Random Post Game Observations

[kingwilly]

Some of this harkens back to the games we won early on. Dumb penalties, poor tackling and good decision making by Palmer that if not fixed would haunt us in the big games. The thing that is keeping us alive is the utter talent level of the offensive squad.

Vs JAX, PIT and INDY, we mis-played key situation via penalty, atrocious tackling and the infrequent Palmer brain fart. All of which are fixable!

Let me also say that Rudi and Perry were due for massive outings with the line playing the way it was. Hats off to the O-line.

The point being made about TE's is right on time. I think they need to look at the scheme a bit. Subbing another WR at TE to get the mismatch vs an LB or setting the TE's down altogether and using Andrews at TE on runnning plays should be given a try. It may telegraph the play more but at least you put higher skilled players out there, as our TE's are sorely inferior.

[richmond_mat]

I like that, Micheal Jordan calls. Perfect analogy. I hope you don't mind me using that

Any time

[DesperateDerelict]

I believe everyone is missing a vital point here . . . we witnessed yesterday the premier offense this decade playing what very well might be their best game in the last couple of years. Would they have scored 45 against this year's Bears? - maybe. How about the 2002 Rat-birds? - probably not . . . but they'd have scored more than 30.

They were awe-inspiring. It used to bother me that CP & CJ wanted so badly to emulate them, but not anymore! Actually, our offense did look like a JV version of theirs.

As far as the Defense . . . we took away the Edge (87 yards) and Marvin Harrison (34 yards) and they STILL SCORED 45 FLIPPIN' POINTS!. Even the most rabid drunkards sittin' near me were dumb-struck. WOW!

[BengalNation1281]

J-Smith finally had the game that everyone has been waiting for him to have...his performance yesterday is up there with his performance in the Denver MNF game last year.

85...what more can be said?

This was the best offensive game I've ever seen.

I was disappointed that we lost, but I looked in the paper today and there was none of the "Bengals aren't elite, not so fast, can't win the big game" crap that had been there after the other two losses. They showed the world that while they aren't a great team yet, they are a really, really good one, and they will be great in the years to come.

7-3 and still #1...can't complain about that.

Oh, and did I mention that the STEELERS LOST TO THE CROWS??????

[Whur CHad At?]

uhh dude Tommy Maddox was playing...He is terrible

We arn't "elite" yet but we are a very good team.

[bengalindian]

Everyone keeps talking about how bad the Colts D played yesterday. How about because it was against the second best offense in the league? Also, I'll tell you why the Colts can win the Super Bowl. If they beat the Bengals in the playoffs, what other team has the defense to stop them and the offense to outscore them besides the Bengals. Certainly no NFC team does. And the Patriots are too banged up to do anything about it. I think that Indianapolis is one of the best teams we've seen in awhile, and that they can win the Super Bowl unless they choke.

[scott91575]

I noticed two things on the 2nd to last drive that ate me up. First of all, why not run the ball on 3rd and one? The Bengals ran all over them. OK, I could see a pass if you were going to settle for a field goal, yet if you were going to go for it on 4th why not run it? Then when they run it they go wide to the short side of the field when Perry and the oline were gashing them up the middle. Still shaking my head on that one. Not to mention it was a makeable field goal, which they settled for on the next drive with less time.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

The Colts are on fire, scoring 30+ points in each of their last 5 games.

40+ points in 3 of them (Rams, NE, Cin).

The Bengals' defense has problems, but they have lots of company. Yet no one's really come close to putting 37 on the Colts. Although the Rams got to 28.

[bengalindian]

And the Rams had garbage points. I think this game said a lot more about the offense than people think.

[membengal]

The Colts are on fire, scoring 30+ points in each of their last 5 games.

40+ points in 3 of them (Rams, NE, Cin).

The Bengals' defense has problems, but they have lots of company. Yet no one's really come close to putting 37 on the Colts. Although the Rams got to 28.

Thank you Shula, perspective is always nice.

For my part, from the nosebleeds:

1. We all need to realize that the Bengals no longer sneak up on teams. We get their best efforts on a weekly basis. That makes the 7-3 record all the more impressive to me. National folks can do the "they have not beaten anyone" dance all they want, but so far the Bengals have been quietly spectacular at taking care of business. As long as they keep doing so (no easy task), 11-5 is doable. Which should make the playoffs, all any of us really want, just so that damn statistic can stop being thrown in the team's face.

2. There is a learning curve, sometimes, with winning big games. The Bengals are working on that right now. With each loss comes more of a learning opportunity. Sucks, but sometimes that's the path a team is on. A few plays, here or there, and they are 9-1 right now. A valuable object lesson for all the stuff ML has been telling them.

3. This game, against a good D, affirms just how dangerous the Bengals' offense is. #3 in the NFL after that game. Good, that should simplify the focus this off-season.

4. Madieu being there WOULD have made a big difference. Since he wasn't, I am still unhappy with the game that Ohalete had, you simply have to tackle when you are a Safety, failure to do so yields touchdowns.

5. For everyone screaming about the lack of pressure, um, Manning had only taken six sacks all season coming into this one. I was actually pleasantly surprised they got in on him as much as they did.

6. Look, we gave as good as we got in that one. A little more evenly called game from the refs, or better execution on 3rd and 4th and 1, and the Bengals may even win that game. Against a team as good as the Colts, there is nothing to really be ashamed of. Does anyone here remember that Monday night game in 1982 out in San Diego? Ken Anderson and Dan Fouts were unstoppable that game. Sometimes you get in games like that.

7. The Colts game didn't really matter in the long run for the playoffs, the games that matter are Baltimore, Buffalo, Cleveland at home and Detroit on the road. Win all of those, and 11 wins and the playoffs is the prize. Finally exorcise a big game demon in Pittsburgh and get a home playoff game.

The game this weekend is ginormous.

By the way, it was amazing to be in the crowd on Sunday. Never been a part of anything quite like that. Energy close to that level for the remaining home games will be critical.

[lYonking32]

Let me start off by saying there are some things i loved in this game and some things i didn't really understand. There are 3 things I enjoyed, and 3 main things I did not enjoy.

I DID ENJOY

- Justin Smith played great, looked like he had a "non-stop" motor. Seemed to me that he was husteling alot more than the other D-lineman.

- The O-Line played one hell of a game, the pass protection was unbelievable and their was numerous holes for Perry and Rudi. Chad had an unreal game as well.

- Chris Perry had a sensational game, ecspecially that catch he had towards the end of the game.

DID NOT ENJOY

- Questionable play calling; 4th and short and we pitch the ball?!

- Odell had a pretty decent game but as you could see down the stretch, he was making some costly mistakes. I know he is a rookie and he will get better, we just need to get his head out of his ass! ha

- OHALATE, absolutly the worst safety I have seen in the NFL in years. He can't tackle, can't cover, can't do much of anything except suck. His best tackle of the game was in the middle of the field on dallas clark; after he was already on the ground! I know we can't cut him, we are in week 11, and whoever we have now is who we are going to stick with, but we gotta teach him something. Maybe put Reggie Myles back there, I mean at least he can tackle, I've seen him on special teams.