Wild Card Weekend: Ravens @ Bengals 2 Electric Boogaloo

[HoosierCat]

Can the mighty duo of Hakeem Adenji and Max Scharping hold down the right side of the line? Can Burrow put just a little more touch on his throws? Can his receivers catch balls that hit them in the hands? Can Joe Mixon earn just a few of the absurd dollars he’s being paid? Will the refs EVER call holding on Hendrickson? These questions and many more will be answered soon! Who Dey!

[HoosierCat]

In case anyone was wondering, the whole rule change thingie is basically a nullity now. The only element left is if the ACF championship is Bills-Chiefs, it’s at neutral site. Everything else is normal playoff rules.

[GapControl]

Max Scharping needs to channel his inner Bobbie Williams 

[Stripes]

We know nothing about Scharping other than that he is NOT a 2021 Bengal offensive lineman.

So I am optimistic.

[Stripes]

Now we can officially say it:

In a classic 16-game format, the Bengals have inverted the 2015 season.

2015 first half 8-0 | 2022 first half 4-4

2015 second half 4-4 | 2022 second half 8-0

I like it a lot more this way.

[TJJackson]

On Scharping:

well, he wasnt considered good enough to make the roster as a backup on the 2nd worst team in the league

so we do know that part

[TJJackson]

You know who has some experience playing ORG for the Bengals, with fairly good success?

Mr Undrafted

 

[membengal]

Gonna just go ahead and drop this here and let us bask in how accurate it is...

Quote

Paul Dehner Jr.
@pauldehnerjr
Burrow on the idea of this being a Super Bowl window: “The window is my whole career … The window is always open.”

 

[TJJackson]

unless Burrow and some of his other teammates are willing to take less than market rate for their services, so we can surround them with other talented players

then no

One player alone isnt going to do it, even New Guy

[Stripes]

Mahomes is getting PAID, and the Chiefs are the 1-seed again. It can be done.

[HoosierCat]

45 minutes ago, Stripes said:

We know nothing about Scharping other than that he is NOT a 2021 Bengal offensive lineman.

So I am optimistic.

IIRC Army, who has some insight into the Texans because his kid is a fan, was unimpressed by the signing and said Scharping stunk. PFF rated him at 59.9 last year, versus Cappa who was at 68 this year. So it looks like a downgrade but not a massive falloff. But yeah, we will see.

[TJJackson]

well, more money for New Guy et al => less money for other talent => lowered chance of Superbowl

possible?  sure.  Just less so

We already know 30 (and I do love the man for what he has done for us, but still) is about the money rather than the wins.  I dont know where 9 stands

[membengal]

jesus, TJ, stop always being such a ***damn eeyore. Of course it will get harder, but Burrow is right, as long as we have him, our window is open. What the actual fuck, man. 

[membengal]

might need to take a break for awhile. Just, for fuckssake. 

[volcom69]

1 hour ago, TJJackson said:

You know who has some experience playing ORG for the Bengals, with fairly good success?

Mr Undrafted

 

If he is in football shape I wouldn’t mind them calling him, if for nothing else would be good depth for the playoffs.

[HoosierCat]

Today’s odd factoid: all the AFCN teams finished 3-3 in the division. Only division in which that occurred this year.

[Stripes]

The Bengals started 0-2 and lost their first three division games.

Let us never throw in the towel on a Joe Burrow team. I almost did myself at the bleakest point in the @ New Orleans game when things were looking like 2-4.

[HoosierCat]

Lines:

If Lamar Jackson starts (Bengals -5.5)

If Tyler Huntley starts (-8.5)

If Anthony Brown starts (-10)

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/allbengals-insiders-plus/bengals-open-as-escalating-betting-favorite-based-on-ravens-quarterback-situation

[HoosierCat]

Just to add confirmation to what mem noted on the other thread, Florio says the Ravens have no clue what’s up with Lamar.

https://www.nbcsports.com/video/tua-tagovailoa-lamar-jackson-statuses-entering-nfl-wild-card-round

[TJJackson]

1 hour ago, membengal said:

jesus, TJ, stop always being such a ***damn eeyore. Of course it will get harder, but Burrow is right, as long as we have him, our window is open. What the actual fuck, man. 

"I yam what I yam what I yam" - Popeye the sailor man

oh, also, Mem?  whats the mood and word up in the land of crabcakes?  Is it "we rested our starters, so this loss was nothing" or "shit, we have to play them again?  jesus god nooooOOOO!!!!" or something inbetween?

also I think you should send us all a mail order from Faidleys if we win.  Just cuz :-)

[TJJackson]

stay classy, Steelers

 

[HoosierCat]

Nugget from Hobs’ latest:

Quote

Cappa had his ankle rolled in the pocket late in the third quarter and the talk around his locker was he was out for the rest of the playoffs.

Bummer. Doesn’t sound like a long term issue tho, so that’s good.

[Stripes]

Dropping this prediction for the hell of it to see how wrong I am about league priorities:

[no idea how to get rid of my own copy/paste highlight on mobile]

Saturday at 4 — LAC @ JAX
Saturday at 8 — NYG @ MIN
Sunday at 1 — MIA @ BUF
Sunday at 4 — BAL @ CIN
Sunday at 8 — GB @ SF
Monday — DAL @ TB

If the Packers lose, put SEA in their place and swap the Sat/Sun night games.

[Stripes]

Sunday night at 8:15 on NBC.

[COB]

4 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

Today’s odd factoid: all the AFCN teams finished 3-3 in the division. Only division in which that occurred this year.

Odd stat - Brady played all 4 AFC North teams this year and lost to them all. Heh.