yet another prediction for the bengals to win!!!

[maddydaddy]

The respect keeps growing and growing for cincinnati. Yesterday I called in to fox sports radio and spoke with Brian Cox and company about the Bengals. They gave us nothing but praise. I found this article in the denver post, again some nice ink on Cincy!!

AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals 11-5

Pittsburgh Steelers 11-5

Baltimore Ravens 9-7

Cleveland Browns 3-13

And the Winner is...

Cincinnati, but barely. There are no facts to suggest that the Steelers' run last season was a fluke, but I think the Bengals are finally ready to come of age and parity (not to mention a full year of film on Ben Roethlisberger for opponents to review) should cut Pittsburgh's win total down at least a little bit. The Ravens are the x-factor here, as they could easily be a 12-win team, but I'm just not so sure that an overworked running back and mistake-prone quarterback will be able to finish games off, and I think the loss of LBs Peter Boulware and Edgerton Hartwell are going to sting that defense. Better luck next year for Crennel in Cleveland, but, as they say, you cannot succeed until you fail first.

What Were They Thinking?

I hate to harp on it, but Baltimore letting both Peter Boulware and Edgerton Hartwell leave town will be the undoing of the Ravens' chances this season. Ray Lewis is very obviously losing a step (though he still blows stuff up, he's more of one of those old, swinging wrecking balls now as opposed to the explosive device they use on the Las Vegas casinos, which he used to be more akin to). They are still without a real run-stuffer in the middle of that line. They can move to a 46 defense (which they intend to do part of the time in '06) all they want, but you can't do that without well-rounded, versatile linebackers and they let two of those walk.

Surprise, Surprise

There aren't too many surprises in this grouping of teams, but Cincinnati being projected as the division winner may be one thing that catches some flak. It is a relatively simple formula I used — they have a slightly more favorable schedule than the Steelers. Otherwise, most everything else is equal, and I think their records will indicate that.

[bengalboomer7]

I'm getting a little worried about all this praise. I would prefer for everyone to think that we just came out of nowhere

But on the flip side, it is nice to no longer see the national media s**t on the bengals faces

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

I'm getting a little worried about all this praise. I would prefer for everyone to think that we just came out of nowhere

But on the flip side, it is nice to no longer see the national media s**t on the bengals faces

I had the same conflict. I was really hoping people wouldn't recognize the Bengals are going to be better this year, and we would sneak up on the media.

[DesperateDerelict]

we would sneak up on the media.

Forget the media. My disappointment is that we won't sneak up on any NFL teams. If this praise continues, it might have the opposite effect . . . other teams will be circling us on their calendar.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

we would sneak up on the media.

Forget the media. My disappointment is that we won't sneak up on any NFL teams. If this praise continues, it might have the opposite effect . . . other teams will be circling us on their calendar.

You don't sneak up on teams in the NFL. They have all the film they need.

The only team we could possibly sneak up on is Cleveland, and that's only because, well, THEY SUCK!

[DesperateDerelict]

You don't sneak up on teams in the NFL.

Are you saying the Bungles during the lost decade didn't sneak up on anybody? I firmly believe that's the ONLY way they actually won any games - being taken too lightly.

[brian5562]

I like being noticed. That means we have to show up a prove it. NO more excuses we have to go to the playoffs.

[Defender]

I think a 10 win season will be viewed as sneaking up on people because you have to go look for all this praise, instead of having it crammed down our throats for the entire off season. The average football fan will look at the Bengals and say "Where did they come from?"

[HoosierCat]

I'm getting a little worried about all this praise. I would prefer for everyone to think that we just came out of nowhere

There was never much chance of that. The Bengals have been a chic "underdog" pick for '05 since...oh, about spring of last year. Remember? Every Bengals' football preview eventually got around to saying something like, "The Bengals will be better this year, but it might not show up in their record because of a more difficult schedule and the decision to start Carson Palmer over Comeback Player of the Year Jon Kitna. They could even take a step back (to 7-9 or so). But in 2005, the playoff drought will end."

So expectations have been rising for more than a year. Should the Bengals stumble out of the gate with another 0-4 or 1-3 start, expect the national media, feeling burned once again, to come down hard. Of course, it probably won't matter; in such a case, bengals fandom, pumped up to the stratosphere now by dreams of an 11, 12, 13 win season, will have already stormed and razed PBS, leaving a trail of bloody, battered and bruised players, coaches and owners in their wake...

[The Big Orange]

As some of you may know, I have huge mistrust of the media (I'm trying to put saave on it but can't reach) and I would far prefer predictions about us coming in the 2-14 range so others keep the mentality that we are still the Bungles.

But a report like this one is music to my ears...as is the one I found a while back at about.com which power ranked us as 6th overall and winning it all. I like these kind because no one reads them except homers like us and Walter's mom. So since nobody reads those except us, no damage is done.

But just as Seatle had the crosshairs on them last year, so will Minnesota and Arizona this year...and soon we will, too. In the last 2 weeks I have read 3 magazines which has us tied or winning the AFC North (most ofthem Fantasy Rags). If that keeps us, people will be absolutely gunning for us.

At least that's the way it plays out in my twisted, conspiratory mind.

After much investigation and seeing the development of our team as a whole, I predict we will hit a huge slump and finish 3-13. 3-13!!! Do you hear that you opposing stinking team spies!!!