Ravens @ Bengals pre-game talk

[COB]

I hope the Bengals are still enjoying the role of getting little to no respect.

I was watching some football crap last night and the question came up about which AFC playoff team presented the biggest challenge to the Broncos.

It was almost a foregone conclusion that Manning and the Broncos have the Lombardi locked up.

Well, almost every team was mentioned except one.

Guess which one ??

F*cking sports guys are so biased.

I wonder if they have figured out the Bengals are AFCN champs yet ??

Like there's a scenario where the Ravens can still win the division crown.

<_</>

If they could vote on it, the media would just give the division to the Ravens.

[ArmyBengal]

I actually root for Peyton Manning when the Bengals aren't involved.

I simply think he's one of those sports types you don't see very often in a lifetime.

If the Bengals don't win it all, I wouldn't mind seeing the Broncos win.

It has nothing to do with the Broncos mind you.

That being said, I would like our chances against the Broncos and their defense and us getting back Newman for ours.

Then again, I like our chances against ANY team from the AFC and if they can get to the Super Bowl, they can win it.

Ravens. Focus. Dominate. Win.

Just do that for now.

Even after that, the Ravens are probably still in the division race huh ??

[jjakq27]

Update:

Onto SVP and Rusillo. The back-up guys are in, so I'll give them a pass, but here we go.

Romo

How bad the Bears played

I had Sport Center on throughout the day and barely got a glimpse or a mention of the Bengals or the Colts yesterday.

Not sure if it was Coach and Kanell filling in for Cowherd but they gave the Bengals some love. When asked which team from the AFC had a chance to make a serious run, one of the mentioned the Bengals. His reasoning was that they are the most balanced team in the conference between offense and defense. When the games tighten up, they are not one dimensional on one side of the ball. They have the ability to score on offense and the ability to shut people down on defense.

[gregcook68]

The ONLY shot at the chance of shutting them up is to keep winning!

[TJJackson]

GRRR AND SH!T

[cincyhokie]

I hope the Bengals are still enjoying the role of getting little to no respect.

I was watching some football crap last night and the question came up about which AFC playoff team presented the biggest challenge to the Broncos.

It was almost a foregone conclusion that Manning and the Broncos have the Lombardi locked up.

Well, almost every team was mentioned except one.

Guess which one ??

F*cking sports guys are so biased.

I wonder if they have figured out the Bengals are AFCN champs yet ??

Like there's a scenario where the Ravens can still win the division crown.

<_</>/>

If they could vote on it, the media would just give the division to the Ravens.

Oh, they'd do it in a heartbeat. The media loves continuity. It helps them not look like the clueless jackasses they are when things shake up a bit.

[HoosierCat]

Per Marvin today, no resting starters Sunday. Full go against Baltimore.

[gregcook68]

Per Marvin today, no resting starters Sunday. Full go against Baltimore.

I wonder if Marvins giving them the day off tomorrow?

[HoosierCat]

They had yesterday off so I doubt it.

Harbaugh: Bert definitely not 100%.

/>http://www.cincyjungle.com/ravens-bengals-2013/2013/12/24/5241890/ravens-qb-joe-flacco-is-definitely-not-100-percent

[HoosierCat]

Hobs:

There didn't appear to be a major injury among them, but the Bengals had a bunch of players sit out Tuesday's Christmas Eve afternoon practice on the Paul Brown Stadium turf.

WILL backer Vontaze Burfict and tight end Alex Smith were still apparently going through the NFL's concussion protocol, but SAM backer James Harrison, after sitting out last Sunday's game with a concussion, was on the field. Right tackle Andre Smith (ankle), who said after the game he'd play in Sunday's game against the Ravens at PBS (1 p.m.), didn't work . Neither did Tyler Eifert (shoulder) after he left last Sunday's game early with a stinger. Tight end Jermaine Gresham, linebacker Vinny Rey, and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, who played most of the game against the Vikings, didn't work with unknown ailments….

[kingwilly]

Hobs:

There didn't appear to be a major injury among them, but the Bengals had a bunch of players sit out Tuesday's Christmas Eve afternoon practice on the Paul Brown Stadium turf.

WILL backer Vontaze Burfict and tight end Alex Smith were still apparently going through the NFL's concussion protocol, but SAM backer James Harrison, after sitting out last Sunday's game with a concussion, was on the field. Right tackle Andre Smith (ankle), who said after the game he'd play in Sunday's game against the Ravens at PBS (1 p.m.), didn't work . Neither did Tyler Eifert (shoulder) after he left last Sunday's game early with a stinger. Tight end Jermaine Gresham, linebacker Vinny Rey, and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, who played most of the game against the Vikings, didn't work with unknown ailments….

Honestly, Kirkpatrick better just have a cold because I'm over him getting hurt.

I'm not picking on him but if you peruse his twitter feed, it gives significant insight into where his mind and priorities are. Better he focus on his craft and learn what it takes to be a professional, than play with sneakers and worry about his looks, ie grow the f**k up.

Irritating that they took this guy...

[HoosierCat]

Kirkpatrick is definitely disappointing. Would have been burned for two scores Sunday if Cassel doesn't underthrow Rome, and he ought to have been flagged on that play to boot.

[volcom69]

Im wondering if Ghee wouldn't be a better option sometimes. I really liked what I saw from him, not sure how he would hold up all game, but wouldn't mind seeing him.

[cincyhokie]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/24/week-16-power-rankings-4/

There you go. Love from our pal, Florio. Chiefs, Eagles, Cardinals all above the Bengals.

[gregcook68]

/>http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/24/week-16-power-rankings-4/

There you go. Love from our pal, Florio. Chiefs, Eagles, Cardinals all above the Bengals.

At least he got the Raven comments right!

[Kazkal]

The ONLY shot at the chance of shutting them up is to keep winning!

I'm sure if we won the Superbowl we would still hearing about how terrible Dalton is How we will never move past the Bungle Years and about arrests from 5 years ago.

[gregcook68]

The ONLY shot at the chance of shutting them up is to keep winning!

I'm sure if we won the Superbowl we would still hearing about how terrible Dalton is How we will never move past the Bungle Years and about arrests from 5 years ago.

Yes, but we'll still have The L Trophy, the Rings, all the championship memorabilia, and the monkey off the back.

Look what happened when the Red Sox got the monkey off their back! 3 Championships!

[HoosierCat]

TV maps.

/>http://506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2013&wk=17

I get the game!

[Kazkal]

Double post

[Kazkal]

TV maps.

/>http://506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2013&wk=17

I get the game!

Wow Bengals on most of the US and even in oregon \sad face I have to work so it's crappy stream feed for me...

[HoosierCat]

Gresh, Eifert & Still all not practicing again today. Burfict working on the side.

[HoosierCat]

Over on the other side, Elvis Dumervil and Arthur Jones not practicing for the Ravens. CB Asa Jackson also out.

[redsbengalsbucks]

I get to watch Jacksonville and the colts, yea!

[Kazkal]

I get to watch Jacksonville and the colts, yea!

Could be worse,you could be watchin Browns/Steelers.

[HoosierCat]

Easterbrook raised the issue of crappy games being forced on viewers earlier this week. Usually I think he's an idiot but this once I agree.

Happy Hour in Hell's Sports Bar: Hell's Sports Bar has an infinite number of flatscreen HD TVs, but certain blackout restrictions may apply. For the early CBS slot on Sunday, Hell's Sports Bar did not see the playoff-caliber Indianapolis at Kansas City contest, combined records 20-8; rather, it was force-fed Denver versus Houston, a game involving the league's worst team. Which means that Hell's Sports Bar was most of the United States, where this actually happened -- meaningless Denver-Houston aired rather than Indianapolis at Kansas City. Tennessee and northern Florida saw the laffer Titans-at-Jax contest -- two eliminated teams, no playoff implications no matter what either did -- rather than Indianapolis at Kansas City.

Flipping to Fox in Hell's Sports Bar produced the low-voltage Jersey/A-Lions or Vikings-Bengals pairings, rather than the playoff-like New Orleans-versus-Carolina contest. Which means Hell's Sports Bar was the Midwest and Northeast, where this actually happened: woofers shown instead of a great game. Parts of Florida were force-fed the meaningless Bucs-Rams tilt, rather than Saints-Panthers. Thus Sunday in the early slot, Florida became Hell's Sports Bar Incarnating on Earth, as viewers couldn't see either of the great games going on, but could choose between two nothingburgers.

Later that day, Hell's Sports Bar did not see the monster New England-Baltimore pairing, rather was force-fed Oakland versus San Diego, combined record 11-17. Which means Hell's Sports Bar was the state of California, where this actually happened.

As always, cable customers in Canada and Mexico were allowed to choose whatever NFL game they wanted to watch. Cable customers in the United States -- who are taxed to subsidize the NFL -- were denied any choice.

With the Federal Communications Commission moving to end the blackout rule, Sunday's situation should be a reminder that the NFL's ability to compel local affiliates to air bad games -- an ability granted by Congress with the league's 1966 antitrust waiver -- has far more impact than the blackout rule. The blackout rule comes into effect only a few times per year, and then for one city. The NFL's ability to force-feed bad games to local affiliates is invoked nearly every week, affecting broad swaths of the United States.

Pro football's antitrust exemption for television negotiating and scheduling is a much bigger deal than the blackout rule. So where is the FCC on what really matters?