Week 16 (Saturday 12/23): Bengals @ Steelers Game Thread

[HoosierCat]

1 hour ago, ArmyBengal said:

I haven't really paid too much attention to the clinching possibilities honestly.

I am just looking forward to Saturday's game.  I've made it known for quite some time that I don't typically watch the Steelers, Bengals games.
I hate that team, their fans, their coach, the color yellow, Penguins, Pirates, and just about anything else about that city.

That being said, I will be watching this weekend.  I hope Browning goes into Pittsburgh and kicks the shit out of them.
Nothing would please me more about this season.  That and watching Tomlin spiral further out of control.

Basically all you need to know about clinching this week is that four of the seven AFC playoff spots could be gone by the end of the weekend. Baltimore has already clinched, KC will each grab a spot if they win, Miami gets in with a win and a Bills loss/tie, and Cleveland will clinch if a bunch of stuff happens that mostly involves them winning and Pitt losing.

[TJJackson]

happy with any playoff seed under the circumstances

[HoosierCat]

10 minutes ago, COB said:

Tomlin will have to come up with some new tough guy metaphors, business school platitudes, and he’ll definitely need some new mirror aviators.  
 

Also never forget he’s never had a losing season. 
 

Mason Rudolph legacy game coming up!  George Pickens is reportedly so pumped he’s going to give up to 40% effort.  TJ Watt will take a break from injecting steroids long enough to blindly rush the passer on every down, including run plays.  And of course we’ll see some good old fashioned cheap shot head hunting, good ol’ stiller footbaw!

Heh. You joke but I do expect this to be a brutal game. Both teams need the win and the Steelers are home and have spent all week hearing how they suck. Plus this is the first time Browning faces a team that’s played him before. I hate this game, it feels like so many others that the Bengals have lost to Pitt with the playoffs on the line. And whoever wins will limp out with a bunch of fresh injuries.

[TJJackson]

yes, I too hate playing the team that exists to inflict injury on other players

[HoosierCat]

On 12/19/2023 at 12:29 PM, ArmyBengal said:

So from the article posted by Hoosier yesterday, I pulled who we should be rooting for this weekend and some comments:

Patriots (3-11) at Broncos (7-7):    Patriots

Jaguars (8-6) at Buccaneers (7-7): Buccaneers

Bills (8-6) at Chargers (5-9):           Chargers

Browns (9-5) at Texans (8-6):         Texans

Colts (8-6) at Falcons (6-8):           Falcons

Raiders (6-8) at Chiefs (9-5):         Raiders

Placing my bets:

Broncos over Pats, unfortunately. NE is trash.

Bucs over Jags. Bucs are on a three game win streak, Jags have lost three straight, I’ll give the Bucs the edge at home.

Bills over Chargers. Bolts are a basket case. Happy to be wrong.

Texans over Browns. Cleveland is 2-4 on the road this year. OTOH Stroud is still out so…

Colts over Falcons. Atlanta is a bad team.

Chiefs over Raiders. I know KC seems a little off right now but I they can take the Raiders at home.

Running that through the playoff machine, Bengals (assuming they win) stay in but slip to the 7th seed.

[membengal]

1 hour ago, TJJackson said:

yes, I too hate playing the team that exists to inflict injury on other players

THIS

[TJJackson]

holy shit Mem and I agreed

write down the date

buy your lottery tickets

[TJJackson]

(the 9.2 statement was from early October)

[HoosierCat]

Speaking of crybaby teams, the Ravens are whining about being road dogs against the Niners.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39157274/underdog-ravens-feel-disrespected-ahead-49ers-showdown

Insert rolling eyes emoji x10 here.

[ArmyBengal]

The Ravens are a good team.  They were a good team last year without Lamar.  No two ways about it.
That being said, the 49er's are also a Super Bowl contending team capable of beating any team in the league.

Disrespected ??  Whatever bitches.  How soon they forget the coin toss to considering all their whining last year...

All that being said, we beat the 49er's this year.

Fuck off Ravens !!!

[TJJackson]

Kenny Pickett ruled out

Kenny Pickett officially ruled out vs. Bengals (msn.com)

NT Cam Heyward has exited concussion protocol

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/steelers-defensive-tackle-cam-heyward-clears-concussion-protocol-matchup-bengals

[volcom69]

50 minutes ago, TJJackson said:

Kenny Pickett ruled out

Kenny Pickett officially ruled out vs. Bengals (msn.com)

NT Cam Heyward has exited concussion protocol

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/steelers-defensive-tackle-cam-heyward-clears-concussion-protocol-matchup-bengals

So it’s Rudolph who actually had a winning record and not to mention a 2-0 record against the Bengals. Not really sure I’m excited to see him QB this week.

So Chase will be out Reader will be gone now for the year, these injuries are really coming at the worst of times. For some reason it does not matter who the Bengals coach is they just suck against the AFCN except for down years from other teams. At some point Zac is going to have to start winning against these division teams and doing so consistently. So hopefully it will start this week, but with the Steelers being embarrassed last couple weeks and them at home, it’s going to take a huge effort from this team missing key guys!

[TJJackson]

Just win baby

[COB]

Santa drives a sleigh that is a miniature Viking ship, cranks Amon Amarth all night on his rounds, and is a sometimes participant in Viking battle re-enactments. 

[COB]

I wonder if mouth-breathing Steeler fans read the news.  
 

If they do, they are probably too stupid to see the prophecy staring  them in their primanti fat faces.  
 

US Steel, that symbol of American industrial and military might, has agreed to sell itself to Nippon Steel.  
 

The ultimate symbol of Stiller pride.  Their logo is literally the US Steel corporate logo.  Sorry Steeler fans, your grotesque empire of vicarious glory is crumbling.    
 

 

[ArmyBengal]

How do you say Yinzer in Japanese ??

Konnichiwa bitches !!!

[HoosierCat]

Funny thing is that the main focus for USS hasn’t been in Pitt for years. It’s just down the road from me in Gary.

[COB]

I’ve been in the Gary Works of US Steel many times for work.  It is an amazing place.  

[COB]

Story from Gary Works:

I went there to troubleshoot a malfunctioning piece of equipment.  I meet my contacts in the locker room at the plate mill (where they produce the first iteration of steel, giant rectangular slugs of steel).

Anyway in the locker room there are a bunch of chairs and benches and a battered steel desk.  We sit and have our meeting.  
 

When we arrive and during our whole time in the locker room, there is a guy sitting at the desk.  He’s got work clothes on and a parka with the hood up.  He’s reclined back in an office chair, with his boots up on the desk, arms folded and eyes closed like he’s asleep.  He never moved, opened his eyes, or in any way acknowledged that we were there.  The whole meeting, like half an hour.  None of the US Steel guys spoke to him or said anything about him.

We leave and get our work done (US Steel techs had installed equipment improperly), takes about 4 hours.  
 

Back to the locker room to debrief and part ways.  We walk in, exact same guy sitting in the exact same position, like this dude seriously hadn’t even moved.  We have our meeting, make plans, and say goodbye.  Same exact thing, the guy never moved or opened his eyes or acknowledged us in any way.  
 

 

[HoosierCat]

50 minutes ago, COB said:

Story from Gary Works:

I went there to troubleshoot a malfunctioning piece of equipment.  I meet my contacts in the locker room at the plate mill (where they produce the first iteration of steel, giant rectangular slugs of steel).

Anyway in the locker room there are a bunch of chairs and benches and a battered steel desk.  We sit and have our meeting.  
 

When we arrive and during our whole time in the locker room, there is a guy sitting at the desk.  He’s got work clothes on and a parka with the hood up.  He’s reclined back in an office chair, with his boots up on the desk, arms folded and eyes closed like he’s asleep.  He never moved, opened his eyes, or in any way acknowledged that we were there.  The whole meeting, like half an hour.  None of the US Steel guys spoke to him or said anything about him.

We leave and get our work done (US Steel techs had installed equipment improperly), takes about 4 hours.  
 

Back to the locker room to debrief and part ways.  We walk in, exact same guy sitting in the exact same position, like this dude seriously hadn’t even moved.  We have our meeting, make plans, and say goodbye.  Same exact thing, the guy never moved or opened his eyes or acknowledged us in any way.  
 

Behold the power of collective bargaining.

[COB]

19 minutes ago, HoosierCat said:

Behold the power of collective bargaining.

My suspicion was that he’d failed a drug test or something.  Per their contract, probably appealing it and allowed to work but couldn’t be assigned any actual work during the appeal.  It seemed to me he was on something, like some kind of heavy tranquilizer.

[ArmyBengal]

Quote

Why did U.S. Steel sell?

Told The Hill in a Tuesday interview that part of the corporate intention behind the deal is to boost Japanese exports of high-end steel while shifting U.S. production to lower-end steel in states where companies don't have to pay union wage rates.

 

[HoosierCat]

Yup, Nippon Steel sucks where labor is concerned. 

[HoosierCat]

Get on the phone Katie!

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/sebastian-joseph-day-landing-spots-chargers-captain-starting-dt-let-go-with-one-year-remaining-on-contract/

[COB]

Seems like a no brainer.  Get him in here.  Nice work by that writer when selecting potential landing spots - Cowboys, Niners, and Browns.  Laziest take ever.