Week 16: Browns @ Bengals

[HoosierCat]

The clowns roll into Cincy with the chance to lock in last place in the division. Will the bengals oblige and do further damage to their draft position, which has now slipped into the teens (13)? History suggests they will as the dead cat bounces on!

Okay, they aren’t technically dead. Just mostly dead, which is slightly alive! (h/t Miracle Max) But one of the two paths to the playoffs will close Thursday night when the Broncos and Chargers play. So their already infinitesimal chances get even more infinitesimal in just three days.

[ArmyBengal]

Yes, pretty much still need a miracle.

To start, we have to win out.

In order to jump the Broncos, we need them to lose all of their last 3.
We would win the tie breaker due to head to head with them coming up.

In order to jump the Chargers, we need them to lose all of their last 3 as well.
If we finish in a tie with them, they win the tie breaker.

Since the Broncos and Chargers play each other Thursday, as Hoosier mentioned, we will be limited to one path or the other.
The Broncos still have: Chargers, Bengals and Chiefs
The Chargers still have: Broncos, Patriots and Raiders

With that being the case, I'm a Chargers fan come this Thursday.
We then beat them the next week and hope the Chiefs do the same the last week of the season.

Oh yeah, someone in there, we need both the Colts and Dolphins to each lose one more game in their last 3 games.
The Colts still have: Titans, Giants and Jaguars
The Dolphins still have: 49er's, Browns and Jets

[HoosierCat]

In Browns news, Chubb is done for the year with a broken foot.

Winston got benched for DTR yesterday after he threw his third pick of the day. Which one of them will start Sunday is anyone's guess.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/42989823/browns-rb-nick-chubb-breaks-foot-loss-chiefs

[ArmyBengal]

I'm torn either way I look at the Bengals season at this point.

On one hand, I don't want to see them further screwing up a potential top 10 draft slot.
On the other hand, I don't know that I have faith in how they would use that selection anyway.

If there are no changes coming to the coaching staff (See both Lou and Frank getting shit canned) I don't think the draft pick matters all that much.

While I'm not all geeked up in thinking they can make the playoffs, there is still a shot.
I think the first step comes this Thursday.  If the Chargers beat the Broncos, I'm still holding out slim hope.
If the Broncos win, I have next to no faith in the path to the offseason being reasonable.
There will still be a path, but there would be at least 2-3 more miracles needed with that being the case.

What if it does come down to the last week of the season?
The Bengals will need to beat the Steelers and the Broncos would need to lose to the Chiefs if all planets align.
If I'm the Chiefs, I'm resting all of my starters and happily take the loss, as the Bengals offense is more scary than most in the AFC.
They already have a two game lead for the #1 seed.  Which offense would you rather face?

[HoosierCat]

Well Army, if it helps any, they’re now about as much of a long shot to get a top 10 pick as they are to make the playoffs.

First overall is already out since the Giants have 12 losses and the worst the Bengals can finish is 6-11.

There are six more teams with 11 losses right now. Realistically all these teams are going to lose at least one more, so that eliminates picks 2-7.

Then you have the Jets at 10 losses, the Bears at 9 (and they play Minnesota tonight so no. 10 incoming) and New Orleans at 9.

If they were to lose out, maaaaaaybe they could luck into 9 or 10? But I doubt it. Somewhere around 15 or 16 seems most likely.

 

[ArmyBengal]

So Bengals news is about as bright as the Cincinnati weather during the winter.

Overcast and shitty.

Fuck you Winter

[COB]

Yesterday was a complete shit show.  Hopefully the Browns game is equally chaotic.  

[HoosierCat]

Hubbard strained pcl. Done for the year. 

[TJJackson]

Hubbard might never play for us again

Kinda sad since my third favorite Bengals play of all time was his career centerpiece.....

the proverbial silver lining, tho, is more snaps for Ossai, Murphy, and Johnson

[Stripes]

If his last play for us is catching a TD from Joe Burrow, that's a fitting departure.

[HoosierCat]

56 minutes ago, Stripes said:

If his last play for us is catching a TD from Joe Burrow, that's a fitting departure.

Yup, no better way to bow out.

[ArmyBengal]

3 hours ago, Stripes said:

If his last play for us is catching a TD from Joe Burrow, that's a fitting departure.

Agree with you Stripes !!

[HoosierCat]

Draft pick watch update: the Raiders lost their 10th straight game last night, joining the 12-loss club in the process, so now the top two picks are out of reach. Meanwhile, Chicago dropped its 8th straight game, falling to 4-10. So the top 9 picks all have 10+ losses with three to play.

[HoosierCat]

Rumor mill has it that Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start for the Browns.

Also appears that Orlando is still iffy, Cappa is in concussion protocol and Ford is still sick with the flu, so gawd knows what the oline will look like Sunday. Maybe we should start Browning…

[COB]

DTR will ball out, play the game of his life.  Hopefully Burrow, Chase, and Brown can keep it rolling and outscore the offensive juggernaut that is the Cleveland Browns.

[HoosierCat]

Got some fresh meat on the taxi squad this week, LB Joe Giles-Harris and S Jaylen Key. Per the .com:

Giles-Harris (6-2, 234), a second-year player out of Duke University, originally was a college free agent signee of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019. He has played in 20 regular-season games for Jacksonville (2019-20), Buffalo ('21-22) and New England ('24), recording 20 tackles with one sack. He was released from the Patriots' practice squad on Dec. 2.

Key (6-2, 210), a rookie out of the University of Alabama, was a seventh-round draft pick of the N.Y. Jets. He spent six games on the Jets' practice squad earlier this season, before being released on Oct. 30.

[ArmyBengal]

Jaylen Key, 2024 Mr. Irrelevant

Actually interesting as a starter on an Alabama defense.
Certainly doesn't hurt, but not expecting much.

[HoosierCat]

Thomas back now too:

The Bengals today signed DE Isaiah Thomas to the practice squad.

Thomas (6-5, 272), a second-year player out of the University of Oklahoma, originally was a seventh-round draft pick of Cleveland in 2022. He has played in 12 regular-season games for the Browns (2022) and Detroit Lions ('24), totaling 12 tackles, one sack, two PDs and two FRs. He spent the first six games of this season on Cincinnati's practice squad, before being signed to Detroit's active roster on Oct. 15. He was released from the Lions' practice squad yesterday

[HoosierCat]

Injury report:

DNP Orlando, Hubbard, Jenkins, Rankins

Limited Burrow, Cappa, Higgins, Jones, Stone

Ford was full FWIW

[Stripes]

Last week's stand-in tackle seemed to dramatically outperform Ford. Would like to see more of him.

[HoosierCat]

Cochran. Yeah he had a decent game. Would be good to see more to find out if he can serve as an adequate backup.

[ArmyBengal]

3 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

Ford was full FWIW

Absolutely nothing is what it’s worth.

Ford sucks…

[TJJackson]

12 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

Absolutely nothing

so Ford is like War.......?

[ArmyBengal]

War is inherently destructive and contrary to the principles of reason and justice.
War is not something to be loved, but rather something to be avoided.

That might be taking things a bit far with Ford.  I'll just keep it at he sucks as an NFL player.

[Stripes]

War is good for absolutely nuthin, nuthin, say it again.

Cody Ford is good for helping defensive ends with performance anxiety get it up before a game.