Looking Down The Schedule

[CincyJay]

Just glancing down the schedule here:

@ Tennessee (2-5)

DALLAS (2-4)

@ Washington (2-4)

PITTSBURGH (5-1)

CLEVELAND (3-4)

@ Baltimore (4-2)

@ New England (6-0)

BUFFALO (1-5)

NEW YORK GIANTS (4-2)

@ Philadelphia (6-0)

We have a long tough road this year. With a combined opponent Win/Loss at 35-27 for the rest of our opponents, we definitely need to carry some momentum into the next few games before we meet up again with Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Baltimore, not to mention New England and Philadelphia.

What do you think about our chances for pulling out a winning season?

[walzav29]

This week is the week. If they can win, it will be huge. It will show that Monday nights win was a sign of actual improvement and not just being super hyped for their 1st Monday nighter in years. If they win this it looks like they can gain some momentum. Titans are going to try their ass's of though. Biggest game of the season.

[BengalBobNC]

I talked about this in another thread. The next three games are key:

@Titans 2-5 ~ Have lost 2 in a row

Cowboys 2-4 ~ Have lost 3 in a row

@Redskins 2-4 ~ Have won 1 in a row

These are all winnable. If the Bengals play with the intensity and effective play that they did on Monday night, we could be 5-4 going in to the AFC North rematches. Records do not matter in the AFC North games, all teams play all teams tough.

Go Bengals! Now is the time!

[cincykent]

This week is the week. If they can win, it will be huge. It will show that Monday nights win was a sign of actual improvement and not just being super hyped for their 1st Monday nighter in years. If they win this it looks like they can gain some momentum. Titans are going to try their ass's of though. Biggest game of the season.

I agree, especially since it is on the road. Plus historically we have never done well against the Titans. Most important is that it will keep the momentum going. The 4 games after Tennessee are all very winable. Unfortunately I see another 8-8 season, but you have to be encouraged by what we all saw last Monday night. It looked liked we finally have a defense. And the offensive line looked like they were coming together as a unit. Carson Palmer looked like a solid QB, but that is because he wasn't forced to pass the ball 40 times.

[BengalBobNC]

Unfortunately I see another 8-8 season, but you have to be encouraged by what we all saw last Monday night.

Regardless what our record will be at the end of the season, Palmer is getting the experience he needs, and for a 1st time starter I think he has been looking damn good. Compare him with the 1st starting season for Elway or Manning? Palmer's been better. He is going to be a great QB for us.

The other young guys are getting experience too! The future of this team is looking very good.

We can beat the Titans! One game at a time guys! Get it done!

Go Bengals!

[kybengalsfan]

I believe we can win all of the games left. However, I do not believe we will beat Baltimore, N.E., and Philly at their home stadium's. So, I think we can still, realistically, be 9-7. Will that qualify for a wild-card? I doubt it, but anything is possible.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

I believe we can win all of the games left. However, I do not believe we will beat Baltimore, N.E., and Philly at their home stadium's. So, I think we can still, realistically, be 9-7. Will that qualify for a wild-card? I doubt it, but anything is possible.

I DO think we will beat NE in New England. It will be an interesting game, but we saw how well Marvin coached against them in the preseason game, and even our backups were playing well against their starters.

9-7 could be enough to win the division, not just be a wildcard. Baltimore has a tough road ahead too you know, and they lost Ogden for the next 4-6 weeks.

[WhoDey42]

I think we can have a winning season this season...IF we play with the fire and motivation that we had on Monday. Marvin has to have these guys believing they can still make something out of this season. These next three games are very winnable. And we must win at least 2 of the 3 against the division oppenents. We'll be able to beat Buffalo and if we're still in the race when we play the Giants at home we should have the edge in that game.

But all this is looking way to far ahead, we still have an important game agianst the Titans Sunday. Let's take it one game at a time and hopefully this momentum won't wear off anytime soon.

[BengalszoneBilly]

What do you think about our chances for pulling out a winning season?

We'll have a much better idea after this Sundays road game versus the Titans. If we pull it together and get the "W" there, a winning record could very well be in the realm of possibility!

(I personally wouldn't be too upset to finish at 8-8 again after the way the season started!)

[BengalBobNC]

We'll have a much better idea after this Sundays road game versus the Titans. If we pull it together and get the "W" there, a winning record could very well be in the realm of possibility!

(I personally wouldn't be too upset to finish at 8-8 again after the way the season started!)

Agreed on both counts. This weekend will speak volumes on how things may go. We've been up and down all season. We need to stay up for a while. I just hope the fire and intensity and smart play continues. The false starts and stuff like that are very fixable. The smart play I'm talking about are players playing aggressive on defense but maintaining their assignment (i.e., Herring staying in position and forcing Plummer into the intentional grounding penalty) instead of over pursuing and chasing the fake sweep.

[Barbarian]

I believe we can win all of the games left.  However, I do not believe we will beat Baltimore, N.E., and Philly at their home stadium's.  So, I think we can still, realistically, be 9-7.  Will that qualify for a wild-card?  I doubt it, but anything is possible.

I DO think we will beat NE in New England. It will be an interesting game, but we saw how well Marvin coached against them in the preseason game, and even our backups were playing well against their starters.

9-7 could be enough to win the division, not just be a wildcard. Baltimore has a tough road ahead too you know, and they lost Ogden for the next 4-6 weeks.

Easy there, homer. How often do the Patties lose at home???

Plus, Dillon will be wanting to put one in Marvin's face.

[WhoDey42]

Plus, Dillon will be wanting to put one in Marvin's face.

And you don't think Marvin and the WHOLE team will want to do the same to Corey?

[Barbarian]

Plus, Dillon will be wanting to put one in Marvin's face.

And you don't think Marvin and the WHOLE team will want to do the same to Corey?

Corey won't be playing that game in PBS. Like I said--take it easy, homer.

[CincyJay]

Playing in New England in December ought to be pretty interesting for our team. Pray for no snow! LOL! 8-8 does seem reasonable and it should help build us some solid rapport for having back-to-back decent seasons. I agree that the young guys are gaining experience, which is good, but we need to keep it up so some of the veterans do not lose interest for playing in Cincy.

The best thing is that teams do not write us off as being an easy win anymore. We scare a bunch of teams with our big play capability. Now we need our D to step up to the long daunting road ahead.

[MoellerWhoDey]

I agree with the many posters saying that this game is the integral one in the schedule. If the Bengals can take this one home, than they have a nice chance to take down Dallas which would give them a lot of momentum heading into DC. That being said, beating the Titans will be a challenge. Big game for the Bengals here.

Go Bengals :player: put on an angry face we'll need it for Tennessee

[ArmyBengal]

I to believe this game is huge, however, 8-8 will take ALL the fire and intensity mentioned in pasts posts from this team. I loved the Monday night game, still talking S**T here at the office, still, like I made mention in another post, Denver was NOT the team their record and stats showed. Before the Bengals, all 5 wins came against team with a combined record of 9-18 and lost to the only team they played with a winning record. MOST teams would be up there in the top 5 on offense and defense if they played the teams Denver has. (I said MOST !!) Our team had better not get the big head thinking they pulled the biggest upset of the season. Denver was NOT the K.C. of last year for us IMHO. Hopefully it motivates them, but looking at this realisticly(sp) 8-8 would be a blessing. Amazing how one game changes so much around here. Hoping for the best and to not be let down.

Barb, love the new Avatar !!!

WHODEY !!!

[WhoDey42]

Our team had better not get the big head thinking they pulled the biggest upset of the season.

I agree, I think that's the biggest thing that Marvin needs to let them know. Even though the media and fans have made it look amazing (don't get me wrong it was an awesome win), they need to realize that they need to follow it up. If we lose aginst the Titans, the MNF game will be forgoten.

[Tiger Stripes]

i would be estatic if we actually made it back to 8-8.

[Barbarian]

i would be estatic if we actually made it back to 8-8.

Like I said in another thread--isn't it funny how organizations are different in the NFL???

If the Titans had an 8-8 season, most their fans would consider that a big time failure.

And let's get something straight here--having 2 8-8 seasons means that you were MEDIOCRE for 2 seasons straight. No more, no less.

Army, thanks for the props. I've got to find a new avatar though.

[Scottishbengal]

And let's get something straight here--having 2 8-8 seasons means that you were MEDIOCRE for 2 seasons straight. No more, no less.

Which goes to show the huge advancement made by the Bengals - going from habitually abysmal to mediocre to remaining at mediocre. Man, that's got to give you some hope that at least there's a pulse!

That said, it's still a world away from getting the corpse up, singing and dancing.

However, each Sunday I will continue to be blindly optimistic and enthusiastic and hope we win out every game. A 12-4 record will only cease to be achievable after our next loss, then we go for 11-5, then 10-6 etc etc. You get the picture.

Realistically I think 8-8 is a long shot for this team this season (God, have I been drinking the same tea as Barb - Feet-on-ground-green-tea?)

As my old granny used to say, "Hope for the best, expect the worse, take what comes"

[BengalszoneBilly]

If the Bengals can take this one home, than they have a nice chance to take down Dallas which would give them a lot of momentum heading into DC. That being said, beating the Titans will be a challenge. Big game for the Bengals here.

Go Bengals :player: put on an angry face  we'll need it for Tennessee

The wheels seem to be suddenly coming off for the Cowboys, who find themselves struggling mightily, even at home! Parcells is a great coach, but in Dallas he's found himself trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle with too many pieces gone!

I watched the Pittsburg at Dallas game a couple weekends ago, and the Cowboys has soooo many opportunities to put that game out of reach, and failed to do so each and every time! It may be they're relying on a 40 year old QB in Testaverde to carry a team that he shouldn't be any more than a part time backup on!

Combine that with little to no running game, and all you find yourself with is a Dallas Cowboys team in name only! Gone are the days of powerful teams with recent names like Aikeman and Smith, much less the classic names like Staubach and Dorsett! The worst is yet to come, and I think Parcells is starting to fully realize it. The Dallas fans will be looking to make tuna fish sandwiches by time this season is through!

So my comment on Dallas at Cincy next week? Another opportunity to look better than we are against a team still rated higher than maybe they should be. A chance for the offense to make a run into the 40 to 50 points range that the Bengals haven't seen since the 'Frisco game last year, and another chance for our corners Deltha and Tory to hone their skills on a still dangerous WR Keyshawn without worrying about blowing the game if they blow the coverage!!

[San Antonio Bengal]

I thought at the start of the season that 8 - 8 was going to be as good as it could get. Considering where we've been the past decade, a couple of 8 - 8 seasons is a wonderful improvement. Hopefully we'll take care of the Titans and Cowboys (both teams we should defeat) and be sitting at 4 - 4 halfway through.

[semiotter]

I agree with you guys, we need to win bad against TENN. Sunday and keep the BIG MO going...Oh yea do any of you know if Mcnair is playing? Its hard to keep him out of the lineup.....GO BENGALS GO :player:

[San Antonio Bengal]

Last I saw, he was listed as questionable. Of course, this is McNair we're talking about so he'll do what he can to find some way into the game. If he does play, I wonder how long he'd last before taking a hit that'd knock him out of the game.

[wookie]

I would expect to see him on the field for the game. I don't see the Titans going into a big game for them, sitting at 2-5, and not putting him in. As for how long he'll last, that should be determined on how effective the Bengal's pass rush is. You can bet Lewis and Frasier will be game-planning in order to hit him on every play. 1 good shot and he's back on the bench.