???

The Jets look pretty damn good. They get Santonio back.

Pit will be better with Ben back.

Those are the two teams to beat. Pretty clear to me.

Right now, with the lack of run game execution, and lack of pass rush, this is a .500 team.

[HairOnFire]

The schedule looks the same as it ever did. Winning the division is the best and probably only path to the playoffs. And to that end, last year the Bengals had the perfect team needed to win the division. This year? Well, they didn't bring last years team to this years dance, did they?

[ArmyBengal]

The Bengals DO beat the teams they are supposed to beat.

Love ya Hokie, but in all seriousness can you look at the Bengals roster and the Browns roster, compare talent level, and think we WEREN'T suppose to beat the Browns ?? I know the game is played on the field, any given Sunday, and all that, but the Bengals are in FACT a better team than the Browns and SHOULD have beat them. Hence this is a failure on thier part.

I will however, say that it's NOT epic. There are many teams, as already hashed over, that are looking beatable at this point and the Ravens helped us yesterday as well. It's not over for our boys in stripes, but there is still more than less reason to be concerned after yesterdays game in my opinion.

[cincyhokie]

The schedule looks the same as it ever did. Winning the division is the best and probably only path to the playoffs. And to that end, last year the Bengals had the perfect team needed to win the division. This year? Well, they didn't bring last years team to this years dance, did they?

Possibly not if Baltimore and Pittsburgh don't have their nicely packaged 9-7 records to help them.

[Kazkal]

all games winnable simply if we could find some blocking and offense.

[cincyhokie]

The Bengals DO beat the teams they are supposed to beat.

Love ya Hokie, but in all seriousness can you look at the Bengals roster and the Browns roster, compare talent level, and think we WEREN'T suppose to beat the Browns ?? I know the game is played on the field, any given Sunday, and all that, but the Bengals are in FACT a better team than the Browns and SHOULD have beat them. Hence this is a failure on thier part.

I will however, say that it's NOT epic. There are many teams, as already hashed over, that are looking beatable at this point and the Ravens helped us yesterday as well. It's not over for our boys in stripes, but there is still more than less reason to be concerned after yesterdays game in my opinion.

Sure, the Bengals are a better team than the Browns. In fact they've beat them in 10 of 14 games prior to yesterday. There are games you absolutely blow but this wasn't one of them. Granted the turnovers hurt, but the Browns deserve some credit. They're a MUCH better team this year. I wonder what some Chiefs fans were saying in 2003 when the Kitna led 4-5 Bengals beat undefeated 7-0 KC?

(Newsflash) Inferior teams beat better teams at home in the NFL. Especially when they turn the ball over.

Do people think this is a Superbowl team? I don't. Never have.

Playoff team? Maybe. Too early to tell. Steelers, Ravens, Jets, Patriots, Chargers, Colts, Texans...Bengals are probably 7th or 8th right now in the AFC. There's 12 games left to play!!! Enjoy the season and stop thinking this team had potential to be great. They were never going to be that this year.

[kingwilly]

The schedule looks the same as it ever did. Winning the division is the best and probably only path to the playoffs. And to that end, last year the Bengals had the perfect team needed to win the division. This year? Well, they didn't bring last years team to this years dance, did they?

But that is the thing. They COULD run an even better form of the RUN-FIRST offense. With Fat Dre being inserted for the flailing Roland, there is little hope of protecting Carson to the point where a passing attack can trump a run attack to crush the AFC North foes. Not going to happen. I would lay some serious cabbage that if they went back to the unbalanced jumbo line and really focused, the passing attack would be MORE open.

Let's keep in mind that TO is significantly better than Coles. Shipley/Gresham have played as a pair better than Caldwell, and Chad, well, Chad still drops balls and commits penalties, let's leave him out of it.

Running the ball with Benson and Scott would mean WAY more open looks at TO and/or Chad. There are only 11 guys on defense. You can't double both guys and stop Benson behind a jumbo line. Why is this so hard to see?

If they simply KEPT the run packages and lined up gresham as LT

81--------84 77 64 63 71 74--------85

-9- -82-

-32-

Put Kelly in motion, or Roland, and go crush someone. PA off this set, to TO on a 7, or Chad on a 9, or Gresh on a quick out, these are killers. The safeties will creep, and the LB's will shift with the motion.

Who's gonna cover Ghesh? a LB? FAIL.

This will leave 81 or 85 in single coverage. Carson takes a naked PA roll-out left and it becomes a turkey shoot, to either gresh underneath or TO.

Conversely, Chad is the hot read if he is in single coverage, in either a go, or a screen. one man to beat for a BIG gain.

I think this offense can run unbalanced as their primary formation. THEN when you line up 3/4 WR's, the D either is caught in a mismatch or audible to a run. This will work well against the zone blitz that Pit brings, running past the incoming LB's to daylight and second level. This is how you beat Lebeau's D.

The issue is with Brat, and Marvin's management style.

JESUS, I cannot stand Brat.

[ArmyBengal]

The Bengals DO beat the teams they are supposed to beat.

Love ya Hokie, but in all seriousness can you look at the Bengals roster and the Browns roster, compare talent level, and think we WEREN'T suppose to beat the Browns ?? I know the game is played on the field, any given Sunday, and all that, but the Bengals are in FACT a better team than the Browns and SHOULD have beat them. Hence this is a failure on thier part.

I will however, say that it's NOT epic. There are many teams, as already hashed over, that are looking beatable at this point and the Ravens helped us yesterday as well. It's not over for our boys in stripes, but there is still more than less reason to be concerned after yesterdays game in my opinion.

Sure, the Bengals are a better team than the Browns. In fact they've beat them in 10 of 14 games prior to yesterday. There are games you absolutely blow but this wasn't one of them. Granted the turnovers hurt, but the Browns deserve some credit. They're a MUCH better team this year. I wonder what some Chiefs fans were saying in 2003 when the Kitna led 4-5 Bengals beat undefeated 7-0 KC?

(Newsflash) Inferior teams beat better teams at home in the NFL. Especially when they turn the ball over.

Do people think this is a Superbowl team? I don't. Never have.

Playoff team? Maybe. Too early to tell. Steelers, Ravens, Jets, Patriots, Chargers, Colts, Texans...Bengals are probably 7th or 8th right now in the AFC. There's 12 games left to play!!! Enjoy the season and stop thinking this team had potential to be great. They were never going to be that this year.

Yeah, I completely agree that inferior teams beat better teams when playing at home and I will be more than happy to give credit where credit is due. Many were able to acknowledge the Browns and Bengals always play close games and it troubled them heading into this game. Bottomline to my post was, the Bengals need to beat the teams they are suppose to and they didn't yesterday regardless of how improved the Browns are. The Bengals very well may lose to the Bucs next week, but it is in fact a team they "should" beat. The Bengals will be the better team and should they lose, I will be equally irritated with the lack of focus and execution when facing an inferior team.

Good for the Browns though...

[membengal]

Three of the first four on the road hasn't helped. Bengals better plan on doing some winning at home to make up for it.

[cincyhokie]

The Bengals DO beat the teams they are supposed to beat.

Love ya Hokie, but in all seriousness can you look at the Bengals roster and the Browns roster, compare talent level, and think we WEREN'T suppose to beat the Browns ?? I know the game is played on the field, any given Sunday, and all that, but the Bengals are in FACT a better team than the Browns and SHOULD have beat them. Hence this is a failure on thier part.

I will however, say that it's NOT epic. There are many teams, as already hashed over, that are looking beatable at this point and the Ravens helped us yesterday as well. It's not over for our boys in stripes, but there is still more than less reason to be concerned after yesterdays game in my opinion.

Sure, the Bengals are a better team than the Browns. In fact they've beat them in 10 of 14 games prior to yesterday. There are games you absolutely blow but this wasn't one of them. Granted the turnovers hurt, but the Browns deserve some credit. They're a MUCH better team this year. I wonder what some Chiefs fans were saying in 2003 when the Kitna led 4-5 Bengals beat undefeated 7-0 KC?

(Newsflash) Inferior teams beat better teams at home in the NFL. Especially when they turn the ball over.

Do people think this is a Superbowl team? I don't. Never have.

Playoff team? Maybe. Too early to tell. Steelers, Ravens, Jets, Patriots, Chargers, Colts, Texans...Bengals are probably 7th or 8th right now in the AFC. There's 12 games left to play!!! Enjoy the season and stop thinking this team had potential to be great. They were never going to be that this year.

Yeah, I completely agree that inferior teams beat better teams when playing at home and I will be more than happy to give credit where credit is due. Many were able to acknowledge the Browns and Bengals always play close games and it troubled them heading into this game. Bottomline to my post was, the Bengals need to beat the teams they are suppose to and they didn't yesterday regardless of how improved the Browns are. The Bengals very well may lose to the Bucs next week, but it is in fact a team they "should" beat. The Bengals will be the better team and should they lose, I will be equally irritated with the lack of focus and execution when facing an inferior team.

Good for the Browns though...

First home game in 3 weeks. Coming off a tough loss. The Bengals will beat Tampa Bay. I want them to unload on them but will Brat let the offense loose? They will win though.

[ArmyBengal]

I certainly hope so....

[HairOnFire]

Sure, the Bengals are a better team than the Browns.

Nope. It's been proven. The Bengals are more talented, granted. But they Browns led from start to finish, and it was the Bengals who made the last critical error in the game. (I'm looking at you, Ocho.)

Granted the turnovers hurt, but the Browns deserve some credit. They're a MUCH better team this year.

I'll give them credit for beating the Bengals with exactly the same gameplan as the Bengals used when sweeping the AFCN last season.

Do people think this is a Superbowl team? I don't. Never have.

It actually was a playoff team, but we're not that team anymore. Instead, they've cast off their SmashBall persona by returning to their Air-Bengal roots and heritage. Sadly, they're currently more accurately described as Error-Bengal.

There's 12 games left to play!!! Enjoy the season and stop thinking this team had potential to be great. They were never going to be that this year.

Might as well mow the lawn, right? It's a rebuilding year.

This team should be a playoff team and could be a playoff team if it hadn't chosen to swap identities. But obviously that decision has been made and won't be changed so as fans we're forced to adjust our emotions and our expectations to something that better fits this more entertaining brand of inferior football.

Who-Dey.