Week 15 (Saturday 12/16): Vikings @ Bengals Game Thread

[HoosierCat]

Justin Jefferson hurt again. Missed the last seven games, hurt again today, taken to the hospital for observation.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/vikings-justin-jefferson-exits-with-chest-injury-vs-raiders-taken-to-hospital-for-observation/

[HoosierCat]

The Vikings played the Raiders today in perfect playing conditions and won with 3 points. Not by 3 points, with 3 points. It was 0-0 with about 2 minutes left in the game before Minny kicked a FG. 3-0.

If the Bengals can’t win this they don’t deserve a postseason.

[HoosierCat]

Have to see who is playing QB for the Vikes, Dobbs got benched during the game.

https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/vikings/vikings-beat-raiders-3-0-dobbs-benched-for-mullens-jefferson-to-hospital

[ArmyBengal]

This should be another Bengals win against the Vikings. Them and their stupid SKOL chant can kiss my ass.

[Stripes]

Gimme 8-6. The Bengals feel more like a “winning franchise” instead of a “franchise that has been winning” if they keep this up. The culture is crucial.

[COB]

It’s the nfl, any team can beat you.  Hopefully Jefferson takes another week off.  Hard not to like the direction we’re going.  Minny kind of doing the opposite.

[HoosierCat]

Good if brief look at how the O has changed with Browning.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39087518/balance-spurs-bengals-offense

[ArmyBengal]

I have bashed the heck out of Browning and wanted nothing to do with him to start the season.
Nice to be proven incorrect and see him be able to get wins for this team.

Even though I still don't like the long term outlook for the team this season, it's nice to know it appears we have a decent backup.
Seeing as how there aren't enough starters to go around (especially this year) that's a nice problem to have.

He's an exclusive rights free agent as well, so the Bengals have the ability to bring him back without him simply walking away.
I like a QB room that looks like Burrow, Browning and McCarron, although I think McCarron won't want to stay as a #3.
He's older and wants to be in the league, so you never know.

Bottomline...  I feel better about the state of our QB room moving forward.

[HoosierCat]

McCarron should have had a TD yesterday, that push off call on Tee was weak sauce.

[ArmyBengal]

That would have been huge and I agree, that OPI call was weak.

[TJJackson]

Amazing that he came in cold and threw a TD pass that was right on the money (regardless of it being called back)

[ArmyBengal]

And since it wasn't a TD, I can't find video of that pass anywhere.

[ArmyBengal]

Don't know why, but I looked up AJ Green because of my thoughts on comparable throws from McCarron.
How was I not aware that in any of the 5 playoff games for AJ Green, that toss from McCarron was his lone post season TD?
Sad when you think about all the opportunities he had and how great of a WR he really was.

Oh yeah, Vikings...
Suck it

[AMPHAR]

40 minutes ago, ArmyBengal said:

Don't know why, but I looked up AJ Green because of my thoughts on comparable throws from McCarron.
How was I not aware that in any of the 5 playoff games for AJ Green, that toss from McCarron was his lone post season TD?
Sad when you think about all the opportunities he had and how great of a WR he really was.

Oh yeah, Vikings...
Suck it

Yeah.   I knew that the second he caught it.   The shame of that is the Burfict and Pac Man melt downs robbed him of what would have been a historic Cincinnati post season memory.  

He also false started on the play, lol.  Not called.

There was 1 playoff game they intentionally did not target AJ Green in the first half,  In order to fool the other defense.    Basically every playoff squad Marvin Lewis ever coached had some weird shit that contributed to a loss and most of its hard to believe.  Across the board every position group on a Marvin led playoff squad drastically under performed.

 

 

 

[ArmyBengal]

I remember that one as well.

Not targeting AJ Green for an entire half.

The epitome of getting too cute.

[glasgowbengal]

As an aside, purely for our play off chances, who do we want to win between PIT and IND? What suits us better? 

[volcom69]

I just read the last 2 weeks the Bengals O-Line is ranked 2nd. It pisses me off because I’m pretty sure they rank 2nd these last couple weeks because they actually are running a balanced offense. This is what happens when you run the ball, or run screens, and throw it deeper down the field more then a couple times a game. I hope Taylor Burrow and the rest of the offense learns something from this.

 

[ArmyBengal]

5 minutes ago, volcom69 said:

I just read the last 2 weeks the Bengals O-Line is ranked 2nd. It pisses me off because I’m pretty sure they rank 2nd these last couple weeks because they actually are running a balanced offense. This is what happens when you run the ball, or run screens, and throw it deeper down the field more then a couple times a game. I hope Taylor Burrow and the rest of the offense learns something from this.

Maybe that's the takeaway and win that comes from all this.
I would be happy if that's the case.

[HoosierCat]

5 minutes ago, glasgowbengal said:

As an aside, purely for our play off chances, who do we want to win between PIT and IND? What suits us better? 

I don't think it matters much. The Bengals are 0-4 in the division, so they've already lost the tiebreaker in the AFCN to everyone else (all the other teams have 3 wins). Both Indy and Pit are 5-4 in the conference while the Bengals are 3-6. That means whoever of Pitt or Indy wins only needs one more AFC win to secure that tie breaker.

I guess there might be some scenario where Indy winning and Jax collapsing puts the Colts on top in the AFC South and the Jags out of the playoffs which might be helpful in the end. It's certainly more likely than any such thing happening in the North. And Pitt sucks, of course. So I'm going to root for Indy.

[HoosierCat]

Oh, and one more note on Pitt-Indy: Tomlin has ruled out Pickett, so it will be Mitch Trubisky vs. Gardner Minshew. What a year.

[ArmyBengal]

With Browning seemingly coming into his own and the new desire to pair college QB’s and their WR’s together again, there’s only one thing we MUST do to push this into the playoffs…

SIGN JOHN ROSS !!!

 

[COB]

Man, that is hard to believe.  It feels like Browning is just getting his career going, and Ross’ career seems to be over.  From what I can tell Ross was only a year ahead of Browning at Washington.  

 

[ArmyBengal]

I remember watching a lot of Washington football that year.  Browning and Ross were a lot of fun to watch together.
That play is against Adore Jackson as well.  First round pick of the Titans and is still playing for the Giants.
The announcer said Jackson slipped, but if you look at the 13 second point, Ross made a quick move to the inside and stuck his foot in the ground.
Jackson had his ankles broken by Ross, who went screaming down the sideline for the TD.

What could have been for that dude.

[HoosierCat]

Sounds like Jefferson will play.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39091893/vikings-justin-jefferson-good-chance-play-saturday

[ArmyBengal]

Now if only the Vikings knew who was going to start at QB...

This is a game the Bengals should win.