Gameday Open Thread

[jking191]

We're 9-5 and the ravens are 8-6. If the ravens win out, they at least tie us, and they have the tiebreaker. They win the division and were left out in the cold. Tirico is right.

[bwillycuse]

We got greedy rooting for Miami.

Now we are effectively looking at not making the playoffs.

The media story..the destiny Ravens are barreling down on the Bengals and the arc north. And a repeat of the unlikely super bowl run.

Not going to sugar coat it. Us fans and the Bengals assumed we were in the play-offs and had a shot at a bye.

Now with that uninspired loss yesterday. I have doubts again with this team.it's ability to prepare and step up for big games.

Have a tough Minnesota team next week, then potentially a huge game in two weeks with baltimore.

We could still get the bye. We could easily miss the playoff.

A bit irritated that I will be rooting for new England next week. I have not much confidence we can outcoach, outplay a ravens team for all the marbles in two weeks.

I hope I am wrong and the Bengals have what it takes.

[bwillycuse]

We're 9-5 and the ravens are 8-6. If the ravens win out, they at least tie us, and they have the tiebreaker. They win the division and were left out in the cold. Tirico is right.

Yup and Miami has the bills and jets left. Should end up 10-6. Patriots have ravens and bills.

We lose all tie breakers with Miami. Have tiebreaker against ne if they happen to lose two in a row and we win one.

[gregcook68]

We are in control of our destiny as well! We stay undefeated at home and we're in regardless of what everyone else does.

Injuries or not, it's time to crappie or get off the pot!

[HoosierCat]

We're 9-5 and the ravens are 8-6. If the ravens win out, they at least tie us, and they have the tiebreaker. They win the division and were left out in the cold. Tirico is right.

And if the Bengals win out they win the division.

But if the media want to spin it as Ravens in control, let them. Bengals always do better in the underdog role.

It will suck if the season turns into a repeat of 2006.

[gregcook68]

We're 9-5 and the ravens are 8-6. If the ravens win out, they at least tie us, and they have the tiebreaker. They win the division and were left out in the cold. Tirico is right.

And if the Bengals win out they win the division.

But if the media want to spin it as Ravens in control, let them. Bengals always do better in the underdog role.

It will suck if the season turns into a repeat of 2006.

I would not be able to stomach the Ravens winning the division again. Just win baby!

[ArmyBengal]

I can't believe i'm saying this, but i'm not really surprised we are where we are.

Sooner or later injuries are going to take their toll and the Bengals have admirably hung in their despite them.

Three weeks ago, things looked much different, but that was before this recent round of injuries.

They can still win the division, but they need to win out.

A win against the Vikings will mean nothing if they lose to Ravens (assuming they beat the Pats) and the Dolphins win out (which is possible).

That would result in no playoffs for us.

PISSED.

The playoff machine on ESPN gives some good scenarios.

[cincyhokie]

I can't believe i'm saying this, but i'm not really surprised we are where we are.

Sooner or later injuries are going to take their toll and the Bengals have admirably hung in their despite them.

Three weeks ago, things looked much different, but that was before this recent round of injuries.

They can still win the division, but they need to win out.

A win against the Vikings will mean nothing if they lose to Ravens (assuming they beat the Pats) and the Dolphins win out (which is possible).

That would result in no playoffs for us.

PISSED.

The playoff machine on ESPN gives some good scenarios.

The Bengals were 6-4 and have gone 3-1 since. Not bad. The Ravens were 3-5 and have gone 5-1 since. Both teams have been playing well. I have a baaaaad feeling about what's going to happen. But I have been wrong many times before. I hope I am wrong again. I'll be at that last home game. I don't need to walk out of there suicidal.

[gregcook68]

After watching the game winning FG last night, and knowing how much I despise Harbaugh and his relentless whining, he is still a good coach.

Looking back, if Marvin had that same confidence in Nugent, we could be 11-3 right now and the Dolphins sitting at 7-7 and the Ravens at 7-7!

[ArmyBengal]

Well, had the game been played outside and the situation was the same come the end of the game, there's no way they attempt a 61 yard FG.

I didn't like the outcome, but boy what a kick. 61 yards. Pretty awesome from an overall football perspective.

Oh yeah, eat a dick Lions.

[gregcook68]

I can't believe i'm saying this, but i'm not really surprised we are where we are.

Sooner or later injuries are going to take their toll and the Bengals have admirably hung in their despite them.

Three weeks ago, things looked much different, but that was before this recent round of injuries.

They can still win the division, but they need to win out.

A win against the Vikings will mean nothing if they lose to Ravens (assuming they beat the Pats) and the Dolphins win out (which is possible).

That would result in no playoffs for us.

PISSED.

The playoff machine on ESPN gives some good scenarios.

The Bengals were 6-4 and have gone 3-1 since. Not bad. The Ravens were 3-5 and have gone 5-1 since. Both teams have been playing well. I have a baaaaad feeling about what's going to happen. But I have been wrong many times before. I hope I am wrong again. I'll be at that last home game. I don't need to walk out of there suicidal.

You are not alone cincy! We all try to stay positive, but unless we win the division and win at least a playoff game at home, Bengal fans will continue to be like the Red Sox fans prior to the 2004 WS!

Hoping for the best, expecting the worse!!

We just are conditioned that way. Although injuries or not, I still think they can win these last 2 at home!

[HoosierCat]

I can't believe i'm saying this, but i'm not really surprised we are where we are.

Sooner or later injuries are going to take their toll and the Bengals have admirably hung in their despite them.

Three weeks ago, things looked much different, but that was before this recent round of injuries.

Injuries have played a role, but to my eye the core issue has not changed since the opener in Chicago: the Bengals are perfectly capable of defeating any team in the NFL. However, they cannot beat both their opponent and themselves at the same time. We saw that yet again Sunday night, with the flubbed punt, missed tackles, stupid penalties and dropped passes.

Just as one measure, consider turnovers. In their five losses, the Bengals have 9 interceptions and 8 fumbles (4 lost). That's 2.5 turnovers a game, with the ball being picked or put on the ground more than 3 times a game. That also constituted more than half of Dalton's picks (9/16) and nearly half of the team's fumbles (8/18) in just five games. And finally there are the penalties: 29 for 356 yards in five losses, or more than 70 penalty yards a game.

Bottom line, if the Bengals are on their game, they win. If they aren't, they aren't playing after week 17. It's up to them.

[ArmyBengal]

I'm beginning to think i'm just having a bad day.

While I certainly agree they are beating themselves up, I simply feel the injuries to the key players have now gotten to a boiling point.

Do those same mistakes happen with Atkins, Hall, Newman, etc still being in the game ?? Maybe, but certainly to a lesser extent.

Hell, the tackling issues just really popped up last week.

I still think this team has it in them, but they are certainly about maxed out on the depth chart.

While they don't need to just pack it in and go home, they are facing a tougher challenge than most are willing to admit.

I will say it again, if they face the Ravens with it all on the line in the last week of the season, I think they lose.

I won't be rooting for that to happen and will be MORE than happy to come back and say I was wrong, but that's how I see it.

I'm rooting for the Pats next week.

[HoosierCat]

While I certainly agree they are beating themselves up, I simply feel the injuries to the key players have now gotten to a boiling point.

Do those same mistakes happen with Atkins, Hall, Newman, etc still being in the game ?? Maybe, but certainly to a lesser extent.

Hell, the tackling issues just really popped up last week.

Cris Carter was talking about this on Mike & Mike today. It isn't just the Bengals, tackling has gone to crap across the league in the last few weeks. As they pointed out during the show four teams scored 30 or more points and lost because defenses vanished. Carter and Golic both said it was due to it being harder to practice defense versus offense. On offense it's easy to go through a 7-on-7 routine and get your timing down, but defense has to be practiced at full speed. And of course they don't tackle in practice anymore. It might be better with fewer injuries but evidence around the league suggests it would still be a problem.

[ArmyBengal]

While I certainly agree they are beating themselves up, I simply feel the injuries to the key players have now gotten to a boiling point.

Do those same mistakes happen with Atkins, Hall, Newman, etc still being in the game ?? Maybe, but certainly to a lesser extent.

Hell, the tackling issues just really popped up last week.

On offense it's easy to go through a 7-on-7 routine and get your timing down, but defense has to be practiced at full speed. And of course they don't tackle in practice anymore. It might be better with fewer injuries but evidence around the league suggests it would still be a problem.

Gotcha. With the above statement, how much harder does that make it for the Bengals who have all their key injuries on defense ??

I freakin' hate injuries. H-A-T-E, HATE !!!

[cincyhokie]

While I certainly agree they are beating themselves up, I simply feel the injuries to the key players have now gotten to a boiling point.

Do those same mistakes happen with Atkins, Hall, Newman, etc still being in the game ?? Maybe, but certainly to a lesser extent.

Hell, the tackling issues just really popped up last week.

On offense it's easy to go through a 7-on-7 routine and get your timing down, but defense has to be practiced at full speed. And of course they don't tackle in practice anymore. It might be better with fewer injuries but evidence around the league suggests it would still be a problem.

Gotcha. With the above statement, how much harder does that make it for the Bengals who have all their key injuries on defense ??

I freakin' hate injuries. H-A-T-E, HATE !!!

It's time to smash on the line of scrimmage. Run the ball, keep the other team off the field. Stuff the run. I'm confident they can do this against the Vikings. I'm not so sure this is as easy against the Ravens.

[Sea Ray]

I will say it again, if they face the Ravens with it all on the line in the last week of the season, I think they lose.

I won't be rooting for that to happen and will be MORE than happy to come back and say I was wrong, but that's how I see it.

I'm rooting for the Pats next week.

What if they face the Ravens with it all on the line the following week in the playoffs? My guess is the Ravens will win that one too 'cause they win those sorts of games and we don't

[ArmyBengal]

I will say it again, if they face the Ravens with it all on the line in the last week of the season, I think they lose.

I won't be rooting for that to happen and will be MORE than happy to come back and say I was wrong, but that's how I see it.

I'm rooting for the Pats next week.

What if they face the Ravens with it all on the line the following week in the playoffs? My guess is the Ravens will win that one too 'cause they win those sorts of games and we don't

Could be.

That's why I was saying I want to see the Pats win next week and see the Bengals then put the Ravens out of it.

I just think it's the mental aspect of things and which way you lean.

Do we want the Pats to win next week, locking up the division for the Bengals and leaving the Ravens reeling just to get in ??

OR

Do we want to see the Ravens the last week of the season, with a shot to take the division and put the Bengals out of the playoffs altogether ??

Like I mentioned before, I would love to see the #2 seed, but won't be upset to see the Ravens lose next week.

The Bengals just need to keep winning, but the injuries give me pause in thinking they keep doing just that.

[ArmyBengal]

I defer my above comments to one of the other threads covering the same stuff.