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Steelers @ Bengals II Pregame Thread/Game Thread


HoosierCat

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FO has put out its final QB rankings for the year. Here's how the playoff QBs break down. The first number in parens before their name is their actual DVOA ranking (FO's metric) while the number after their name is their QBR ranking. Note that McCarron has been bumped up here to the main list; he's still on FO's "others" list because he didn't have the minimum 200 passes needed to be ranked on the main board. A few more games may have depressed his ranking, but given the spread between McCarron and Smith I'm not sure it would have made a lot of difference.

1. (1) Carson Palmer (1)

2. (2) Tom Brady (11t)

3. (3) Russell Wilson (4)

(4) Andy Dalton (5)

4. (5) Ben Roethlisberger (2)

5. (7) Kirk Cousins (6)

6. (11) Cam Newton (9)

7. (12) AJ McCarron (11t)

8. (17) Alex Smith (8)

9. (18) Aaron Rogers (10)

10. (21) Brian Hoyer (19)

11. (22) Teddy Bridgewater (13)

(23) Brock Osweiler (27)

12. (37) Peyton Manning (31)

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Here's what I've been dealing with at work from the Steelers fans over the past two weeks.

Prior to the Ravens game-  "We are the most dangerous team.  No one wants to see us coming."

After the Ravens game-  "Even if we make the playoffs, we don't deserve to be there."

Today-  "We are the most dangerous team and are going to win the Super Bowl."

They can't seem to understand my distaste for all that talk.
If the Bengals pull this out, I will enjoy coming to work more than any one man should ever hope for.

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Dulac on Williams:

Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams does not have a fracture or any major damage in his right ankle and has an outside chance, albeit a small one, of playing Saturday night in a wild-card playoff game in Cincinnati, a team source confirmed to the Post-Gazette.

Williams had an MRI Sunday night after the Steelers returned from their 28-12 victory in Cleveland and is expected to be listed as day-to-day for the Bengals. His biggest issue could be a matter of pain tolerance, the source said.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2016/01/04/DeAngelo-Williams-has-no-fracture-in-ankle-has-a-slight-chance-of-playing-in-wild-card-game/stories/201601040168

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26 minutes ago, ArmyBengal said:

Here's what I've been dealing with at work from the Steelers fans over the past two weeks.

Prior to the Ravens game-  "We are the most dangerous team.  No one wants to see us coming."

After the Ravens game-  "Even if we make the playoffs, we don't deserve to be there."

Today-  "We are the most dangerous team and are going to win the Super Bowl."

They can't seem to understand my distaste for all that talk.
If the Bengals pull this out, I will enjoy coming to work more than any one man should ever hope for.

If the Bengals pull this out ... they will have killed off all sorts of demons ... and there is no doubt it will be the single greatest victory for me as a fan that I can recall.  It will be that big.  It's Time.

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17 minutes ago, duus said:

If the Bengals pull this out ... they will have killed off all sorts of demons ... and there is no doubt it will be the single greatest victory for me as a fan that I can recall.  It will be that big.  It's Time.

Glad to hear from you Duus, how you been?

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1 hour ago, ArmyBengal said:

Here's what I've been dealing with at work from the Steelers fans over the past two weeks.

Prior to the Ravens game-  "We are the most dangerous team.  No one wants to see us coming."

After the Ravens game-  "Even if we make the playoffs, we don't deserve to be there."

Today-  "We are the most dangerous team and are going to win the Super Bowl."

They can't seem to understand my distaste for all that talk.
If the Bengals pull this out, I will enjoy coming to work more than any one man should ever hope for.

And if the Bengals lay the typical big stage game egg, I assume you'll use a sick day or two?

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don't mind that yinzer at work - like all fan bases, there are fickle fans in Steeler Nation

there is no team in the AFC without a weakness - the most level playing field I can remember since the 03' playoffs (Steelers had to storm back to beat Bruce Arians and Cleveland with Tommy Maddox - year before Ben's rookie year) 

Does anyone really fear the Broncos or New England? They are in worse shape than the Steelers or Bengals IMO. The Broncos receivers are all alligator arms when the boom is put on them and Brady and co are just too beat up - they are the AFC's Packers in my estimation. 

Whoever wins this game will at least make it to the conference championship game IMO. 

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3 minutes ago, SteelFury02 said:

don't mind that yinzer at work - like all fan bases, there are fickle fans in Steeler Nation

there is no team in the AFC without a weakness - the most level playing field I can remember since the 03' playoffs (Steelers had to storm back to beat Bruce Arians and Cleveland with Tommy Maddox - year before Ben's rookie year) 

Does anyone really fear the Broncos or New England? They are in worse shape than the Steelers or Bengals IMO. The Broncos receivers are all alligator arms when the boom is put on them and Brady and co are just too beat up - they are the AFC's Packers in my estimation. 

Whoever wins this game will at least make it to the conference championship game IMO. 

I agree that the AFC is wide open. KC is hot, Pitt is hot, Houston is but average, Cincy, Denver and NE have some glaring issues but still have qualities that can propel them. I also agree that whoever emerges, Cincy or Pitt could represent in the championship game. I think Denver is the most dangerous team since they hold home field all the way, and have a tough D.

Bengals obvious issue is Dalton, meaning with him playing he has an untested thumb and the baggage of the recent playoff duds to exorcise. Without him , they have McCarron who while not dreadful, doesn't make reads as quick and is susceptible to pressures and mistakes, lacks overall starting experience. He will probably start so expect AJM to be the make or break for Cincy.

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Start Fisher and Hill at RB.  Lineup Ogbeuhi as a tackle eligible and run the ball right down their throats.  Pound it right at them.  Once the run is established and we have forced Pitt into 8 men in the box then start testing them deep.  Keep the ball out of Ben's hands and limit the impact that a)McCarron's inexperience or b) Dalton's thumb can have.  Nothing was more demoralizing than those Bettis games in the 90's  when you knew what was coming and knew you could not stop it and nothing would give me more pleasure than doing that to the Steelers to knock them out of the playoffs.

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25 minutes ago, kingwilly said:

I agree that the AFC is wide open. KC is hot, Pitt is hot, Houston is but average, Cincy, Denver and NE have some glaring issues but still have qualities that can propel them. I also agree that whoever emerges, Cincy or Pitt could represent in the championship game. I think Denver is the most dangerous team since they hold home field all the way, and have a tough D.

It all comes down to Manning's arm and Belicheck's brain. If Peyton can recapture his 2014 form for the playoffs, the AFC crown is Denver's for the taking. The only chance of stopping them IMO is BB, but I don't think NE has the horses this year.

If Manning continues to be 2015 Manning, it'll be BB against the field.

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1 hour ago, redsbengalsbucks said:

Glad to hear from you Duus, how you been?

Doing great and grower older in Central KY.  The kids have loved the move and seem to now have a newfound positive outlook for our Bengals.  Their Dad seems to more and more wonder when they will pull out the big game again.  Thank God for youth to keep us hoping and anticipating.

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1 hour ago, gregcook68 said:

And if the Bengals lay the typical big stage game egg, I assume you'll use a sick day or two?

Nope, I don't shy away from the crap, I just dislike it.

Besides, a long overdue 11 day vacation and cruise to the Bahamas is right around the corner.  I'm sure I'll forget that jerkoff even exists !!!

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48 minutes ago, HoosierCat said:

It all comes down to Manning's arm and Belicheck's brain. If Peyton can recapture his 2014 form for the playoffs, the AFC crown is Denver's for the taking. The only chance of stopping them IMO is BB, but I don't think NE has the horses this year.

If Manning continues to be 2015 Manning, it'll be BB against the field.

Honestly, I don't see NE as that dangerous. maybe when they get back some weapons but they have zero run game and though Brady is a huge weapon, their line is atrocious.

Most dangerous team to be is still Denver. Run game is now alive, WR have skills, Manning a ? but D can win them games, and has.

All the AFC teams have warts, and would likely lose to whoever comes out of the NFC (Carolina, AZ or Seattle) but that's much further down the road.

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From the looks of my twitter timeline it sounds like the team is loose. Razzing the media good-naturedly, even set up a snap for Andy...from which he completed a left-handed pass. Then razzed the media some more about the race to be the first to tweet the left-handed pass. Dalton working on the side. No reports of anyone missing or not practicing yet.

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Play-Off Party organised !! All welcome (if you happen to be around this part of the world feel free to drop by :grin: )

starting 12:00am Saturday night/Sunday morning - many beers arranged, Mrs S to lay out a buffet. footy on the TV .....1:15am kick off so guess end about 5:00am and hour or so before the kids wake up !!!

Although head says heavy defeat in this game, the heart says WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooodey .... let's get the first play-off win in god knows how long

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On 04/01/2016, 15:21:03, gregcook68 said:

I am in a Small Couples Bible Study Group

People 5' 3" and shorter ???   :grin::grin:

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13 minutes ago, Scottishbengal said:

Play-Off Party organised !! All welcome (if you happen to be around this part of the world feel free to drop by :grin: )

starting 12:00am Saturday night/Sunday morning - many beers arranged, Mrs S to lay out a buffet. footy on the TV .....1:15am kick off so guess end about 5:00am and hour or so before the kids wake up !!!

Although head says heavy defeat in this game, the heart says WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooodey .... let's get the first play-off win in god knows how long

Seeing as how I plan on winning the 400 million powerball tonight, go ahead and put me on the list to attend.
Anyone else on here either in the Cincinnati area or able to get here is invited aboard what will be my new private jet to get us all to Scottish's for the party.
Prostitutes and enough blow to kill a whale will be provided.

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The last power rankings before the playoffs have the Bengals at #6, and I have to agree with the comment.

Quote

6. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4, LW: 5)

If Andy Dalton was healthy I might pick them to win the AFC. Their roster, top to bottom, could be the best in the conference. But he's not, and I'm not sure they can get past the first round. The Marvin Lewis/Bengals choke narratives will be thick if they lose, but it won't be fair

BTW, the Steelers were #8.

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2 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

Seeing as how I plan on winning the 400 million powerball tonight, go ahead and put me on the list to attend.
Anyone else on here either in the Cincinnati area or able to get here is invited aboard what will be my new private jet to get us all to Scottish's for the party.
Prostitutes and enough blow to kill a whale will be provided.

whoa, hold up soldier... That is my plan (win, book private jets and bring in a whole gang of 'Zoners....) probably will leave out the nose candy but some form of chemical performnce enhancements will be made available. It will be required that someone bring/deliver the fine thing in Billy's sig (Jessica Graf).

Here's hoping one of us can pull it off!

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Never change, Army! :thumbsup:

DeAngelo Williams still in a boot today, so it seems increasingly likely the Bengals will get a big break there.

Of course, this is the team that gave up 23/96/1 to the powerhouse combo of Dan Herron and Zurlon Tipton in the playoffs last year, so the mighty Fitzgereld Toussaint (18/42/0 this year) certainly can't be ignored...

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It seems if Williams even plays hurt, it's a big advantage to the Bengals, since the depth at RB is mostly crap. Amazing that their shelf is so bare though their passing game is so efficient, they must think thy can get by.

Making Ben one dimensional is always a big bonus. he tends to force it and is prone to some dumb INTs. I'd expect a couple of them in this game is the Pitt run game is limited. The Bengals D needs to really deliver, now is their time window is open, guys are healthy, won't get a better chance to make a statement.

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