BengalBobNC Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 We've got the Chargers up next on the road. The team needs to stay focused and take them seriously. One game at a time. Here are the upcoming games for the AFC North, shown in standings order:BengalsNov. 23 @San Diego 4:15 PMNov. 30 @Pittsburgh 1:00 PMDec. 7 @Baltimore 1:00 PMDec. 14 San Francisco 1:00 PMDec. 21 @St. Louis 1:00 PM Dec. 28 Cleveland 1:00 PMRavensNov. 23 Seattle 1:00 PMNov. 30 San Francisco 1:00 PMDec. 7 Cincinnati 1:00 PMDec. 14 @Oakland 4:05 PMDec. 21 @Cleveland 1:00 PMDec. 28 Pittsburgh 8:30 PMBrownsNov. 23 Pittsburgh 1:00 PMNov. 30 @Seattle 4:15 PMDec. 8 St. Louis 9:00 PMDec. 14 @Denver 4:05 PMDec. 21 Baltimore 1:00 PMDec. 28 @Cincinnati 1:00 PMSteelersNov. 17 @San Francisco 9:00 PMNov. 23 @Cleveland 1:00 PM Nov. 30 Cincinnati 1:00 PMDec. 7 Oakland 1:00 PMDec. 14 @NY Jets 1:00 PMDec. 21 San Diego 4:05 PMDec. 28 @Baltimore 8:30 PMWe need to have no letdowns whatsoever! Not like the Cardinals game. You can bet the coaches and the veteran players will be preaching that down the stretch and especially this week. I said this in a previous post...we control our own destiny! While we go on the road for three games, the Ravens are at home for three, including a rematch with us.Go Bengals!!!! One game at a time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brew Man Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 I agree Bob, we are in control here. But, like I and others have stated, the road scares me. I truly think now that we can beat anybody in the jungle. But the road is another thing. Speaking of looking ahead, I doubt we see any SD fans in our forum this week.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 Well the Bengals are at the point where they control their own destiny. It helps they have the easiest schedule of the AFC North, and they get to play all three teams. Those three road games will be really telling though. The Chargers game should be a gimme(I know, there are no gimmies in the NFL) and they'll need to split the Ravens/Steelers games. But they really have to beat the Ravens because that's who they are tied with, and you don't want to lose the tie breakers. But I'm just glad the Bengals are in a position to even be talking about this. ...But that doesn't mean I would be happy with a late season collapse.cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalBobNC Posted November 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Three straight road games will be tough, no doubt. If these guys keep playing like they did Sunday...hmmmmmm!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsfan2 Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 I agree Bob, we are in control here. But, like I and others have stated, the road scares me. I truly think now that we can beat anybody in the jungle. But the road is another thing. Speaking of looking ahead, I doubt we see any SD fans in our forum this week.... You make a really good point about the road. Oakland - Bufalo & Arizona. Those are teams that we should have beaten. Bottom line is that we didn't because they made the plays when they had to, and we didn't. I think the reason we lost to Oakland and Buffalo was lack of execution. The Bengals are executing better every week. I think the reason they lost to Arizona was stage fright. They froze in what was for them a big game. I think that this weeks win over KC cured them of that as well. Not everything went perfect, and they still won. Coach Lewis keeps saying how much of this game is mental. The last two weeks should have helped immensely in that area. On top of that the team doesn't have any injuries to speak of. That's got to be a big boost going into this game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AutumnWind71 Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Your only tough game will be against the Rams...can you say 10-6???That is a challenging 3-game road stretch coming up, but after your win against KC, your confidence level is through the roof...good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brew Man Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 I hope your right Raidahfan, but 8-8 could win this division... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsfan2 Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 I hope your right Raidahfan, but 8-8 could win this division...I don't know how the division will turn out. Either way, I think we're going to need some outside help with the Ravens, or better yet beat them ourselves. Beating them ourselves would be my preference. It would give us a game up on them and give us the tie breaker to boot. Still think its going to come down between them and us. Cleveland beating Arizona can be chalked up to the old saying that even the blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalBobNC Posted November 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Consider this very real possibility:Now that the 49ers have beaten the Steelers, if this Sunday goes completely in our favor:Bengals beat the ChargersSeahawks beat the RavensSteelers beat the BrownsThe division records would then be:Bengals 6-5Ravens 5-6Browns 4-7Steelers 4-7We would effectively have a two game lead since we beat the Ravens earlier this year. After this Sunday we have a two game showdown with the Steelers and the Ravens. Even if the Browns beat the Steelers, they then play the Seahawks and Rams.If we play the next three road games like we did against the Chiefs, we could take a commanding lead in the AFC North! First things first....Beat the Chargers!!!! (But I gotta admit...I'm getting goosebumbs!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Steelers beat the BrownsIf we play the next three road games like we did against the Chiefs, we could take a commanding lead in the AFC North! First things first....Beat the Chargers!!!! (But I gotta admit...I'm getting goosebumbs!)Maybe the Steelers and Browns will both lose Yeah, it all starts in San Diego...But damn...I feel like it's the 80's all over again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicagoJungle Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 crap, if it's the 80's I'm going to break out in pimples and wear bad clothes again.I'm ready for the Chargers.you know what no one is mentioning right now? Both the Steelers and Ravens are teams on the decline right now. Are the Ravens going to have a legitimate NFL QB in any remaining game this season? Not from the looks of it now. Plus, they're fighting in the locker room, coaches and players are getting into it, etc. Could be just the start of a disaster we're seeing.the Steelers flat-out didn't show up last night. Our defense is good enough right now to put the same kind of pressure on Maddox that SF did last night.I'm not "guaranteeing" three more in a row, but it's fun to think we've got a shot. The road can be tough though. Three in a row is a crime perpetrated on us by the NFL schedulers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalBobNC Posted November 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 The road can be tough though. Three in a row is a crime perpetrated on us by the NFL schedulers.True, but those same schedulers game us 4 home games within a five game span. The three teams we face on the road are all beatable. With no letdowns..staying focused on the prize! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsfan2 Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Both the Steelers and Ravens are teams on the decline right now. Are the Ravens going to have a legitimate NFL QB in any remaining game this season? Not from the looks of it now. the Steelers flat-out didn't show up last night. Our defense is good enough right now to put the same kind of pressure on Maddox that SF did last night.The Steelers and the Bengals have had "a thing" for each other for about the last 30 years or so. It's a little harder to say with the Ravens, because a lot of those guys are really Browns wearing new clothes. Even in their heyday, the toughest games for the Steelers win or lose were the ones with the Bengals. The same was true in reverse for the Bengals during our playoff years. Add to that the fact that the Steelers are just plain tough. They may not be the team they have been in the past, but I think it would be a mistake to write them off too quickly. They've already beaten us at our house, and they would love to put a detour in our route to the playoffs in front of their home crowd. Any team that plays defense the way the Ravens do has to be taken seriously no matter who the qb is. As long as Jamal Lewis is in the backfield, they have a potent weapon on offense too.Even if you don't want to call these teams dangerous, they should still be labeled ... approach with extreme caution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicagoJungle Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 you're both right on with those points.We should respect all of our conference opponents. We should fear none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalBobNC Posted November 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Absolutely: Our division plays each other very tough regardless of their current record. Are the Browns, Ravens, and Steelers beatable? Definately. Should we take them lightly...no way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richmond_mat Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 The ravens might lose their next three. Bengal fans need to recite the wishy wyche philosophy: really good offense beats really good defense; reallly good offense and good defense gets you to the superbowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 The ravens might lose their next three. Bengal fans need to recite the wishy wyche philosophy: really good offense beats really good defense; reallly good offense and good defense gets you to the superbowl. That's a very valid statement. Unless you have a defense that scores(they aren't designed to do that) then you have real problems if you can't put points on the board. I mean the Ravens held the Rams to 122 years(not sure exactly but close enough) And still lost badly!!!! I've said it before Brian Pillick is the most overated "genius" in the NFL. The only reason he has a super bowl ring is because of Coach Lewis.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richmond_mat Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Coach Lewis deserves the surplus cap money! (right now) However, bonuses are given after the new year.Let the good times roll BENGALS; 10-6 or we shall be disappointed. (9-7 is okay too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 10-6 or we shall be disappointed. (9-7 is okay too)I don't know about that. As much as I'd love to see that happen, and I think it will happen, I won't be disapointed if they finish 7-9. I mean this team finished 2-14 last year! the kind of turnaround that coach lewis has done is simply amazing. No matter what happens they are on the way up, and the future hasn't looked this bright in ages. They are playing great, the jokes have stopped, and control their playoff destiny in November, not their draft status....Of course I still think they will finish 10-6, win their division, and beat Indy in the first playoff game at PBS. But what do I know? I thought they were gonna go to the playoffs last year cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richmond_mat Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Maybe I am an overachiever, but they're playing well; especially the offense. Granted the defense has had one great game, others that were good enough and one meltdown. But that's where the offense comes in to play. If the team can score 25 points per game then they will win at least three more games. I guess that might leave us 8-8 and playoff bound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 If the team can score 25 points per game then they will win at least three more games. I guess that might leave us 8-8 and playoff bound? Oh, I think they can score at least 25 a game the rest of the way, no doubt. The defense has shown steady improvement all season. If they win at San Diego, I think they have a real shot at beating the Steelers and Ravens away, but for the sake of arguments let's say they split, that's 2-1 for a record of 7-6, with either the outright lead, or still sharing it with Baltimore(I still think Baltimore is a ticking time bomb...but I don't bet on that sort of thing) that leaves two homegames aginst 49ers and Browns, two games they should win. The worst game on the Schedule is at St Louis where the Rams haven't lost yet and don't really look like they will, so those three games at 2-1. Of course it will help if some of those teams that we play are out of the playoff hunt. That leaves the Bengals at 9-7, and probably at worst tied with Baltimore for the division, and as long as the ravens lose a duece as well it'll be okay. And the Ravens are going against a few teams that have enough offensive power to beat them cause there offense couldn't score against a high school team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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