Bengals Playoff Competition

[Stripes]

Here's the remaining schedules for those teams who threaten our playoff position. First, the Bengals themselves.

Bengals (8-3)

@ Pittsburgh (7-4)

Cleveland (4-7)

@ Detroit (4-7)

Buffalo (4-7)

@ Kansas City (7-4)

Total record - 26-29

Steelers (7-4)

Cincinnati (8-3)

Chicago (8-3)

@ Minnesota (6-5)

@ Cleveland (4-7)

Detroit (4-7)

Total record - 30-25

Broncos (9-2)

@ Kansas City (7-4)

Baltimore (3-8)

@ Buffalo (4-7)

Oakland (4-7)

@ San Diego (7-4)

Total record - 25-30

Jaguars (7-4)

@ Cleveland (4-7)

Indianapolis (11-0)

San Fransisco (2-9)

@ Houston (1-10)

Tennessee (3-8)

Total record - 21-34

Chiefs (7-4)

Denver (9-2)

@ Dallas (7-4)

@ New York Giants (7-4)

San Diego (7-4)

Cincinnati (8-3)

Total record - 38-17

Chargers (7-4)

Oakland (4-7)

Miami (5-6)

@ Indianapolis (11-0)

@ Kansas City (7-4)

Denver (9-2)

Total record - 36-19

From this we can see that of these teams, the one with toughest remaining schedule is by far Kansas City. They will more than likely falter and fall out of this race. The Jaguars do have a cake schedule, but without Leftwich, they are likely to stumble somewhere. San Diego is, I think, our chief competitor for a wild card spot. They have been playing some of the best football in the league of late. They also have a very difficult schedule.

What really matters is what we have to face in comparison to the Steelers. If we beat them next week, then chances are we will win out and finish the regular season at 13-3. They'd also probably win out after that, and finish 11-5. Denver is likely to drop one or more of their games, and that would open the door for us to possibly secure a first round bye week if we can win the division.

[Kazkal]

aye I doubt broncos will go 14-2 they'll probbley lose to chargers...so be intresting who does get 2nd seed with atm many teams in race I think will have a chance aslong as we beat the steelers

[walshfan]

It comes down to sunday...

If we beat the Stoolers we have a 2 game lead and even a loss to KC wont deter us from winning the division...

If the Steelers win I think they run the table.. I dont think Chicago's offense will score more than 10 against them and they'll cover that..

Win we're the champs of the division...lose we still have to fight for a wildcard....

[jjakq27]

I'd like to see a scenario where the Steelers don't even make the playoffs. I doubt that it will happen but a win Sunday would go a long way towards making that happen.

I think if San Diego makes the playoffs, they are a team to be feared. LT is the best back in the league and can win a game single handedly. They are two games back but play Denver the last game of the season. I wouldn't be surprised if they win their division. The Broncos still have Jake Plummer.

I could see where they could knock Indy off in the playoffs. A lot would have to go right but they have a good mix of offense and defense.

[AMC]

Chiefs and Chargers have the toughest road. Chiefs are all but out with that sched, it's brutal.

JAX without Leftwich may be in trouble even with an easy sched.

[Stripes]

If we beat the Steelers and hand them their fifth loss, then they have a big chance of missing the playoffs. The Chargers are on a tear, and I think could very well pass them up in the Wild Card chase... I am not sure I like that idea though, if we end up with the #3 seed.

[STEELER-KILLER]

I feel like the Colts and Broncos will get the first round byes.. However, I sure hope the Bengals can leap over the Broncos with a Denver loss... New England wins their terrible division and the wild card spots go to the Chargers and Jacksonville with the squealers out of it.... I see a showdown with the JAGS in the future!

[Kazkal]

It comes down to sunday...

If we beat the Stoolers we have a 2 game lead and even a loss to KC wont deter us from winning the division...

If the Steelers win I think they run the table.. I dont think Chicago's offense will score more than 10 against them and they'll cover that..

Win we're the champs of the division...lose we still have to fight for a wildcard....

Walsh only 10pts from their offense but have take in account the 10-14 from their defense/ special teams

[bengalindian]

IF the Steelers lose to the Bengals, then it could start a snowball effect. The Bears could come in on fire and then the Steelers, if they stay banged up, could get shocked in Cleveland. But that's a lot of hoping, and it HAS to start with a Bengals' victory on Sunday.

What's weird is that, in the past, all I could hope for was a playoff berth, and now, I won't be satisfied until they win the Super Bowl. Oh, times are a-changin'.

[NYBengalfan]

#1 Indianapolis- obviously

#2 BENGALS- I think that we can beat PIT this time, and we wont lose any of the other games

#3 Denver- Loses to KC and SD will knock them down

#4 New England- Someone has to come out of the AFC East

Wild Cards go to:

Jacksonville- Look at their schedule, It would be a natural disaster that they dont get 12-4 no matter who is QB.

Pittsburgh- because they will have the same record as San Diego at 7-4 and I see them staying neck and neck and will end up with the same record and PIT won the tiebreaker in week 4 when they beat SD.

[Spain]

Pretty much comes down to Sunday!

[Stripes]

Looking at the Jaguars schedule, I don't think they will make it. They will lose to the Colts, so that's a certain 5th loss. Then they have @ Cleveland, and host Tennessee. I imagine they'll lose one of these games with Garrard at the helm. He looked bad against the Cardinals. At 10-6, they'd be a no show.

If that does come to pass, then the wildcards would probably be Pittsburgh/Cincinnati and San Diego. Count me in as one guy that does not want to see the Chargers in the playoffs, they matchup better against us than I think any other team in the AFC.

[HoosierCat]

I'd like to see a scenario where the Steelers don't even make the playoffs. I doubt that it will happen but a win Sunday would go a long way towards making that happen.

Actually, the only reason the Steelers are, as of now, the No. 6 seed in the AFC is their win over SD earlier this year. If the Bengals win Sunday in Pitt, and the Chargers beat the visiting Raiders, SD will take over the No. 6 slot and Pitt will be on the outside looking in. At least for a week.

[kingwilly]

The scary prospect is that we beat Pitt, then drop a stupid game in the CLE-DET-BUF stretch and lose on the road at KC. Not likely but if PIT wins out even after a loss to us, then they take div. We'd be on outside based on the KC loss, if it were to happen.

One game at a time and each one is really a playoff game. Cincy controls their own destiny right now. Win and everything takes care of itself.

[HoosierCat]

The scary prospect is that we beat Pitt, then drop a stupid game in the CLE-DET-BUF stretch and lose on the road at KC. Not likely but if PIT wins out even after a loss to us, then they take div. We'd be on outside based on the KC loss, if it were to happen.

Only if it was the Cleveland game we dropped. If we win Sunday, then a victory the next week over Cleveland gives us the division tiebreaker. In that case, winning any of the last 3 gives us the North.

[kingwilly]

true.

The Pit -Chi game will also be very interesting.

[Stripes]

The Pit -Chi game will also be very interesting.

I think if we beat Pittsburgh, then that game will be do or die for the Steelers. At 7-5, they'd be walking a tight rope between a wild card berth and a season with no playoffs.

[AMC]

The Pit -Chi game will also be very interesting.

I think if we beat Pittsburgh, then that game will be do or die for the Steelers. At 7-5, they'd be walking a tight rope between a wild card berth and a season with no playoffs.

Steelers with no playoffs??? There's only one thing I want for Christmas this year! Well besides the Bengals plight of course.

[HoosierCat]

Steelers with no playoffs??? There's only one thing I want for Christmas this year! Well besides the Bengals plight of course.

Be careful what you wish for. As has already been noted, the team that would knock out Pitt would be San Diego. And the idea of the Bengals defense trying to stop Tomlinson scares the crap out of me.

[walzav29]

Let's say the Chiefs beat the Broncos, and the Bengals win out. Leaving both teams 13-3. Who has the #2 seed?

[AMC]

Steelers with no playoffs??? There's only one thing I want for Christmas this year! Well besides the Bengals plight of course.

Be careful what you wish for. As has already been noted, the team that would knock out Pitt would be San Diego. And the idea of the Bengals defense trying to stop Tomlinson scares the crap out of me.

Bring 'em all on!!! I ain't skeerd....

[schweinhart]

After the loss to Indy, the Steelers are staring 7-5 straight in the face vs. the Bengals.

Their situation just got a whole lot more urgent for a playoff bid and no doubt the Bengals will have to deal with some extra fun on Sunday because of it.

Given Big Ben working off some rust last week and James Farrior finding his game legs, it'll be much harder for the Bengals to beat the Steelers than it was for Indy -- that and the venue.

The Bengals have given no reason to believe that they can beat the Steelers with Palmer at QB and the Bengals are 1-4 vs. Steelers w/ Marvin. Last game I really thought the Bengals would knock the Steelers out cold, something like 38-17. Obviously that's far from what happened for a number of reasons but mainly offensive execution and playcalling and run defense.

Not that a Bengals loss on Sunday automatically knocks them off the top of of the North but it sure makes for a slog to win it. The wildcard race is still too murky now to guess other than 2 of 4 teams left will get it. With a loss Sunday, the Bengals look like more a part of that 4-team battle than division winners.

[walzav29]

I can see the Bengals not even making the playoffs. If they keep their streak of not beating a team with a winning record (at the time), that meas they would lose to the Steelers and Chiefs. Taking them to 11-5. The Jags and Chargers would get in.

[jjakq27]

Let's say the Chiefs beat the Broncos, and the Bengals win out. Leaving both teams 13-3. Who has the #2 seed?

First tiebreaker is head-to-head and the second would be conference record.

http://www.nfl.com/standings/tiebreakers

[schweinhart]

I can see the Bengals not even making the playoffs. If they keep their streak of not beating a team with a winning record (at the time), that meas they would lose to the Steelers and Chiefs. Taking them to 11-5. The Jags and Chargers would get in.

11-5 for the Jags seems pretty likely given their sked even with Garrard in for Leftwich.

The Bolts should be more likely to go 10-6 than 11-5 IMO and the Chiefs would be doing well to go 10-6 given their tough sked.

So if the Bengals lose to Pitt but finish 11-5 and Pitt wins the North, it'll be back to Heinz.