AFC North...how do you see it?

Originally Posted by malachicrunch

Ever the optimist. I'd like to see the 10 games you are predicting wins for the Bengals. I'm in the 6-7 win range for them.

Optimist? How about just being realistic? I was one of the very few people who looked at the bengals in a realistic view last year, instead of just saying Mike Brown sucks so they will be the worst team in the league. Last year was not hard to see if you based it on things you see and how the team progressed through the preseason, and then also the early season schedule last year. However people made their minds up on the team last year before ever seeing any of the new guys play or the new OC.

This team is very capable of 10 wins this year when looking at it right now, even with the tougher schedule as long as they avoid the big injury especially to Dalton. My opinion might change as we go through the preseason but we will see. Once again they have a very favorable early season schedule, so it is very important to get off to a good start. If they don't then your 6 to 7 wins probably will be right. One of the things I don't get is people talk about the Bengals harder schedule which is true, however you got to remember the Bengals also will be a tough team to beat for the teams they are playing too.

I could have easily responded to this in two sentences, but its been awhile since I had a long post. It should be a good year the tough schedule could cost them. The first 6 games will decide how it goes IMO. I just happen to think they will start very well, and it would be the momentum they need to do well enough in the 2nd half of the season to make the playoffs.

I think the Browns have a surprise year and finish 3rd in the division, ahead of the Steelers.

Steelers 11-5
Ravens 9-7
Bengals 8-8
Browns 5-11

Suggs hurts the Ravens being out.

Originally Posted by UKMustangFan

^I think this year will be a case of the Bengals being better than they were a year ago, but with a MUCH more difficult schedule the record may not reflect it.

Exactly.

Originally Posted by futurecoach

Optimist? How about just being realistic? I was one of the very few people who looked at the bengals in a realistic view last year, instead of just saying Mike Brown sucks so they will be the worst team in the league. Last year was not hard to see if you based it on things you see and how the team progressed through the preseason, and then also the early season schedule last year. However people made their minds up on the team last year before ever seeing any of the new guys play or the new OC.

This team is very capable of 10 wins this year when looking at it right now, even with the tougher schedule as long as they avoid the big injury especially to Dalton. My opinion might change as we go through the preseason but we will see. Once again they have a very favorable early season schedule, so it is very important to get off to a good start. If they don't then your 6 to 7 wins probably will be right. One of the things I don't get is people talk about the Bengals harder schedule which is true, however you got to remember the Bengals also will be a tough team to beat for the teams they are playing too.

I could have easily responded to this in two sentences, but its been awhile since I had a long post. It should be a good year the tough schedule could cost them. The first 6 games will decide how it goes IMO. I just happen to think they will start very well, and it would be the momentum they need to do well enough in the 2nd half of the season to make the playoffs.

So you are optimistic that they will get off to a good start, and win 10 games.

Originally Posted by malachicrunch

So you are optimistic that they will get off to a good start, and win 10 games.

Actually I think it is a little bit of both. You are right it is a little bit optimistic, because anytime someone predicts something to have a winning record it is being somewhat optimistic. However it is also a little bit realistic too. When you look at the Bengals team, and then look at the schedule it is not that hard to see 10 wins. Very easy early schedule, which I think they will do well at. Which IMO I thought that will help them get through the very tough last 8 games of the year well enough to still make the playoffs. A lot of tough teams on the schedule in the 2nd half, however the Bengals are also a tough team for those teams now too. They beat all the teams they should have beat last year, and lost to only playoff teams and was close in 5 of those 8 losses and that was with a couple of rookies leading the way. So I think with them being 2nd year players it will help them get over the hump and get some of those wins this year. I can see the season going something like this:

Cincinnati Bengals
Sept. 10 at Baltimore Ravens (Mon.) 7 p.m. Lose
Sept. 16 Cleveland Browns 1 p.m. Win
Sept. 23 at Washington Redskins 1 p.m.Win
Sept. 30 at Jacksonville Jaguars 4:05 p.m.Win
Oct. 7 Miami Dolphins 1 p.m.Win
Oct. 14 at Cleveland Browns 1 p.m.Win
Oct. 21 Pittsburgh Steelers 8:20 p.m.Lose
Oct. 28 BYE
Nov. 4 Denver Broncos 1 p.m.Lose
Nov. 11 New York Giants 1 p.m.Win
Nov. 18 at Kansas City Chiefs 1 p.m.Win
Nov. 25 Oakland Raiders 1 p.m.Win
Dec. 2 at San Diego Chargers 4:15 p.m.Lose
Dec. 9 Dallas Cowboys 1 p.m.Win
Dec. 13 at Philadelphia Eagles (Thurs.) 8:20 p.m.Lose
Dec. 23 at Pittsburgh Steelers 1 p.m.Lose
Dec. 30 Baltimore Ravens 1 p.m.Win

Originally Posted by futurecoach

Actually I think it is a little bit of both. You are right it is a little bit optimistic, because anytime someone predicts something to have a winning record it is being somewhat optimistic. However it is also a little bit realistic too. When you look at the Bengals team, and then look at the schedule it is not that hard to see 10 wins. Very easy early schedule, which I think they will do well at. Which IMO I thought that will help them get through the very tough last 8 games of the year well enough to still make the playoffs. A lot of tough teams on the schedule in the 2nd half, however the Bengals are also a tough team for those teams now too. They beat all the teams they should have beat last year, and lost to only playoff teams and was close in 5 of those 8 losses and that was with a couple of rookies leading the way. So I think with them being 2nd year players it will help them get over the hump and get some of those wins this year. I can see the season going something like this:

Cincinnati Bengals
Sept. 10 at Baltimore Ravens (Mon.) 7 p.m. Lose
Sept. 16 Cleveland Browns 1 p.m. Win
Sept. 23 at Washington Redskins 1 p.m.Win
Sept. 30 at Jacksonville Jaguars 4:05 p.m.Win
Oct. 7 Miami Dolphins 1 p.m.Win
Oct. 14 at Cleveland Browns 1 p.m.Win
Oct. 21 Pittsburgh Steelers 8:20 p.m.Lose
Oct. 28 BYE
Nov. 4 Denver Broncos 1 p.m.Lose
Nov. 11 New York Giants 1 p.m.Win
Nov. 18 at Kansas City Chiefs 1 p.m.Win
Nov. 25 Oakland Raiders 1 p.m.Win
Dec. 2 at San Diego Chargers 4:15 p.m.Lose
Dec. 9 Dallas Cowboys 1 p.m.Win
Dec. 13 at Philadelphia Eagles (Thurs.) 8:20 p.m.Lose
Dec. 23 at Pittsburgh Steelers 1 p.m.Lose
Dec. 30 Baltimore Ravens 1 p.m.Win

I know in the prediction thread I said I thought the Bengals would find a way to win 20 to 17 if they could have survive the first quarter. So I was wrong about them winning the prediction thread, but at least that keeps it true for what I predicted for the whole season since I said I predicted this would be one of their losses for the season.

Originally Posted by futurecoach

I know in the prediction thread I said I thought the Bengals would find a way to win 20 to 17 if they could have survive the first quarter. So I was wrong about them winning the prediction thread, but at least that keeps it true for what I predicted for the whole season since I said I predicted this would be one of their losses for the season.

Thank God you had all your bases covered.

Originally Posted by futurecoach

Actually I think it is a little bit of both. You are right it is a little bit optimistic, because anytime someone predicts something to have a winning record it is being somewhat optimistic. However it is also a little bit realistic too. When you look at the Bengals team, and then look at the schedule it is not that hard to see 10 wins. Very easy early schedule, which I think they will do well at. Which IMO I thought that will help them get through the very tough last 8 games of the year well enough to still make the playoffs. A lot of tough teams on the schedule in the 2nd half, however the Bengals are also a tough team for those teams now too. They beat all the teams they should have beat last year, and lost to only playoff teams and was close in 5 of those 8 losses and that was with a couple of rookies leading the way. So I think with them being 2nd year players it will help them get over the hump and get some of those wins this year. I can see the season going something like this:

Cincinnati Bengals
Sept. 10 at Baltimore Ravens (Mon.) 7 p.m. Lose
Sept. 16 Cleveland Browns 1 p.m. Win
Sept. 23 at Washington Redskins 1 p.m.Win
Sept. 30 at Jacksonville Jaguars 4:05 p.m.Win
Oct. 7 Miami Dolphins 1 p.m.Win
Oct. 14 at Cleveland Browns 1 p.m.Win
Oct. 21 Pittsburgh Steelers 8:20 p.m.Lose
Oct. 28 BYE
Nov. 4 Denver Broncos 1 p.m.Lose
Nov. 11 New York Giants 1 p.m.Win
Nov. 18 at Kansas City Chiefs 1 p.m.Win
Nov. 25 Oakland Raiders 1 p.m.Win
Dec. 2 at San Diego Chargers 4:15 p.m.Lose
Dec. 9 Dallas Cowboys 1 p.m.Win
Dec. 13 at Philadelphia Eagles (Thurs.) 8:20 p.m.Lose
Dec. 23 at Pittsburgh Steelers 1 p.m.Lose
Dec. 30 Baltimore Ravens 1 p.m.Win

I don't think they win both Jax and Wash on the road. After last night, I have a hard time with them beating Balt at all

Based on the way the first week has went, I think that Baltimore is the clear favorite. I think Pittsburgh will still be good, but not as much in past seasons. The Bengals still have a chance, but they need to get healthy on the defensive line and make a lot of improvement in the secondary quickly. If not, it's going to be a long season.

Ravens win the division comfortably 13 and 3
Bengals take 2nd with a 9 and 7 record
Steelers struggle this year and end up 8 and 8
Browns will be lucky to win 4 or 5 games

Originally Posted by malachicrunch

I don't think they win both Jax and Wash on the road. After last night, I have a hard time with them beating Balt at all

The Washington game definitely will be a little harder now than I thought, but I do think they can pull it out. Hopefully RG3 has some rookie moments on that day. Now games that I might switch would be Dallas and Philly, and the Last Steelers and Ravens games. I would flip flop how I had those games. So 10 and 6 is still what I see happening though.

Originally Posted by spindoc

Thank God you had all your bases covered.

Hey I did say in the prediction thread that the Bengals would have to survive that first quarter if they were going to win, and they didn't do that. So I did admit even in the predictin thread that it could go bad.

By the way it sure seemed like the Ravens were throwing more different types of blitzes last night and more often than what they usually show against the Bengals....

Originally Posted by futurecoach

Hey I did say in the prediction thread that the Bengals would have to survive that first quarter if they were going to win, and they didn't do that. So I did admit even in the predictin thread that it could go bad.

By the way it sure seemed like the Ravens were throwing more different types of blitzes last night and more often than what they usually show against the Bengals....

Wow, I watched the whole game and I didn't see Baltimore do any more blitzing than they normally do. As a matter of fact, 2 big plays for the Gals were on run blitzes they needed because the law firm was gouging them. Caught Ed Reed on one. Didn't appear that there was an inordinate number of blitzes on the QB than Baltimore usually employs. But hey, that's just my take.

Originally Posted by spindoc

Wow, I watched the whole game and I didn't see Baltimore do any more blitzing than they normally do. As a matter of fact, 2 big plays for the Gals were on run blitzes they needed because the law firm was gouging them. Caught Ed Reed on one. Didn't appear that there was an inordinate number of blitzes on the QB than Baltimore usually employs. But hey, that's just my take.

Sure seemed like they were more consistently blitzing corners, and safeties more often than normal. Usually the one they would bring consistenly was Suggs, which all they really had to do because he was so good at it. We will look at it at the end of the year and compare the numbers to last year and see if they did blitz more or not.

Originally Posted by futurecoach

Sure seemed like they were more consistently blitzing corners, and safeties more often than normal. Usually the one they would bring consistenly was Suggs, which all they really had to do because he was so good at it. We will look at it at the end of the year and compare the numbers to last year and see if they did blitz more or not.

K..

Originally Posted by spindoc

Pitt is getting rid of the old brother. If anything, overall they are significantly younger this year, which may be their undoing.

I was talking more of their Def with guys like Troy P. They are a different team when he is on the field healthy. He looked old the other night trying to chase D Thomas but I guess he'll do that to most people. Just think they keep having a bunch of guys on the injured report consistently like Troy P, Harrison, Hampton etc.
Off I think they are in a major transition problem. They want to get back to the old Steeler football of ground and pound. Problem is their Oline hasn't been good for awhile and they haven't had a consistant back since Bettis. I like Dwyer but he's hurt now I think. No Oline or RB is not good for a team that wants to run. What they do have is one of the most electric 1-2 punches on the outside with Brown+Wallace. They have a QB that can sling it. I'd throw to open the run.

They wasted a quarter trying to pound it against Denver. I'm hoping that Haley has seen enough to know that the identity offensively is exactly like you stated, pass to set up the run. With the exception of the bad decision on the pick-6, Ben was very good. Troy took a bad route to Thomas on that pass and went underneath and Taylor got mowed and Thomas had a 7yd head start on Troy, so I don't think I'd read too much into that. I agree on Hampton, but I think they've found a significant help in McClendon to spell the Big Snack some. Other than that, Harrison is the guy who needs to get back and play a healthy season for the Steelers to do anything that would resemble a playoff berth. I don't read too much into the opener. Last year got whitewashed by the Ravens in the opener, finished with 12 wins.

Originally Posted by stick1

I was talking more of their Def with guys like Troy P. They are a different team when he is on the field healthy. He looked old the other night trying to chase D Thomas but I guess he'll do that to most people. Just think they keep having a bunch of guys on the injured report consistently like Troy P, Harrison, Hampton etc.
Off I think they are in a major transition problem. They want to get back to the old Steeler football of ground and pound. Problem is their Oline hasn't been good for awhile and they haven't had a consistant back since Bettis. I like Dwyer but he's hurt now I think. No Oline or RB is not good for a team that wants to run. What they do have is one of the most electric 1-2 punches on the outside with Brown+Wallace. They have a QB that can sling it. I'd throw to open the run.

That was pretty good preseason breakdown.

Originally Posted by stick1

That was pretty good preseason breakdown.

Yep, only thing about the offense is they've put up plenty of numbers, but you were spot on.