Week 1: Bengals @ Browns Game Thread

[ArmyBengal]

Yes, just win.  Stay healthy and win.

[HoosierCat]

They haven’t won their first away game of the season since 2018 (Indy). Would be nice to break the streak…

[HoosierCat]

Chido cleared for action against Cleveland.

Burrow still “day to day.”

[TJJackson]

 

[TJJackson]

another guy to pump for opponent info

[Stripes]

The Twitter talking head buzz is starting to get loud about Burrow’s extension being imminent. Hopefully we see something concrete very soon.

[AMPHAR]

I don't have any inside sources on the contract itself.   Just reading tea leaves of what I was told and the contract was largely done last week.   I hope my speculation is true.

 

[HoosierCat]

Well, if you believe a deal is going to get done before the start of the season, predicting it will happen today is pretty much a no-brainer since the season starts tomorrow!

So yeah, I guess we're here. Let's hope it happens.

[ArmyBengal]

I don't know why, but I just never have given much thought to Burrow's deal.
I always just assumed it would get done and still do.  I still don't think there's much to discuss about it really.
I want it done as much as the next guy, but it's coming.  Maybe Friday when news like that seems to happen if it's truly close.

I think I'm more concerned with the after effects of his contract.  How does his contract impact the team's ability to do more?
Higgins needs to be addressed and then they have Chase's deal coming up in the offseason to handle.
Sure there are tags and such, but I don't want to see them go down that road unless there's simply nothing else.
In that case, like seemingly every other time a tag was used, you can start saying your goodbyes.

What happens with guys like Reader, Awuzie, and even more?

[HoosierCat]

Probably like always they’re going to keep some guys and lose some guys.

Chase I have no doubt will be retained. Tee they seems committed to keeping, we’ll see if they can do a deal.

They’ve been pouring a lot of draft capital into the secondary so I’d bet Chido will get paid, but not here.

Reader (and Hill!) are both coming up to FA fast and both going would leave them with 0 NTs. I expect both $$$ and picks to be thrown at that sooner rather than later.

[AMPHAR]

Media is going to media.   You get the Burrow deal done to avoid a Lamar Jackson monster distraction.   Just better to get it done so they'll move on to the next superstar about to expire. 

I believe the Bengals will attempt to resign Higgins but its up to him to agree. 

[ArmyBengal]

That's why I said even more.  The amount of unrestricted free agents next year is staggering.
There will definitely be some decisions to make.  The draft certainly helps.

The player everyone should be saying goodbye to is Tyler Boyd in my opinion.
After Higgins and Chase get done, I don't see them investing that much in the WR corps when it appears they drafted replacements.
Shame really, because he's one of my favorite players.  Maybe we can send him on his way after winning it all with us.

[HoosierCat]

I’m not *too* worried about 2024. Right now they have more than $66 million in cap space to work with, and that’s with Burrow already counting for nearly $30 million with his fifth year option. So any new deal shouldn’t bite too deeply into that 66 number. Lots of moving parts tho. I am sure we will have plenty to complain about.

[ArmyBengal]

This front office has given me plenty of reasons to not doubt the process at this point. We can cross the 2024 bridge when we have to.

[Earendil]

14 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

This front office has given me plenty of reasons to not doubt the process at this point. We can cross the 2024 bridge when we have to.

I can't believe these are things we are saying about the Bengals.

[membengal]

Re: the actual game this week, I confess to having a really bad feeling about it.

[ArmyBengal]

9 minutes ago, membengal said:

Re: the actual game this week, I confess to having a really bad feeling about it.

You aren't the only one Mem.  Burrow is saying all the right things and said he's in a better place heading into week 1 than any year before that, but he hasn't gotten any game reps with the new pieces to the offense.  The o-line is going to have to play lights out to give Burrow enough time to work.  Then the defense will have to really step up as well.  I'm not all doom and gloom, but there are concerns for sure.

[HoosierCat]

I’ve had this pencilled in as a loss for a while. Would be thrilled to be wrong, but it’s away, it’s the Clowns (who have had their number for a while now) and Burrow has been robbed of yet another camp and preseason.

[ArmyBengal]

Typically this would be one of those, "Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst", but I'm not really expecting the worst.
It just wouldn't surprise me all that much.  Then again, neither would a win so there's that.

[AMPHAR]

It seems to me the last few Burrow led Bengal teams that lost to the Browns have a good/decent opening drive going then a turnover happens.   Then the rest of the day the offensive mojo doesn't work for whatever reason.    Then Browns D-line tee offs, the defense pursues very well to the ball.    They get in that comfort zone and then aren't afraid to ride Chubb behind that line.

Be nice to set them back on their heals early in the game.   But it will be tight game all day long probably.  Make the Browns play caller go away from Chubb.   But allow the Browns to get comfortable they could win by 10+

 

[HoosierCat]

FWIW cbs sports' picks are split 4-4 and espn's are 3-3 so far.

Prisco picked the Browns so we got that going for us.

[TJJackson]

I'm calling for a close win, with New Guy rusty and struggling but the D coming through

20-16, something like that

Hopefully they are working HARD on the run game this week to take some pressure off of New Guy

My primary worry is all the newness and youth in the secondary

[ArmyBengal]

The thing with this team from my perspective is, they never really seem out of a game.
Looking back at last year, minus the game at Cleveland, all their other losses were 3 points or less to include the AFCCG.
The 19 point loss in Cleveland last year was more than all the other losses combined (8).

So I agree that while they may lose, it will still be a close game.
A conference win on the road, with everything else they are facing, would be huge for them starting the season.
 

[HoosierCat]

The contract extension saga continues with Rapoport saying that Burrow will be extended before kickoff Sunday.

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/report-bengals-expected-sign-joe-burrow-to-contract-extension-week-1-against-browns

 

[Stripes]

I had a dream that I was watching the game last night. I woke up around the two-minute warning of the first half, and as of that time it was still scoreless.

The spirits are feeding me misinformation. Bengals by 60.