Season turning point is here. Do they trend up and make the playoffs or fall apart?

[cincyhokie]

They either turn it on here or go down.

I say 3-2 with a wild card. Losses to SF and KC.

Edit: changed my mind. Division champs.

[Stripes]

3-2, losses to KC and CLE. I think 10-7 will be enough, barely. If it is two conference losses though it’ll get sticky.

[cincyhokie]

Damn. I forgot to add a 2-3 with no playoffs option. Assuming that 9-8 won't get them in. 

Who is having memories of the 2006 team that went 8-5 only to lose the last 3 games and miss getting in?

 

[membengal]

I don’t think they fall apart but I also don’t think they make playoffs. 9-8 and lose on tiebreaker for wildcard is my best guess.

[membengal]

They’ve made a step that had to be made this year in my estimation so if they come up short I won’t be mad about it

[HoosierCat]

Like I said in the other thread my gut says 1-4. Hopefully it’s just gas.

[AMPHAR]

Got no idea but I think 9 wins would be good to get the last spot

[cincyhokie]

I agree about the math. I think 3 out of the next 5 gets them in. The 7th seed could be 9-8. 
I think they get 3 more. I’ll even say they win the division beating the Broncos, Ravens, and Browns.

Ravens lose to the Packers, Bengals, and Rams. 10-7 with the tie breaker.

[cincyhokie]

I’m watching the Patriots run the ball on the Bills and wondering what the Bengals could do with a straight line big RB to share carries with Mixon.  Perine doesn’t have it. 

[HoosierCat]

For the record, after the Bills loss tonight, Bengals are in the 6 spot and would play…Baltimore if the playoff started today.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/standings/playoffrace/

[COB]

Amazing that we’d be in the playoffs if played today.  Losses to the Jets, the bears, and the Chargers does not sound like a playoff team.  But that’s where we are!

[ArmyBengal]

I went with 3-2 and am thinking (hoping) playoffs, but won’t rule out a shot at the North crown as I mentioned in the other thread.

If the other teams continue to play as inconsistently as they have and the Bengals figure it out, it’s game on.

I think this would a very motivated team in the playoffs. Hoping we get to experience that.

[cincyhokie]

Probably need 3 of next 4 to get in. Can they do it?

[cincyhokie]

And they now have to consider what the Browns do. It’s possible that last game in Cleveland is for the division.

[COB]

Such a Jekyll and Hyde outfit we’ve got this year.  I’ll just echo what a lot of you guys have already said, we need a new play caller, preferably someone from the box who has a birds eye view of what’s happening on the field.

[HoosierCat]

9 minutes ago, cincyhokie said:

Probably need 3 of next 4 to get in. Can they do it?

Doubtful. Donks just rolled over the Lions by three scores. Now, that was a big emotional game because of Thomas’ death and maaaaaby they catch them in the trough of that, but even then my confidence in their ability to win anything is low. Lamar may be done so Baltimore looks doable, again assuming they don’t gift them a bunch of points like the did with SF. KC? Hah! No chance in hell. Then finally Cleveland, whose QB only plays well against us. I’ll say they beat Baltimore and that’s it. 8-9 final record, Zac gets a 10-year contract.

[ArmyBengal]

Anything is possible when considering the other teams in the division. No one appears to really want to win the division. Sure would be a good time to win 3 of 4 but the schedule makes that appear unlikely.

[cincyhokie]

I think they have the potential to win 3 of 4, yes. Can they eliminate the mistakes and play to win? If they can, they will because they have the talent. If they continue to slide like they have the last 2 games, they won't. I know it sounds obvious. I had them losing the game yesterday. I have them winning the next 2 weeks and at Cleveland.

[cincyhokie]

“It’s a multitude of things. Guys are just not coming prepared, we’re not making plays as we should and as a team, we’ve got to count on each other. If the defense is struggling, the offense has to bail us out and vice-versa, so we’ve just got to find ways to win games.” -Mike Hilton

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/bengals-players-again-mention-lack-of-urgency-after-loss-to-49ers/ar-AARLyq8?ocid=msedgntp

[membengal]

Quote

Guys are just not coming prepared

Just...oof. Good thing ZT gave them that Monday off after the Steelers game. Sent a GREAT message.

[jonf45uk]

I struggle to see us beating anyone but Baltimore at the mo. We always struggle in Denver, and Kansas could put 100 up against "this" defence! I would be happy with a winning season as I predicted 6/7 wins at the start, so anything above that, and Burrow surviving to see next year would be a bonus!! If they don't address the o line and lb issues this year then I fear it will be another load of wasted talent that will go unfulfilled..... 

[HoosierCat]

18 minutes ago, membengal said:

Just...oof. Good thing ZT gave them that Monday off after the Steelers game. Sent a GREAT message.

Maybe. I have a slightly different interpretation. After yesterday's game, Kittle remarked that it felt like a playoff game. And I think all of us here were pretty much in agreement that every game post-bye was basically a playoff game, since the entire remaining slate consisted of potential playoff squads.

And then there was Taylor's rather eye-rolling (to me, anyway) postgame comment about the 49ers having "been there and done that, and we want to be there and do that, too."

What we have here is the infamous "next step," best known in its incarnation as the next step that Marvin Lewis' teams could never take. I don't think what Hilton is saying here is that guys are unprepared in the "took too much time off last week" sense, but in the sense of not being prepared for the increased level of discipline and focus necessary to succeed in a playoff atmosphere. Taylor is alluding to it as well; they have not been there or done that.

They need to throw out the "it's all in front of us" happy talk and replace that with "no room for error" this week.

[cincyhokie]

2 minutes ago, HoosierCat said:

Maybe. I have a slightly different interpretation. After yesterday's game, Kittle remarked that it felt like a playoff game. And I think all of us here were pretty much in agreement that every game post-bye was basically a playoff game, since the entire remaining slate consisted of potential playoff squads.

And then there was Taylor's rather eye-rolling (to me, anyway) postgame comment about the 49ers having "been there and done that, and we want to be there and do that, too."

What we have here is the infamous "next step," best known in its incarnation as the next step that Marvin Lewis' teams could never take. I don't think what Hilton is saying here is that guys are unprepared in the "took too much time off last week" sense, but in the sense of not being prepared for the increased level of discipline and focus necessary to succeed in a playoff atmosphere. Taylor is alluding to it as well; they have not been there or done that.

They need to throw out the "it's all in front of us" happy talk and replace that with "no room for error" this week.

Good take.

[AMPHAR]

1 hour ago, cincyhokie said:

“It’s a multitude of things. Guys are just not coming prepared, we’re not making plays as we should and as a team, we’ve got to count on each other. If the defense is struggling, the offense has to bail us out and vice-versa, so we’ve just got to find ways to win games.” -Mike Hilton

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/bengals-players-again-mention-lack-of-urgency-after-loss-to-49ers/ar-AARLyq8?ocid=msedgntp

Hilton's a stand up guy but that quote screams say something but don't finger point.

The biggest problem with the team ALL year is ball security or lack there of.   The past two weeks these turnovers as bad as they are by themselves are now causing big point swings in close games. 

I guess you can throw Bates in there for dropping a possible pick 6 with 24  seconds left. 

[membengal]

Quote

I don't think what Hilton is saying here is that guys are unprepared in the "took too much time off last week" sense, but in the sense of not being prepared for the increased level of discipline and focus necessary to succeed in a playoff atmosphere. Taylor is alluding to it as well; they have not been there or done that.

Sure. But how does that let ZT off the hook for giving them a Monday off? Again, the Steelers win was just one piece on a path. It didn't get them anywhere. And the discipline and focus (if that is how you want to interpret Hilton)...how is giving them that day off helping get that discipline and focus? I just think it sent the wrong ***damn message is all.