Your thoughts on the Bengals?

[Gazpacho]

I've been a hardcore fan for 30 + years and have been thru shitty teams for a long time.

Are they finally turning into contenders?

Is Dalton finally maturing into a playoff (winning) caliber quarterback?

What do non fans think of them?

Opinions please...

[UtahRatt]

In the "NFL Pick thread" I picked the Beagles to win the division......Every year the Beagles show moments of dominance, moments of confusion, slowdown in the 2nd half, make the playoffs and suck a dick. They haven't won a playoff game since before Nirvana and grunge hit the scene then in the 2nd round they lost to the Bo Fucking Jackson Raiders last game.

Now with the Dog Killer leading the Steelers that team is fucked, they might win a game then choke on a bag of dog biscuits.

The Ravens - starting off 0-3 without the wife beater running game while relying on the older legs of Gore, the insane mad man Steve Smith and the most overrated and over paid QB Joe Flacco should make it easy for Cincy to win the division.

It comes down too.......
The Beagles either get out coached or Dalton blows goats and throw 3INT's during the playoffs but I'd really like to see them win the SuperBowl but I don't want them going unless THEY WIN! I don't want the Bengals to face a Seattle or Green bay and lose. Fuck um unless they go and WIN!
AJ Green is an awesome cocky thug who does the macarena after every catch and Adam "PacFudge" Jones is the dirtiest playing biggest criminal douche in the league but I like Dalton and the rest of the team.

I lost a 1/4 ounce of pot when the Beagles choked down the 1988 Super Bowl. I'm still pissed about that game and that stupid fucking Icky and his weak ass shuffle but mostly that they had that game won and blew it.....Again, they got out coached and played like shit in the big game even tho they had the game won they found a way to lose.

[killeverything]

I lost a 1/4 ounce of pot when the Beagles choked down the 1988 Super Bowl. I'm still pissed about that game and that stupid fucking Icky and his weak ass shuffle but mostly that they had that game won and blew it.....Again, they got out coached and played like shit in the big game even tho they had the game won they found a way to lose.

Yeah, that "found a way to lose" was named "Joe Montana."

I made $10 on that Superbowl. When your 9 years old, that's a fucking fortune. I remember stressing that I was going to be out $10 until the what 27 seconds left(?) Pass to Taylor. That was my practically my life's savings at that point.

[UtahRatt]

I lost a 1/4 ounce of pot when the Beagles choked down the 1988 Super Bowl. I'm still pissed about that game and that stupid fucking Icky and his weak ass shuffle but mostly that they had that game won and blew it.....Again, they got out coached and played like shit in the big game even tho they had the game won they found a way to lose.

Yeah, that "found a way to lose" was named "Joe Montana."

I made $10 on that Superbowl. When your 9 years old, that's a fucking fortune. I remember stressing that I was going to be out $10 until the what 27 seconds left(?) Pass to Taylor. That was my practically my life's savings at that point.

Good games.........

I was a number of years older and that 1/4 was good money. $30 in 88 bought a lot more gas for the truck then it does today. I was just out of school, a broke ass working young man.
Statically the Niners destroyed Cincy but Cincy's defense was stingy as fuck keeping the 49ers off the score board. That last drive was Montana, Craig, Rice and everyone playing hard. Montana won the game but the Beagles defensive play calling didn't help either.

That last drive was the famous "To calm everyone's nerves.....While they're all in the huddle Montana points over to the fans and say's "HEY LOOK! IT'S JOHN CANDY!" The players start laughing and loosen up. Montana was grace under pressure.

I sat and watched in awwwwww during that last drive. Just saying to myself, will someone on D make one fucking play! That drive was total guts, team effort, I'm not sure any defense could have stopped them.

To this day I'm still pissed off about that game. I hated the 49ers back then.

[bigbuttskinner]

They'll get bounced in the Wild Card round, like always. Nothing new to see here. Marvin will come back again because Cincy and Mike Brown love being mediocre.

[Chaz]

I think it's neat how Dalton's hair color matches his uniform.

[wolf_blotzer]

The Bengals ... I quickly switch radio stations whenever I hear that "Manic Monday" song played...

[Rainbow Bright]

Its sad that the Bengals are Ohio's best chance at a professional level championship.

[bigbuttskinner]

Its sad that the Bengals are Ohio's best chance at a professional level championship.

Have you heard of Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis? The world's biggest lovers of mediocrity. Just enough wins to make a showing, then come up empty.

[Rageman]

5-0

That's my thoughts on the Bengals right now

[Gritt]

They could go 16-0 but until they win a few playoff games it won't matter.

Dalton does look much better to me this year. It's not just the numbers, it's the body language. He is carrying himself like the man so far. Of course the real test will be when he's having a bad game and he still finds a way to pull out a win. If he starts doing that, they are going to be tough.

One thing that I think is being overlooked by many this year is the emergence of Eifert. He lines up all over the place and he's a matchup nightmare.

[UtahRatt]

No ones going to fall in love with the Beagles until they win in the playoffs instead of choking. I agree about Dalton, he's look great, more mature in the pocket and plays with more poise but we've all seen him have great games....In the season......
There's also less challenge coming not only from his division the league is going through a transformation. If there is a year for Cincy to sneak past teams in the playoffs into the Stooper Bowl this would be a good year.

But they have to get over that hump. Apart from the Pat's no one else is stepping up to the plate....With the early troubles in Indy and Denver having to rely on their defense and squeaking by horrible teams. Cincy is a dangerous so far.

I'd rank them #2 in the AFC right now. Still a long way to go.

[Gritt]

Yeah I would agree with that. As it sits right now I think there are only two real good teams. New England and Arizona to me are the only ones so far that I look at and think they have a real shot at the super bowl. Cinci would be third. So many of the so called good teams that most point to are severely flawed.

[demolition23]

Yeah I would agree with that. As it sits right now I think there are only two real good teams. New England and Arizona to me are the only ones so far that I look at and think they have a real shot at the super bowl

Green Bay?

[Gritt]

Yeah I would agree with that. As it sits right now I think there are only two real good teams. New England and Arizona to me are the only ones so far that I look at and think they have a real shot at the super bowl

Green Bay?

They've struggled to put up points against the niners and last week as well. The receivers have been decimated by injuries. Right now I feel they are a step below New England and Arizona.

If I had to pick a top five it would be
1. New England
2. Arizona
3. Cincinnati
4. Green Bay
5. New York Giants

[UtahRatt]

Yeah I would agree with that. As it sits right now I think there are only two real good teams. New England and Arizona to me are the only ones so far that I look at and think they have a real shot at the super bowl

Green Bay?

They've struggled to put up points against the niners and last week as well. The receivers have been decimated by injuries. Right now I feel they are a step below New England and Arizona.

If I had to pick a top five it would be
1. New England
2. Arizona
3. Cincinnati
4. Green Bay
5. New York Giants

I'd knock the Giants off that list but agree with the rest, they're pretty close. It's still far too early to bank on, there's some fringe teams that pull together late in the season. Seattle, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and possibly Panthers and Bronco's with a shot just off the top of my head. There's another month before teams start dropping or pull together, make their adjustments and show their true colors.

I expect Seattle to pull it together they're too talented not too, I'd replace them with the Giants right now. This week vs the Panthers is a big game that could sway the scale.

I can't by into the Giants because their Division and some of the holes they have. I don't trust Eli at all but they've always had that shitty for a couple years then pull a good year out of their ass.

[Rageman]

6-0 heading into the bye week.

Still a few holes on defense but they currently have the same 53 man roster that they had when the season started.

[Nunose]

Being from New England, the Patriots are my team. That being said, The Bengals really do look good so far. AJ Green is getting open and Dalton right on target. Their defense is tough but needs more consistency. They're winning but barely.

Bengals vs Green Bay: Green Bay
Bengals vs Denver: Bengals..tough one though, Denver Defense is good
Bengals vs Arizona: Bengals
Bengals vs Carolina: Carolina..Carolina's offense is looking good
Bengals vs New England: New England..that's a close one..New England needs their defense to be all over the Bengals passing game.

Bengals have a shot I think...

[Jack Hugeman]

I heard a rumor that Mike Brown once said a perfect season is 8-8. Keeps the fans interested, and he doesn't have to pay to have a "winning" team.

Chad Johnson was interveiwed in ESPN a season before he left and said the team doesn't pay the defense, and he wanted that changed because he wanted to play on a championship team. In the mid-90s a Nebraska tackle was drafted and was excited to see the Bengals training facility compared to one at a collegiate level. He later said how disappointed he was when he first saw the Bengals' rusty-ass weight room and high-school level training facility. Nebraska's was light years ahead of the Bengals'. My point is: Mike Brown is cheap. That seems to be changing, as he relinquishes control to his daughter and Lewis.

I give Dalton a pass for last year's playoff loss: he had absolutely nobody to pass too. Eiffert and Gresham were out. Green was out. I think HIll was out too. Rex Burkhead was the primary target.

The year before, against the Chargers, he seemed to implode after Bernard fumbled about to cross the goal line. I can't really defend his performance after that or in the games against the Texans in the previous two years.

One thing the Bengals have always lacked is attitude. I think that's a trickle-down trait that Marv Lewis just doesn't have. You don't see him ripping into players who screw up, and conversely, he doesn' t have that happy go lucky positivity that so many like about Pete Carrol. He's just sort of.... there.

For whatever reason, they seem to have that attitude and swagger this year. I think it's a combination of Jones, Burfict (even though he's on the PUP, he's still a presence) and Whitworth (arguably the best OL man in the NFL).

I always worry about the Steelers. That organization, as much as I hate them, always has that swagger, especially against the Bengals. Having said that, I think the Bengals are the better team, especially if Dalton continues playing at the level he has and considering how banged up the Steelers O-line is. My main concern is the Bengals D. At least two blown coverages (against the Chargers and Seahawks) and for every outstanding play by Kirkpatrick he blows three (usually from a missed tackle).

Biggest head-scratcher to me was the draft. Why the hell did they take an injured lineman in the first round?

As far as the Cardinals go: I believe as long as Palmer is the QB, they're overrated. Palmer showed his true material against the Steelers: 421 yards, 1 TD and 2 interceptions, including one that was just an abysmal decision with 2:20 left in the game. Throwing a 20 yard pass into double coverage when it's 1st and 10 and down by less than a TD? Classic Palmer.

Just my two cents. Who dey.

[Rageman]

8-0 after easily dispatching the Browns 31-10. In the last two games the Bengals have faced Manziel the aggregate score is 61-10.

Ten days off until they host the Texans on a Monday night and then they hit the road for a Sunday night game in Arizona.

No Bengal team had ever gone 7-0 and now they're 8-0 and looking very strong. The battle for the two playoff bye weeks between New England, Denver and Cincinnati is going to be awesome to watch as the season unfolds.

[UtahRatt]

8-0 after easily dispatching the Browns 31-10. In the last two games the Bengals have faced Manziel the aggregate score is 61-10.

Ten days off until they host the Texans on a Monday night and then they hit the road for a Sunday night game in Arizona.

No Bengal team had ever gone 7-0 and now they're 8-0 and looking very strong. The battle for the two playoff bye weeks between New England, Denver and Cincinnati is going to be awesome to watch as the season unfolds.

This thread went quite in a hurry after they lost to the Texans

4-3 in the last 7.......2-3 in their last 5....As the season gets longer...........

Texans, Cardinals and Steelers. Still looking good for home field, who beat them last year at home? Lost the last 6 playoff games they've been in, all Wild Card games. I remember the Chargers making the playoffs on a blow call then going into the Beagles stadium and spanking them. I think most of them were at home. Colts spanking last year, Texans two years in a row and been bitch slapped 5 out of the 6.

I think they need to get out of the WC, going in as division winners could change their luck.

If there's a year to do it this would be a good year. They're still one of the top AFC teams.

[UtahRatt]

Well this don't help........Dalton broke a nail. I mean fracture, not broke finger. He better be back in three to four weeks. With the Niners, Broncos and Ravens they could feasibly win two but it could change the playoff picture if they choke and here we go again with the Beagles.

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Dalton was knocked out in the first quarter of Sunday's 33-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers after suffering the injury attempting to make a tackle.
Dalton won't have surgery; return for playoffs hopeful

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told reporters that quarterback Andy Dalton won't need surgery on his fractured right thumb. Dalton will not play in Week 15 against the San Francisco 49ers, per Lewis, and the team will take it week by week to determine his availability.

There is hope Dalton can return for the playoffs, per NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, but will depend on how quickly he heals. Dalton believes a Week 17 return is possible, but bones are tricky to guesstimate how they will mend.

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How many of you have broken fingers before? I'm guessing a lot.
A splint, little bit of tape and no time at all.......Only once it did take 8 weeks before healed. Broke it at work, kept working and didn't go to the hospital. 4 weeks later I noticed it looked like a banana and still hurt so I got x-rays, they put some weights on it and a special splint to grow back straight.

It sucks it's his thumb but I'd be surprised if he's not back by the playoffs if not taking snaps in the Ravens game. Man that sucks, they had it going and watch a fractured finger be the excuse that they lose home field and games in the playoffs.